Mead final gravity

[Jambo]

Hello

Can anyone tell me a normal FG for mead please?

I am using Crossmyloof dried mead yeast from eBay.

Started at 1.085 and seems to be finished at 1.006.

I had expected to go to 1.000 or even lower (batch of bramble wine has just gone to 0.992).

I made quite a few additions of acids which will add something I suppose.

If memory serves I did thrown in a campden tab at some point and maybe it wasn't quite done Probably a stupid post, sanity check required.

Thanks

[Fastline]

Don't know the answer, depending on when the Camden tablet went in this may have brought the fermentation down to its knees.

I'd give it a good rouse up and give it another week see how it goes. Maybe a rise in temp too.

Especially if your bottling

[wolfenrook]

One of my blackberry melomels (Lalvin 71b-1122 yeast) finished at 0.994, one of my normal meads (CML mead yeast) finished at 0.992. Both were allowed to ferment until finished, and then stabilised with potassium metabi (like campden, but potassium rather than sodium).

My vanilla mead on the other hand was a quick mead, so was forcibly stopped using metabi and sorbate at 1.004. Lalvin 71b-1122 yeast.

My other normal mead was allowed to go until finished, but stopped at 1.004. Made with the same must as the other normal mead, at the same time, both with CML mead yeast...

So basically they're done when they're done. Unless you stop them early, which doesn't always work (best to bottle in PET, not glass, when doing this).

[Jambo]

Thanks chaps. Trouble is it is already bottled in glass I'll crack the lids now and then to see if any pressure is building up then I'll put it out in the shed to mature, with crossed fingers!

Thankfully all screw caps and swing tops, not corks.

I'll need to check gravity before adding campden in future batches, doh!

[Carnot]

Most of my batches of mead go down to about 0.998 FG starting around 1.1 O.G. This gives a medium dry mead with quite a punch. I doubt if you will have done any real harm. Your mead will likely be on the medium side with a slightly lower alcohol content. You will have to wait to find out if it is really any good. My experience is that it will be at least one year before it mellows. If you see higher than expected sediment you can bet that the fermentation continued in the bottle. Just don't panic.If necessary you can always re-bottle. Mead sediment is very neutrally buoyant. A good way to clear it is with a one litre or bigger conical flask (off eBay). These are great for salvaging bottoms. When fermenting I find that the mead takes a long time to finish- I typically let it run for 21 days before racking into a glass carboy with air trap for several months. I normally rack at least twice before putting the last rack into a keg. I bottle from the keg. That way you end up with crystal clear mead.

Good luck

[BeerCat]

I found the cml mead yeast does not ferment dry. I am a fan of some of their yeast but i prefer to use GV4 or Lalvin 1118 and sweeten to taste at the end. I like mine around 15%. The cml yeast does clear very well though and the mead tastes good.

[Jambo]

Thanks both for your input, interesting that you've noticed that with the CML yeast BeerCat.