dummkauf

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and the plot thickens....is it possible for a hydrometer to go bad???

My hibiscus mead, which was made on the same day, has been happily fermenting(or so I thought) in the same closet as my bochet. It formed a krausen on top and the airlock was bubbling away, so I hadn't bothered to pull a gravity reading until today. It's been about a week and I just checked it and it only dropped 1 point Every sample I've pulled from the bochet, and now the hibiscus, has read a temp of 66F, with the yeast tolerances listed at 59-80, I don't think that's my issue, but am wondering if it would hurt to bring them upstairs for a bit to see what happens at a slightly warmer temp.

dummkauf

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Because dissolving in water, waiting 15 min, and then pitching doesn't tell me if the yeast are actually alive and doing well. By providing them with something to eat, in this case a little apple juice, I am sure that they are in fact alive and well.

dummkauf

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Well I think I just hit a new record, was going to check my gravity again today, and the middle piece in my 3 piece air lock is finally pressed against the top of the air lock Didn't bother with the gravity reading, which hasn't dropped 1 point in the last 3 weeks, but the fact I'm now seeing airlock activity should hopefully indicate that it's finally taken off. Since this is the first sign of any sort of fermentation I am going to wait a couple more days before pulling another gravity reading.

nukinfuts29

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If this ever happens again i would strongly suggest just putting it under airlock and walking away for 1-2 weeks before messing with it.

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dummkauf

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Yes, in hindsight(which is always 20/20) I realize that now, however since I've yet to ever see a fermentation ever take this long to start going I was freaking out a bit(I know RDWHAHB), though I am now much wiser and will know better in the future.

As confucius says "I must first be young & dumb before I can be old & wise".

dummkauf

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Pulled a sample tonight, it's down to 1.076, so it's definitely fermenting! Added a little yeast nutrient to help keep it going.

This mead was crazy, I've never seen anything take this long to ferment, I whipped up a one gallon test batch tonight of a blackberry mead and I started seeing airlock activity within an hour of pitching the yeast, to think this bochet didn't even drop 1 point for about 4-5 weeks

seanstermatic

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GOOD.

for the record if anyone ever suspects they have a busted hydrometer take the SG of water. it should be 1.000.

PRO TIP.

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