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When to add Fermax? and how much?

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capoeirista13

Honey Master
Registered Member
Aug 17, 2008
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Philadelphia
OK so last weekend my dad and I made an attempt at a pyment, though I'm pretty sure what we ended up making was more of a wine. We hand crushed 70 lbs of grapes and threw them and their juice in the primary along with 10g of RC-212 yeast and the starter the yeast was in. We also added 5 tsp of Fermax at the time because the bottle says 1 tsp per gallon. Oskaar said that this yeast needs a lot of nutrients, and thats what the Fermax is right? So when, if ever, do I add more Fermax?

P.S. I have no original gravity or any other gravity readings because my dad broke the hydrometer and I've yet to get a new one, so I won't know when its at the 1/3 or 2/3 sugar breaks. Although, the wine has pretty much exploded 3 times already, though each explosion has gotten less intense and it is no longer exploding. Initially the fermentation was very very vigorous, much moreso than my first mead. Now it is going at about a bubble per second. And when I open it up to stir, it smells like wine if you get close, and like an alcoholic astringent solution if you get even closer. No sulphur smells.
 

liff

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 10, 2006
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Phoenix
Hello Capoeiristra13,

No one else took a reply at this, so here goes:

I do not use Fermax, but I would stick to the directions, 1 teaspoon per gallon. I would add it about 12 to 24 hours after the pitch, or when the directions say to do it. I would only add more if I noticed a sulphur smell coming from the must.

You have no sulphur smell, and seem to be at or near the end of your fermentation. Were this my ferment, I would not add any fermax at this point.

I think the term 'pyment' refers to a grape wine sweetened with honey, or a grape wine fermented with honey. So if you have added no honey, at this point you have a proper grape wine. You can always change that or not later too.

Liff
 

capoeirista13

Honey Master
Registered Member
Aug 17, 2008
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0
36
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Philadelphia
lol, my bad, i did add honey, 10 lbs of blueberry, cant believe i forgot that! i was thinking along those lines, of adding more only if i smelled the sulphur smell, and i was thinking of probably only doing 1 tsp, but thx for the reply its good to get some assurance
 
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