winstonofbeer

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Noob question here...
Put campden tablets in 24hours ago...still got activity in the airlock

How long does it normally take before fermentation stops?

Thanks

Insomniac

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It won't. To stop fermentation this way you need to first take it off the yeast thats currently there, if its still in full ferment that probably means cold crashing it to get it to sleep.
Once it's off the yeast you can use a combination of camden and sorbate together to stop the yeast that is still about from reproducing.
I would start at this point by sticking it in the fridge if you can, I'll let people with a bit more experience make any thurther suggestions as to wether you will need to add more campden now.

Yooper

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Stopping fermentation is like stopping a freight train. It usually doesn't happen, at least not easily.

Campden doesn't kill yeast. It's used in winemaking all the time as a preservative and antioxidant and wine yeast is very tolerant of it. In order to use enough to kill or stun the yeast, you'd have to add enough to make the mead undrinkable.

Most people wait until fermentation is finished and the mead is clear. Then it's racked off of the lees. If you want to sweeten it, it's stabilized with sorbate and campden first and then sweetening is done a few days later if needed.

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winstonofbeer

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So if i cold crash it,
Would that stop it?

So basicly i wasted 4.25 for campden pellets?

Reason i am trying to get it to stop is i want it to remain sweet.
og 1.132
as of yesterday 1.020

Thanks again for the help

Insomniac

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All yeasts vary, and some refuse to stop apparently, but I've not had any issues yet. Putting it in the fridge should put the yeast to sleep. Then you can rack off the lees. I would probably do the camden again along with some sorbate, but I'm pretty new too this myself!

fatbloke

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Well it depends on your definition of sweet doesn't it. I like mine about the 1.010 to 1.015 area....

The difficulties in stopping an active ferment is why people will aim for a certain % ABV, then ferment it dry and back sweeten.

as already mentioned, sulphite doesn't kill the yeast, but it stun's it, then sorbate just stops it multiplying. The cold crash should work, you'd need to get it in the fridge for at least a week though, possibly longer.

regards

fatbloke

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winstonofbeer

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*update*
In kegerator, And fermenting has came to a halt.. No air lock activity.

So i plan to leave it in there for a week....Then transfer to another carboy to get off the yeast cake.

And the waiting starts to see how long it takes for it to clear before i can bottle.

AZ_IPA

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If you bottle, please be aware of bottle bombs. If the fermentation isn't done, once you bottle and let those bottles sit, it could kick up again and blow up.

ExoticMeadMaker

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Id recommend not using campden tablets at all. Its a waste of money, your pretty much paying for packaging and manufacturing. Buy a tub or bag of potassium or sodium metabisulfite(k-meta) instead. Since a campden tablet is nothing more then a pre-measured pill version of k-meta with fillers and binders (more crap....ergh I mean chemicals )you'll be able to make ALOT more brew for the buck

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winstonofbeer

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How long to cold crash to be safe?
I was thinking a week or so.
Then bring it back out to room temp..

Grab a sample to see if it was clear or not, and if it was bottle away.

But bottle bombs....not a fan!!!!! So want to make sure that doesnt happen