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First Mead (Metheglin) - Slight foam after 70 hours, no/very slow bubbling

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Jyenh

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 11, 2018
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Australia
First of all, this is my very first batch and I'm using a carboy as primary. I'm going for a metheglin, the ingredients are as follows:

1.9kg Australian Honey
sodium metabisulfite treated water
10g tartaric acid
15g malic acid
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 split vanilla bean
1 inch of sliced ginger
1 crushed nutmeg

Hydrometer read 1.120, thermometer read 20'c (68'F).

5.75g Lalvin go-ferm nutrient
4.6g of mangrove jack M05 Mead yeast (dry, i re-hydrated it in the nutrient mixture as directed on the nutrient packet)


Nothing in the first 24 hours, around the 40 hour mark some white foam started appearing. 70 hour mark there is more foam.
The water in the airlock seems to shift up and down through the airlock, though I have not seen it bubble (I have watched multiple times up until 5 minutes). It is stored in a room with the A/C at 25'C (77'F) without any sunlight contact.

Should I be thinking about troubleshooting/adding another 4.6g of the yeast?

~Mead after 70 hours~
 

joe.vinciguerra

Moderator
Moderator
Premium Patron
Aug 2, 2017
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How big is this batch? Either you missed a decimal in your acid amounts or you're using a 250 liter carboy.
You need to measure the specific gravity to know what's going on. And at this point, measure pH as well.
Also, in the future, don't add acid until after fermentation, and only if it needs it.

Please reply with SG and pH readings, and hopefully a different amount of acid. Thanks!
 

joe.vinciguerra

Moderator
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Premium Patron
Aug 2, 2017
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Also, 77 is way to warm. I've never used mangrove jack, but generally you want to shoot for around 60-65F
 

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Nov 3, 2014
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Denver
You really can't know what's going on until you measure your gravity with a hydrometer. Otherwise, it's all a guessing game. I'm placing my bet on too low of a pH. Don't add acids up front. Mead must is already pretty low and that much acid probably lowered it below what the yeast can handle. You also need to temper your yeast slurry before you add it to the must. Cold shock (a greater spread than 18F) can kill the yeast.
 

Earendil

NewBee
Registered Member
May 30, 2008
149
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Oregon
Squatchy and Joe are right; your first step should be to immediately check your gravity and pH; otherwise you don't know what's going on.

Based upon the literature for your yeast, the temperature is just fine; the movement in the airlock is probably just small variations in the temperature of a still (non-fermenting) must and/or atmospheric pressure. I should warn you, though, that yeasts don't like temperature variations and an air-conditioned room often has major temperature swings as the A/C kicks on and off. Protect your mead by covering your carboy with a (clean) sweatshirt or wrapping it in a beach towel; that will even out the temperature variations somewhat. And it will protect your must from light; another thing yeasts don't like.

Joe is right; never add your acids up-front (unless you have a really high pH of, say 4.6 or higher). Check your pH and, if it's less than 3.2 or so, adjust it to 3.8 or thereabouts, using CaCO3 (Calcium Carbonate). Add 1/2 tsp to your must and stir well; wait for 10 minutes or so and then test pH again. Repeat until you've hit about 3.4 - 3.8 (I realize that fermentations can take place at less than 3.0 but we're talking recovery here and it makes sense to adjust to the most favorable condition possible).

Then, I would suggest pitching your yeast again. Do as Squatchy recommends; rehydrate your yeast according to the lab's directions. Be sure and keep the rehydration medium within the temperature range required for your strain, typically 104˚F. (40˚C.) during the rehydration phase. Do not exceed 109˚F. (42˚C.), as this will probably kill the yeast.

Then attemperate it by gradually adding a volume of must equal to the volume of the rehydrated yeast slurry. If you have 1/4 cup of rehydrated yeast, add a tablespoon of must each minute for four minutes and check to make sure that its temperature is within 18˚F. (10˚C.) of the must. Then gently stir and pitch it. These periodic additions of must will allow the yeast to gradually acclimate to the sugars in the must and will allow it to gradually adjust to the temperature of the must as well. Page 6 of the Scott Laboratories 2017 Fermentation Handbook, which you can download HERE, has a very lucid and clear explanation of how rehydration and attemperation should be performed.

I generally heat my honey, when mixing the must, to about 100˚F. (38˚C.); thinning it by heating makes it a lot easier to mix into the water but is not hot enough to start affecting the flavours and aromatics of the honey. That, when mixed, usually gets me within 18˚F. (10˚C.), or so, of the rehydrated yeast.

Good Luck and Keep Us Posted!

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Eärendil
Miruvor Maker and Eternal NewBee
Mithlond Meadery, Grey Havens, Eriador
 
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