Problem Mead....maybe stuck

Berg · Apr 11, 2005

Hello All,

This is my first batch of mead and I think I may be encountering a problem. Here is all my notes.....

10 lbs of Clover/Wildflower Honey
3 gal Poland Spring Water
2 tsp Wyeast Nutrient
5 g Lalvin EC-1118

3 Jan 2005
-Heated 1 gal of water to simmer 10 minutes
-Heated Honey slightly to ease pouring and added to the pot
-made sure all the honey was dissolved
-removed from heat
-poured must into primary
-then added 2 gal of water and Wyeast nutrient

-started yeast as per instructions
-pitched at 77F
-aerated
-SG 1.106
-closed lid

Airlock was bubbling away within 24 hours

Waited.....
til Jan. 25

Racked to secondary with a sg of 1.050...temp was 66F

Waited and waited

11 April - racking again

-now my sg is 1.050 at 75F

This is where I am now

Would this be considered a stuck fermentation? I still was seeing tiny bubbles in the carboy earlier today, as i have since the beginning....I thought the EC-1118 would have been alot faster than this. So now I am thinkin I messed up somewhere.
Maybe I just didnt have enough nutrients in it perhaps?...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Berg

Jmattioli · Apr 12, 2005

Without a doubt, it is stalled or stuck whichever terminology you prefer.
Check PH if you can to make sure no lower than 3.8
Aerate and Repitch with EC-1118
It should ferment dry.
Joe

Norskersword · Apr 12, 2005

Joe, is 2 tsp nutrient enough for a 5 gallon batch? Should he add some more?

Jmattioli · Apr 13, 2005

Good point Jeff,

But Not a 5 gallon batch going by starting SG and honey quanity. It looks like a 4 gallon batch from my reading of recipe but I can't tell. 3 gallon water and a little less than 1 gallon honey. Most likely about 3 to 3 1/2 gallon going by his starting SG.
EC-1118 should have gone more than 66 points of gravity with 2 tsp but another 1tsp wouldn't hurt in this case. Also I'm not sure what Poland Spring water is...
If its natural spring water it should have some good natural nutrients in it already like magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

Joe

lostnbronx · Apr 13, 2005

Jmattioli said:
Also I'm not sure what Poland Spring water is...
If its natural spring water it should have some good natural nutrients in it already like magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

Joe

This is bottled water from Poland Spring and/or one or two other natural springs found in Maine. It's a good tasting water, but I heard a rumor once that it comes from one of the most polluted areas of the state. There are purity standards with regard to bottled waters, so I doubt contaminants can be involved here. It is possible, nonetheless, that the water is lacking something. A pinch of Epsom Salts might help if all else fails.

-David

Sveinne · Apr 14, 2005

When you have a mead that's stuck, and you re-pitch the yeast, and add more nutrients, doesn't this adversely affect the flavor? I've seen instances where more yeast was pitched three times or more trying to get it restarted. Are there ever instances where it just won't restart?

Jmattioli · Apr 14, 2005

Sveinne said:
When you have a mead that's stuck, and you re-pitch the yeast, and add more nutrients, doesn't this adversely affect the flavor? I've seen instances where more yeast was pitched three times or more trying to get it restarted. Are there ever instances where it just won't restart?

Too much nutrients does adversely affect the flavor.

If the PH is in range AND there is not excessive residual sugar AND the alcohol tolerance of the yeast has not been exceeded AND there is no other chemical or bacteria present that would inhibit yeast life AND the temperature and enviornment is adequate for yeast life AND there is oxygen present and nutrients available for the yeast, fermentation WILL restart in all cases that I am aware of.

A pinch of epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) as lostinbronx mentioned is always a good idea in my experience.

Joe

Sveinne · Apr 14, 2005

Thank you Joe. I hope I didn't ruin a five-gallon batch with more nutrients.
It tasted delicious at one month when I racked it, but it had stopped working at 7.5% ABV. Unfortunately all I had was a packet of D-47, so I pitched that with the nutrient and about a pound more of honey. After 4 days it's still not working. Maybe a bloop every minute.

Berg · Apr 14, 2005

Hello all,

...and thank you for the replies. I apologize for my slow response.

My batch size is indeed 3 gal. though I did initially use a bit too much water. I'm very new at this and still have to learn that my primary is way bigger than my secondary.

The scoop.....

...after getting myself to the homebrew shop, finally, and picking up a pH test kit, I found my pH was only 3.0. :-\

(I hope I'm on the right track here, please let me know) I added 2 1/2 tsps of a citric, malic, and tartaric acid blend which brought my pH up to 4.0 before repitching my EC-1118.

What would cause the must to have bubbles in it, if it wasnt fermenting?

Thanks again,

Berg

Talon · Apr 15, 2005

That would be the CO2 already present in it that's attempting to escape or degas

Jmattioli · Apr 15, 2005

Berg said:
Hello all,

...and thank you for the replies. I apologize for my slow response.

My batch size is indeed 3 gal. though I did initially use a bit too much water. I'm very new at this and still have to learn that my primary is way bigger than my secondary.

The scoop.....

...after getting myself to the homebrew shop, finally, and picking up a pH test kit, I found my pH was only 3.0. :-\

(I hope I'm on the right track here, please let me know) I added 2 1/2 tsps of a citric, malic, and tartaric acid blend which brought my pH up to 4.0 before repitching my EC-1118.

What would cause the must to have bubbles in it, if it wasnt fermenting?

Thanks again,

Berg

Berg,
Sounds like you added acid. Acid should have brought down your PH to a lower number, not higher. Carbonate would have brought it up. Hope its just a typo on your part or a senior moment on mine.

Joe

Berg · Apr 15, 2005

I did indeed make the mistake of adding acid to increase the pH, having my notes written backwards on lowering and raising pH. Those test strips are so inaccurate that I actually saw the pH as going up....I'll have to remember to thro those in the garbage and buy a real pH tester.

I appreciate all the help. I fear this batch is going downhill fast, but I'm gonna try to add some carbonate and repitch, just to see what happens.

Berg

Sveinne · Apr 20, 2005

I have to say that Joe is right about additional nutrients adversely affecting the taste. I hope that the added yeast eat the added nutrients. What a difference in the taste before and after adding additional nutrients! Not good.

Dan McFeeley · Apr 20, 2005

Berg said:
I appreciate all the help. I fear this batch is going downhill fast, but I'm gonna try to add some carbonate and repitch, just to see what happens.

Be careful not to add too much carbonate. That can also do bad things to the flavor profile.

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Problem Mead....maybe stuck

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