Nutrients & Areation

I've got a 10 gallon batch of traditional mead frem'ing now. Started on 08/04 at 1.063OG. Gravity today was 1.046, so its going slow, but it is slowly and steadily perking along (about 1 airlock bubble every few seconds) in the keezer at 64F. Taste of sample was quite nice, used a light varietal honey, and the must has a nice light taste.

The gravity today puts its near the 30% done mark, a suggested point for adding nutrients, but want to see what the consensus is here currently:

- Do I add nutrients (yeast hulls in my case)?

- Do I aerate?

- Do I just leave it alone?

It is in two corny kegs so a split decision is a possibility.

Thanks.

At around the 30% done mark is a good place to add yeast energizer or your yeast hulls. I would probably not aerate at this point. The yeast hulls should keep her going.

Thanks.

I routinely aerate daily from pitch to the 1/3rd sugar break,likewise I load most of the nutrients etc at.the end of.lag, then the rest after the 1/3rd break.

So yes I'd suggest aeration and nutrients now.......

OK. I am setting up to aerate and feed today. Just got a new toy (aeration pump) so gives me an excuse to play with it.

How do you like the aeration pump? I've been contemplating making one

Woked fine. Bought it as a kit from AHS. Not sure it was necessary, but I sanitized a couple of stainless washers and placed over the hose to weigh it down. I plan to just make an extension for it of stainless tubing which will make it easy to insert low in the keg and weight it down.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=2436

I let it run in each keg for about 10 minutes and added nutrients. Ferm activity seems to have picked up pace -- will check gravity next week to confirm.