Wild mead fermentation stopped at 1.050

[darkhollow]

I've started one gallon batch of wild mead last year. I think I've moved it to under the air lock too early, and the fermentation was very slow.
OG was 1.092, and after 6 months it is 1.050, which is about 6% ABV.
I measured it a couple of months ago, and it was 1.052, so didn't move a lot, it could be just temperature difference.
I have added nutrient after a month or two after I've started.
Now it has nice taste except it is too sweet.
Do you think my wild yeast is too week, and I should add some cultured one? Or maybe there is some other ways to push the fermentation more?

 

[Ty520]

my initial reaction is that your wild yeast is at fault - it probably hit it's alcohol tolerance. i also suspect there wasn't enough nutrients

 

[wildmazer]

yeah, i think your yeast probably hit its tolerance. if you want to push it further, some aggressive bought yeast may be the answer.

 

[Miraculix]

It could be a mix of alcohol tolerance being reached and low cell count due to too little oxygen for proper yeast propagation. In any way, you could make a starter from another source of wild yeast and pitch this one, that's a gamble again, it you can pitch a commercial yeast that can handle the solution that's relatively low on nutrients, depending on the nutrients you pitched, of course.

 

[darkhollow]

Thanks for the advices.
I think I have 3 steps plan to save the batch. It is not big, it was experimental anyway, but it taste so good I want to keep it this way, but less sweet.

I remember while ago, I had 10 gallons of mead stacked in the middle of the fermentation and I was puzzled because I used commercial yeast and proved process. I've tried many things, adding more nutrition, repitched yeast, nothing worked.

Someone suggested, just shake it as hard as you can. I was sceptical, but what could I loose. I did. It degassed and started the process again. I was shocked. How it is even possible.

The explanation I was given was strange but kind of makes sense: sometimes the yeast cells are getting covered by tiny co2 bubbles and yeast cannot convert sugar anymore. Well, as long as it worked, I was happy.

Here is my plan:

I'm shaking the vessel with the wild mead, and I'm going to check in a week or so if it helps.

If not, I want to get the yeast from the mead, and try to grow it in a glucose solution. And pitch it back.

If that doesn't help, I'll add commercial yeast. But I reserve it for the last because I want to keep the wild yeast only if I could.

Does it make sense? Any other advise?

 

[Miraculix]

The solution will be lacking any nutrients and produce weak yeast, if any. You have to use a complete nutrient like fermaid o in conjunction with it, just dap, for example, won't do the trick.