mead making help

[Ray Keller]

hello again everyone. I got me a problem i'll explain everything I can. My Mead stuck in fermentation but I know dont know why. I used this recipe (1 Gal)
3lbs Orange Blossom Honey
1 tsp Yeast energizer (DAP)
7 pts of spring water (Store bought)
1 PKG Lalvin ICV D-47
water to 1 Gal (spring)
My starting S.G.was 1.095 on 2-27-05
do not know acid level
Fermentation Room Temp 72(F)
On 3-5-05 my S.G. was 1.072 it never changed after that on 3-16-05 it still stayed the same. I have since used Lalvin EC-1118 Champagne yeast to restart. I am very careful about keeping every thing clean. Any clues as to my fermentation failure. And was D-47 the right call to restart my fermentation. Thanks for any help in advance!

[Ray Keller]

<And was D-47 the right call to restart my fermentation.>

Sorry for that, what I ment was EC-1118 Champagne Yeast the right call to restart my fermentation.

[Ben Brewcat]

That's kinda weird. The yeast don't read the same books we do, so they can be uncooperative sometimes. Usually (once they start) they'll run better than that, even if there are problems later on. Some thoughts:

Make sure you're not using the tube the hydrometer came in for a sample jar. The hydrometer needs to float freely without touching the walls, and the tube just isn't big enough. Your inital gravity reading is pretty close to what I'd guess you'd start at, but it's worth asking.

Was the water really spring (OK) or was it distilled (less OK)?

How did you rehydrate the yeast? Sprinkling right onto the mead is sometimes recommended but is stressful for them. Rehydrate in warm water instead for 5 mins, then pitch.

Was the must boiled extensively? If so it might need gentle aeration.

Champagne yeast is a traditional re-starter for its aggessiveness, though the D-47 should be fine here too.

The lack of nutrients might well be a problem; try adding 1/4 tsp (or half what's recommended on the package) of nutrients to the mead.

And rapid temperature swings can shock yeast, like your house is 70 when you're home at night but then you go to work and turn it down to 55. A one-galloner will stay pretty close to ambient temps.

Can you describe what it did? How'd the airlock bubble, was there foam on the top, etc?

[Ray Keller]

Thanks for the fast reply Ben. You've helped me alot so far Thanks again. Here is the answers to the questions you asked me.

I'm using a larger tube to float the Hydrometer(not the tube it came in)

Was it spring water? It said so but it was a generic. So I cant be 100% sure

Rehydrated in warm water for around 20 min

Must was heated but never boiled Max temp was around 130(F)+/- a few degrees

Aerated around every other day for first week then around ever 3 to 4 days after that(Got Busy)

House temp stays at 72(F) or my wounderful Wife would shoot me.

Airlock Bubbled at a real regular pace for a few days even putting a little foam into my airlock then it just quit

The Nutrients May very well be my problem. My recipe only called for Yaest Energizer 3/4tsp, I used 1tsp of L.D. Carlson Brand energizer (DAP). I have Yeast Nutrient, But it is urea Based, and I didn't want to use it after reading Both your and ScottS Post on the subject.

I have 1 more question- could I have just ended up with a bad Pkg of yeast even though they did start at the begining. I'm sure I am the cause of the failure to the fermentation. I just cant figure it out. The champagne yeast did restart it. I added it on 3-16 at S.G. 1.072 today 3-21 it sets at S.G. 1.060 so it still seems slow to me. thanks again Ben for your help

[Ben Brewcat]

Slow mead's not unusual, you can't hurry love! If it's chugging along, let it go. Don't be TOO afraid to use the nutrient in moderate amounts; the yeast eat it. "Bad" yeast won't start at all. If they do get going, they'll reproduce and be healthy and happy if they can get all their needs met in the medium; I'd bet it's the nutrients. Occasionally there are so few viable cells that it takes them so long to reproduce to adequate levels that another organism (that wouldl've been overwhelmed quickly in a normal ferment) can build to numbers that can influence the mead. This is very rare with dry yeast, there are just tons of cells in a packet. Enough, in fact, for five times your volume! I'd let it rock and roll for awhile and see where it goes. Good Luck!

[MeadMan]

Just a note here on the chemicals. I really don't like adding chemicals either but I do add tannin at must preperation to aid in clarifying my mead. And its kinda hard in my opinion to call tannin a chemical its really just dryed and pulverized grape skins. But becareful with the tannin it adds a strong astringent taste to the mead and if over done and will take an extended time to age out.

[Ben Brewcat]

Many commercial tannins are actually extracted from something else, "Mimosa trees" if I remember. Tastes the same to me, even side-by-side.

[MeadMan]

really i didn't know that
All i know is what i tastes like to stick my finger in it and taste it. One day I decided to stick my finger in all my acids so I knew exactly what they were adding to my meads. Wow what a lesson! Since then I haven't added anything but tannin and only very gingerly.

[ckinser]

You might want to try irish moss as it is a great clarifier and unlike tannin will not impart flavor

[Ben Brewcat]

Note that Irish Moss (a seaweed) needs to be boiled to release the charged particles that attract hazers.