Ingredients
Water -- 5 Gallons
Honey -- 15 pounds
Yeast -- 1 Pack Red Star Cotes de Blanc
Rhubarb -- 2.5 pounds
Oranges -- 5 peeled
Nutrients -- 5 tbls
Lavender (dried) -- 1/4 cup
Lemon Peel (dried) --5 tbls
Ginger (dried) -- 5 tbls
Method
I placed the honey, rhubarb, oranges, lavender, lemon peel and ginger into 2 gallons of boiling water and let boil for approximately 5 minutes. I removed all of the dry ingredients and poured the rest of the must into a 6 gallon plastic bucket. I then added 3 gallons of cool water and let the must reach 70 degrees. I began to rehydrate the yeast while airating the must. After about 5 minutes of airating I pitched the yeast, secured the lid, fastened my airlock and said a little prayer.
The next day it seemed as if I had a stuck fermentation and I panicked! I threw in a new batch of yeast and the 5 tbls of nutrients. Hours later my airlock was fussing like mad, popping like every 2 seconds. I thought all was well.
1 week later I decided to wet the cap, so I sanitized a spoon and stirred the krausen back into the mead. I refastend my lid and made sure everything was sealed appropriately. I checked on the mead about an hour later and the airlock was just standing thier mocking me.
I thought I would wait a day to see if any changes had occured and much to my chagrin everything was the same.
I did a little poking around the forums here to see if anyone else had had this problem and found things that sounded similar but not exactly what was happening to me. I did however take a few tests that may be helpfull to anyone trying to help me.
1. I tested the ph which seems to be around 4.6
2. I used a hydrometer (this may not be helpfull because the hydrometer I have only shows ABV and not gravity) to test the mead and the ABV was below 0.
3. I looked at it. The rhubarb and orange bits are all floating on the top, there is some bubbling happening and its all very chatty in there.
So its seems that fermentation is happening but I am still alittle worried. Any suggestions, tips or advice would be most appreciated.
Thanks guys!
Water -- 5 Gallons
Honey -- 15 pounds
Yeast -- 1 Pack Red Star Cotes de Blanc
Rhubarb -- 2.5 pounds
Oranges -- 5 peeled
Nutrients -- 5 tbls
Lavender (dried) -- 1/4 cup
Lemon Peel (dried) --5 tbls
Ginger (dried) -- 5 tbls
Method
I placed the honey, rhubarb, oranges, lavender, lemon peel and ginger into 2 gallons of boiling water and let boil for approximately 5 minutes. I removed all of the dry ingredients and poured the rest of the must into a 6 gallon plastic bucket. I then added 3 gallons of cool water and let the must reach 70 degrees. I began to rehydrate the yeast while airating the must. After about 5 minutes of airating I pitched the yeast, secured the lid, fastened my airlock and said a little prayer.
The next day it seemed as if I had a stuck fermentation and I panicked! I threw in a new batch of yeast and the 5 tbls of nutrients. Hours later my airlock was fussing like mad, popping like every 2 seconds. I thought all was well.
1 week later I decided to wet the cap, so I sanitized a spoon and stirred the krausen back into the mead. I refastend my lid and made sure everything was sealed appropriately. I checked on the mead about an hour later and the airlock was just standing thier mocking me.
I thought I would wait a day to see if any changes had occured and much to my chagrin everything was the same.
I did a little poking around the forums here to see if anyone else had had this problem and found things that sounded similar but not exactly what was happening to me. I did however take a few tests that may be helpfull to anyone trying to help me.
1. I tested the ph which seems to be around 4.6
2. I used a hydrometer (this may not be helpfull because the hydrometer I have only shows ABV and not gravity) to test the mead and the ABV was below 0.
3. I looked at it. The rhubarb and orange bits are all floating on the top, there is some bubbling happening and its all very chatty in there.
So its seems that fermentation is happening but I am still alittle worried. Any suggestions, tips or advice would be most appreciated.
Thanks guys!
