Sold on staggered additions

About a week ago I started a blueberry mead. After much reading I decided not to heat the honey (but I did sulphite for 24 hrs due to the berries) and to use staggered nutrient additions. After maybe 4 or 5 days (I need to keep better notes!) I noticed that there was a distinct sulphur aroma coming from the fermenter. I had never used d-47 before, but was a little suprised that a wine yeast was throwing that off. I added 1tsp DAP and 1 tsp fermaid K, gave it a good swirl and put it back in the chest freezer.

Its only about 12 hours later, the 'farty' smell is gone and its back to a more normal aroma. I don't know if it was the addition, or if I got a little O2 in there and that helped, or if all the swirling knocked a bunch of CO2 out and de-stressed the yeast a little, but I'm pretty happy either way.

I'm really hoping that this will be drinkable in 6 months, hopefully happy yeast will grant that wish.

Blueberries will have some nutrient effect, but while D47 is a low nutrient yeast, it's still entirely feasible that the sulphurous odour was the lack of nutrient.

The only comment I'd make is that adding it blindly by volume i.e. 1 tsp of xxx etc, is best replaced by getting some druggie scales and weighing it out. As it makes the process more repeatable if you make a mead that turns out to be "the dogs bollocks"!

There are formula's etc for working out the exact requirements, because if it transpired you'd used too much, then it's possible that excess unused/unconsumed nutrients "can", in some cases, cause off flavours etc.

So this isn't a slag off, just trying to explain the benefits of learning about and understanding nutrient additions.

Good on yer for sorting the problem though. I hope your brew turns out a good one.

regards

fatbloke

Thanks for that, I know that chemicals really ought to be weighed, unfortunately all I have is a food scale that I don't really trust for the fractions of a gram. I actually did use the spreadsheet at the top of this forum to figure out the staggered additions (although I know it calls for 3 additions i had hoped to get away with 2). I guess I was just a little late with the second one, thus stressing the yeast.

Thanks for the good wishes, I have a good feeling about this one.

cklages said:

Thanks for that, I know that chemicals really ought to be weighed, unfortunately all I have is a food scale that I don't really trust for the fractions of a gram. I actually did use the spreadsheet at the top of this forum to figure out the staggered additions (although I know it calls for 3 additions i had hoped to get away with 2). I guess I was just a little late with the second one, thus stressing the yeast.

Thanks for the good wishes, I have a good feeling about this one.

Click to expand...

I just work out the quantity required, then split it 75% at the end of the lag phase and 25% at the 1/3 sugar break - and yes, I routinely rehydrate the yeast with GoFerm.....

regards

fatbloke