Folks,
I'm seeing some weirdness out of a batch i started last week, and thought I'd ask here...
On 7/16, I started a batch:
12 lbs "Virginia Brand" Clover Honey
2 tsp nutrient
1 tsp energizer
4 gal water
10 g Lalvin D-47
Followed the process from Schramm's book, for the first mead. Pitched the yeast at 68 deg F; the OG was 1.094.
I then poured off about 1 gal of the must, splitting it between two 1 gal jugs (I wanted to experiment with OJ and with black cherry juice, respectively), leaving the remaining ~4 gals in the fermentation bucket.
Now, everything seemed to be going ok with the bucket until yesterday. the smell of the airlock seemed a little yeasty (whereas it had had a nice honey aroma during the week). and, in the bottom of the airlock, whereas the bubbles had looked like condensation, they now looked like a spiral of soap bubbles (larger, and strung together). (Modified to add: Oh, yeah... yesterday, it almost seemed like the bubbling had gotten more aggressive, and continues to seem that way today!)
Today, I take a look, and I notice the following:
I haven't done that many batches, but I've never seen this before. Is this a problem (and if so, what should I do)?
Here's a picture of the airlock...
(BTW -- new bucket; first batch of mead for it. the other two gallon jugs aren't exhibiting this problem...)
Thanks!
Merry
(Edited on 8/4 to take the photo out of the post, and just make it a URL link...)
I'm seeing some weirdness out of a batch i started last week, and thought I'd ask here...
On 7/16, I started a batch:
12 lbs "Virginia Brand" Clover Honey
2 tsp nutrient
1 tsp energizer
4 gal water
10 g Lalvin D-47
Followed the process from Schramm's book, for the first mead. Pitched the yeast at 68 deg F; the OG was 1.094.
I then poured off about 1 gal of the must, splitting it between two 1 gal jugs (I wanted to experiment with OJ and with black cherry juice, respectively), leaving the remaining ~4 gals in the fermentation bucket.
Now, everything seemed to be going ok with the bucket until yesterday. the smell of the airlock seemed a little yeasty (whereas it had had a nice honey aroma during the week). and, in the bottom of the airlock, whereas the bubbles had looked like condensation, they now looked like a spiral of soap bubbles (larger, and strung together). (Modified to add: Oh, yeah... yesterday, it almost seemed like the bubbling had gotten more aggressive, and continues to seem that way today!)
Today, I take a look, and I notice the following:
- The vodka in the airlock now looks cloudy
- The (faint) yeast smell remains
- The large bubbles have moved to the top of the dome in the airlock.
I haven't done that many batches, but I've never seen this before. Is this a problem (and if so, what should I do)?
Here's a picture of the airlock...
(BTW -- new bucket; first batch of mead for it. the other two gallon jugs aren't exhibiting this problem...)
Thanks!
Merry
(Edited on 8/4 to take the photo out of the post, and just make it a URL link...)