Rehydrate it per the manufacturer's recommendation, and if the batch still doesn't take off and you can't measure the pH, then try adding 5 g of potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, or calcium carbonate. You may have a must that is too acidic for the yeast to take off.
First time with the new Yeast
- Thread starter jthompson706
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Well, I added the energizer yesterday and saw no improvement this morning so, when I came home from work, I started preparing the dry yeast for pitching. After a few hours of letting that swell, I opened the lid on the fermenter and... I have bubbles. There's no action in the airlock and the colonies look like nothing I've seen yeast build but this yeast has not stayed true to my expectations thus far. What are the chances that its some mold or other unfriendly invader? I'm pretty careful about sterilization and no one else uses that space...
It is most likely that this is the yeast you pitched. For some reason it has had a prolonged lag phase. Perhaps the pH (this yeast is very sensitive). In any case, you should aerate it well and give it time.
Of course if you want to pitch the other yeast, you certainly can.
Of course if you want to pitch the other yeast, you certainly can.
If this yeast is finally getting it's act together, I'll give it a shot. I had planned to start two batches anyway. Thanks for all the help. It shall be aerated.
Damn! it's good for me to learn that this yeast truly is a PITA. When I first tried it, I thought it was something I'd done....... obviously not.....
If it is starting to do it's thing, then as you've got reasonably good records of your progress, I'd be trying to ferment it to completion.
I'd say that you should get some proper nutrients if possible, something like FermaidK (there's quite a few different brands).....
Fatbloke, yeah it's working it. It's slow and unimpressive but it's doing something vaguely resembling yeast. Unless this is the best mead I've ever had, I most likely won't use this yeast again. In the past, with this recipe I've used Moncharet, which I'm finding out isn't the best and a few articles I've read call it the unequivocal worst. What would you recommend for this recipe? Especially if I like a little sweet. Also, Fatbloke, is that the energizer you recommend?
Can't really suggest "energiser", because just about all the stuff sold here, is "combined" nutrient, like FermaidK".
Though I understand that in the US, the term energiser is usually for DAP (Di-ammonium Phosphate).
Lots of the recipes here at gotmead, seem to recommend that if a recipe suggests X amount of, say, FermaidK, then they halve it and replace the "missing" half with DAP, either that, or a first addition of nutrient/FermaidK (or whichever brand you have), is done as per the guidance for Fermaidk (add it once you see some signs of fermentation) and then they'll add the half and half above at either 1/3, 1/2 or 2/3 sugar breaks, as determined from hydrometer readings - example being 1090 for starting gravity, with final expected to be 1000, so 1/3'd be at 1060 etc etc.
I don't know if that's any good for you......
I normally only have DAP when I can justify the postage cost, as it's not cheap shipping here.......
regards
fatbloke
FWIW, I've made some pretty fine meads with Montrachet yeast. I believe that it got its (undeserved, in my opinion) bad rap during the initial "ramp up" of the modern meadmaking era (that is, in the early to mid 1990's). We didn't fully understand back then just how lacking in basic yeast nutrients a mead must can be.
Montrachet is a finicky yeast strain (actually it is a mixture of several compatible monocultural strains), and it will perform badly if not properly fed and cared for. It's nitrogen needs are high, relative to other strains of winemaking yeast. It tends to both create lots of hydrogen sulfide and produce lots of harsh tasting higher order phenolics when not fed enough nitrogen, or when lacking in other necessary vitamins.
But with our current state of meadmaking knowledge we've learned how to properly feed our musts, and I have found that with adequate nutrient additions, and care to keep the must pH above 3.4, Montrachet works quite well in a number of my metheglins.
As always, YMMV, and there are lots of choices of less finicky yeasts to work with out there. Still, I admit to some fondness for this bad boy....
