Stuck or just Slow?

[Barefoottrader]

I have a 3 gallon batch of melomel going at the moment with 71b OB honey pomegranate juice and blue berry juice. Starting gravity was 1.120 and temp has been 65f using a thermowell and inkbird to keep it accurate. I have followed TOSNA 3 for the nutrient additions as well with Ferm O and Fermaid to rehydrate. This was all started on 1/22 one 1/25 it was at 1.080 and on 1/30 it had dropped to 1.040. It made it to 1.030 on 2/2, but today 2/5 it is still at 1.030. I am hoping to let it go to 1.010 or lower since that is right around 14%. I gave it a good shake today to resuspend the yeast, and raised my inkbird to 68f. Do you all think that will be enough to drop that last .020? First stuck one....may just be suuuuuuper slow too though as this is my first temp control batch as well. Any advice/ideas are welcome.

 

[CKuhns]

I have done a lot of meads with an OG at 1.120 plus. But am not too familiar with 71b so take this for what its worth. You are right about where i would expect things to slow and if it is going to get stuck would be about there. Raising the temp and a good shake is a great start in getting it going. I have saved a few that way. Sometimes racking it off the lees helps. Seems a little counter intuative but does. IDK? I would check the pH and if <3.1 adjust using potasium carbonate to about 3.5. if none of the above works hydrate some ec 1118 and pitch it into the must, it should out perform the 71b and will drive it dry. That yeast has gotten me out of a few that have stalled.

 

[Barefoottrader]

I have done a lot of meads with an OG at 1.120 plus. But am not too familiar with 71b so take this for what its worth. You are right about where i would expect things to slow and if it is going to get stuck would be about there. Raising the temp and a good shake is a great start in getting it going. I have saved a few that way. Sometimes racking it off the lees helps. Seems a little counter intuative but does. IDK? I would check the pH and if <3.1 adjust using potasium carbonate to about 3.5. if none of the above works hydrate some ec 1118 and pitch it into the must, it should out perform the 71b and will drive it dry. That yeast has gotten me out of a few that have stalled.

I have some 1118 on hand too so that may happen. Honestly it tastes amazing it's just a hair sweet. I'd even be ok dropping it another 10 points as that would be where I would backsweeten to anyways.

 

[Maylar]

stir it every day to keep the yeast in suspension and let it continue.

 

[NeverDie]

A quick google says that pommegranates have a ph of 3.0 and blueberries 3.1-3.4. Fermentation might (?) lower that further.

Do you have a way to check the Ph?