Can adding yeast nutrient/energizer SLOW fermentation

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timsch

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I was about 3 weeks into my first batch of mead (5 gallons of MEDIUM SWEET O.B. MEAD from the Compleat Meadmaker). Initially, I had added 5 tablespoons of the Super Ferment (Super Ferment (Nutrient/Energizer) 8 oz.) at the start.

It was fermenting decently and had dropped from OG=1.100 to CG=1.03. Bubbles in the airlock had slowed to once every 25 seconds. I decided to add a tablespoon of Super Ferment to the must and give it a stir. After doing that, it was hardly bubbling in the airlock. After a day of little activity, I gave it a swirl and it kicked up briefly, but then slowed again. I'm getting a bubble about once every two minutes now.

Temperature is around 78F. Yeast is 10g of Lalvin d47.

I've not found anything that explains to me what happened to slow it down. I hope someone can clue me in. :confused:

thanks,
 
I'm currently running into the exact same thing. I think its the simple sugars in honey that keeps the yeast to "discovering" new food resources, creating an excruciating prolonged fermentation. My guess is the style of yeast and the profile of sugars in the honey.

One thing I can tell you is not to add any more oxygen or nutrient if it did not work previously. I would consider your fermentation 97% done, and that last 3% is going to take a couple months because of your stubborn yeast.

What I'm trying is to fin with clay wait two weeks, and keg and fridge to make the die-hard yeasties drop. I'm kegging in a couple days, so I hope the cold treatment makes the yeast give up and floc.

I also might be way off and think that you might want to re-introduce oxygen into the meadmust. Try racking it with a lot of splashing and see if the renews life.
 
I don't know anything about mead (thus the lurking in the mead forum, thinking about doing one soon, or eventually, at least) but to anticipate what the more experienced would say:

Take a hydro reading, airlock is not an indicator of fermentation activity, just air movement, which can happen when there is no fermentation or stop/slow greatly even with fermentation happening.

Yeast works on it's own time sometimes, as hard as one may try to push it one way or the other.

If your hydro readings are constant, then, yeah, you might have a stuck ferment, if still dropping, have patience.
 
I'll be taking another hydro reading today. I'm sure that the fermentation is not stuck. I'm just a bit baffled by the slowing of fermentation AFTER adding nutrients. My powers in this dark art are still weak....

If I can get to 1.02, I'll rack to the carboy and then can start the batch of Hefeweisen that needs my primary and can finish that up by the end of this month before going on vacation, hence my impatience.
 
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