So I started an Orange Blossom traditional mead last Sunday and things aren't progressing as quickly as I have hoped. I have been following a staggered nutrient addition program that I found in an old Ken Schramm article. Let me give you the details:
05/02/10 - 15lbs Orange Blossom Honey
1 lb Ollalie Berry Honey
5g Lalvin 71B-112 Yeast
6.2g GoFerm
Sanitized all equipment, added the GoFerm to 100ml of water at 108 degrees, added the yeast at 102 degrees and let sit for 8 minutes. I stirred up the yeast and gradually added my mixed must until temperature was around 70 degrees. Aerated the must for 10 minutes by hand with a large whisk and added the yeast. More aerating.
SG=1.113
After 6 hours I added 3g of Fermaid K and 4g of DAP
05/03/10 - Added .2g DAP and .1g Fermaid K (oops, read the instructions I was following incorrectly!!) Aerated twice
05/04/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.110
05/05/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.100
05/06/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.092
05/07/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.083
05/08/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.078
05/10/10 - Today I thought things were moving a bit slowly so I added 2.5g DAP, and 2.5g Fermaid K and mixed things around a bit.(It was really happy to get this dose and gave me some good foam) Gravity = 1.069
I've been checking the ph level and it seems to be sticking around 3.4 which seems in the ballpark to me.
So why is this one not moving as quickly as it should? Is it a nutrient deficiency? I have added a total of 10.6g of Fermaid K and 11.7g of DAP and on the eighth day it isn't even at the 1/2 sugar break. Since Orange Blossom is a lighter honey does it need more nutrients? Potassium? (this is the one ingredient from the article that I did not add)
I have to admit that I don't ever rehydrate my nutrients when I add them. I have always just thrown them in and stirred immediately. Would this be a problem at all?
Thanks for reading this onslaught of questions and I hope some of you have some answers or suggestions!!
05/02/10 - 15lbs Orange Blossom Honey
1 lb Ollalie Berry Honey
5g Lalvin 71B-112 Yeast
6.2g GoFerm
Sanitized all equipment, added the GoFerm to 100ml of water at 108 degrees, added the yeast at 102 degrees and let sit for 8 minutes. I stirred up the yeast and gradually added my mixed must until temperature was around 70 degrees. Aerated the must for 10 minutes by hand with a large whisk and added the yeast. More aerating.
SG=1.113
After 6 hours I added 3g of Fermaid K and 4g of DAP
05/03/10 - Added .2g DAP and .1g Fermaid K (oops, read the instructions I was following incorrectly!!) Aerated twice
05/04/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.110
05/05/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.100
05/06/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.092
05/07/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.083
05/08/10 - 1g DAP, 1g Fermaid K. Aerated twice. Gravity = 1.078
05/10/10 - Today I thought things were moving a bit slowly so I added 2.5g DAP, and 2.5g Fermaid K and mixed things around a bit.(It was really happy to get this dose and gave me some good foam) Gravity = 1.069
I've been checking the ph level and it seems to be sticking around 3.4 which seems in the ballpark to me.
So why is this one not moving as quickly as it should? Is it a nutrient deficiency? I have added a total of 10.6g of Fermaid K and 11.7g of DAP and on the eighth day it isn't even at the 1/2 sugar break. Since Orange Blossom is a lighter honey does it need more nutrients? Potassium? (this is the one ingredient from the article that I did not add)
I have to admit that I don't ever rehydrate my nutrients when I add them. I have always just thrown them in and stirred immediately. Would this be a problem at all?
Thanks for reading this onslaught of questions and I hope some of you have some answers or suggestions!!