A little green mold in primary

[Earthson]

It is No-Name from the LHBS. (Since joining the forum, I've seen that name brand ones are better)

The Energizer is tan; the nutrient is white.

I just went with 1 teaspoon of each. It seems to be pretty active - getting 5 bubbles per minute in the airlock. (See pic)

 

[wayneb]

From the descriptions, the nutrient is DAP and the energizer is predominantly, if not completely, yeast hulls.

FWIW, one teaspoon of DAP is approximately 4.0 grams and one teaspoon of the energizer is very likely around 2.75 grams (based on my yeast hulls assumption). So with one teaspoon of each, you haven't added very much nutrient at all.

 

[Earthson]

From the descriptions, the nutrient is DAP and the energizer is predominantly, if not completely, yeast hulls.

FWIW, one teaspoon of DAP is approximately 4.0 grams and one teaspoon of the energizer is very likely around 2.75 grams (based on my yeast hulls assumption). So with one teaspoon of each, you haven't added very much nutrient at all.

Ok, so how much should I be adding to the stalled mead? And how much to a new mead? ??? My brain hurts from all the learning :icon_scratch:

 

[wayneb]

Ok, so how much should I be adding to the stalled mead? And how much to a new mead? ??? My brain hurts from all the learning :icon_scratch:

Sorry, the calculations of how much nutrient to add are some of the most confusing in meadmaking - I can understand your problem.

Generally speaking, any mead or wine-strength fermentation can benefit from the addition of nutrients, especially yeast assimilable nitrogen, or YAN. Unfortunately given that you used the Wyeast Sweet Mead yeast in here, nutrients may not be sufficient to keep things going. You should strive for a target value of at least 225 ppm YAN (some from fruit if you use fruit in your recipe, and the rest from nutrient additions), and even more if the initial gravity is high or if the yeast strain that you use is a high nitrogen demand yeast.

I will get back to this later today and give you some specific recommendations for your batches (since I'm actually on travel this week and I've got to log off and get to "real work" shortly) although with a stuck batch it is often too late to get things fired up again simply from a nutrient addition. If someone like Medsen or Oskaar want to jump in here and provide you with more details in the interim, that would be fine, too! ;D

 

[Earthson]

Thank you. I'd hate to lose a batch so quickly. If it truly is too late for nutrients, then I predict (from reading Oskaar's posts), it might be time for EC-1118 Anyway, I'll wait and see. Thanks again.

 

[Chevette Girl]

I am led to believe that if you use boiling water to dissolve your metabisulphites, the heat may destroy the properties you want. All the indications I've seen suggest to use warm water, and never to add it to hot must... so if you want to sterilize your water before you start (probably not necessary since the sulphites will sanitize it anyway), I'd suggest you boil it and let it cool before mixing in your sulphites. Good luck, I am interested to hear if it works on your slime!

 

[Medsen Fey]

From looking at those nutrients, I'd probably add another 3 tsp of the nutrient and an additional 2 tsp of the energizer if the gravity is still above about 1.050. Beyond that point the nutrients may not be much help.

The pH may also be a problem here.

 

[Earthson]

Just took a reading and the gravity hasn't moved a bit, even though it appears to be letting off lots of gas. Guess it is time to throw the EC-1118 at it - rehydrating as I type.

 

[wayneb]

Thanks for stepping in with some dosing advice, Medsen! My apologies for not getting back sooner -- we worked until midnight last night and I was in no mood to fire up the laptop when I got back to my room.

Earthson, even though EC-1118 is a brute, you should follow re-start protocol and acclimate your yeast by adding a little of the already in-process must after you rehydrate the yeast and before you pitch it into the main batch. The idea is to gradually get the yeast used to the slightly alcoholic environment of the must rather than shocking them by hitting them with the full impact all at once. You're probably not far enough along to require a multiple succession of incremental additions. If you just add an amount of must equal to what you have of yeast slurry to the rehydrated yeast, then let that mixture set until you see signs of fermentation, then pitch, that should work for you.

Once you then see signs of activity in the main batch, add the nutrients as Medsen suggested.