# Late Addition of Yeast Nutrient?



## cootercanyon (Feb 19, 2010)

I began a batch of sweet mead from the MidWest kit on the 6th of February. I (thought) did everything correctly and had a SG of 1.085. It has since sat in my fermentation closet at 71F since then. I had not noticed any bubbles in my airlock, but during agitation it did have bubbles like champagne. Yesterday when going through my supply drawer I noticed the packet of yeast nutrient and realized it had never been added. I checked the SG and it was 1.080, still had bubbles similar to champagne and I agitated and added the nutrient. My question is if my batch is ruined or if it should still be fine? I appreciate the assistance.~Dave~


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## Green Mountains (Feb 19, 2010)

While I've never made mead I believe that you're fine. If it's sizzling like champagne and your gravity is dropping then you are fermenting. Let it get some oxygen from time to time over the next couple of days and you should be fine.


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## NSwiner (Feb 19, 2010)

What if he gave it a stir to get the yeast started or going more would that help ?


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## arcticsid (Feb 19, 2010)

Dave, go ahead and mix it in, according to your instructions. Adding nutrient at this stage will hurt nothing. Dissolve it in a bit of warm water and stir it in. If it is going good now, wait till you see what a shot of nutrient does. Add it, there is a reason they included it, give it what it wants.

Read all the instructions next time bro', skiping important steps like not adding nutrient can lead to problems!

There is a reason we don't talk about building space shuttles in here, miss a step and we could have BIG problems.

So how is it doing now? I bet it loved that nutrient!

Some recipes especially citric wines, lemon, orange etc. call for adding nutrient in the begining, and than adding more during you primary fermentation.

I don't know how much you know about home wine making, but they say these meads take even more patience than wine. So give it it's food, put it aside and start another batch. What else are you thinking about whipping up?


Troy


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## cootercanyon (Feb 19, 2010)

*More fermentation!*

I took the lid off this morning and it is now speeding up in the amount of fermentation that is occuring! I gave it a good stirring and relidded and purged the headspace in the primary. Guess I will leave it alone for a couple of months now until I transfer it to the carboy. Thanks for the answers.

~Dave~


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## arcticsid (Feb 19, 2010)

Excellent!! Whats next, having only one batch going at a time is against the rules!!! Got anything else in mind?


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## arcticsid (Feb 19, 2010)

I could be wrong on these meads, but leave that airspace in there, at least for the first couple days, yeast likes oxegen to grow. I may be wrong, but this primary is where you let the yeast grow and do its converting thing, it likes oxegen to do this. Yeast is alive, and it needs this oxegen.W hen it reaches a certain point, then, put it under an airlock and forget about it.

Sounds like its working good though, don't deny it that oxegen, or you may be in here next week asking why your fermentation seems to have stopped.


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## cootercanyon (Feb 19, 2010)

Okay, thanks. Opened it back up and stirred again. Got a nice head of foam going in there, and I will leave the headspace in there. I also have a batch of Triple Hop IPA brewing. I just bottled a Merlot and a Pomegranite Zinfandel. I just received my kegging kit and am trying to locate a place to fill my CO2 bottle as we speak. I plan on using it to carbonate my beers and the sparkling wines. Also have to go pick up my new freezer from Best Buy as it is the perfect size for 2 Cornies and a 5# bottle to turn into a Freezerator, plus I can use the dolly and take it in the camper and have one heck of a time this 4th of July at the lake


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## arcticsid (Feb 19, 2010)

Cool man. I'll be there too!!!


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