Help me save my mead!

[ignatiusvienna]

It appears I've got a stuck fermentation and I don't quite know what to do now. I've made this mead before several times and never had this issues. Here's the recipe:

17 lbs honey
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of allspice
2 cloves
5 gallons of water (I used a local spring for the water this time)
2 packs of D-47 yeast

I made a yeast starter the day before brewing. I do not recall using any yeast nutrient this time.

OG was 1.120. I let it ferment in a dark closet with a usual tempature 66-68 degrees.

After a month I checked it and it was at 1.060. I racked to another fermentor and returned it to the closet.

After two months I checked the gravity and it was still 1.060. Worried, I racked to a third vessel and added yeast nutrient.

After two weeks, no change in gravity. I rehydrated some EC-1118 and added that.

The EC-1118 has been in there for 7 days. I was happy to see a slight film on the top. I just checked the reading and it's still 1.060.

Really bummed out. Don't know what to do.

Please help!

 

[bernardsmith]

I would check the ambient temperature. Could your meadery be too cold? You may want to see if increasing the temperature helps.
Might you have been remiss in aerating your must? If so , you might want to take a sanitized spoon or rod and whip the snot out of the mead for a few minutes a couple of times a day.
I would check the pH of the mead. Meads have few buffers and the pH can drop precipitously preventing the yeast from doing their thing. If the pH is too low (close to 3 or lower) you may want to add Calcium Carbonate to raise the pH a little.
If none of this helps I would turn the process on its head: Take a fresh batch of yeast and rehydrate it. Then add a little of your mead - enough to double the volume and then every couple of hours add enough of the mead to your rehydrated yeast starter to double the volume. This has, I think, the effect of raising the sugar and alcohol level SLOWLY to allow the yeast to acclimatize to the high sugar and high alcohol levels.

 

[ignatiusvienna]

I checked the temp of the room: 68 degrees. I checked the temp of the mead: 68 degrees.

I believe the pH value of the water was 7.2, I don't have any strips to test currently, but I could get some to test.

I stirred it up. Hope that works.

 

[butterpants]

That's alot of honey in there for a batch where you're not step feeding nutrients.

I actually have 5 gallons sitting in a keg, stalled at the same spot (and similar recipie). Been in my basement a year and still deciding if I can fix it.

 

[ignatiusvienna]

Sorry to hear that, Butter!

Hope there's something I can do here.

I'm going to test the pH when I get home.

 

[butterpants]

It was my first attempt at a sack strength mead. Lesson learned. I've since refined my technique. Sometimes the only way to learn is a disaster.

 

[ignatiusvienna]

Glad to hear!

My last batch of this was so darn good. I really hope I can get this going again.

 

[ignatiusvienna]

Hey guys,

So about 8 days ago I checked the pH, and it was close to 3.0 (don't have exact). I added a table spoon of baking soda and then it was closer to 4.0.

It's been 8 days now, and the hydro reading is still 1.060.

Any thoughts on how I can save this?

 

[loveofrose]

First of all, you had a lot of issues from the start. You had no pH buffering, no nutrients, and racking before fermentation finished. I'll give you some info on how to potentially save this batch.

1. Add 3/4 TBSP K2CO3 (potassium carbonate), 1/2 TBSP DAP and 1/4 TBSP Fermaid K. You're yeast aren't only dealing with pH issues, they are starved for nutrients and potassium.

2. Make an acclimated starter of UvaFerm43. You can get this yeast from morewine.com. It is the undisputed champion of restarting stuck ferments. Acclimated means first make a normal starter, then add a bit of your stuck must. Give it a day and add more. Continue a few more times then add the whole thing into the stuck batch.

If all that doesn't work, make a batch of dry mead and blend it with this one. Or use it as a mixer with bourbon. It can be really tough to restart a stuck fermention. Good luck!


Better brewing through science!

 

[IJesusChrist]

Do what LoR does, if those two steps don't work;
1. Swirl the hell out of it - try and oxygenate it a bit.
2. Add some DAP - about a tsp, and mix that in.

Nitrogen + Oxygen can restart stuck fermentations.

 

[loveofrose]

I agree. Certainly add swirling/oxygenation to all steps.


Better brewing through science!

 

[ignatiusvienna]

Hey folks,

Just wanted to update that the acclimated starter suggested here by loveofrose really worked and got it back on track!

Thanks for the advice.

Now to let this clear!