Jack,
1.005 is not bad at all; not even terribly sweet. The 2004 edition BJCP style guidelines for dry mead go from .990 to 1.010.
>How did you come up with the 1.095 number?
Honey at average moisture levels yields about 36 ppg (points per pound per gallon). That is, one pound of honey, dissolved in enough water to make one gallon, has an SG of 1.036.
Thus, 13 pounds times 36 "points" equals 468, divided by five gallons, equals 93.6. Close is an operative word, as we don't know the exact moisture content of the honey usually, and homebrew volumetric measures are not terribly exact for most of us.
To work this around into recipe development, figure your volume and target gravity. Say you want three gallons of must at 1.110. 110 points, times three gallons, yields 330 "total gravity points", divided by 36 ppg for honey, and you'll need to dissolve 9.16 pounds honey into water to make three gallons. This "seat-of-the-pants" gravity calculation is from Ray Daniel's excellent book "Designing Great Beers", and is especially easy for meadmakers because we're effectively disolving sugar syrup.
>How can you predict the alcohol percent from the SG?
The easiest way is to have a triple-scale hydrometer, which has potential alcohol written right next to the SG scale. You can download charts from lots of places on the internet, or more than likely a scale came with your hydrometer (probably right next to the recipe!). Starting Potential alc minus final PA equals actual (not exactly, but certainly within a point). There is a formula for it using SG readings; let me know if you'd like it I could look it up.
>I understand the basics of SG.A comparrison with water which is 1.000.I can see why my Chardonay SG is less than 1.000 but I don't understand how a finished mead SG can be greater than 1.000.
There are a few ways this could occur, but they all amount to the same thing. Your yeast didn't eat all the sugar, so there's some left to taste (and to float your hydrometer). In your example, usually that champagne strain would be OK for several more points (up to 18%), but for whatever reason it's apparently done at around 12%. That's cool depending on your taste; sweet meads can finish even sweeter than 30 points! The only concern is that if for some reason in six months your yeast reach a settlement with the alcohol's lobbyists, and start to work again, you could carbonate pretty enthusiastically. It's begun a bit, and that's why you're seeing carbonation. For reference, .002 is what you'd use to carbonate an "average" beer.
Keep them cool, and check 'em for a few months to make sure it's not out of control. Good excuse to take tasting notes on the mead's development.
>Will different yeasts ferment out to different gravities (as long as the alcohol tolerences aren't surpassed).
Yes, some have different requirements for nitrogen, are more sensitive to acid levels, and other variables, but generally they're pretty good up to the alcohol content. Keys to full ferment are healthy and enough yeast pitched, adequate oxygen at the start (the only time to have oxygen), and decent pH / temperature / nutrient levels.
Whew! Sorry for the long post.
Bees, brews and fun
in Lyons, CO
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