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- Thread starter TimV
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I wonder if my meter works. It's stayed the same for the three days, and I can see it fermenting. Or, I didn't take an accurate take, and should buy one of those tubes to make it easier.
I aerated again with the drill, and it smells wonderful, and I can see the little bubbles come up. I suppose I'll wait a few days as to prevent a geyser.
So, after three days in a row of aeration, then it's not needed?
Thanks
I aerated again with the drill, and it smells wonderful, and I can see the little bubbles come up. I suppose I'll wait a few days as to prevent a geyser.
So, after three days in a row of aeration, then it's not needed?
Thanks
Yea you can use almost anything for a test tube as long as its stable and clear. Not sure if there's truth to this but my assumption is it would give you a more accurate reading, and one that you could read more clearly as well. And for aerating technically you should aerate until the 1/3 sugar break. Which is the point in the fermentation where 1/3 of the fermentable sugars have been consumed. This is where brix comes in handy if you hate decimals.
As Medsen pointed out you had a starting gravity of 1.096 so your 1/3 would be 1.064 or about 24 brix and 16 brix respectively. To find the 1/3 break and 2/3 break you:
Take your original brix which is 24 and divide it by 3.
24/3= 8
This answer is your two-thirds break. So to find the one-thirds break, you multiply the two-thirds break times two. So:
8*2= 16.
So you should aerate until your brix says 16. These figures don't, by any means have to be on the money. Just relatively close. The breaks are also important for staggered nutrient additions.
Oh, and when taking a reading you should make sure your temperature is correct for the hydrometer. Which they are usually calibrated at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. And also should spin your hydrometer to dislodge bubbles stuck to the bottom which will also throw off a reading.
It sounds like it is moving along. You probably don't need to aerate it any more and can keep it under airlock. It will be helpful to swirl it once or twice a day to keep the yeast up in suspension.
Using a testing jar to take hydrometer readings is helpful. When you use one, you can shake the sample really well to degas it and get a reading without the bubbles to make sure it is accurate.
Using a testing jar to take hydrometer readings is helpful. When you use one, you can shake the sample really well to degas it and get a reading without the bubbles to make sure it is accurate.
1.052 just now! Yey! And an aroma to die for.
I've read all about the difference between glass and plastic carboys, so with that in mind, would there be any problem with putting my batch into a plastic water bottle for two weeks before the second racking? Then I would put it into a specially made plastic or glass carboy. Or should I just spend the money for glass or that plastic made for fermenting?
The reason I ask is that my honey bottling room is easy to heat, but in high summer can get up to the high 80s, and I'd like to get my cappings all racked up by spring, so there will of necessity be 10 carboys needed, and I don't really want to spend 40 bucks or more each (until I can find some cheap at garage sales or on craigslist.
So, with plastic water bottles (yes, I know there are variables) could I get some opinions on how long it would generally be safe to hold must/mead in the works without loosing quality in regular plastic water bottles?
Thanks much
I've read all about the difference between glass and plastic carboys, so with that in mind, would there be any problem with putting my batch into a plastic water bottle for two weeks before the second racking? Then I would put it into a specially made plastic or glass carboy. Or should I just spend the money for glass or that plastic made for fermenting?
The reason I ask is that my honey bottling room is easy to heat, but in high summer can get up to the high 80s, and I'd like to get my cappings all racked up by spring, so there will of necessity be 10 carboys needed, and I don't really want to spend 40 bucks or more each (until I can find some cheap at garage sales or on craigslist.
So, with plastic water bottles (yes, I know there are variables) could I get some opinions on how long it would generally be safe to hold must/mead in the works without loosing quality in regular plastic water bottles?
Thanks much
I read the relevant section in Schramm's The Complete Meadmaker aerated once more, and added a bit of yeast food this morning. Nothing happened, so I did the second thing he suggested and added yeast again. I used an aggressive champagne style yeast. I also added something to raise the pH a bit, and for good measure added 2 pounds of honey, since I'm starting almost from scratch again in any event. This second step (yeast etc..) at 4:45 the 14th. Reading 1.054, and I put the lid on the bucket air tight with the air trap on the theory that I probably should try using up all that oxygen.
It does not help to add honey to stuck fermentations - there is enough honey that hasn't been fermented already. Your pH seems fine. Yeast hulls are useful to add at 1 gram per gallon if you have a slow fermentation.
I'm not sure you are stuck - follow the gravity for the next few days and see.
I'm not sure you are stuck - follow the gravity for the next few days and see.
No it is not - typically the gravity will drop at least 6-10 gravity points daily.
Did you take that pH with a meter? was it calibrated?
Did you take that pH with a meter? was it calibrated?
No, I spent the money and got a nice wine makers pH kit. Schramm's book has 3.5 as too low, and with everything else being seemingly fine, I figured I'd raise the pH a bit. I aerated it just now (5am, 9/15) and sealed it with the air lock on top. Over night the reading had dropped to 1.050, so perhaps the extra nutrients have helped, or the pH increase. I'm sure it's too early for the yeast to have helped.
5am 9/17 one bubble every two seconds. That vigorous yeast seems to be doing it's job. Still have to figure out where I went wrong and it stalled.
Finished Schramm's book last night, and I have some ripe Santa Rosa plums, so I plan on trying some of those with capping honey today or tomorrow. No acid in the primary must this time!!! And two packets of yeast, as per Schramm's reasoning.
Finished Schramm's book last night, and I have some ripe Santa Rosa plums, so I plan on trying some of those with capping honey today or tomorrow. No acid in the primary must this time!!! And two packets of yeast, as per Schramm's reasoning.
Have to keep an eye on those cellar rats, Tim. They'll drain your stock before you know it.
