Per instructions for the forum, my ingredients are as follows
2lb orange blossom honey
Water to one gallon mark
Lalvin 71b yeast
Maybe 2c sugar
1tsp yeast nutrient
OG was 1.112
That was 3 weeks ago. I've since racked twice, added yeast nutrient twice, and just today pitched a little ec-1118 because SG won't drop below 1.012. Also been skimming off a white film that wants to persist, despite my sanitation methods.
Today I noticed a rotten egg smell. I'm a winemaker, so I got this. Introduced oxygen to must, added cooper scrubby. Yeast are stressed, I get it.
Now I'm left with this unpleasant sour smell. Like no way does that smell drinkable. Then again I've never had mead before so maybe that's normal?
Is there a difinitive way to tell if the mead is ruined/contaminated? Wondering if I should just stabilize and move on to clearing, which should kill off any intrusive yeast or bacteria. Hate to throw it out, but it is only a gallon.
Thoughts are appreciated. Thanks guys.
2lb orange blossom honey
Water to one gallon mark
Lalvin 71b yeast
Maybe 2c sugar
1tsp yeast nutrient
OG was 1.112
That was 3 weeks ago. I've since racked twice, added yeast nutrient twice, and just today pitched a little ec-1118 because SG won't drop below 1.012. Also been skimming off a white film that wants to persist, despite my sanitation methods.
Today I noticed a rotten egg smell. I'm a winemaker, so I got this. Introduced oxygen to must, added cooper scrubby. Yeast are stressed, I get it.
Now I'm left with this unpleasant sour smell. Like no way does that smell drinkable. Then again I've never had mead before so maybe that's normal?
Is there a difinitive way to tell if the mead is ruined/contaminated? Wondering if I should just stabilize and move on to clearing, which should kill off any intrusive yeast or bacteria. Hate to throw it out, but it is only a gallon.
Thoughts are appreciated. Thanks guys.