Ok, I made a batch of the ancient orange Mead. (Modified)
The recipe were for a gallon must, so I started to double it and changed my mind after thinking that my bucket only held 2 gallons and where was the rest of the ingredients going to fit along with headspace. So, now I changed again and went to a 5 gallon bucket. (Walmart icing square bucket). Washed and sanitized with tablespoon bleach per gallon water in sink. Rinsed everything and boiled water that wasn't distilled.
3 gallon must
14. lbs of my own poplar honey.
3.5 lbs sugar
100 raisins
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 orange that was zested and thin sliced (all in)
3 packs of Fleischman active dry yeast
I got 2 packs of yeast started in jar and by time I had it ready to pitch, it was bubbling over the top, so I know it was good. The last (3rd) pack of yeast, I just added to the must and the must was 95°f
Now, I did not realize it was that much honey, until I went back and added the jars up and only accounted a half gallon jar at 3 pounds but it was 6, so it was only suppose to be 11 pounds and I thought by adding more sugar to it would make the yeast die before all sugar was turned to alcohol and make final product more sweet.
After 24 hours it still wasn't bubbling and so I shook the bucket a little and behold, it started bubbling instantly. It stayed bubbling for 48 hours until I touched it. I don't know if I broke the seal or what, but touched it because I was going to stir it up and off gas it, and so I did. I took lid off and stirred up to add more oxygen and Degas.
After doing so, it has not started to Bubble again. I taped the seam around the lid and shaken it and still notta. Now I know from reading, GET A HYDROMETER!!!!!!! AND I HAVE ONE ON ITS WAY!!!!!!!!
But, question is,. Can too much sugar and honey get stuck fermentation?
And when my hydrometer shows and it's too sweet, can I add more water to bring the reading down to 1.01 or whatever the highest reading should be, and expect the yeast to start back up or should I start more yeast also. Thanks for the long read and sorry I'm probably like the zillionth dumb newb with same problem.
The recipe were for a gallon must, so I started to double it and changed my mind after thinking that my bucket only held 2 gallons and where was the rest of the ingredients going to fit along with headspace. So, now I changed again and went to a 5 gallon bucket. (Walmart icing square bucket). Washed and sanitized with tablespoon bleach per gallon water in sink. Rinsed everything and boiled water that wasn't distilled.
3 gallon must
14. lbs of my own poplar honey.
3.5 lbs sugar
100 raisins
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 orange that was zested and thin sliced (all in)
3 packs of Fleischman active dry yeast
I got 2 packs of yeast started in jar and by time I had it ready to pitch, it was bubbling over the top, so I know it was good. The last (3rd) pack of yeast, I just added to the must and the must was 95°f
Now, I did not realize it was that much honey, until I went back and added the jars up and only accounted a half gallon jar at 3 pounds but it was 6, so it was only suppose to be 11 pounds and I thought by adding more sugar to it would make the yeast die before all sugar was turned to alcohol and make final product more sweet.
After 24 hours it still wasn't bubbling and so I shook the bucket a little and behold, it started bubbling instantly. It stayed bubbling for 48 hours until I touched it. I don't know if I broke the seal or what, but touched it because I was going to stir it up and off gas it, and so I did. I took lid off and stirred up to add more oxygen and Degas.
After doing so, it has not started to Bubble again. I taped the seam around the lid and shaken it and still notta. Now I know from reading, GET A HYDROMETER!!!!!!! AND I HAVE ONE ON ITS WAY!!!!!!!!
But, question is,. Can too much sugar and honey get stuck fermentation?
And when my hydrometer shows and it's too sweet, can I add more water to bring the reading down to 1.01 or whatever the highest reading should be, and expect the yeast to start back up or should I start more yeast also. Thanks for the long read and sorry I'm probably like the zillionth dumb newb with same problem.
