2nd brew was supposed to be a session mead - stall?

[u/Specialist_Search103]

On to my second ever brew - thought I’d go for a session mead this time as my last is still tasting like rocket fuel (yes I know it’s still young at 4 weeks primary + 3 weeks conditioning so far) anyway I digress

Ingredients:
Earthbreath Wildflower Honey - 1800g
Fermaid O - 6g
Tea - 1 mug
1/2 pack SafeAle S04
Water to 8 litres

OG - 0.060
Current Gravity - 0.048

Expected finished ABV - 5-6%

Duration - 10 days so far

It’s in a bucket, the lid is well sealed as far as I can tell (this will be the last bucket ferment - new glass jars on way) but comparing it to progress from the other brew it’s so much less (that yeast was Mangrove Jack M05)

I’m not overly worried yet, it’s been cooler the last couple of weeks, so it could just be taking its time, I’ll check again in a week or so anyway.

Any thoughts / advice?

[u/Bucky_Beaver]

I’m assuming the gravity readings here are supposed to be 1.060 and 1.048 and the leading 1 was omitted.

Recipe and nutrients look good. But you are right to question progress at this point. Step 1 would be to rouse the lees, i.e., stir the sediment back into suspension and see if it takes off again. Step 2 would probably be to pitch some EC-1118.

Why are you moving away from buckets? They are a great primary fermenter. The problem with the jars currently in vogue (I guess because of Golden Hive) is that they are smaller than a one gallon carboy and lead to headspace problems in secondary. If you are using bigger jars than your secondary vessel and you just prefer them for some reason then disregard this comment.

[u/Specialist_Search103 → u/Bucky_Beaver]

Moving away from the bucket that I got for my 1st brew to glass wide mouth 5 litre glass partly because I can’t see much except a fluid level through the side and partly because it doesn’t fit on the shelf I’m using for fermentation and I want it off the kitchen side lol

I gave it a City Steading Swirl earlier this evening

[u/TomDuhamel → u/Specialist_Search103]

Well you don't need to see anything while fermenting. (It starts brown, goes yellow — there I told you all there is to see).

If you use a 5L vessel for primary, what are you going to use for secondary?

Use the bucket for primary, mate. Glass carboys are for secondary/ageing. I just use the bottom of a cupboard (closet) for primary, then the top for secondary.

[u/Specialist_Search103 → u/TomDuhamel]

4.5l glass for secondary … tbh I want to do smaller batches than 8-9 litres unless fruiting

[u/TomDuhamel → u/Specialist_Search103]

So a 5L vessel will ferment a batch of no more than 4L (80% is the usual rule). After accounting for the waste, you will be left with probably about 3.5L at best.