Hello, I currently have my first mead ever (first brew of anything ever, AND first post - be gentle with me!) sitting in my kitchen, and the bubbling in the airlock has slowed from 1 per ~30 seconds since last Friday (March 30th) and is currently at 1 bubble per 50 seconds.
When I checked the gravity on Friday, it showed a gravity of 1.050, which I think brings me to just under 11%abv. I had been expecting a 14%abv, given the amount of honey used and the yeast I chose.
So I'm wondering if I should settle for where this is at and rack it, or if there is something more I can/should do. I have another round of 10g Lalvin D47 Yeast, 10g Go-Ferm Rehydration Nutrient and 8g FermaidK Nutrient (Midewest Homebrewing) at hand that I can use, but I'm not sure what to do.
Here's the story so far:
18 lbs Pure Clover Honey (Costco)
Distilled Water to 5 Gallons (currently in a ~6gallon 6.5? carboy, will rack to a 5 gallon)
10g Lalvin D47 Yeast
10g Go-Ferm Rehydration Nutrient (Midewest Homebrewing)
8g FermaidK Nutrient (Midewest Homebrewing)
Original Gravity (22/2/2012): 1.131
21/2/2012 - Fermentation bucket unusable, move to large carboy.
22/2/2012 - Slow start fermentation. ~24h lag phase. Stir/Aerate.
23/2/2012 - Bubble/5sec. Stir/Aerate.
24/2/2012 - Bubble/4sec. Possible Mold? Remove with siphon tube. (Have determined this was likely protein scum coming to top)
26/2/2012 - Bubble/4-5sec.
02/3/2012 - Check PH, find it to be low, bump it to ~3.9-4.0
30/3/2012 - Bubble/30sec. SG 1.050. Stir slightly to degas and try to bump up fermentation a bit (failed).
05/4/2012 - Bubble/50sec.
So, ideas?
Where do I go from here?
???
When I checked the gravity on Friday, it showed a gravity of 1.050, which I think brings me to just under 11%abv. I had been expecting a 14%abv, given the amount of honey used and the yeast I chose.
So I'm wondering if I should settle for where this is at and rack it, or if there is something more I can/should do. I have another round of 10g Lalvin D47 Yeast, 10g Go-Ferm Rehydration Nutrient and 8g FermaidK Nutrient (Midewest Homebrewing) at hand that I can use, but I'm not sure what to do.
Here's the story so far:
18 lbs Pure Clover Honey (Costco)
Distilled Water to 5 Gallons (currently in a ~6gallon 6.5? carboy, will rack to a 5 gallon)
10g Lalvin D47 Yeast
10g Go-Ferm Rehydration Nutrient (Midewest Homebrewing)
8g FermaidK Nutrient (Midewest Homebrewing)
Original Gravity (22/2/2012): 1.131
21/2/2012 - Fermentation bucket unusable, move to large carboy.
22/2/2012 - Slow start fermentation. ~24h lag phase. Stir/Aerate.
23/2/2012 - Bubble/5sec. Stir/Aerate.
24/2/2012 - Bubble/4sec. Possible Mold? Remove with siphon tube. (Have determined this was likely protein scum coming to top)
26/2/2012 - Bubble/4-5sec.
02/3/2012 - Check PH, find it to be low, bump it to ~3.9-4.0
30/3/2012 - Bubble/30sec. SG 1.050. Stir slightly to degas and try to bump up fermentation a bit (failed).
05/4/2012 - Bubble/50sec.
So, ideas?
Where do I go from here?
???