# Mead Liqeuer Fg: 1.130 !?!?!?



## phrat (22/11/10)

Hi Everyone.

Ive been makeing a few batches of mead, and then bought a commercial mead liqeuer. It is nice and strong, sticky and sweet, I like it.

Now out of curiosity, I thought Idd measure the gravity of this mead, it came out at 1.130! now thats heavier than all my starting musts....

Any ideas? i think it may have been back sweetened quiet a bit...

Cheers,


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## Effect (22/11/10)

How did you measure the gravity? Alcohol skews refractometers, but if you have beersmith there is a calc that will give you a more realistic answer. I'm only assuming that you are using a refrac - as I wouldn't imagine you pouring that much liquor into a hydrometer tube...

Cheers
Phil


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## brettprevans (23/11/10)

That seems about right for a wine strength mead (ie ~12%). liqeuor is at least 16% from memory (legally speaking). 

That the fact that is was sweet is probably more about the FG and fermentability of ingredients etc.

I also agree with Phillips thought that u haven't taken into account the alc adjustment in the refract.


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## Airgead (23/11/10)

phrat said:


> Any ideas? i think it may have been back sweetened quiet a bit...
> 
> Cheers,



If its the one I am thinking of then yes... pasteurised (or sterile filtered), fortified then a crap load of sugar and a little honey added.

Cheers
Dave


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## brettprevans (23/11/10)

Airgead said:


> If its the one I am thinking of then yes... pasteurised (or sterile filtered), fortified then a crap load of sugar and a little honey added.
> 
> Cheers
> Dave


ahh i stand corrected. a mead liquor. jeez that would be sweet. noty sure id like that. sack mead is almost too sweet for me.


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## phrat (23/11/10)

Hi.

I used a Hydrometer, just put it straight into a new bottle of liqeuer mead. I wasn't too worried, cause I'll drink it all in a week anyway.... The bottle states it is 20% alco.

This is it: http://www.geckovalley.com.au/

Cheers.


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## Airgead (23/11/10)

phrat said:


> Hi.
> 
> I used a Hydrometer, just put it straight into a new bottle of liqeuer mead. I wasn't too worried, cause I'll drink it all in a week anyway.... The bottle states it is 20% alco.
> 
> ...



Not the one I was thinking of but from the sounds of it made the same way. Take base wine (possibly not even fermented honey as their "sparkling mead" is a verdelho plus liqueur mead blend), fortify to 20% to stop re-fermentation, possibly pasturise or sterile filter for stability then add sugar and honey.

I do something very similar with my cider - 2 parts cider, 1 part good brandy, honey to sweeten (not to that level though... yech).

Cheers
Dave


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## brettprevans (23/11/10)

Airgead said:


> I do something very similar with my cider - 2 parts cider, 1 part good brandy, honey to sweeten (not to that level though... yech).
> 
> Cheers
> Dave


slightly OT but what quantities are you making? say 1 keg worth (19L). thats like 11L cider, 6L brandy? bloody hell thats expensive. or have i screwed up? sounds nice is why im asking


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## Airgead (23/11/10)

citymorgue2 said:


> slightly OT but what quantities are you making? say 1 keg worth (19L). thats like 11L cider, 6L brandy? bloody hell thats expensive. or have i screwed up? sounds nice is why im asking



Continuing the OT - no.. not by the full keg (though I'd like to). I usually pull off a couple of litres of cider from each batch before it gets carbed up. At 20% or so its not the sort of thing you want to have in a keg.. could be dangerous. I bottle it up into small bottles. I think the most I ever made at a time was 5l.

Cheers
Dave


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## brettprevans (24/11/10)

Airgead said:


> Continuing the OT - no.. not by the full keg (though I'd like to). I usually pull off a couple of litres of cider from each batch before it gets carbed up. At 20% or so its not the sort of thing you want to have in a keg.. could be dangerous. I bottle it up into small bottles. I think the most I ever made at a time was 5l.
> 
> Cheers
> Dave


ok sorry that were nearing topic hijack....
Brendo had a batch of fresh cider fro kellybrook winery that spontaniously fermented with wild yeast. by all accounts its Brett C. its added an awsome slightly tropical sourness and depth to the cider. I recon a keg of that cider with Brett C, plus some brandy and a little honey :icon_drool2:


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