I made a blueberry melomel..... Half way
10/17/08
15# clover honey
Energy/nutrient pack
fill to ~5 gallons using bottled spring water
EC-1118
OG 1.091
Airlock was bubbling in 18 hours
11/7/08 (yes only 3 weeks activity had stopped and there was a thick layer of lees)
Racked onto 40oz Blueberries and an additional 5# clover honey
Gravity sample was taken during racking 1.055
11/8/08
No new bubbling activity, but had started drawing great color from the berries. Gravity was 1.088. Blueberry packaging listed no preservatives
11/11/08
Still no activity, pitched a new starter of EC-1118. Fed the starter a few ounces of the blueberry must over a few days to acclimate to the must.
11/12/08
The following morning it was bubbling away. I went out of town for 12 days.
11/24/08
Returned this day and still had occasional bubbles (1 every 3-5 minutes)
11/30/08
No bubbling observed
12/8/08
Racked off berries, didn't want berries to keep leeching more sugar into a stuck fermentation.
Off the berries gravity was 1.080
It smells like blueberry schnapps. Sweet, strong alcohol, and strong berry flavors.
I believe the problem was insufficient aeration. Since this incident i have purchased an aeration kit and used it successfully.
I need advice to save this batch....
10/17/08
15# clover honey
Energy/nutrient pack
fill to ~5 gallons using bottled spring water
EC-1118
OG 1.091
Airlock was bubbling in 18 hours
11/7/08 (yes only 3 weeks activity had stopped and there was a thick layer of lees)
Racked onto 40oz Blueberries and an additional 5# clover honey
Gravity sample was taken during racking 1.055
11/8/08
No new bubbling activity, but had started drawing great color from the berries. Gravity was 1.088. Blueberry packaging listed no preservatives
11/11/08
Still no activity, pitched a new starter of EC-1118. Fed the starter a few ounces of the blueberry must over a few days to acclimate to the must.
11/12/08
The following morning it was bubbling away. I went out of town for 12 days.
11/24/08
Returned this day and still had occasional bubbles (1 every 3-5 minutes)
11/30/08
No bubbling observed
12/8/08
Racked off berries, didn't want berries to keep leeching more sugar into a stuck fermentation.
Off the berries gravity was 1.080
It smells like blueberry schnapps. Sweet, strong alcohol, and strong berry flavors.
I believe the problem was insufficient aeration. Since this incident i have purchased an aeration kit and used it successfully.
I need advice to save this batch....