ok fellas, i have started my blueberry mead and i used shop bought yeast nutrient rathe rthan using raisins like last time and a fruity yeast strand. its been 2 hours but now bubbling in the airlock. should i be concerned? my last batch was able to blow up a balloon within a minute of mixing all the ingredients. is using berries slower or is it the shop bought nutrient that takes time. i used 1 level tespoon which is about 1 gram which is what the packet said to use.
blueberry mead
- Thread starter strife440
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Depending on the size of the batch it can take 2 hours to 48 hours before any noticable activity is seen. The type of yeast place a part too. For instance my JAOM that used bread yeast was very active right up front but my Spice Chai that used Lalvin D47 took severl hours before starting up.
it started bubbling slowly after 3 1/2 hours. it is still bubling slowly. 1 every 20 - 30 seconds. i read that when it bubbles at 1 every 30 seconds it is ready to be racked for secondary fermentation. if that is true will the bubbling increase speed over time or should i just wait 3 - 4 weeks to be on the safe side?
i thought so. it seams the yeast/nutrient i used is slow acting as it is taking longer to start fermenting than the other yeast i used. but now its bubbling quite well. probs will just take longer than last 1 so ill wait it out. thanks guys
saramc
Well-Known Member
Fermentation activity varies from yeast to yeast and fruit to fruit. Blueberries have been known to be difficult to start or known to stall, simply due to the family the come from...same as cranberries. You mention you have an airlock on this...may want to keep airlock off until SG drops by 2/3.
I typically transfer to secondary when SG has dropped by 2/3. I never use airlock activity to decide when to rack to secondary...I use my hydrometer.
I typically transfer to secondary when SG has dropped by 2/3. I never use airlock activity to decide when to rack to secondary...I use my hydrometer.
the airlock is working great its bubbling heaps now and the colour of the water in the airlock has changed to pink and smells like honey and blueberries. but i thing im not happy with is that i filled it up like i saw in the diagrams to have half of each "bubble" in the airlock filled with water. but the pressure in the demijohn decided to push all the water up to the top of the exit on the airlock and so i have only 1 of the bubbles in the airlock with water in it. is this acceptable? i tried to fill it up but it just spilled out of the airlock.
also the must level has rises in the demijohn. when i started fermenting it was at the base of the neck if not abit below that. now it is 1 inch high up the neck of the demijohn. how is this possible i never saw this on my ancient orange batch, is this another trait of the blueberries or is it because im using an airlock. i must admit the fermentation is much more vigarous than it was before, bubbling at twice the rate as last time. i did how ever add some yeast nutrient. i believe i have added 1 gram which is what i was trying for.
also as the gas escapes the airlock through the water it forms lots of bubbles on the top and is overflowing slowly as the gasses seem to be blowing rasberries at the top making lots of bubbles and mess. is this normal? should i leave it alone and clean up the mess after or use a syphon tube and put it in the demijohn with the other end in the water.
