I think I have made an error...

I have made one of the cranberry wine kits yesterday. In the kit was nothing more than a can of cranberries. I added the 11# of sugar, yeast nutrient, pectic enzyme, and 5 crushed campden tablets. I also added 2# of frozen, but thawed blackberries. I then pitched the redstar yeast. I got up this morning thinking I would have activity in the airlock, but nothing is happening. This is my first wine. I think I have made a mistake. Could it be that the camden tablets killed the yeast? Sould I repitch more yeast tomorrow?

Did you wait 24 hours after you used the camden to pitch the yeast? If not, that's could be the problem.

Nurmey said:

Did you wait 24 hours after you used the camden to pitch the yeast? If not, that's could be the problem.

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No, I did not wait a day before adding the yeast. Thanks for the help Nurmey, I greatly appreciate it. I will have to get more yeast tomorrow and repitch.

Nurmey said:

Did you wait 24 hours after you used the camden to pitch the yeast? If not, that's could be the problem.

Click to expand...

I usually add things in stages- first the campden with all the ingredients except pectic enzyme and yeast. 12 hours later, I add the pectic enzyme, and then 12 hours or so after that, I add the yeast. Campden tablets are important to kill wild yeast and bacteria, but pectic enzyme doesn't work well in its presence, and sometimes wine yeast is a little inhibited by it too. Still wine yeasts tend to be pretty tolerant to sulfite, so you may just want to try stirring it up lots today and tomorrow to make sure it gets plenty of oxygen and some of that so2 (from the campden) will disapate. No need to repitch yeast just yet- give it another 24-48 hours.

Oh, one other thing- you mentioned an airlock? Do you have it all sealed up with an airlock? It won't get much oxygen that way. In primary, I rarely use an airlock. You can remove it, and cover it with a cloth (to keep bugs out) and stir it well. That will help.