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Help me make this right

Barrel Char Wood Products

BHammer909

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 29, 2014
7
0
0
Brew Log:

8-30-14
5-gallon
Mixed Berries (Raspberry, Blackberry, Blueberry)
Yeast: EC-1118
Nutrient: Fermaid K, DAP
Spacific Gravity: 1.110
ABV: 14

RECIPE:
15 lbs Clover Honey from costco
12 lbs Mixed Berries (frozen) from costco
3 2/3 gal Drinking water from costco

8-30-14: Pitched yeast & added 1st dose of nutrient mix, S.G. 1.110
8-31-14: Added 2nd dose of nutrient mix, S.G. not taken
9-01-14: Added 3rd dose of nutrient mix, S.G. 1.040
9-03-14: Added a pinch of nutrient mix , S.G. 1.012
9-04-14: S.G. 1.000, Racked into carboy, added 4 lbs of pureed berries directly to carboy bringing it to around 5 gallons.
9-06-14: Racked back into ferm bucket to get rid of cap and lees
9-08-14: Racked into carboy and covered

As of today 4-01-15 it is still covered and I have kept the vodka in the full

What do I do now???
 

ostensibly

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 14, 2013
273
0
0
Ann Arbor, MI
How does it taste? That's usually my guide at the point you're at. If you're happy with the taste, cold crash, rack to get off any remaining lees, stabilize with k-meta and sorbate, and bottle. If not, consider aging more or additives to correct .
 

BHammer909

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 29, 2014
7
0
0
I haven't tried any, I was hoping that if I have done something wrong to this point that someone would let me know. When I racked it back in September I tried a little bit and it was very high in alcohol and tasted like a bad Merlot, I was assuming that the aging would calm that down a lot.
The end result that I was hoping for was a sweet berry mead that was light on the palate and not to harsh. I was also hoping to possibly make a "sparkling" version of this also maybe half and half on the 5 gal batch.
 

ostensibly

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 14, 2013
273
0
0
Ann Arbor, MI
Taste it. It's at 1.000 or lower, if you want it sweet you need to stabilize it and backsweeten, or keep adding small doses of honey and letting it ferment out until the yeast's alcohol tolerance is exceeded.
 

Medsen Fey

Fuselier since 2007
Premium Patron
If you want sparkling, you can rack it, add priming sugar and bottle. The EC-1118 should carb it up with no problem.

If you want sweet, you'll need to stabilize with sorbate and sulfite and then sweeten to the desired level. After that you'll need more time for clearing, then you can bottle and enjoy. If you haven't added oak, and like oak in your wines/meads, adding 1/2 to 1 ounce can be good. With mixed berries I'm partial to medium toast Hungarian.

In either case, another year of aging will help it develop.
 

BHammer909

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 29, 2014
7
0
0
What do you suggest I use to further sweeten, more honey or?

Any thoughts on if I don't wait another year how it should taste?

As you can imaging this is my first batch so i'm new to the game.
 

BHammer909

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 29, 2014
7
0
0
Do you think after racking it 3 times already that there will still be enough yeast to pop off again if adding more sugars?
 

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Nov 3, 2014
5,542
261
83
Denver
Unless they passed out by reaching their alcohol tolerance level, they will make more if need be to eat your sugar. All you need to have is one :)
 

BHammer909

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 29, 2014
7
0
0
Unless they passed out by reaching their alcohol tolerance level, they will make more if need be to eat your sugar. All you need to have is one :)

So what I should do is kill the yeast then backsweeten and bottle.
What do I do about the clarity?
 

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Nov 3, 2014
5,542
261
83
Denver
You can use a fining agent, or, just give it some more time. The line you wait the better it will taste.
 
Barrel Char Wood Products

Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns