I'm working on a 2 gallon batch of traditional mead (in 5 gal bucket). Fermentation has been slow all along, and now seems to have pittered out almost completely.
I used Lalvin D47 with the intention of letting it reach it's alcohol tolerance (14%) so that I finish with a sweet mead without using sorbate/campden.
I used GoFerm (5 tsp when hydrating) and Fermaid-K (as described below).
I don't have weights on honey, but kept pretty good logs of my gravity readings.
1/3/2014 1.115 about 2 gallons total volume currently....roughly 1.5 of that was spring water. must was room temperature around 68F. stirred with MixStir on my drill
1/4/2015 1.112 at about 17-18 hours from pitch, added .75 tsp of Fermaid K. also drizzled in about a cup of honey while stirring with drill stir. Gravity now at 1.115
1/5/2015 1.112 poured in additional honey. aerated with drill stir. Gravity now at 1.122
1/6/2015 1.118 aerated with drill
1/7/2015 1.115 gently degassed by hand with spoon
1/8/2015 1.114 65 degrees. Spoon used to degas
1/10/2015 1.106 65 degrees. Degassed with spoon
1/12/2015 1.096 Added a little more than 1/2 tsp fermaid k (mixed in hydrometer tube, ran through funnel filter)
1/17/2015 1.084 66 degrees. Degassed with spoon
1/22/2015 1.073 65 degrees. Degassed with spoon
2/5/2015 1.062 degassed with drill. 63 degrees. Moved to warmer room
2/9/2015 1.058 Degassed with spoon. 73 degrees. Moved to basement. Placed on heat pad on low. Taste was harsh compared to all previous readings.
2/10/2015 No Gravity reading. placed on aquarium thermometer. 64 blue, 68 brown. Raised heat to medium
2/11/2015 68 degrees blue-green.
2/14/2015 1.054 68 degrees green. degassed with drill. 71 degrees internal. Taste settled back down.
2/15/2015 1.053 68 degrees green. degassed with drill. 71 degrees internal. PH strip was between 3.6 & 4. Per LHBS, added more Fermaid K (1/2 tsp)
2/19/2015 1.052 68 degrees green. degassed with drill. 71 degrees internal. Racked for fear of lees, to a 3 gal carboy. To help ensure accuracy of gravity readings, I used vinometer and it came out around 9%, which is right in the ballpark.
Any suggestions on how to get these yeasties going? I'm looking for a sweet, so don't really want to pitch 1118.
Or, am I just being too impatient?
I used Lalvin D47 with the intention of letting it reach it's alcohol tolerance (14%) so that I finish with a sweet mead without using sorbate/campden.
I used GoFerm (5 tsp when hydrating) and Fermaid-K (as described below).
I don't have weights on honey, but kept pretty good logs of my gravity readings.
1/3/2014 1.115 about 2 gallons total volume currently....roughly 1.5 of that was spring water. must was room temperature around 68F. stirred with MixStir on my drill
1/4/2015 1.112 at about 17-18 hours from pitch, added .75 tsp of Fermaid K. also drizzled in about a cup of honey while stirring with drill stir. Gravity now at 1.115
1/5/2015 1.112 poured in additional honey. aerated with drill stir. Gravity now at 1.122
1/6/2015 1.118 aerated with drill
1/7/2015 1.115 gently degassed by hand with spoon
1/8/2015 1.114 65 degrees. Spoon used to degas
1/10/2015 1.106 65 degrees. Degassed with spoon
1/12/2015 1.096 Added a little more than 1/2 tsp fermaid k (mixed in hydrometer tube, ran through funnel filter)
1/17/2015 1.084 66 degrees. Degassed with spoon
1/22/2015 1.073 65 degrees. Degassed with spoon
2/5/2015 1.062 degassed with drill. 63 degrees. Moved to warmer room
2/9/2015 1.058 Degassed with spoon. 73 degrees. Moved to basement. Placed on heat pad on low. Taste was harsh compared to all previous readings.
2/10/2015 No Gravity reading. placed on aquarium thermometer. 64 blue, 68 brown. Raised heat to medium
2/11/2015 68 degrees blue-green.
2/14/2015 1.054 68 degrees green. degassed with drill. 71 degrees internal. Taste settled back down.
2/15/2015 1.053 68 degrees green. degassed with drill. 71 degrees internal. PH strip was between 3.6 & 4. Per LHBS, added more Fermaid K (1/2 tsp)
2/19/2015 1.052 68 degrees green. degassed with drill. 71 degrees internal. Racked for fear of lees, to a 3 gal carboy. To help ensure accuracy of gravity readings, I used vinometer and it came out around 9%, which is right in the ballpark.
Any suggestions on how to get these yeasties going? I'm looking for a sweet, so don't really want to pitch 1118.
Or, am I just being too impatient?