Should I pitch new yeast?

[kingmatt]

I don't brew many meads (only 2 prior to this batch) but I won 20 lbs of orange blossom honey at a homebrew competition recently and used it to whip up a simple mead this past Sunday (9/29).

Original gravity was 1.110 and I aerated the must with pure O2 for 90 seconds before pitching 2 packets of D-47 that I rehydrated with go-ferm and tempered with the must. I have the mead in my fermentation chamber at 65 F and have been following the Fermaid K/DAP SNA from MeadMakr. Fermentation has been SLOWWWW thus far, with only a slight cloudiness to the must and a few bubbles here and there in the airlock to show anything is happening at all.

I took a gravity reading last night and I am only down to 1.090, which I thought was high for how long it has been fermenting, so I took a pH reading and found it way low at 3.25. I added 2 tsp of Calcium Carbonate which brought my pH up to 3.8.

For those experienced mead makers out there, will the increase in pH be sufficient to kick start my fermentation or should I also pitch another pack or 2 of the D-47.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Give it more O2, as in stir it, to build the colony. Or just wait. Just my 2¢

 

[Maylar]

Just let it go. Do your nutrient additions at the prescribed gravity levels rather than by time. Being at the low end of the yeast's temp range is actually a good thing.

 

[CKuhns]

65f with D47 is pretty near perfect for that yeast. Much warmer i have had it throw some off flavors. Yes is a little slow but does a good job none the less.

Consider stirring it vigorously 2xs a day until 1/3 sugar break. Go slow to start. Mead fountains are not fun. Think mentos and diet soda. As Maylar suggested stick with your nutrient additions. Calcium carbonate was a good call.

 

[kingmatt]

Thanks all, I have aerated twice with a wine whip since I adjusted the pH and fermentation seems to have picked up quite a bit. I will monitor my gravity until the 1/3 break and add my last nutrient addition then.

I've just got to keep reminding myself that this isn't a beer fermentation