Fermantation problem

[Wine-O]

I'm trying my shot at a honey mead (my 2nd one) and after pitching the yeast there has been no activity. I blended 8 lbs of honey with 2 lbs of blue agave and enough spring water for a 5 gallon carboy. The specific gravity was 1.116 and I put in 2 packets of D47 yeast. Temperature was 74 degrees when I started it and its been around 70 degrees there now.I stuck my nose in there this morning and it smelled like honey and yeast! Any clues what I did wrong?

 

[Deezil]

Have you taken a TA test?

How long ago did you pitch yeast?

Has the smell changed since you first added the yeast? If so, how?

 

[Wine-O]

No I haven't, I don't have a test kit. Should I get one? Could this be the reason?

 

[Deezil]

They're a good investment, pretty cheap and fairly accurate - TA kits, that is.

It could be a reason fermentation doesnt kick off, but if it smells like honey and yeast - maybe it's doing just fine, but needs longer

Just edited my last post with more questions

 

[robie]

It can take 3 days or so to start. Check the SG periodically.

 

[fatbloke]

It can take 3 days or so to start. Check the SG periodically.

and aerate it by stirring the hell out of it, at least once a day....

 

[Wine-O]

It's been 3 days and still no action. I'm going to start stirring the hell out of it when I get home today. I never had this happen before. Wondering if I should pitch another yeast but starting it ahead this time. I just sprinkled the yeast on top when I started this batch (Like I always do). Would that make it too yeasty tasting?

 

[Arne]

I made a mead last winter, don't remember off the top of my head, but it took a long time to get started. Finally started, then it took forever to finish. Bet it will get going in a few days. Thnk I warmed it up some more to get it to go, then finished fermenting pretty cool. Arne.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Did you add any nutriets, energizers for your yeast? You might want to create a starter culture and add a little of your must after it gets going. Are you sure the agave didnt have any preservatives? CC

I'm trying my shot at a honey mead (my 2nd one) and after pitching the yeast there has been no activity. I blended 8 lbs of honey with 2 lbs of blue agave and enough spring water for a 5 gallon carboy. The specific gravity was 1.116 and I put in 2 packets of D47 yeast. Temperature was 74 degrees when I started it and its been around 70 degrees there now.I stuck my nose in there this morning and it smelled like honey and yeast! Any clues what I did wrong?

 

[Wine-O]

I added yeast energizer. The agave didn't list any preservatives on the label.
Thanks for your suggestion.
Dave

 

[Deezil]

Have you taken an SG reading lately?

Sometimes somethings happening, you'd just never know

 

[terroirdejeroir]

I am also taking my first stab at a mead, raspberry melomel to be exact. My fermentation started slow, accelerated somewhat after I poured it into secondary, but is still lingering. OG was 1.090 and I am using Bourgovin (Lalvin RC212) yeast. It has been a little over a month since I pitched the yeast and SG is .998. Was 1.000 last week. I still see some slight bubbling so I am going to take readings every day from here on out and rack/stabilize when it is the same three days in a row.

How low should I expect it go? All of my wines have fermented down to somewhere between .990 and .994. Could it possibly need a bit of nutrient to get finished? I am kind of anxious to wrap it up and add of touch of chocolate syrup, but I am learning that patience can prevent a lot of mistakes.

Any suggestions?

 

[Deezil]

Too late for nutrients, just let it get as far as its going to go & wait for the SG to be the same for 3-4 days.. It could stop at anytime, and it'd be just fine

You might benefit from it aging for about 6 months before you try the chocolate addition.. Just to give the mead a chance to start showing some of its character, so you have some senses to add the chocolate to instead of trying to get it right when the mead tastes like green apples & alcohol

 

[terroirdejeroir]

So, can I just rack it off the fine lees and let it bulk age for six months before I stabilize it?

 

[robie]

So, can I just rack it off the fine lees and let it bulk age for six months before I stabilize it?

Once fermentation is completed, if you are not going to do an MLF on a wine, it should be racked off the sediment/lees and stabilized with sulfites right then. Never put off sulfiting a wine that has finished all fermentation stages.

 

[terroirdejeroir]

Understood, by stabilization I meant the additional of sorbate/sulfite prior to sweetening with chocolate syrup.