# Mistakenly added yeast nutrient to a stuck fermentation



## olusteebus (Aug 18, 2013)

I have decided to rack and add some fresh yeast to this stuck ferment. It is stuck at 1.02. It is a Blackberry Jam recipe. 

I know that yeast nutrient can cause bad microbes. 

What do you suggest you I do at this point given I have added nutrient. Can I rack, put in fresh yeast and yeast energizer?

I suppose I should add Kmeta at this time, what do you think?


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## jamesngalveston (Aug 18, 2013)

I am confused first off. Are you saying that you had a stuck ferment and added yeast nutrient....If that is the case I would stir the **** out of it and wait a day to see if it started up.
Why did it stop, in the first place...
What size batch...What fruit...etc.
Did it overheat in primary,


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## djrockinsteve (Aug 18, 2013)

First of all why is it stuck? Was the starting gravity too high for the yeast? Did you rack and leave behind the sediment/yeast? Is it too hot?

Really need more info but you don't need to worry about adding nutrient. A teaspoon of energizer to 5 gallons would be fine.


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## olusteebus (Aug 18, 2013)

It is a five gallon carboy. IT started out at 1.085, stopped at 1.02. Ti is possible that it overheated in the primary. Here is the reason I say that. I racked from the primary to the secondary before it got to 1.01 because I had to take what I thought would be a quick trip. I had it in a water tub with plenty of water and aquarium heaters. I was delayed a few weeks getting back and a lot of water in the tub had evaperated. Thus, there was not much water but still had the heaters in it. 

Although the heaters were set at about 73, it could have heated it higher, I don't know. I did not check the temp. I just took the carboy out of the tub.I checked the sg and it was at 1.02. I stirred it some hoping to get it started again. It was producing Co2 like crazy. A few days later, there was no change in the sg, still at 1.02. It has been a week now and it is still at 1.02

The must is at 70 degrees now.

Would all the yeast be dead at this point (it has been two months since I started it)

I failed to re read Kellers remedies for a stuck ferment and added yeast nutrient instead of energizer.

Thanks for you quick replies.


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## jamesngalveston (Aug 18, 2013)

it is possible that the yeast you used has completed its cycle with the sugar....if thats the case , rack ,campden, clear...
how does it taste, and is there any off smell.
it was pretty close to dry.


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## djrockinsteve (Aug 18, 2013)

Temp. should not have been a problem. Did you ferment in a carboy?


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## olusteebus (Aug 18, 2013)

djrockinsteve said:


> Temp. should not have been a problem. Did you ferment in a carboy?



No, it was in a bucket. I racked it to the carboy at about 1.02 and it stopped right there. It is in a carboy now. I am reluctant to put it into a bucket again.


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## olusteebus (Aug 18, 2013)

jamesngalveston said:


> it is possible that the yeast you used has completed its cycle with the sugar....if thats the case , rack ,campden, clear...
> how does it taste, and is there any off smell.
> it was pretty close to dry.



It tastes and smells very good to be such a young wine. 

One of my big problems is that I am going to blend it a carboy of muscadine wine that also stopped fermenting at 1.01. That means that the blended wine will have much more residual sugar than I want and the alcohol level will be pretty low. I would like it to be at between 11.5% and 12% ABV. 

I guess to remedy that I just add some everclear!

I don't know how in the heck I could do that to get my goal.


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## djrockinsteve (Aug 18, 2013)

Rehydrate a pal of Lalvin EC-1118 to it.


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## Turock (Aug 19, 2013)

olusteebus--During your ferments, how are you using nutrient? Maybe the reason your ferments are not quite going to dry is that they don't have enough nutrient support thruout the fermentation. You should not pitch nutrient all at once in the beginning. Divide into 3 doses so that the yeast has nutrition thru the entire ferment. Lack of nutrient support is a common reason for stuck ferments.


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## olusteebus (Aug 19, 2013)

Turock said:


> olusteebus--During your ferments, how are you using nutrient? Maybe the reason your ferments are not quite going to dry is that they don't have enough nutrient support thruout the fermentation. You should not pitch nutrient all at once in the beginning. Divide into 3 doses so that the yeast has nutrition thru the entire ferment. Lack of nutrient support is a common reason for stuck ferments.



I did not know that. Thanks. I have had lots of stuck ferments.

I will try that.


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## robie (Aug 19, 2013)

The extra heat would not be a factor. Likely the yeast ran out of nutrient, so the fact you added nutrients is likely a good thing in this case, even though it should have been added at a higher SG. Of course you do need to pitch some more yeast like an EC-1118. Stir it really well. At 1.020 it should start back up again; very much lower and it typically won't start up again.


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## djrockinsteve (Aug 19, 2013)

olusteebus said:


> I have had lots of stuck ferments.



If you are having stuck fermentations then you are obviously doing something wrong. Ferment in a bucket until @1.000 then rack all wine and sediment into a carboy if that's what you want to do. Stir your must a few times per day throughout fermentation.

Adding nutrient in stages or all at once is okay as long as the yeasts are healthy and can infact reproduce quickly. Quality fruit/juice, nutrients and oxygen all help this process.

Once fermentation is near completion it is advised you add a little yeast energizer. It acts as a red bull to the remaining yeasts. At this time the percentage of alcohol is rising, oxygen is depleting along with sugars becoming scarce.

We stir to move living yeasts and sugars around and introduce fresh O2 to the yeasts. It also helps to remove CO2 from the wine which is harmful to yeast. Adding an energizer gives those remaining yeasts the opportunity and energy to finish off the last of the food supply.


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## olusteebus (Aug 19, 2013)

Thanks to all. I have learned some valuable information here. I will incorporate that into my fermenting.


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## jamesngalveston (Aug 19, 2013)

since i have been using nutrient as Turock suggested, in thirds I think i have a better ferment, are better then just adding it all at once.


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## robie (Aug 19, 2013)

My last SP fermentation had really slowed until I added that second dose (of two) of nutrient. It then really took off again and finished well. I am concern had I added all of the nutrient up front, it might have stopped short.


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