very slow fermentation?
- Thread starter aczdreign
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The gas release could be dissolved CO2 that found a way to escape now that something new was added but it could also be sulfur dioxide gas which I would kind of expect with a sulfite addition.
Given that it is already 2 years old, is there a reason why you want to stabilize? Are you planning to sweeten it or something? If not, I'm not sure why a sorbate addition would be needed at all. Sorbate additives are used to prevent any remaining yeast (which would be very little after 2 years) from starting a new fermentation. It doesn't kill the yeast but makes it so they can't get going again.
Campden tablets in the US could be either Sodium or Potassium metabisulfite although the Sodium Metabisulfite is on it's way out the door. That said quite a few homebrew shops and distributors are still selling the sodium based ones. I don't use Campden tablets at all because buying straight potassium metabisulfite is not only cheaper, it's also easier to use because it doesn't require crushing.
Given that it is already 2 years old, is there a reason why you want to stabilize? Are you planning to sweeten it or something? If not, I'm not sure why a sorbate addition would be needed at all. Sorbate additives are used to prevent any remaining yeast (which would be very little after 2 years) from starting a new fermentation. It doesn't kill the yeast but makes it so they can't get going again.
Campden tablets in the US could be either Sodium or Potassium metabisulfite although the Sodium Metabisulfite is on it's way out the door. That said quite a few homebrew shops and distributors are still selling the sodium based ones. I don't use Campden tablets at all because buying straight potassium metabisulfite is not only cheaper, it's also easier to use because it doesn't require crushing.
Okay, so the brix is still at 25%, which according to the top half of the onebeer calculator equates to 1.107 SG.
It's also showing that 21% brix should create a SG of 1.088, which is .019 less than it currently is, which should take care of that initial ratio problem.
So I'm going to add spring water to bring my brix reading down to 21%, and then hit it with one more dose of nutrient and energizer.
Added one half gallon spring water. I overshot it a little, the Brix is now at 20%, which should give a SG of something like 1.083, give or take a little for the alcohol already in the solution.
EDIT: checked all values according to the gotmead calculator and everything seems correct. I already THINK I'm seeing more activity in the airlock, but it may just be in my head.
It's also showing that 21% brix should create a SG of 1.088, which is .019 less than it currently is, which should take care of that initial ratio problem.
So I'm going to add spring water to bring my brix reading down to 21%, and then hit it with one more dose of nutrient and energizer.
Added one half gallon spring water. I overshot it a little, the Brix is now at 20%, which should give a SG of something like 1.083, give or take a little for the alcohol already in the solution.
EDIT: checked all values according to the gotmead calculator and everything seems correct. I already THINK I'm seeing more activity in the airlock, but it may just be in my head.
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Nathan, I really just wanted to make sure that this batch wouldn't blow off the corks from the bottles. I was actually planning to sweeten it, but after having a few friends taste test it, that plan changed.
You think i would be alright just bottling it, then?
EDIT: I just figured out that I canset the gotmead calculator to brix, enter brix values, then change the dropdown box from brix to SG, and it seems to convert it for me automatically. That's a huge help.
You think i would be alright just bottling it, then?
EDIT: I just figured out that I canset the gotmead calculator to brix, enter brix values, then change the dropdown box from brix to SG, and it seems to convert it for me automatically. That's a huge help.
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