D47 in an animal!!

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Dan O

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I've been trying to use up my dry wine yeasts & I used D47 for the latest 2- 1 gallon batches, a black cherry & a blueberry. Both used RW Knudsen juices, 2 qts each & water up to 1 gallon. Black cherry got 1 lb 12 oz local to me wildflower honey & the blueberry got 2 lbs of the same honey.
Each one got their own packet of D47. I know, 5 grams should be enough to do 5 gallons, but, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of it, as it was my first time using that yeast. Standard BOMM nutrient feeding to start,
(1/4 tsp Potassium carbonate, .4 tsp Fermaid K, .4 tsp Fermaid O, all up front & Fermaid O again @ the 1/3 & 2/3 SB) & each also got .4 tsp of yeast hulls. I figured it would take to day 4 to reach the 1/3 SB...WRONG!! They blew right by both the 1/3 & 2/3 SB. 😲 So much for the feeding schedule....whoops. I still added the last round of Fermaid O to both, (.4 tsp ea).
HOLY CRAP! 😲 :ghostly:o_Oo_O

The black cherry had an OG of 1.115 & is already @ 1.022 in just 4 days!! 93 points
The blueberry had an OG of 1.119 & is already @ 1.032 in just 4 days!! 87 points
I'm pretty sure these are the fastest I've ever had a dry yeast ferment.
The way these 2 are fermenting, I expect them both to go dry & step feed them to tolerance. Both are doing very well & tasting GREAT already.
Man, I love this hobby!!:inbottle:😉
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Nice! I remember liking d47 in a fruit wine i used it for!
From everything I've seen & read, it is a good choice for melomels, as long as it doesn't get to hot. I remember reading it likes cooler temperatures much better. I still have no means of temperature control, but, my basement is still in the mid 60's. Judging from the way these 2 fermented & how they taste, I'm pretty sure it's still cool enough.
 
Did you use a full packet for a gallon, or split it up? I did a half gallon of cider once with a full packet of S-04 and it was done in 3 days. LOTS of lees though, like 3 inches.
 
Did you use a full packet for a gallon, or split it up? I did a half gallon of cider once with a full packet of S-04 and it was done in 3 days. LOTS of lees though, like 3 inches.
@Maylar, I used a whole packet each, first time using D47 & not knowing what to expect from it.
The blueberry is still putting out copious amounts of c02, while the black cherry has a much finer bubble to it.
I know, bubbles mean nothing, but, after the speed that if fermented in the first 4 days, I figured the c02 production would've slowed down by now.
I did notice the lees on them looks completely different than ANY other ferment I've had before though. Different colors & layers than I've ever seen.
(See pictures below, please.)

Maybe that is contributing to the sour smell? Thoughts? Suggestions?
I am going to take a reading tomorrow or Tuesday & sample it, if it smells any better by then, but, I smell all my meads, & NONE have ever smelled sour, not even a hint of it.
These have me a little stumped & worried they'll be drain material, but, I'm not going to panic yet.:eek:😉
 

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Looks pretty normal to me. And yes, properly fed D47 is crazy fast primary. Give it a good couple of weeks to clean up after itself, cold crash, rack, and bulk age.
Thank you, @videojunkie1208 . Never had a multicolored swirly lees like that. The sour notes are still there but, seem to be fading a bit. I'll know when I take a reading.
 
I mentioned in another thread that I made an experimental JAOM without the orange pith, and I don't like it. It finished at 1.025 and without the pith it's cloyingly sweet. Live and learn. So I've started another gallon at 1.100 with pith and pitched some D47 intending for it to go dry, and I'll blend the two together. Fast ferment isn't one of the things I'm looking for here, in fact it'll stay untouched for the typical 2 months for a JAOM. Temps have been 67 F in my brew room, as Spring has finally arrived. D47 says 59-86 but I want to slow it down so I may add an ice pack.
 

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