Is this normal? (honey at bottom of fermenter)

[tommybjr]

All the honey is collecting at the bottom. I assume the yeast will find it, but should I stir it up or just leave it be?

 

[Homercidal]

It should have been stirred up well to begin with. You may be seeing the effects of the yeast, not the honey, although TBH I've generally seen the darker stuff at the top with my brewing, as the yeast settles.

I'd probably stir it. You want to aerate it well anyway, at the start.

 

[tommybjr]

I shook the **** out of it before I pitched the yeast. I was really surprised to see the airlock bubbling with 8 hours of pitching. It's been less than 48 hours and the airlock is still going crazy. Should I shake it some more or open it up and stir it?

 

[Homercidal]

Nope. They yeast is doing it's thing. You should be good to go.

Now sit back and pop a cold one. Mead takes a while. Maybe start a new hobby while this one is working??

 

[cgenebrewer]

the yeast will get to all the honey

 

[GinKings]

I shook the **** out of it before I pitched the yeast. I was really surprised to see the airlock bubbling with 8 hours of pitching. It's been less than 48 hours and the airlock is still going crazy. Should I shake it some more or open it up and stir it?

I find it easier to mix my meads in a bucket. Besides, I'm getting too old to shake a full 5 gallon carboy. I use a wine whip on a drill or my long brewing spoon.

The yeast should find the honey, but I would still shake or stir it. Removing CO2 and introducing oxygen are both beneficial to the yeast during the early part of fermentation. Just start SLOWLY because an active fermentation can foam violently when shaken or stirred.

 

[tommybjr]

Thanks!!

 

[tweake]

you can just see the line of yeast at it eats its way down to the bottom.

 

[tommybjr]

How long has that been fermenting? Mine is just two days old.

 

[tweake]

my pic?

that probably around 3 days. i think it did the bulk of the ferment in 5-7 days. i can't remember exactly. it wasn't a batch i was concerned about. it just had the yeast thrown on top. no stirring or anything.
makes for a good pic

 

[huesmann]

How do you get a SG reading on a must like that, though?

 

[tommybjr]

I took a reading, however I don't believe it was accurate. Mine was 1.070, but according to the Got Meade calculator, I should be around 1.091. This is my first attempt at mead. I plan to rack onto about ten pounds of blackberries. I should end up around 13%.

 

[tweake]

How do you get a SG reading on a must like that, though?

you don't. you guess

I took a reading, however I don't believe it was accurate. Mine was 1.070, but according to the Got Meade calculator, I should be around 1.091. This is my first attempt at mead. I plan to rack onto about ten pounds of blackberries. I should end up around 13%.

sounds like it was just not stirred in enough. i've had to get in and mash up the honey on the bottom by hand before it would dissolve.

 

[tommybjr]

It seemed to be evenly mixed when I started. It's been two weeks and the colors have lightened quite a bit, and the airlock is still bubbling away. I'm going to wait until it slows down before I take another reading.

 

[tommybjr]

Day 14