Not Clearing Up??

[atothestrong]

I started this batch of mead about three weeks ago, and racked it after about a week and a half. (Second brewed batch. First batch is still doing great--almost crystal clear at about 4 weeks.)

OG- 1.086
Current gravity- 1.020

3 lbs honey
1 pack EC1118 yeast
1 tsp of yeast nutrient
~1 gallon batch

My only problem is, this batch is still as opaque as when I first removed it from my pail before racking. There isn't much of a layer of lees. Am I just lacking a little bit of patience? Thank you all!

 

[BrewinNColorado]

Three weeks isn't enough time to completely clear. Generally, I let mine take 5 months to clear, even when I cold crash. You can use fining agents to help clear it a little faster, but unfortunately I have no experience with fining agents, maybe someone else here can chime in on that.

Some meads take longer than others to clear, which there are several factors for this, including the sweetness, backsweetening it, pectin from fruit etc.

 

[triarchy]

Id think your batch is still fermenting, 1118 should take that and go completely dry or the 1.000-0.997 range. Id take a couple of days worth of gravity measurements and see if it is stalled out or just fermenting slowly. Maybe give it a gentle stirring to degas and get some more yeast in suspension. In any case, the mead wouldnt start to clear until fermentation is complete so that seems the most likely culprit to me.

 

[atothestrong]

Well it is most certainly still fermenting. I can see bubbles rising to the top of the must, but I am surprised that the yeast hasn't started to die out yet. There is also a little ring around the top of my carboy. It is white, looks like left over from foam almost. Does that sound familiar to you guys?

 

[Medsen Fey]

Yes, that sounds right. You typically get some yeast trapped by surface tension at the top of fermentation. It needs to finish before you worry about clearing.

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[Midnight Sun]

Well it is most certainly still fermenting. I can see bubbles rising to the top of the must, but I am surprised that the yeast hasn't started to die out yet. ....

Did you add any nutrients? If your last batch was a melomel (the fruit contributes some nutrients), then that might account for the difference in fermentation times.

Also, double check your OG number, 3lbs in 1 gallon should give you a number somewhere near 1.100.

 

[Robusto]

Id think your batch is still fermenting, 1118 should take that and go completely dry or the 1.000-0.997 range.

My thoughts exactly. EC-1118 will take that dry- no prob. It’s probably still scrounging for the last bits of sugar- ha ha. Plus, if you are in an area of the country that has been hit with the recent heat wave, its possible that the carboy warmed up a bit and restarted the yeast- at your low SG, 1118 is probably still very awake. You may want to try cold crashing it- that usually works pretty well for me.