Well, I went and racked my first mead again. Still smells like hooch and sweatsocks. Tastes really sweet and hot with alcohol. Also had to add a lot of water to top off the carboy today. I don't think that'll hurt since its so potent with booze. I'm including all of my notes for you guys to look at. Please... be gentle. You'll notice in my notes I discovered that I had been misreading the SG. I think on a couple of reads(I don't know which ones) I read the balling scale. :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[
I'm also crossposting this at Northern Brewer
Mead batch started primary fermentation on 14 Sep 03.
1 gal of bottled spring water
3lbs of honey, bulk clover
.5 oz White Labs Sweet Mead/Wine Yeast #WLP720
Must heated to 150 degrees for 45 minutes.
Racked, with about 1 pint of must missing from carboy.
Fermentation lock with tap water.
Swirled every day for first 10 days.
SG on 14 Sep 03: 1.102 (Potential alc 13.5)
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27 September 03
Holy Cow! SG went to 1.002!(Alc content 13.5%!!!) All the yeasties were dead and buried and man that is some strong hooch!
Added an unkn amount of new honey-water (the ratio was 2 lbs of honey to 4 cups of water, but the amount of mixture is unkn) and remainder of yeast vial (this will probably be a mistake). But at least it’s better topped off and less air can interact with it.
With the addition of honey, I raised the SG to a whopping 1.120. Hopefully, this sweetens the wine more than raises the alcohol content (but I doubt it). I imagine it will be pretty potent when all said in done.
It currently has a lemon juice color.
The taste is something of a rough go, with the alcohol so high and the sugar so low. Reminds me of a lemon drop dipped in kerosene. God, I hope that time smoothes this out…
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30 September 03
Flocculation was intense. It was like somebody dropped a pound cake in the bottom of the carboy. Racked it again because I was concerned of autolysis. Smelled like sweatsocks. Forgot to check SG.
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15 Oct 2003
Mead very clear. Gravity: 1.028
Still smells like hooch and sweatsocks. Tastes too sweet and very hot with alcohol. Had to add water to top off. Too much splashing when I did this. I still remain unconvinced that this will turn into anything drinkable.
Also discovered that my some of my SG readings may have been from the balling scale. I have no idea what the damn ABV will be in the end.
I'm also crossposting this at Northern Brewer