Monitoring the fermentation of this batch of mead has been exciting, but time consuming. When I make wine, I usually wait a week or so between samples. But because I have to add additional yeast nutrient (honey is notoriously lacking in certain nutrients the yeast needs to do its job) at specific points in the fermentation, I’ve been sampling daily.
The fermentation slowed down considerably at about 1.066 SG. So Saturday, I added more nutrient, as I intended, as well as 5g of potassium bicarbonate to raise the pH from its ~ 3.4 level. Since then, the fermentation is proceeding much quicker, bubbles through the airlock every 2-4 seconds.
All the yeast nutrient is in the fermenter. From now on, I’ll take a sample weekly, unless I notice a substantial slowing of fermentation. I’m hoping I don’t have to make another pH adjustment.