Starting SG too high?

[montyfox]

Help,


I just mixed up my first 1 gallon batch of sweet mead.


I used 4lb honey (clover)
12.8 cups of water
1/2 tspn Energizer
3/4 tspn nutrient
1 package of Lalvin IVC D47 yeast


The starting SG is 1.150 at 78F.
The book stated that the starting SG should be 1.112-1.128.
Is mine too high? If so, how should I bring it down?


Thanks
Monty

 

[Dean]

That's too high for D47 to start properly. I would add more water and make sure you mix it up very well until you hit your target range. I would also aim for the lower end of that range. D47 has been known to go up to 16% ABV at times.

Also, for a quick drinker, stage your nutrient and energizer additions in 3 doses. First dose as the start, another the following day, and another at 1/2 the target SG.

 

[montyfox]

Since I have very little room left in the gallon jug, will it hurt anything to drain some back before adding the water?

 

[Bert]

Can you split this between two one gallon jugs, than add your water to bring down your SG.....You will need some room for foaming in the early fermemtion...a shame to waste that start of a good mead..

 

[montyfox]

What I'm thinking of doing is moving it to my 7 gallon primary and adding the water. I thought it would ferment better in the smaller container, but I may not have any choice anymore. I'll just ferment in the 7 gallon primary and then move to a couple of 1 gallon carboys at first racking. Does this sound like a good plan to you all? Also, how much water do you think it will take to bring down the SG?

 

[Wade E]

I would definitely bring the SG down as that will finish off way to sweet and be jet fuel on top of it. I like to use a lower tolerance yeast like Red Star Montrachet or a sweet mead yeast like Sauternes.

 

[montyfox]

Ok, I added 6 cups of water and brought the SG down to 1.116 at 82F. I have it in my 7 gallon primary with the lid snapped on and the air lock in place. Being that there is only 1.5 gallons in a 7 gallon primary for the initial fermentation shouldn't hurt anything should it?


Now, I'm guessing that the high honey content caused the hight SG. This leads me to a couple of questions.


1. Should I have measured the SG BEFORE adding the yeast so I could have made changes prioro, or does adding the yeast change the initial SG?


2. Since I'm completely new to this, I really don't understand the differences between the yeasts. I have read the descriptions on George's catalog, but I'm not sure what it is I'm reading. For example, I'm not sure how much alcohol content I'm supposed to be shooting for. Is there a guideline somewhere that one could follow for which yeasts to use depending on what kind of wine or mead you are making?


Thanks. I'm hoping I didn't blow this batch.
Monty

 

[Bert]

Yes , check the SG before adding the yeast....A high SG. can stress the yeast to the point of killing it....


Your Lalvin D47 is a good yeast often used for meads and has an alcohol tolerance to 14%. But, I have had myABV go past 14%.
I've been working with wines, meadsand yeasts for 5 years now and I'm still not sure of myself with any of it.

 

[Bert]

One other thing...You might think about adding about 1/4 more eachof the energizer and nutrient that you added at the begining to the mead about 2-3 days after fermemtion starts....It will help keep things going...

 

[montyfox]

Great news! Something must be going right because about every 20 to 30 seconds the airlock is going crazy! I was afraid that a 1.5 gallon batch in a 7 gallon primary would be too much space to move the gas through. Guess I was wrong!


Bert, you mentioned a second feeding in a couple of days. Did you mean 1/4 of a tspn more or 1/4 of the initial amount? Either was I can do.


Thanks for all of your help. I was really sweating bullets there for an hour or two. I sure hope this works.


I'll keep you all posted.


Monty

 

[Wade E]

That would be 1/4 tsp.