This is my first mead and I was hoping for a very quick mead but it looks like I am going in for the long haul. I checked out the excel spreadsheet for gravity info and nutrient additions but I think my mead's OG is probably too low.
Wyeast large pack of sweet mead, smacked 4 hours early and swelled huge
8.8 lbs of Canada no.1 white unpasteurized honey
1/2 tsp acid blend (I know I shouldn't have added it now)
3/4 tsp no name yeast energizer (lbhs doesn't sell nutrient, so I think its a mix)
Water to fill up to about 21 litres
OG=1.056
I basically used some hot water to mix the acid blend and yeast nutrient inside the carboy, dumped the honey in and shook it 5 min, then added cold water and swirled the carboy for almost 10 min and took the sample. When it was about 25C I added the yeast, which was about 21C I guess.
It's been about 70 hours and no activity at all, I've started to swirl the carboy twice a day as I saw Malkore suggest, but doesn't seem to make a difference. Should I add some more yeast energizer? Maybe a cup of boiled LME?
I was hoping to make a sweet mead but looking at the excel chart it looks impossible based on the small amount of honey added. I'm not able to get to the store for a week, but I do have some ec-1118. Should I just give up on having a sweet mead and add the champagne yeast tonight?
Also, another question: if I add the ec-1118 and it ferments out in 2 weeks, can I then add a few campden tablets to the mead, wait one day, then backsweeten with a lb of buckwheat honey? I can't seem to figure out if I need another sorbate or something in addition to the campden to kill the yeast.
Thanks for your help, I'm really looking forward to joining the mead club! :fro:
Wyeast large pack of sweet mead, smacked 4 hours early and swelled huge
8.8 lbs of Canada no.1 white unpasteurized honey
1/2 tsp acid blend (I know I shouldn't have added it now)
3/4 tsp no name yeast energizer (lbhs doesn't sell nutrient, so I think its a mix)
Water to fill up to about 21 litres
OG=1.056
I basically used some hot water to mix the acid blend and yeast nutrient inside the carboy, dumped the honey in and shook it 5 min, then added cold water and swirled the carboy for almost 10 min and took the sample. When it was about 25C I added the yeast, which was about 21C I guess.
It's been about 70 hours and no activity at all, I've started to swirl the carboy twice a day as I saw Malkore suggest, but doesn't seem to make a difference. Should I add some more yeast energizer? Maybe a cup of boiled LME?
I was hoping to make a sweet mead but looking at the excel chart it looks impossible based on the small amount of honey added. I'm not able to get to the store for a week, but I do have some ec-1118. Should I just give up on having a sweet mead and add the champagne yeast tonight?
Also, another question: if I add the ec-1118 and it ferments out in 2 weeks, can I then add a few campden tablets to the mead, wait one day, then backsweeten with a lb of buckwheat honey? I can't seem to figure out if I need another sorbate or something in addition to the campden to kill the yeast.
Thanks for your help, I'm really looking forward to joining the mead club! :fro: