Restarting Woes

[brazedowl]

I have two five gallon batches giving me issues:

A) 10 Frozen Grape Concentrate, 10# sugar

B) 6 Frozen Grape concentrate, 4 Frozen Cran Concentrate, 10# sugar

Each also received a tablespoon of both nutrient and energizer and water up to 5 gallons. These ratios have not worked for many many batches in the past so I'm not sure what's up.

They both started off ok but then stopped after a few days. I've tried repitching with montrachet twice and once with Lavlin 71B-1122. Each time it bubbles a little for a day or two and stops. The SG is still like 1.080-1.090 and it's like syrup.

One thing I noticed with my lemonade was that when I moved it to a warmer room it took off. Now this stuff has been in the "warm" room for the whole time (80ish degrees). I'm at such a loss they're out on the patio in the shade (going to be 97 today).

Other thoughts anyone?

 

[RedOctober]

I would try a hit or two of some oxygen. But I am certainly no authority on the subject, having just 4 kits under my belt.

 

[Nikkimaija]

Could it be osmotic shock?
Too much sugar = too much pressure on yeast cell walls = unhappy yeast.
Water it down a little, repitch with plenty of nutrient & energizer, keep oxygenating. Recently had to do this on a batch of dandelion wine which stalled out.
If part of the problem is too much acidity, you can add calcium carbonate powder to drop it...unfortunately this also can make the finished product taste pretty flabby.
You can add sugar in stages in the future so the yeast have a little time to adjust and reproduce between each feeding - I do this with high gravity beers a lot.

 

[brazedowl]

Ok here's what I think I'll do.... Remove a gallon or so from each batch, stabilize it and reserve it. REALLY oxygenate a gallon of replacement water and add it in with a funnel to ensure lots of splashing and further oxygenating. At time of bottling, re-add the reserved liquid from each batch. Yes?

 

[brazedowl]

I may still be talking to myself... but It worked! yay!

Props to Nikkimaija