did i make a boo boo

[larry]

Hi all i made started my first fruit batch fri the 18 (dec) It is banana.The sg was 1.120.I fallowed the in stuctions.It did not say when to put the campden Tab in so when it cooled down I added it, Then it said to add the nutrient and yeast.I did that (together) It has ben 2 days and I still have not seen any activity in the airlock. Did I mess this batch up? Thank you

 

[Racer]

How much time was there between the campden addition and the yeast addition?

 

[Wade E]

That and are you judging this no activity by airlock movement or by hydrometer readings?

 

[arcticsid]

Larry, what type of yeast and how warm was the must? You are not "dead in the water" so don't panick yet!! I have had a couple batches that didn't start active(visual) fermentation for 72 hours.

Please don't freak out yet! Try to get the must warm , like 75F or so. You could give it a stir, or you could insert a tube and blow bubbles into it!! LOL, just joking, although that probably would work!

Tell us the recipe and the steps you did before you added the yeast, and what type you used. We'll do the best we can to help you get er going, you need to give us a few more details.How big of a batch? At least you got the campden in there, you'll be okay for now. Larry, if you want post the recipe you used and the steps you did before adding the yeast. You are keeping notes right?


Don't start sweating yet!! I had a batch of cranberry a few months ago that just wasn't going to go, after two weeks I was afraid of the inevitable, but the group in here was able to help me get it going.

Troy

 

[larry]

Hi all. It is a 1 gal. batch, I used cote de blanc yeast. The recipe is,,
3and hal pounds bananas
1 pound raisens
2 pound sugar
1 and 1/4 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic blend
1/4 tsp tannin
1 campden tab
yeast and nutrien
water
per the instructions l cut and simmered the fruit for 30 min,and added everything except the campden,yeast and nutrient.Then it said when cooled to 70 add the campden and yeast and nutient.so i put the campden in then mixed the yeast and nutrient together and put it in .And since then there has been no activity in the airlock.

 

[Mud]

Sulfites (campden) will stun yeast, but not kill it unless you use a huge dose. You should wait 24 hours after adding sulfite to pitch yeast. Cote-des-blanc, too, often has a lag time of several days. I've had batches take almost 3 days to bubble. Probably just sit tight and you'll be fine.

 

[arcticsid]

There are mixed opinions on this, but I would personally remove the airlock, yeasts likes oxegen during the primary ferment. Cover the bung with a paper towel or something and throw a rubber band around it. Make sure you keep it warm, especially until you see activity. Mud is right, sometimes wine just takes a while to kick in, I have seen several take more than 48 hours to "start"

 

[Wade E]

Youd better get another sachet of yeast just incase but that strain is very slow and not unexpected at all to take 3 days to start but since you added it with sulfite at the same time it may even take longer. it is a very good yeast for fruit wines though!

 

[smurfe]

Whats the temp of the must and what type of water did you use? Tap, bottled, distilled? Did you boil the water? Did you just sprinkle the yeast or did you proof it first? Just a few questions. If too cool must it will take a while to start if it even does. THat is the temp of the liquid, not the room. If you used distilled water it has none of the minerals or nutrients yeast like although yeast nutrient will help that. If you boiled the water first and didn't aerate it there is limited oxygen in the water for the yeast to thrive. If you didn't proof the yeast you don't now if the yeast were viable or not.

 

[arcticsid]

Steve, I am not sure what the difficulties are on this batch, but I am absolutely sold on using a starter(proof) if you will. I would not ever consider sprinkling my yeast on top, whether for beer or wine. As you said, you want to be sure it is active.

 

[larry]

Thanks all for your help. Ichecked the temp warmed it up a bit and now i have bubble. Not alot but 4-5 in a min.I did activate the yeast before I put it in.If that is what your talking about proofing the yeast.with that said i started a gal.batch of apple last night.Eddison tried 1000 times to make a light bulb.did he stop? NO he found a 1000 ways not to make a light bulb and only one way to make one.

 

[arcticsid]

Excellent Larry!!!

Alot of people have had trouble getting a batch to go and sometimes it is as simple as increasing the heat. There are sure other things that can prevent a fermentation from starting but alot of times it is just the heat, Sure glad it got to going for you!!

Remember though, Edison based his ( and any of the other great inventors) experiments on those who passed on their knowledge from those that experimented before him.

Another problem we see in here often is when someone tries to tweak something before trying the tried and true first, I am by no means saying that on you, but it is way easier if someone else tries it first and shares the knowledge and results.

Glad it started going for you, keep it warm, and remember, staring at the bubbles will make you crosseyed!! LOL

Keep us posted!

Troy

 

[upper]

That is deep,Larry.Good luck on the Apple Go-Go........Upper