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Fermentation not starting!

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Strix_Varia

Strix_Varia

NewBee
Registered Member
Sep 12, 2006
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Kentucky
Pitched a batch of cyser last night and its still not fermenting. I am guessing its either too cool. It has been at 71deg F, I am taking it up to 80 deg F by setting the primary in the bath with warm water. Could bee too much sugar but not as likely as its OG is 1.095
 
What kind of yeast did you use?
If it was a dry yeast, what temp did you rehydrate it at?
What is in the must other than apple juice and honey?
Did you check to make sure the apple juice had no preservatives, ie sorbate?

After only one day, I'm not sure I'd be in panic mode yet. I would aerate the hell out of it at least twice today, then, if it does not start tomorrow, I'd pitch some K1v-1116.
 
Recipie is as follows:
4 gallons apple juice (no additives)
7lbs honey disolved in 0.6 gallons water heated to 170 deg F
1/5 cup rasins
1/5 cup currents
1/5 cup golden rasins
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean
1/5 cup crystalized ginger
peel and juice of one lemon (no seed or pulp)
2t acid blend
1t wine tanin
3t pectic enzyme
then added 5 campden tabs

waited 24hrs and pitched one pkg redstar champagne yeast directly into the must while vigorously stirring.

12 hrs no bubbles. Must at 70 deg F.

I sat it in a bath of warm water bringing must to 80 deg and dissolved another pkg yeast in a sample of must dilluted with water and added it whihle stirring
 
I forgot to mention I added 5t yeast nutrient and 3 t of yeast
energiser

And of course she is beginning to bubble now that I posted! :icon_thumright:
 
Check your pH. That acid blend along with the natural amount of malic acid in the apple juice is probably a bit on the low side for your yeast to really kick off super hard.

Acid additions up front are largely unnecessary for meadmaking in my experience. You may need to add some Calcium Carbonate to bring it up a bit, but you should check the pH to make sure that its above 3.4 to start with.

Also the you have about quadruple the amount necessary of nutrient, and triple the necessary amount of energizer for the yeast. This may adversely affect the flavor of the cyser with a "salty" character. Where did you get this recipe?

Hope that helps,

Oskaar
 
Where did you get this recipe?
Click to expand...

I took a basic Cyser recipe and modified it according to what I thought would taste good and add complexity. I added the nutrient and energiser according to the instructions on the bottles.

But she is bubbling vigoously now! :cheers:
 
Hey Stix,

I still strongly suggest that you check the pH. Your fermentation can look like it's very strong, but bubbling and foaming is not always a reliable indicator that the fermentation is healthy and strong.

Best of luck,

Oskaar
 
A 1/5th measureing cup is the one that says 1/4 on it... it is a 1/4 measureing cup that's not quite full all the way. Basicly its a fairly good estimation by me :tard:
 
Oh by the way, I think I got it backwards :tard: on the yeast nutrient and energiser measurements.

OSCAR? How do I test the ph? Do I need a kit or something? did you mean clacium bicarbonate (baking soda)?
 
Strix_Varia said:
Oh by the way, I think I got it backwards :tard: on the yeast nutrient and energiser measurements.
Click to expand...

No biggie dude. Still be aware that you may end up with a salty flavor in your mead, that's a lot of nutrient and energizer. Do you happen to know the brand name or the manufacturer name?

Strix_Varia said:
OSCAR? How do I test the ph? Do I need a kit or something? did you mean clacium bicarbonate (baking soda)?
Click to expand...

pH testing is done with a pH meter that you can get at just about any aquarium supply store, or here, I'd recommend the 30 digital tester.

I did mean calcium carbonate that you can get here. You can get either K-carbonate or Ca-Carbonate. You can read up on each of them on the B3 (Beer Beer and More Beer) website.

Cheers,

Oskaar
 
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