• PATRONS: Did you know we've a chat function for you now? Look to the bottom of the screen, you can chat, set up rooms, talk to each other individually or in groups! Click 'Chat' at the right side of the chat window to open the chat up.
  • Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
  • We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.

Stuck Fermentation?

Toggle sidebar
Barrel Char Wood Products
B

beeman9

NewBee
Registered Member
Feb 14, 2017
3
0
0
My recipe was 4 gallons spring water, 2 gallons plus 1 pint raw honey, 6 tsp super fermentor, 4.5 tsp tartaric acid, 8.5 tsp malic acid, 6 camden tablets, 1 pkg D47 yeast.

Starting SG 1.135. aerated must about 5 times day before pitching yeast, 15 minutes per session. Pitched yeast 24 hours after all ingredients added to must. Fermentation started about 36 hours after pitching yeast. Fermented for 15 days and slowed to 1 bubble every 30 seconds. SG 1.090. Racked on 15th day. Meade very sweet and pleasant flavor. Fermentation never started again. Heavy sediment. On 20th day pitched EC 1118. Still no fermentation.

Think alcohol content at 6%. Would like alcohol content around 12%. Is there anything I could do?

Thanks in advance Beeman9
 
C

caduseus

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Aug 20, 2016
675
2
18
Cincinnati
beeman9 said:
My recipe was 4 gallons spring water, 2 gallons plus 1 pint raw honey, 6 tsp super fermentor, 4.5 tsp tartaric acid, 8.5 tsp malic acid, 6 camden tablets, 1 pkg D47 yeast.

Starting SG 1.135. aerated must about 5 times day before pitching yeast, 15 minutes per session. Pitched yeast 24 hours after all ingredients added to must. Fermentation started about 36 hours after pitching yeast. Fermented for 15 days and slowed to 1 bubble every 30 seconds. SG 1.090. Racked on 15th day. Meade very sweet and pleasant flavor. Fermentation never started again. Heavy sediment. On 20th day pitched EC 1118. Still no fermentation.

Think alcohol content at 6%. Would like alcohol content around 12%. Is there anything I could do?

Thanks in advance Beeman9
Click to expand...

With mead: NEVER EVER add acid until after fermentation is over.
Just the opposite many of us potassium carbonateto reduce the acid level
 
Dadux

Dadux

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Jan 5, 2016
725
3
18
Spain, Europe
Backing up everyones comments, D47 is a delicate strain that does not do well with a pH lower than 3.2 and free SO2 (or so i have read). You added acid, dropping the pH, and campdem tablets, rising free SO2.
You could try adding potassium bicarbonate and doing good aereation and degassing, but after that tartaric acid addition, you will get cristals at the bottom most likely if you add K-bicarb
Alternatively try another more potent strain. EC-1118 would probably ferment that. But it would ferment it all, leaving an ABV over 12%. You say you pitched 1118, did you rehidrate properly? in this case i would also aclimate to the must (rehidrate in X volume of water for 15 min then add a volume of X/2 of must, repeat each 15 minutes for an hour, then pitch)
If you didnt rehidrate its normal it does not ferment.
 
S

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Nov 3, 2014
5,542
261
83
Denver
There is no way your SG was 1135 if you added 2 gallons of honey in 4 gallons of water. Your gravity would have been over 2100. I've never ever heard of any yeast getting started in such a high gravity.

Something isn't adding up. Did you misprint something here?
 
D

darigoni

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Jun 4, 2016
946
65
28
Brookline, NH
I think he specified 4 gallons of water plus 2+ gallons of honey. 6+ gallons total.

Still, thats more like and SG = 1.145
 
S

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Nov 3, 2014
5,542
261
83
Denver
Yeah so that's 6 pounds of honey for every gallon 1 pounds of honey in a gallon of water gives you 35 points so 6 times 35 is 2100
 
djsxxx

djsxxx

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 18, 2016
212
0
0
United kingdom
Squatchy said:
Yeah so that's 6 pounds of honey for every gallon 1 pounds of honey in a gallon of water gives you 35 points so 6 times 35 is 2100
Click to expand...
According to got mead calculator, 2 gallons honey + 4 gallons water (6 gallons total volume) gives you about 1.144

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
 
Dadux

Dadux

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Jan 5, 2016
725
3
18
Spain, Europe
dunno about you but asuming 80% sugar in honey i get 1.15 using gotmead calc. It says 2 gallons and one pint of honey and 4 gals of water. which is 17 pints honey and 49 pints volume total. ;D
 
Stasis

Stasis

Honey Master
Registered Member
Jan 10, 2014
1,123
13
38
Malta
Ding Ding Ding!
We've got a winner!
Step right up Dadux and collect your prize ;)
 
A

antonioh

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Sep 20, 2013
206
2
18
Lisbon - Portugal
4.5 tsp tartaric acid, 8.5 tsp malic acid
Click to expand...

To much acid. Even in wine, if you have to add water to get lower sugar concentration, the standards were 1 g tartaric for 1 litre of water .

(It´s hard for me to cope with gallons (US or imperial), pints, pounds , tea spoons , table spoons... )
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Barrel Char Wood Products

Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns

Top Bottom