Started my third batch of mead last Friday, all three stared well but slowed almost to a stop within three days. The first restarted when I re-pitched yeast and finished at 1.004. The second remains stalled at 1.038 even after re-pitching twice. I re-pitched this third batch yesterday and so far it continues to bubble less than once per minute (OG 1.087, current 1.046). Temp consistent 70 degrees. I sanitize with StarSan but do not allow it to dry. Use bottled water. Start w yeast/Goferm and add fermaid K to the must. Anyone have an idea of what I am doing wrong? My daughter thought me making mead was neat, she added honey to tap water dumped yeast directly into the jug and it finished in two weeks, I am about to give up.
Repeated stalling
- Thread starter MFSHEPARD
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Are you paying attention to your temps when you rehydrate, (104 degrees)? Are you slowly adding some must to your yeast slurry over a period of time to bring them temps of the yeast slurry to the same temps as your must before pitching?
You should see proof of life once you add some must to the yeast slurry. Your not using distilled water are you to rehydrtae your must? How many grams of yeast are you pitching per gallon? Is your yeast relatively fresh? Expiration dates?
Don't give up. We can get this sorted out!!!
You should see proof of life once you add some must to the yeast slurry. Your not using distilled water are you to rehydrtae your must? How many grams of yeast are you pitching per gallon? Is your yeast relatively fresh? Expiration dates?
Don't give up. We can get this sorted out!!!
Yes, hydrate at 104. Added must to yeast to acclimate temp and sugar content. Yeast initially take off after 4-5 hours has been bubbling steady, so I assume that the yeast is happy, then it quits, first time I initially thought it was a nutrient problem so I fed fermaid (no response). Not using distilled water, using bottled drinking water. I have a well, thinking next time I may just use that but the water is very hard, water for my house is chlorinated.
I pitched 5 gm/gallon to second and third batch, used about 8 gm to the first five gallon batch.
Dates on yeast were 2018 I think, initial yeast was bought via internet (no local source). The second batch was picked up at a brewing store in another town, I actually bought a cheap disposable cooler to make sure it was kept cool.
I pitched 5 gm/gallon to second and third batch, used about 8 gm to the first five gallon batch.
Dates on yeast were 2018 I think, initial yeast was bought via internet (no local source). The second batch was picked up at a brewing store in another town, I actually bought a cheap disposable cooler to make sure it was kept cool.
If you can provide us with a more complete recipe we can probably spot the problem. Try to tell us exactly what you used, when, and in what ammount. How much fermaid, goferm, etc.
Dont worry, problems early on are very common. You'll sort it out
Dont worry, problems early on are very common. You'll sort it out
Mixed 1.5 cup water with 1.5 lbs Wal Mart honey, heated to 170F and held at temp 5 minutes. Added one can frozen pink lemonade concentrate and brought temp back to 170. Added 1 tsp nutrient ( I previously misstated since fermaid had not worked first two times I used LD Carlson yeast nutrient). Added 6.5 cups cooled water. SG was above target SG so added additional water to bring down to 1.086, since temp was 88F assumed OG 1.088. Stirred vigorously for about 3 minutes.. Hydrated 5gm packed to EC1118 in 50 ml of 104F water for 10 minutes. Added must by tablespoon to yeast, about 1 Tbls every 30-40 seconds until volume was about 1/2 cup, then pitched into must. Within 3-4 hours was bubbling once every 10 seconds, next morning was about the same, Stirred vigorously. Continually slowed until by Monday was bubbling lest than once per minute. Checked SG 1.046), stirred. Tuesday Hydrated 5g EC1118 in 250 ml 104F water with 1/2 tsp honey. Allowed to grow for 45 minutes had good foam, and pitched directly into must, currently bubbling about once every 45 sec.
Sounds like a pH issue to me... make sure you're in the right spot as far as pH. LOWER than 3.5 will cause problems.
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Don't know what happened, (I thought) I posted a reply this morning before work.
Light Lemonade Mead. Heated 1.5 cup water and 1.5 lb honey to 170F held 5 minutes, added one12 oz can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate and brought temp back to 170F. Added 1 tsp nutrient ( I misspoke earlier, I used LD Carlson yeast nutrient, the previous tow batches had fermaid K but they didn't work well). Added 6.5 cups water then had to add additional water to bring to desired SG, about 1 cup. OG was 1.086 at 88F so OG 1.088. Hydrated EC1118 in 50 ml 104F water for 10 minutes I added 1 Tbls must every 30-60 seconds until volume was about .5 cup then pitched. Fermation started within a couple of hours and at 4 hours was bubbling about one per 10 sec. Next morning was about same, stirred vigorously for several minutes, but by Sunday evening had slowed to less than one per minute. Monday, still slow, stirred, no change. Tuesday I hydrated 5 gm EC1118 in 250 ml 104F water w 5 gm Goferm and 1/2 tsp honey and allowed to grow for 1 hour, it had a good head of foam, pitched directly into must without acclimation. Currently is bubbling about once per 45 sec.
I don't have a way to check ph except test strips and those don't seem to work very well.
Light Lemonade Mead. Heated 1.5 cup water and 1.5 lb honey to 170F held 5 minutes, added one12 oz can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate and brought temp back to 170F. Added 1 tsp nutrient ( I misspoke earlier, I used LD Carlson yeast nutrient, the previous tow batches had fermaid K but they didn't work well). Added 6.5 cups water then had to add additional water to bring to desired SG, about 1 cup. OG was 1.086 at 88F so OG 1.088. Hydrated EC1118 in 50 ml 104F water for 10 minutes I added 1 Tbls must every 30-60 seconds until volume was about .5 cup then pitched. Fermation started within a couple of hours and at 4 hours was bubbling about one per 10 sec. Next morning was about same, stirred vigorously for several minutes, but by Sunday evening had slowed to less than one per minute. Monday, still slow, stirred, no change. Tuesday I hydrated 5 gm EC1118 in 250 ml 104F water w 5 gm Goferm and 1/2 tsp honey and allowed to grow for 1 hour, it had a good head of foam, pitched directly into must without acclimation. Currently is bubbling about once per 45 sec.
I don't have a way to check ph except test strips and those don't seem to work very well.
Are you sure about that?
I was under the impression that pH between 3.2 and 4.6 is the workable range.
LOWER! Yes... I meant LOWER... sorry about that. Especially if you're using the El Cheapo pH meter, which is great, but should be given at least .1 + or - when measuring.
Personally I don't feel comfortable lower than 3.5. I feel most comfortable at 3.7 and usually add some buffering agent if it drops below that.
There is even one online guide that has 3.5 as the lowest number yeast can survive... http://www.makemead.net/adjusting-ph-and-acidity-in-mead.aspx
I'm going to edit my post.
Don't drink and post folks!
Are you using the same package or lot date code of yeast? Could be a dud batch. I just ran into problems with DV10 that quit on me midway through the ferment of a 1 gallon, orange blossom honey, 1lb vintners harvest Strawberry. 1.114 OG, 3.4 pH.
The yeast was from cellar science, but I don't know if it's repackaged Lalvin yeast or their own.
The yeast was from cellar science, but I don't know if it's repackaged Lalvin yeast or their own.
Light lemonade mead.
I brought 1/5 cups of water and 1.5 lbs honey to 170F degrees and held for 5 minutes, added one 12 oz can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate and brought temp back to 170. Added 6.5 cups water and 1 tsp of LD Carlson yeast nutrient (misspoke earier, I hadn’t had luck with fermaid-k so tried something different). Added water to bring SG down to desired. OG 1.088 (1.086 at 88F).
Hydrated 5 gm EC1118 in 50 ml 104F water, added must 1 Tbs every 30-60 sec until volume was about .5 cup then pitched. Bubbling started within 3-4 hours and before I went to bed Friday night was bubbling about once per 10 sec. Saturday monrning bubbling was about the same, stirred vigorously for a few minutes. By Sunday morning fementation had slowed, stirred. No increase in bubbling on Sunday, stirred. Monday bubbling had slowed to less than one per minute.
Tuesday checked SG, 1.040, I hydrated 5 gm EC1118 in 250 ml water w goferm and .5 tsp honey and allowed to grow for an hour (really not sure about time) and pitched into must. Currently bubbling at about one per 45 sec.
I brought 1/5 cups of water and 1.5 lbs honey to 170F degrees and held for 5 minutes, added one 12 oz can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate and brought temp back to 170. Added 6.5 cups water and 1 tsp of LD Carlson yeast nutrient (misspoke earier, I hadn’t had luck with fermaid-k so tried something different). Added water to bring SG down to desired. OG 1.088 (1.086 at 88F).
Hydrated 5 gm EC1118 in 50 ml 104F water, added must 1 Tbs every 30-60 sec until volume was about .5 cup then pitched. Bubbling started within 3-4 hours and before I went to bed Friday night was bubbling about once per 10 sec. Saturday monrning bubbling was about the same, stirred vigorously for a few minutes. By Sunday morning fementation had slowed, stirred. No increase in bubbling on Sunday, stirred. Monday bubbling had slowed to less than one per minute.
Tuesday checked SG, 1.040, I hydrated 5 gm EC1118 in 250 ml water w goferm and .5 tsp honey and allowed to grow for an hour (really not sure about time) and pitched into must. Currently bubbling at about one per 45 sec.
It happened again. Is it the size of the post? When I try to post details of what I did I get a window that says it will not be posted until after the moderator reviews it. Third attempt in this thread. I also tried twice to start a thread to ask why I sometimes get different readings in my refractometer/hydrometer and got same message.
Think its a spam filter, there was an issue with spammers on the board. It should popup in a day or so, at least i think it will.
