ICV D-47 Fermentation Speed

**huesmann** · 11-15-2011, 04:24 PM

I started a batch of traditional this past Sunday and used D-47 (with Fermaid-K in the must). There's some very slow bubble activity in the S airlock, maybe one blurp every 30 seconds. I've only used K1V-1116 and EC-1118 previously, and those were pretty fast fermenters. Could something be wrong, or is D-47 just a slow fermenter?

bubbachunk · 11-15-2011, 04:31 PM

According to lallemand D47 is slow compared to K1 and EC but I have never had problems and I have used the yeast a dozen time.
Link:
Lallemand Wine - Yeast Quick Reference Chart

More information would be helpful though such as temp, starting gravity, and what type of mead.

oldude309 · 11-15-2011, 10:50 PM

Not much experiance, I used D-47 on a 1 gal. batch and it bubbled lke yours at about once every 8 seconds and got slower to the point of almost stopping at 30 days. Started a second batch, same recipe but for 5 gal. still only one packet of D-47 and the wife stirred the crap out of the must adding plenty of oxegen. Its on week two and still perking at about 4 seconds, so I'm thinking you really need to get the o2 up in the must. Jim

bubbachunk · 11-16-2011, 02:39 AM

Are you guys using staggered nutrient additions? With my banana melomel I went form 1.096 to 1.000 in 10 days with SNA and D-47. Not really sure why you both seem to be having issues with the yeast. It is generally a very good mead yeast because it does not need a ton of nitrogen which is what honey is very deficient of....

**fatbloke** · 11-16-2011, 04:56 AM

To my knowledge, the only thing that's a PITA with D47, is that you need to ferment it below 70F as it has a bad habit of producing fusels above that.

Personally, I much prefer K1V or D21

**huesmann** · 11-16-2011, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbachunk

More information would be helpful though such as temp, starting gravity, and what type of mead.

SG was 1.102. When I got home yesterday it was blurping away at about 9 seconds between bubbles. Guess it just takes a little while to get going, and won't really go gangbusters like EC-1118. Not sure what the temp is; probably around 68ºF, maybe a degree or two lower. As I mentioned in the OP, it's a traditional mead.

bubbachunk · 11-16-2011, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huesmann

SG was 1.102. When I got home yesterday it was blurping away at about 9 seconds between bubbles. Guess it just takes a little while to get going, and won't really go gangbusters like EC-1118. Not sure what the temp is; probably around 68ºF, maybe a degree or two lower. As I mentioned in the OP, it's a traditional mead.

Have you checked the gravity? I prefer that to my naked eye watching bubbles

AsianMead · 11-17-2011, 06:49 AM

My third batch was started last night with D-47 yeast.
It's 5 litre melomel raspberry, I was put the carboy in the box with cold water and keep the water temp below than 20 c by added some ice cube.
It seem working fine but quite slow fermentation and the yeast still floating on the surface with raspberry after 12nd hr passed, that is slow if compare to my experience with other yeast. Hope those yeast will spread out to all area of the must soon.

**Insomniac** · 11-17-2011, 08:02 AM

Weird, all the times I have used d47 it has been pretty speedy, always going at a few bubbles a second once its got started.