Fall's Bounty Cyser stuck

Hi!

First post here. I have a batch of Fall's Bounty Cyser (from The Compleat Meadmaker book) that I started way back in September, and it appears to be stuck. Well, it's been stuck for awhile, I've been ignoring the problem for quite some time. I've tried to get it going a few times but it's not cooperating with me. Initially, I pitched close to 1 L of D-47 from an active apple juice starter.

In October I repitched 10g of D-47 and I recall it fermenting very slowly, around 1-2 bubbles per minute. Gravity was at 1.090.

Sometime between then and now, I brought the carboy upstairs from the cooler basement (just a couple of degrees F)thinking the temp was a bit low. Fermentation started again but it was still quite slow. I also racked it to a secondary.

Recently I checked in on this and found the gravity at 1.080. It tased very sweet with no alcohol easily detected. Quite nice, but not what I'm looking for.

Any ideas on how to get this churning again or is getting too old? I'm thinking about bringing it upstairs to warm it up a few degrees, get some oxygen in there and pitch a new yeast strain from a healthy starter.

Thanks,
Pat

Hi,

Thanks for the input. Here's some more information. I'm at work so I'm relying on my memory here.

I followed the recipe from the book with no variations.

Last fall the ambient temp in the basement, where I started fermentation, was likely around 68 degrees F. I've brewed several batches of mead and beer in the basement with success but now start fermentation upstairs which tends to be a couple of degrees warmer.

I sanitize all equipment with StarSan. I'm pretty good about keeping things clean.

The airlock has had a good seal and the cyser has been in glass carboys since it's birth.

pH - I'm wondering if this is the problem. I just bought some pH strips (scaled for wine) yesterday and tested it. Having no experience with pH strips, I could've read it wrong but it appeared to be off the scale on the low end. I don't recall the exact number but I'll look tonight and post the info. I have some Calcium Carb. that I picked up as well. I think that's what it's called.

Yeast Cake - There was sediment when it was in the first carboy and there is around 1/2-3/4 inch of sediment in this carboy.

Fruit - a few dates/raisins fell but most stayed floating. I racked after awhile so the fruit is gone.

I bought the juice from a local orchard and assumed it to be pastuerized but with no preservatives. When I bought it, I asked about preservatives but they didn't know the answer. The starter took off wildly so I assumed it was preserv. free.

Thanks for the help.

-Pat

Hi,

Just an update on my stuck Cyser. I bottled it a few weeks ago and it's fantastic! Thanks for the help. I adjusted the pH, used K1V and that got things going. I stopped fermentation with pot. sorbate, racked again and eventually bottled. It's a great balance of sweetness, twang with a spicy finish. I'm anxious to try this again in the fall. I have 6 other 5 Gallon batches of various mead and wine going right now so I have plenty to do till then.

Thanks,
Patrick