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Sour smell

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alkane
  • Start date Start date
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Alkane

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Hello everyone,
NewBee here, just started my first batch of a traditional mead this past Saturday and the airlock has been bubbling nicely ever since pitching the yeast.
I want to ask about a sour smell coming from the airlock. Is this normal?? Should I toss the batch out or just calm down and let nature do it's thing??

Here's the specs.
OG 1.097
Recipe
10 lbs Raw Clover Honey
3gal Spring Water
3tsp Fermax Nutrients
1pak of D-47.

Everything was cleaned with a sterile solution of isopropyl alcohol(70%) and sterile water(30%)
 
Alkane,

Welcome to the Forums!

And, yes, you should calm down and let nature work. You can get lots of odd smells out of an airlock during fermentation, and these don't usually mean much in and of themselves. Keep a nose to it, though, if this is worrisome, and please keep us updated.

Again, welcome!

-David
 
Ok, thanks bronx. I'll try to keep it under control and try to forget all that I've learned from Tucan Sam "Follow your nose" ;D
 
Alkane,

No prob. We've all been there, and I still spend an inordinant amount of time in front of the fermenter, smelling, pearing, pondering. It's at least 35% of the appeal of this hobby for me!

-David
 
Welcome to Gotmead.com Alkane!

D47 can be a bit funkadelic out of the gate you might want to consider swirling the carboy around once a day or so to keep your yeasts in suspension and give them access to the sugar and nutrients.

I think you'll be just fine with what you've got. Can you get us a gravity please?

thanks,

Oskaar
 
Thanks for the welcome Oskaar :)
I've been keeping and eye on it, since after I added the water it was too heavy to move from my kitchen counter. So it has been living in my kitchen wrapped under a large towel to keep the light out.

The solution is still very cloudy, but I might try to swirl it a bit to get those yeasties back in the fight.

Still have lots of activity in the airlock and the color is a orange/yellow.

I'll try to get a s.g reading tonight when I get home.

Thanks again for the help.
 
Ok, here's the outcome

S.G. = 1.059 which is a reduction of 0.038.
Once outside of the carboy the mead really had a strong yeast smell. I was probably getting that smell mixed with the vodka in the trap, adding a bit of a punch to it.

Despite the strong yeast smell, I decided to take a swig. The initial taste is that of a cheap, cheap beer but after the yeast shock is gone there is some sweetness and honey coming through.
 
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