mead with insanely high o.g.

[matt finish]

a friend of a friend came over last weekend to make some mead while we were heating up our sparge water and mashing a stout. we just sort of let him do his thing. after we chilled i took a gravity reading. man alive, it was literally off the charts. i'm talking 1.2 at least. the hydrometer practically bounced off the surface of the sample. well, i'm exaggerating there, but you get the point.

this stuff is in need of some serious watering down, right? sweet mead yeast isn't going to be able to handle it. even with a starter and bunch of nutrient the airlock hasn't budged in a day and a half.

i have no idea what the ratio was, but the mead was a guess a cyser, made out of a lot of honey and a lot of cider. no water.

[Cosmic Charlie]

Some options:

1. Be patient and let it ferment (very patient - this could tie up your primary for a long time). If it becomes stuck, add new yeast and nutrient.

2. Split the batch in 2 and add much lower gravity must.

3. Use it to fuel your car.

:)

[toneyc]

Yeah, just leave that alone in a cool dark place for at least 6 months then rack to secondary. Rack every month or two after that until it clears. Bottle it and cellar it for as long as you can stand it. Do your best to save at least one bottle for a five year tasting and one for a ten year tasting.

:)
Toney.

[matt finish]

i have seen no airlock action in 5 days. is this normal?

[Mad Scientist]

If the gravity is that high, then I would think the highest attenuating yeast would be the best, since you will have alot of residual sugars left anyway, just make sure that the yeast does not produce off-flavors. The white labs super high gravity yeast might be a good idea.

If it turns out, five and ten year samples sound like a winner.....good call tony

[dparsons]

Originally posted by matt finish
i have seen no airlock action in 5 days. is this normal?

No. It should be fermenting by now.