# The first batch is going....



## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Took the plunge today and just started the first batch of mead. I started a 5 gallon medium sweet mead with 15 lbs of honey.

Everything went smooth, until the last step.

It says to get a measure with the hydrometer before sealing the fermenter. It says it "should" read between 1.112 and 1.128

No matter how I looked at it, I came up with 1.110

So what will be the outcome with a lower starting number? A lower alcohol percentage when done? Not enough nutrients in the must?

Is there anything I can do now, as I just sealed it 10 minutes ago. Or let it go and its no big deal????

As with most things, I read the basic steps, and said "I'm ready!". Now I need to read the book as soon as I have a chance. In the meantime.......Give me a clue!

Thanks.


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## mattoleriver (Sep 20, 2003)

My first guess would be that you had a little bit of stratification of the sugars (honey) and took your sample from the top of the fermenter. If you had taken your sample from deeper within the fermenter you would have gotten a higher reading. I wouldn't be too concerned about it.
George


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## knadai (Jun 24, 2007)

*Don't worry!*



mattoleriver said:


> My first guess would be that you had a little bit of stratification of the sugars (honey) and took your sample from the top of the fermenter. If you had taken your sample from deeper within the fermenter you would have gotten a higher reading. I wouldn't be too concerned about it.
> George


mattoleriver is right, it's no big deal. You are within the margin of error of the hydrometer's accuracy, your eyeballs, and the temperature of the sample. You can apply a correction to your reading based upon temperature. But it is so small it really isn't any big deal. I never bothered when I used to brew beer.

The amount of sugars in your sample is on the low end. It might be due to a higher moisture content of the honey you used.

It's going to be great! It will finish fermenting a *little* faster and will have a *little* less alcohol.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Thanks guys.

I read (most) the book, and my worries are alot less. Now if I could just get away from watching those bubbles.....


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Yep, no sweat. Most commonly the volumetric measurements are not exact (if you have a frog's hair more than 5 gallons, the gravity would be correspondingly lower). Stratification is also easy to have happen. Even higher moisture content honey can make a difference. Now that I look, I get a starting gravity of 1.108 as typical for 15 lbs dissolved to make 5 gals solution, so you're right on! A few points make little difference. If you *must* fiddle (pun intended) you could add a little more honey but I'd leave it for sure. 

I had a guy who came into the shop after every batch and had charts of the "bubble per minute rate" for every fermentation that he'd read to me to see if it was doing OK. One of the great things about mead IMO is that you put all the care you can into the early stages and then have to step back and let the magic happen on its own. I forget which Taoist sage said it so well: "the governing of a country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking". Same with meads .


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Thanks Ben.

Anyone want to comment on air bubble rates.

So far....

Made the must on Saturday.

Bubbles started on cue on Sunday.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday....really going to town.

Today (Thursday), a possible slowdown??? I never timed the bubbles, and maybe its all in my head, but it appears that the bubbles are not as much as the past couple days. I thought this would not slow for at least a week or two. Is this normal? When I say slow down, just a decrease. Its still bubblin, but perhaps not as fast.

Whats the normal slowdown time frame?

I am using RedStar Champagne dry wine yeast. Was told thats about as good as it gets. At least thats the best they had at the homebrew store.

Anyone???

Thank you.


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## drobbins (Jun 1, 2005)

my first batch went along that timeframe
I racked it after 4 weeks and it had pretty much quit bubbling the airlock but you can still see a few bubbles rising in the must (don't know where they're going)
from what I understand it'll continue to "slow cook" for a couple months
I tasted it at racking and it was GOOD

Dave


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## mattoleriver (Sep 20, 2003)

>I started a 5 gallon medium sweet mead with 15 lbs of honey.

>I am using RedStar Champagne dry wine yeast.

Are you hoping for a sweet mead or are you hoping for a dry mead? I have not used RedStar Champagne yeast but I'm thinking that it will finish quite dry. I'd like to see some more informed opinions on this.
George


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Air bubble rates are at best a broad snapshot and not a very accurate measure; there are too many variables (amount of water in the airlock, type of airlock, atmospheric pressure changes, etc). But If you've used healthy yeast and their environment is adequate that's not an unusual time frame. A ferment will often trickle along much slower as sugars wane, alcohol increases, pH decreases and nutrients become scarcer. The only bad news is a ferment that really never gets going, so you're on the "good foot" . One thing to think about, depending on your carboy location and overnight lows, is temperature... too cool and it'll peter out prematurely. Try to keep above 65 if you can.

That should be a pretty dry mead probably around 15% alcohol. It'll finish well below 1.000 if the yeast get a fair shot; they can go through a good bit more sugar than is in this must (tolerance of 18+ percent ETOH) so it should ferment well into dryness territory.


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