Hi all,
I've made a few batches over the years, all using natural methods, but hadn't brewed the past few years. I started a batch on 2/20 for 6 gallons, the fermentation was kinda slow (mostly 10 second intervals, with a few longer here and there) over the first week. The bucket had been put in the basement where it's not all that warm, probably around 48-52*F. After a week in primary, I split the batch into 2 separate 3 gallon batches. One went into a 3 gallon glass carboy as a traditional mead, while the other 3 gallons went into a food grade bucket w/~8lbs of strawberries and 2 vanilla beans. Ingredients are as follows.
For 6 gallons
15lbs local wildflower honey
store bought nutrient @ 1/2 tsp/gal
" " " " energizer @ 1tsp/gal
2 packets D47 rehydrated
PH (first time I've taken readings) was around 4.2-4.4
O.G. was around 1.100
When I was splitting the batch, the S.G. was around 1.072, but it was fairly chilly in the basement. I checked the ph and added a 1/2 tsp of calcium carbonate to raise it a little in both batches, as it the readings were a bit lower, in the ~3.3 range. Now both are sitting in the dining room, the traditional is chugging away @ 1 bubble every second and a half or so. The Mel is just sitting there. I have 3 main concerns as far as the mel goes..
1. The strawberries had been pureed then frozen, I had thawed them out (mostly) before racking, but there was still plenty which was very cold/partially frozen.. bringing the temp way down, did I make my yeasties go dormant?
2. The bucket is a food grade 4 gallon from a kitchen supply store (with matching lid). It doesn't have a rubber seal on the lid, so I figure I may be losing c02/getting oxygen via any leaks. (Used a hole saw bit and crammed a #7 stopper w/airlock)
3. Kinda falls partially under 2. Between racking and any possible leaks, should I be concerned about oxidation?
The mead is only around 3% abv by my calculations. After letting it sit in front of the pellet stove overnight to raise the liquid to room temp, there was still no airlock activity. After sufficient stressing, I rehydrated and pitched a packet of K1v killer yeast.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I'm gonna wait it out, but wasn't sure if the oxygen exposure was particularly bad or good, considering there's a new yeast colony more than likely laying waste to anything fermentable in there.
Thanks a bunch
D
I've made a few batches over the years, all using natural methods, but hadn't brewed the past few years. I started a batch on 2/20 for 6 gallons, the fermentation was kinda slow (mostly 10 second intervals, with a few longer here and there) over the first week. The bucket had been put in the basement where it's not all that warm, probably around 48-52*F. After a week in primary, I split the batch into 2 separate 3 gallon batches. One went into a 3 gallon glass carboy as a traditional mead, while the other 3 gallons went into a food grade bucket w/~8lbs of strawberries and 2 vanilla beans. Ingredients are as follows.
For 6 gallons
15lbs local wildflower honey
store bought nutrient @ 1/2 tsp/gal
" " " " energizer @ 1tsp/gal
2 packets D47 rehydrated
PH (first time I've taken readings) was around 4.2-4.4
O.G. was around 1.100
When I was splitting the batch, the S.G. was around 1.072, but it was fairly chilly in the basement. I checked the ph and added a 1/2 tsp of calcium carbonate to raise it a little in both batches, as it the readings were a bit lower, in the ~3.3 range. Now both are sitting in the dining room, the traditional is chugging away @ 1 bubble every second and a half or so. The Mel is just sitting there. I have 3 main concerns as far as the mel goes..
1. The strawberries had been pureed then frozen, I had thawed them out (mostly) before racking, but there was still plenty which was very cold/partially frozen.. bringing the temp way down, did I make my yeasties go dormant?
2. The bucket is a food grade 4 gallon from a kitchen supply store (with matching lid). It doesn't have a rubber seal on the lid, so I figure I may be losing c02/getting oxygen via any leaks. (Used a hole saw bit and crammed a #7 stopper w/airlock)
3. Kinda falls partially under 2. Between racking and any possible leaks, should I be concerned about oxidation?
The mead is only around 3% abv by my calculations. After letting it sit in front of the pellet stove overnight to raise the liquid to room temp, there was still no airlock activity. After sufficient stressing, I rehydrated and pitched a packet of K1v killer yeast.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I'm gonna wait it out, but wasn't sure if the oxygen exposure was particularly bad or good, considering there's a new yeast colony more than likely laying waste to anything fermentable in there.
Thanks a bunch
D
