Is this cyser finished?

[eigua]

My first mead:

1g apple cinnamon cyser
Pitched: 3/31/2016
Racked: 5/5/2016
OG: 1.110
Current SG: 1.012 (12.86% ABV)
Ingredients: Apple juice, honey, cinnamon, yeast.
Yeast: Cote des blancs

I'm not sure if it's finished. 1.012 seems high compared to some grape juice + sugar I fermented with the same yeast got down to 1.000. I didn't add any yeast nutrient, which, looking back, would have been a good idea.

Definitely no more bubbling going on (not even tiny ones watching carefully with a flashlight). I will do another gravity reading in a few days, but I am certain it wasn't fermenting anymore before I racked it.

I think I like the sweetness at this level, but I'm very hesitant to bottle it if there's any chance of a continued fermentation. I don't really want to leave it in the secondary for months as I have a lot of headspace in the jug as you can see in the pic. (It was a lot more clear before I racked it...) I don't want to add water because the flavor would be diluted and the ABV would drop too low.

So here are the options that I'm aware of:
1. Wait for it to settle, bottle, and pray.
2. Add potassium sorbate, wait, and bottle.
3. Pitch a stronger yeast and try to finish it. (I have some Premier Cuvee.)

#3 sounds like a possibility, but I don't know if it's worth the added oxidation of shaking it up at this point just for 0.012.

What would you do?

(BTW, the cinnamon made a "krausen" and all got stuck to the top of the primary, so it really doesn't have any cinnamon flavor.)

 

[BeeDeeEff]

Either wait, or toss it in a refrigerator for a week and see what falls out.

 

[eigua]

Either wait, or toss it in a refrigerator for a week and see what falls out.

The clarity isn't the main issue. As I said, it was very clear before racking and I accidentally sucked up some sediment. I'm sure it will clear up again in a few days. But truthfully, I don't care if it's cloudy. All I really care about is not getting bottle bombs.

 

[SkeletorMob]

I would top it off if possible and let it go. But that's immature speculation. I've only just begun fermenting mead and my batches are just over one month old!
But cold crashing would drop the yeast down and you could see how much yeast is left. Have you racked of the lees? I would suppose Chances are if there are yeast and also fermentable sugars and the environment is still favorable it's still going! How was the pH level? I had a slowing ferment at one month or so on my saved first batch and it kicked right up with a bit of energizer. So word, if it was me fending for myself I would make a top off of a similar must ratio but watered down with the nutrient/energizer, mix it and let it set and see where it goes. But again I've experienced none of that and just joining in my thoughts!

 

[SkeletorMob]

I mean is 1.012 to sweet for you? I'm trying to get 2 of my gallons down to that number. But I still thought the taste at 1.040 and 1.080 were fricken delicous. I've got a gigantic sweet tooth though.

 

[eigua]

I would top it off if possible and let it go... So word, if it was me fending for myself I would make a top off of a similar must ratio but watered down with the nutrient/energizer, mix it and let it set and see where it goes.

I could do that, but if it didn't resume, I'd be risking having unconsumed yeast nutrient in the wine, which I hear doesn't taste too nice. Perhaps if I added more honey, enough to ensure a longer fermentation and added champagne yeast...

But cold crashing would drop the yeast down and you could see how much yeast is left. Have you racked of the lees?

I racked it off the lees yesterday. I accidentally sucked some up so it became cloudy. I'm sure there's yeast in there still.

How was the pH level?

That's something I haven't checked and don't have any PH strips. It's probably somewhat acidic because it's mostly apple juice.

I had a slowing ferment at one month or so on my saved first batch and it kicked right up with a bit of energizer.

Did it end up at 1.000 or less?

I mean is 1.012 to sweet for you? I'm trying to get 2 of my gallons down to that number. But I still thought the taste at 1.040 and 1.080 were fricken delicous. I've got a gigantic sweet tooth though.

No, it's not too sweet. I think it's pretty nice. I've never had cyser or mead before so I don't really know what to expect. I typically do like sweet drinks -- back in the day I always went for coconut Parrot Bay/Malibu and orange and stuff like that (I liked Parrot Bay more than Malibu because it had more sugar! . But my understanding of mead is generally it's not expected to be syrupy sweet. Of course that's up to individual interpretation, but I think I'd like my first cyser to be lightly sweet so I can taste the complexity more than just the sweetness. I think the current sweetness level is not bad, but of course it's hard to judge the taste at this point with all the weird chemical flavors and smells because it's so young.

But again I've experienced none of that and just joining in my thoughts!

Much appreciated!