Before we start, a big thank you to anyone that reads the following novel. I have been making mead for a couple of years now and I am just about at my wits end with this mead.
I am having trouble getting this mead to ferment. It seems to have gotten stuck and even after re-pitching twice and racking I cant seem to get it restarted.
Mead Recipe (12/6/12):
1. 18 lbs Wildflower Honey (I have used this honey a number of times with good results)
2. 3 packs Lavin 71B-1122 (15g, not rehydrated)
3. 2 teaspoons LD Carlson Yeast Energizer
4. 4 Tablespoons LD Carlson Yeast Nutrient
5. 1.5 teaspoons LD Carlson Pectic Enzyme (Black Currant wine base going in later)
6. Water up to 4 gallons (Kroger Spring water, used many times before)
OG: 1.127
I use the no heat method. I warm the honey in the sink using hot tap water to make it easier to get out of the jars, stir, and pitch. I didnt take a pH reading at the time of the first pitch.
The mead was placed in my chilly basement (~70 degrees F) with a blow off tube. I noted the blow off tube because this fact makes it hard to track how fast the fermentation is working. While I was away for Christmas it likely got below 60 F (~57 degrees F) in my basement and the fermentation seemed to stop. Since this is below the recommended temperature range for 71B I moved the mead up stairs, a put a heating belt on it, and a bubbler (1/2/13). The temp of the mead was increased to the mid-70s, but it did not restart. At this point the gravity was still 1.088.
I decided to re-pitch with a yeast starter (1/10/13):
1. 0.75 lbs Wildflower Honey (same as before)
2. 3 packs Lavin 71B-1122 (15g, rehydrated)
3. 2 teaspoons LD Carlson Yeast Energizer
4. 4 Tablespoons LD Carlson Yeast Nutrient
5. ½ gallon (Kroger Spring water)
Starter was given a 24 hour head start and lots of oxygen.
Ten days after the re-pitch (1/23/13) the gravity had not changed and the pH was ~4.4 (the strips are hard to read). After consulting Schramms book I decided to rack the mead in case the issue was stratification. Racking the mead seemed to have no effect. I tasted the mead at this point and noted no off favors or aromas. I through two more tablespoons of yeast nutrient at some point in there as well.
I decided to re-pitch a second time but this time using champagne yeast (1/24/13):
1. 3 packs Red Star Pasteur Champagne (15g rehydrated)
2. 2 Tablespoons LD Carlson Yeast Nutrient
3. ½ LD Carlson Yeast Energizer
After 4 days the fermentation doesnt seem to have re-started. The mead is at 75-77 degrees and the pH is the same (~4.4).
The only thing I can think to try at this point is try to bring the pH down closer to 3.7. But I have never heard of high pH being an issue. Could high pH be the issue? Is there anything else that I should try? Different yeast?
I have also checked that my hydrometer reads 1.000 when placed in water.
I am having trouble getting this mead to ferment. It seems to have gotten stuck and even after re-pitching twice and racking I cant seem to get it restarted.
Mead Recipe (12/6/12):
1. 18 lbs Wildflower Honey (I have used this honey a number of times with good results)
2. 3 packs Lavin 71B-1122 (15g, not rehydrated)
3. 2 teaspoons LD Carlson Yeast Energizer
4. 4 Tablespoons LD Carlson Yeast Nutrient
5. 1.5 teaspoons LD Carlson Pectic Enzyme (Black Currant wine base going in later)
6. Water up to 4 gallons (Kroger Spring water, used many times before)
OG: 1.127
I use the no heat method. I warm the honey in the sink using hot tap water to make it easier to get out of the jars, stir, and pitch. I didnt take a pH reading at the time of the first pitch.
The mead was placed in my chilly basement (~70 degrees F) with a blow off tube. I noted the blow off tube because this fact makes it hard to track how fast the fermentation is working. While I was away for Christmas it likely got below 60 F (~57 degrees F) in my basement and the fermentation seemed to stop. Since this is below the recommended temperature range for 71B I moved the mead up stairs, a put a heating belt on it, and a bubbler (1/2/13). The temp of the mead was increased to the mid-70s, but it did not restart. At this point the gravity was still 1.088.
I decided to re-pitch with a yeast starter (1/10/13):
1. 0.75 lbs Wildflower Honey (same as before)
2. 3 packs Lavin 71B-1122 (15g, rehydrated)
3. 2 teaspoons LD Carlson Yeast Energizer
4. 4 Tablespoons LD Carlson Yeast Nutrient
5. ½ gallon (Kroger Spring water)
Starter was given a 24 hour head start and lots of oxygen.
Ten days after the re-pitch (1/23/13) the gravity had not changed and the pH was ~4.4 (the strips are hard to read). After consulting Schramms book I decided to rack the mead in case the issue was stratification. Racking the mead seemed to have no effect. I tasted the mead at this point and noted no off favors or aromas. I through two more tablespoons of yeast nutrient at some point in there as well.
I decided to re-pitch a second time but this time using champagne yeast (1/24/13):
1. 3 packs Red Star Pasteur Champagne (15g rehydrated)
2. 2 Tablespoons LD Carlson Yeast Nutrient
3. ½ LD Carlson Yeast Energizer
After 4 days the fermentation doesnt seem to have re-started. The mead is at 75-77 degrees and the pH is the same (~4.4).
The only thing I can think to try at this point is try to bring the pH down closer to 3.7. But I have never heard of high pH being an issue. Could high pH be the issue? Is there anything else that I should try? Different yeast?
I have also checked that my hydrometer reads 1.000 when placed in water.