Fermentetion stalled for monts

[MeadSwede]

I have got a batch of mead that’s driving me mad.
I started it in December 2020. 23 liters (~5 gal), OG 1.110, temp 15° - 20°C (60-70F). I made a small starter of 1 liter of the wort, a packet of D47 yeast and a little nutrition. Two days later I added the starter to the original batch in the fermenter, which then started fermenting as usual.

The problem is that the fermentation was slowing down. After 3 months the SG was 1.040 and after yet another month 1.030, where it has stalled for another 2 months now.

During the last months I have tried (in date order):

1. added nutrition
2. Added another packet of D47 yeast straight into the fermenter
3. Made a new starter of honey, water, yeast and nutrition, about 1 liter, which I added when it was bubbling nicely.
4. Another 1-liter starter just the other day.

None of these actions has made any significant change to the fermentation, which is completely stuck, as it seems. Normally, a batch like this will be done in about a month.

Is there something I can do to make it start again? It’s getting pretty frustrating now. The mead is too sweet to bottle as it is. It’s also blocking my FastFerment...

 

[madscientist451]

Adding nutrients too late in the process can lead to off flavors.
I've been using the TONSA 3.0 method, and it works for me.
If you can include your recipe, it will be easier to determine what went wrong and how to proceed.
I have some ideas, but I'll wait to see what went in to make sure I'm on the right track.
Using Go-ferm instead of yeast nutrient when re-hydrating dried yeast has worked for me. Also don't add yeast nutrient right away, wait about 24 hours.

 

[MeadSwede]

Thanks for the advice on nutrients, I surely will try the TONSA 3.0 method next time.

The recipe was not so much of a recipe, I'm afraid. More of an ad hoc mixture. It usually works fine, but I admit that is not a great base for improving my brewing skills...
However, according to my notes:
About 9 kg (~19 lbs) of honey*
18 liters (4.8 gal) water

Starter made of
1 liter of the must
5 grams D-47
I'm not really sure if I added nutrients to the starter. I should have, perhaps i forgot to pen it down. In that case, it would have been a few grams of Wyeast Nutrient Blend

I added the starter 2 days later.

I make about 3-4 batches of mead each year and it's usually successful, but of course I want to get better, and learn from mistakes such as this.

*which I extract by dissolving cappings and "unfilterable" wax-mixed honey left from the production. I heat the soution slightly so it dissolves but not so much that the wax melts, then I strain off the wax, and the result is a strong must.

 

[karamonde]

It doesn't seem you have hit D47's alcohol tolerance - if 15% is to be believed, in optimal conditions - but I'd approach this fermentation as done and go with it, if I read it right you are 6 months into it, right? Likely the issue was lack of nutrient?
Personally I like sweet meads so that wouldn't be a problem, but understand if it is for you.

 

[MeadSwede]

Thanks. It may well be the problem.
Yesterday I racked it into another bucket and topped up with 2 liters of water just to see what happens (and to free up my FastFerment). That of course lowered the ABV. If the D47 had reached its tolerance, it should now been given a little extra room for fermentation. I´ll keep an eye on it for the next days.

It's not impossible that i misread the OG. Mistakes like that do happen. With that ratio of honey to water, the OG should be pretty high.

I agree with you, Karamonde on sweet mead. But I wanted this to be on the drier side.

I´ll update this.

 

[MeadSwede]

Should it be ok pitching in a pack (5g) of Lalvin EC-1118? It has a higher alcohol tolerance? Or is it a bad idea mixing different yeast types?