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first batch not bubbling?

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drachin

NewBee
Registered Member
Sep 4, 2005
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Brewbear said:
You lucky devils :mad:
Spend about 3 minutes looking at the airlock. No bubbles? Take an SG reading ( that's what most people here will tell you) and if you have no change for a few weeks, time to rack. My rule is , if no bubbles for 20 min., 'arackin' we go....I keep in secondary for a month or longer, depending on how much stuff settles on the bottom (lees). If it gets around 1 inch, rack again and age (bulk aging) for 6 -8 months. To be honest, that's what i planned on doing but some of the meads were soo good after 3 - 4 months that there's nothing left to age :'( Oh, well, I just have to brew more.

Hope this helps,
Ted

thanks. :)

how do you take an sg reading?
 

Brewbear

NewBee
Registered Member
May 10, 2005
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Easy enough,
You will need a hydrometer, the least expensive ones will run you about $5.
Put some of your mead in a clean container ( I used the plastic tube the hydro. came in, sanitized of course) and drop the hydro in. The thing should not touch the bottom of the tube/vessel containing the mead. Take a reading, take out the hydro and clean, enjoy the mead sample since you can not add it back and dumping down the drain would be a sin ;D

Ted
 

drachin

NewBee
Registered Member
Sep 4, 2005
9
0
0
Brewbear said:
Easy enough,
You will need a hydrometer, the least expensive ones will run you about $5.
Put some of your mead in a clean container ( I used the plastic tube the hydro. came in, sanitized of course) and drop the hydro in. The thing should not touch the bottom of the tube/vessel containing the mead. Take a reading, take out the hydro and clean, enjoy the mead sample since you can not add it back and dumping down the drain would be a sin ;D

Ted

it would be a sin, wouldn't it? :D what should the sg reading be for sweet to semi-sweet mead?
 

CheshireCat

NewBee
Registered Member
Feb 21, 2005
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I'm getting the same problem, 24 hours after pitching the yeast and still no activity. I'm going to try and stir it alot more and maybe get a heating pad under it since the weather is starting to get chilly but not enough to turn the heat on.

Oh, and I used a packet of Red Star Pasteur Champagne yeast, does this brand/type usually take long to start fermenting? Should I chuck in another packet? Help! *gulp*
 

Brewbear

NewBee
Registered Member
May 10, 2005
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Airating is very important in the first 3 days, the yeasties need O2. Did you airate well?
Did you rehydrate the yeast properly? I found that my first mead try was a semi-bust because I poured hot water over the yeasties and cooked most of them :'(
I had to re-pitch and then it took off. If you used the dry yeast and just poured it into your must, a 12 - 24 hour lag time is to be expected, provided the must temp. was below 100deg.F. Most dry yeast is rehydrated at 100 - 104 deg.F.

Hope that helps,
Ted

P.S. check the seal on the airlock while you are at it.
 

CheshireCat

NewBee
Registered Member
Feb 21, 2005
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Yeah, I stirred like crazy, so much so I had to clean up the kitchen floor after I was done! I think I might have used too hot of liquid when I started the yeasts. I went back to the brew shop and told the shop owner my plight and he recommended Lalvin EC-1118, he said that it's a more vigorus yeast and should fare better in honey than the other ones he has. I have the packet sitting in some warm water rehydrating right now. In about 15 minutes i'll pitch it in and give the bucket another stir.

Go forth my little army!
 

CheshireCat

NewBee
Registered Member
Feb 21, 2005
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Well, I haven't gotten any airlock burps, but I noticed some condensation on the cap of the lock. I'm not sure if it's just from normal water evaporating or heat from the yeast activating. I put a heating pad and towel under it to warm it up because it's starting to get cold fast. I'm hoping something will start to happen during the night, but I'll have to see.

I'm writing about my brew more here than in my log! lol
 

Brewbear

NewBee
Registered Member
May 10, 2005
959
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One thing I do after rehydrating the yeast is to add and equal volume of must to it. Say you rehydrated in 100 ml water,waited 15 minutes, now add 50 100 ml must to the yeast, this will get your yeasties used to the must's temperature and high sugar. After 15 - 30 minutes I pitch it.

Ted
 

Dmntd

NewBee
Registered Member
Apr 18, 2005
1,002
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Brewbear said:
Put some of your mead in a clean container ( I used the plastic tube the hydro. came in, sanitized of course...

If you're going to drink the sample rather then return it to the fermentor, why would you sanitize the test tube/jar?

Anthony
 

CheshireCat

NewBee
Registered Member
Feb 21, 2005
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When I popped the lid off today the smell I got was like opening a bottle of whiskey. I thought for sure I had a batch of rocket fuel on my hands. But I ladled a bit out, not enough for a gravity reading (I'm still trying to find the old one my girlfriend's mom used to use), but enough for a taste and a close look. The smell was really strong and I thought it might be undrinkable right now but I took a sip and it was like candy! There was no strong liquor taste, barely a hint of liquor at all. The sample in the glass started to get small bubbles on the inside so it's still working hard.

I didn't take a gravity reading when I first made the must, but is there any average reading that I can test aginst to determine when it's done (the airlock still isn't burping)? It's just plain mead: 12lbs honey, 3 gal of bottled water, a packet of EC-1118, and a half pound of raisins.
 

Brewbear

NewBee
Registered Member
May 10, 2005
959
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OG = 1.148
PABV = 20.1?
Your yeast should go to about 17 -18% ABV, you might still have a sweet mead that will take some time to smooth :-\

Ted
 
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