fermentation won't start. too low pH?

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cyclejones

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so i just threw together a few batches of hydromels and one of them, a sage wildflower, just won't seem to kick into gear. i tested the pH and it measures 3.5 vs. my other batches that are all around 5.0-5.5. i'm using Lavlin 71B with fermaid K and DAP for supplement. should i throw in some potassium carbonate to up the pH? could that me the source of my stall out?
thanks for the feedback!
- Jones
 
The pH isn't the problem. Yeast will work fine at 3.5.
If you give use the full recipe and process details (including temps) we may be able to zero in on the issue.
 
so just to update, fermentation took two days to start, was in target for one day and then stalled out completely with a pH of less than 2.5, added 4 grams of potassium carbonate and brought the pH back up to 3.5 and the mead is back in full gear.
 
yeah, this is the second time i've had this happen with the sage wildflower honey, it's pretty acidic to begin with (3.5) vs buckwheat that starts around 5.5, so when the pH drops during fermentation it needs to be kept in check. basic recipe is this:

15 lbs raw sage wildflower honey
spring water to 5 gallons
5 grams fermaid K
5 grams DAP
2 packets lavin 71B
starting pH measures 3.5
OG 1.115 @ 75F

fermented in my SOF at a constant 65F
with daily nutrient addition and aeration until 7%abv then anaerobic from there on out.

now that the pH has been corrected it's back on track and should come out almost clear and tasting like pinot griggio.
 
yeah, this is the second time i've had this happen with the sage wildflower honey, it's pretty acidic to begin with (3.5) vs buckwheat that starts around 5.5, so when the pH drops during fermentation it needs to be kept in check. basic recipe is this:

15 lbs raw sage wildflower honey
spring water to 5 gallons
5 grams fermaid K
5 grams DAP
2 packets lavin 71B
starting pH measures 3.5
OG 1.115 @ 75F

fermented in my SOF at a constant 65F
with daily nutrient addition and aeration until 7%abv then anaerobic from there on out.

now that the pH has been corrected it's back on track and should come out almost clear and tasting like pinot griggio.
Well I'm not sure that the sage is particularly a problem. Plus most of my musts test at between 3.5 and 4.0 pH when mixed (and tested before pitching yeast). It's one of the reasons that it's currently advised technique not to add any acid at this stage of the brew, because the musts can swing quite wildly during the ferment anyways.

If you look around the web, you'll see that 3.5 pH seems to be about the "sweet spot" for most yeasts, so the knock on of aerating daily until the 1/3rd sugar break makes a lot of sense, as it removes the CO2/carbonic acids that are formed by the ferment (as well as allowing for some oxygenation of the developing yeast colony), which then logically will have settled down by the 1/3rd break and allow for the move to the anaerobic stage of the ferment.
 

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