I have a melomel made with 4184 Wyeast. It bubbled along for 3 weeks and now has stopped. I racked it 30 minutes ago. Should I wait to see if I get more activity? If I don't, should I add more yeast and / or honey? First try at this so suggest away.
Well I'm biased against that yeast. I've tried it three times and it's been a total PITA (actually, I don't particularly like anything advertised as "mead yeast" - HTF do they know what yeast was used, and was best ? Nothing was ever really written down, the 14th and 15th century archaic recipes suggested sources from beer making or bread - ergo, "mead" yeast is just marketing lies to sell more yeast).I have a melomel made with 4184 Wyeast. It bubbled along for 3 weeks and now has stopped. I racked it 30 minutes ago. Should I wait to see if I get more activity? If I don't, should I add more yeast and / or honey? First try at this so suggest away.
what is the specific gravity when you pitched the yeast? What is the gravity today? a lack of activity may mean several things from the yeast having consumed all the sugar to the yeast dying of alcohol poisoning to the yeast being incapable of fermenting any more sugar because of the level of acidity in your mead. You used distilled water? Why? Distilled water has unlikely to contain any nutrients that yeast needs. Did you add nutrient?
There is a large amount of head room in that bottle. Is there a reason for so much space for air? Oxygen is likely to oxidize the mead. If there is no active fermentation then there is no blanket of CO2 protecting the mead.
If it showed fermentation activity for a week or more, it's probably simply finished. Grab an SG reading to make sure, but it sounds done.
And if it is, what is your suggested next step?
If it is 1.040, it's not done. It needs nutrients, possibly degassing, and maybe some further attention. Have you added any nutrients, or stirred it?
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