I'm making a dandelion wine. No fermentation

[MrChrisBlais]

2 weeks ago I made a basic 1 gallon batch of dandelion wine

1 gallon of water
8 cups of sugar
1 lemon slice
I believe it was a qart of danlelions

Same day, I pitched a lavelin d47. I got from about 1.147 to about 1.122

2 days ago pitched another d47, no activity or movement at all.

Suggestions?

 

[AzOr]

That’s a high starting gravity. Not knowing a lot of factors, I’d try adding some nutrients and add O2 by using a whisk.
You could also try diluting a little bit as well.
I’ve made dandelion mead several times but the abv was around 11%.

 

[MrChrisBlais]

I did just add some nutrient today. Hopefully that will help. You think adding some water might help? How much would you suggest? It's my first try at making a wine and followed a recipe my fiancee found.

 

[Broken Crow]

Not meaning to sound too obvious, but did you let it cool down before pitching the yeast?

 

[AzOr]

I did just add some nutrient today. Hopefully that will help. You think adding some water might help? How much would you suggest? It's my first try at making a wine and followed a recipe my fiancee found.

Not sure I was thinking of lowering the gravity slightly. The nutes may work.

I’m the beginning of fermentation, the yeast need oxygen. You can try shaking the carboy or use a whisk to aerate your must. When I make meads or fruit wine I use a wine whip attached to a drill for 30 seconds or so. With a 1 gallon batch, it may be overkill.

 

[MrChrisBlais]

Absolutely. And I even pitched a second D47 two weeks later.

 

[40yr@HB]

Lalvin EC-1118 Champagne

Had the same thing happen with a Cran grape + sugar ferment.
Put this yeast in? Plowed down from a stuck 1.020 to around 1.002.

Saved the batch. Plus kept fermenting as new CranGrape and CranRasp were added. Fast ferment.