First time mead question

[Pgrib46]

Hello all, I have made ciders in the past but decided to try to make some mead. I started with mixing 2.5 pounds of honey into 1/2 gallon warm spring water then added room temperature water to get to 1 gallon. I mixed well, then added 1/2 teaspoon Nottingham Ale yeast, a few raisins, and shook it up again. Initial reading before I put the yeast in was 1.076. Everything was sanitized.

I started this around 12 hours ago and when I woke up noticed there was no activity. I have used that packet of yeast around 6 months ago and placed the extras that weren’t used into the refrigerator. I am wondering if the yeast is old or not the correct brand for mead.

If I was to purchase yeast energizer and nutrients, would it be okay to add them in a week from now?

Lastly I was going to add fresh blueberries and apples, and placed them in the freezer for a few days and planning to add them in around a week.

Any tips for a beginner would be really appreciated! Thanks!

 

[JohnSand]

Welcome aboard!
I haven't made mead, only beer and cider. 12 hours isn't too long, wait another day before thinking about more yeast. Six month old dry yeast should still be fine.

 

[seatazzz]

Mead takes a while to get going; you might not see much 'action' in terms of an airlock bubbling, but I would be willing to bet it's working. I think you're fine with that amount of yeast, but definitely consider adding some yeast nutrient as well. You should be fine to add it when you add your fruit. I've used Nottingham for a mead, and really liked the result over another one I made with champagne yeast; the mead finished sweeter (the way I like it) and seemed to have more honey character than the champagne yeast version. That one turned out like super dry pinot grigio.

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi Pgrib46 - and welcome. As others have noted, there is always a lag time when you pitch yeast and that certainly applies when we pitch dry yeast. So, I would be patient for another day or so, but some quick thoughts:
1. You can never over-pitch yeast if you are buying packets. And being penny wise, by opening and using part of a pack is really asking for trouble - you will have introduced bacteria into the pack and storing that opened pack in a refrigerator is only likley to slow any infecton and not prevent it. More: unless your rehydration protocols are excellent, you are likely to be decimating the colony size. What's the price of a pack of yeast? What's the real cost of a gallon of mead (include the time for aging)?
2. Raisins add diddly squat to a mead. Honey has no- none - nutrients that yeast need. A gallon of raisins might provide enough nitrogen and other basic minerals and compounds that the yeast need, but a quarter t of Fermaid O or K per gallon will have all the nutrients the yeast need without any addition of oxidized grapes. If you prefer not to use lab developed nutrients, you can always proof a T of bakers yeast and then boil that in your microwave to kill the yeast. That will provide the wine or ale yeast with all the nutrients they need.
3. You want to add nutrients about 24 hours after you have pitched the yeast. There are techniques that seasoned mead makers tend to prefer (TOSNA) that essentially, determines the total nutritional load your yeast will need and you then divide that total into 3 and you feed the yeast 1/3 of that total day 2, day 3 and day 4 (after the lag period has ended). Feeding yeast nutrients after they have produced about 9% ABV will mean that the nutrient will remain in solution - they yeast cannot uptake any nutrient in that concentration of alcohol. Feeding the yeast nutrients, too soon, can be toxic for the yeast (like giving a day old baby candy to suck on), while the lab has dehydrated the yeast with nutrients they can incorporate as they rehydrate, so they have no need for any nutrients immediately after being pitched.
Good luck!

 

[BBeerme]

Honey is a natural antiseptic, some honey is VERY antiseptic. This can cause a lot of problems for the home brewer.