I think I might have an issue with my mead

First heres my recipe

8# clover honey with a little star thistle mixed in from the local brew shop
3 Gallons of water (bottled spring ozarka)
1 package of red star pastuer champagne yeast
40oz of crushed raspberries
1/2 tea of yeast nutrient

Method:
1. Cleaned thoroughly with soup and hot water and then hit it with "one step" cleaner(though I did rinse) on all equipment

2. Brought water in a stock pot up to below simmering.
3. Added all honey, added crushed raspberries, added nutrient
4. Brought the temp up to about 180'degrees
6. Cooled in an ice bath and stirred it around real well to airrate the must
7. at about 80 degrees I put my yeast in from a yeast starter(this starter was covered the entire time)
8. I then siphoned into the primary and gave it a shake or too for luck and put the air lock on.

After 4 days I racked it off the pulp and its still bubbling about once every one or two seconds. total amount of days in the carboy would be about 6 give or take a few hours

Heres my current issue.

1. There are little whitish/off whitish things floating around in there, theres alot, some are sitting on the bottom of the carboy some are floating up to the surface with the bubbles there is some foam on top as well. They are shaped like tiny little pellets(i mean tiny) almost dry yeast size..like from out of the package. Some are bigger though.

Im thinking that this might be globs of yeast? I have made this recipe before except in a five gallon format and I dont remember this happening...then again it was about 3 years ago that I made it.

2nd issue. I took a taste to see if anything was just really off....the only bad taste I get is a very strong alcohol taste..hard to explain...maybe like how ethenol or lighter fluid smells?..yet not quite..


And yet one more question....if I dont have any problems should I go ahead and kill the yeast off? I mean this stuff is getting pretty potent and Id like to leave some sweetness too it... or should I let it run its course and then re-sweeten after its done?

The starter. I used a small 6oz glass cup. I used the same water that I used for the must in it,and warmed it up in the microwave till it read about 80 degrees.
I then put 3tbl of honey in the glass stirred it, as well as a very small pinch..half a pinch if you will of yeast nutrient. I then poured the room temp dry yeast over the top of the water, and let it set for about 30 min covered with a paper towel while I started the must. After that 30 min I stirred it up to break up the clumps on top and covered it again until the must was cool enough to add it to it.

I didnt know about cooking the fruit would do that....hmmm and Im not sure what pectinase is. But I cleared the last batch with a clearing agent from the brew store I dont remember what its called but I remember it being derived from shell fish.

And unfortuantly I did not take any of the readings your asking for.
Which in hindsight I know I should have done I guess I got a little over confident because the last one I made came out well and I did not take the readings with that one either. This is somthing I will do from now on in further batches. Although I can get some PH strips and take a test on it.

my expected outcome was semi/sweet and fruity, im not sure if I will get there now..???

Also I dont think it would be the seeds because when I raked it I strained it through a cheese cloth.


ohh and thanks for the welcome

I guess Im just going to have to wait and see and just monitor it. The floaters after another inspection look more like..couscous and theres a very fine layer underneith that. But I dont smell anything off or taste anything other than hints of raspberry and the harshness that seems to go away after aging...soo...hopefully Everything is alright and im just going a bit nuts.

And yeah I will be reading the newb guide thanks