# Slow Fermentation



## pkcook (Mar 18, 2006)

I started a basic mead recipe three days ago. I found this recipe online and decided to try it:


5 lb clover honey


3tsp acid blend


1.5 tsp yeast nutrient


3/4 tsp tannin


3 campden tabs


1 pkg EC-1118 yeast


water to 6 liters





I heated the honey with 3 liters of water and skimmed the scum. Put the honey mixture into primary and added water to 6 liters (all my jugs are 3 and 4 liters) and added all ingredients except yeast and let the must set for 12 hours. Sprinkled the yeast on top of the must and did not stir as per recipe. Waited 12 more hours and stirred yeast into must. Waited 24 hours and "NOTHING." No bubbles! No Foam! "Nothing!" Waited 12 more hours and nothing! I found this starter recipe and made it:


1 qt jar sanitized


2cups of warm water (104-109 deg as per Lalvin)


2 tsp of sugar


1/4 tsp of fresh squeezed lemon juice


1/2 tsp yeast nutrient


1 pkg of yeast (Went with another EC-1118 packet)


Let the starter bloom and work for 12 hours. Had a 1 inch head on top and visible working of the yeast on bottom.


Innoculated the mead with this and let it set 12 hours. Had small amount of foam on top but stirred very well and waited 12 hours. This morning I could see bubbles on the edge rising and the foam is about double from before.


Question 1: Is mead always this difficult to get fermentation started?


Question 2: Is there a tried and true method of getting a health fermentation started on meads?


I think this mead is going to be OK, but the difficulty of getting fermentation started is maddening!


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## PolishWineP (Mar 18, 2006)

I don't recall ever having trouble getting a mead to start. I think that, with the exception of Joe M's Ancient Orange, that I've always made a started with meads. But they've always been more than happy to bubble away.


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## masta (Mar 18, 2006)

I don't make a starter when starting a mead but I do hydrate the yeast per the instructions on the package.


Since honey is low in pH and you added acid blend this could the issue. Yeast is not tolerant to a wide range of pH and it is quite possible it is too low. Waldo had this issue with his first mead and adjusted the pH with calcium carbonate then the fermentation took off.


The other thing I noticed with the recipe is the amount of campden used for 6 liters is extremely high and this could be an issue also.


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## pkcook (Mar 18, 2006)

Is there a natural source of calcuim carbonate? I don't recall seeing any of this on the local wine stores shelf and I would prefer not waiting to receive it in the mail. Now that you mention it, I don't ever recall putting more than 1 campden tablet per gallon of wine mustand this is not quite two gallons. I just thought the honey might require more.


Any suggestions?


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## masta (Mar 18, 2006)

Some people have used Tums with good success just make sure you use the unflavored ones. I tried this with my apple cranberry wine but the pH was very low and the acid was off the charts so I ended up diluting out the entire batch with more apple juice to bring the pH in range and ended up with 10 gals instead of 6.






Do you have a pH meter and or anAcid Test kit? 


A quote from Jack Keller's site on using Calcium Carbonate


_"Calcium carbonate_ reacts preferentially with tartaric rather than malic acid, so one should not try to reduce acidity more than 0.3 to 0.4% through its use. A dose of 2.5 grams per gallon of wine lowers TA about 0.1%. After its use, the wine should be bulk aged at least 6 months to allow _calcium malate_, a byproduct of calcium carbonate use, to precipitate from the wine. The wine should then be cold stabilized to ensure tartrate crystals do not precipitate out after bottling."


My suggestion: If then fermentation has started then let it go and don't try to adjust. Adding 1 tsp of yeast energizer and giving it a good stir or shake to get some more oxygen into the must might help it along.


I have limited experience (10 batches) with Mead making but have done quite a bit of research on the subject. Please check out the article I wrote for the newsletter and you will get my take on the subject:


http://www.finevinewines.com/Introduction-to-making-mead.htm


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## pkcook (Mar 18, 2006)

Masta,


Would a small amount (1/2 cup) of chopped raisins make a difference (got the idea from the supplied article)? I'm going to put another 1/4 tsp of nutrient in the batch, but thought this might edge things along. *Edited by: pkcook *


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## pkcook (Mar 18, 2006)

Nothing ventured, nothing gained! I added about 1/2 cup of chopped raisins and 1/4 tsp of nutrient and the must about erupted! After a good stir, the white foam was about to come out of the primary. The EC-1118 is a very low-foaming yeast and can be deceptive, but the effervescence in the must veryobvious now. 


I tried a taste and it is definitely fermenting



.


I'll let it go as-is for now.


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## masta (Mar 18, 2006)

The raisins would help the yeast but be careful not to use too much as one of the issues with my Tupelo Vanilla Mead I entered in a competition was too much tannin.


I would use no more than 1/4 cup of raisins such you already added grape tannin to the small batch you have.


Adding the nutrient and stirring it well will definitely help.


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## pkcook (Mar 18, 2006)

Thanks Masta,


I love the aroma the mead puts off. I'm going to try your recipe on my next batch, but bump it to 6 gallons.


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## Bert (Mar 18, 2006)

pkcook


As Masta mentioned an PH tester and an acid test kit can be a big help working with meads....I have done a limited number, but one or two of them gave me some problems...,if you are going to play with meads, they are some helpful tools to have....


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## PolishWineP (Mar 18, 2006)

And having someone who knows what they're doing with that pH meter helps a lot too!



Thank goodness Bert isn't as flighty as I am!


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## pkcook (Mar 18, 2006)

I purchased an acid kit from one of the local stores here months ago and just went and tried the test. I reviewed rshosted's post  [url]http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID= 1280&amp;KW=acid+kit[/url]before trying. I noticed that the Sodium Hydroxide had stuff floating in the solution that looked like chunks of rust and the cap was crusted with the stuff, so I'm assuming the kit is "old"



, so I'm not sure how reliable it is. I followed the instructions and the reading I got was .90 which is very high. I had a small taste and it is pretty tart, but not overpowering. On my next order from George, I'll get a fresh kit and try again. 


Thanks everyone for all the help. It's only 1.5 gallon, so if it completely fails, I'm not out much.


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