Mead didn't start.

[drchritton]

I made a mixed berry melomel a few days ago and I'm concerned as I'm not seeing any activity from the airlock.
It's a 2 gallon batch made with:
6lbs clover honey
3lbs frozen mixed berries (partially crushed)
Approx 1.5 Gallon spring water
Yeast: Lalvin 71B-1122

I lightly simmered the water and berries after crushing them and added the honey after removing from heat. I allowed the must to come down to 103F before pitching the yeast which was rehydrated (Per package instructions) at 98F. I added yeast nutrient and pectic enzymes as well.

I am concerned that I may have shocked the yeast when I pitched it into 103F must. now I don't know if I should repitch a new batch of yeast of just add yeast energizer and hope for the best.
This is only my second batch of mead and my first melomel as well as my first time heating the must before pitching. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[DBhomebrew]

What type of yeast?

Edit: I see now you listed the yeast. I confirmed the rehydration instructions, 40°C wow.

 

[drchritton]

What type of yeast?

Edit: I see now you listed the yeast. I confirmed the rehydration instructions, 40°C wow.

Yea

 

[hotbeer]

How much yeast did you pitch? At any rate, being a few days ago, you might have just missed all the big activity. So now things are just progressing at their normal slow pace that makes everyone ask why the airlock isn't entertaining them with bubbles.

Is this a clear fermenter? Then what do you see going on inside? Shine a light through it if you have too.

If a bucket or something you can't see into, then best to wait however long the recipe said to wait and then look.

If you can get a sample to check with a hydrometer, then do so. Falling SG means something is going on.

Bubbles in the airlock or no bubbles in the airlock might just be rising and falling atmospheric pressure. Or a bad seal or lid not on correctly.

 

[drchritton]

How much yeast did you pitch? At any rate, being a few days ago, you might have just missed all the big activity. So now things are just progressing at their normal slow pace that makes everyone ask why the airlock isn't entertaining them with bubbles.

Is this a clear fermenter? Then what do you see going on inside? Shine a light through it if you have too.

If a bucket or something you can't see into, then best to wait however long the recipe said to wait and then look.

If you can get a sample to check with a hydrometer, then do so. Falling SG means something is going on.

Bubbles in the airlock or no bubbles in the airlock might just be rising and falling atmospheric pressure. Or a bad seal or lid not on correctly.

I pitched approximately 3 grams. its been a little less then 48 hours so not quite a few days ago really and I've been monitoring it very closely.
It is in a 2 gallon white bucket so I can't see what the mead is doing, however I have put my ear it to several times and hear no "signs of life" as it were. this is my first time using this particular bucket so the seal is of concern but again there are no real signs the yeast is doing anything at all. I am primarily concerned that I pitched the yeast in while the must was too hot and shocked/killed the yeast. so I need to know if I should bother throwing in Yeast energizer or if that would be a waste of time and I should just repitch new yeast in?

 

[Miraculix]

I pitched approximately 3 grams. its been a little less then 48 hours so not quite a few days ago really and I've been monitoring it very closely.
It is in a 2 gallon white bucket so I can't see what the mead is doing, however I have put my ear it to several times and hear no "signs of life" as it were. this is my first time using this particular bucket so the seal is of concern but again there are no real signs the yeast is doing anything at all. I am primarily concerned that I pitched the yeast in while the must was too hot and shocked/killed the yeast. so I need to know if I should bother throwing in Yeast energizer or if that would be a waste of time and I should just repitch new yeast in?

There is no problem with opening the bucket at this early time of fermentation. Have a peak what's going on in there!

 

[hotbeer]

Mead is not quite the thing for this section of the site that is Home Brew Beer. So I've never made mead though some others here may have. There is a Mead forum here you should check out if you haven't been there already.... Mead Forum

Still I wouldn't be too concerned. It might be too early, especially if the temp of the stuff in the fermenter has been falling ever since you pitched it. If the temp falls or has fallen too much, I'd suppose that like in beer fermentation the yeast will slow to almost no fermentation activity.

From the temps you say you pitched and the temps the yeast is made for, then I think you are okay there. Fussing and worrying about it is more likely to do more harm than good.

 

[SeanC138]

If you didn't take a hydrometer reading and you put fruit in, you might try 'punching the cap' of fruit lightly and see if any CO2 bubbles come up. If nothing happens, I'd wait another week or so and see if there's activity. If not, repitching some yeast won't hurt anything this early in the brew IMO.

 

[amber-ale]

you should be pushing your fruit under the liquid once to twice a day. do you hear any co2 escaping? any tiny bubbles foaming up as you dunk?

mead doesn't always produce as much gas as beer, so the airlock often doesn't move much. (except for BOMM meads)

leave it alone, "punch" down your fruit bag once or twice a day and if you are really worried, toss in some more yeast. you don't even have to rehyrate it. just make sure most of it gets into the liquid, not stuck on top of the fruit.