Is 4 lbs honey per gallon too much?

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wickerman

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I have two 6 gal carboys with 20lbs of honey in each, filled with water to 5 gals and they both don't seem to be doing too much. Is that too much honey? I have ec-1118 in one, and d-47 in the other. Should i just add more water to dillute a bit? I put enegizer/nutrient in one, and 5 oranges in the other.
Thanks,
wickerman
 
That should put your original gravity around 1.106 which isn't too high. How long has it been since you pitched the yeast? I would add nutrient and engergizer to both. You migth want to watch the pH of the mead with the 5 oranges.
 
The d-47 one seems to be ok, just took a couple of days to start rolling.
The ec-1118 one, I added honey at 3 different times. I used snow that I melted and boiled, so I only added a couple pounds of honey and some nutrient/energizer, then waited 2 weeks to make sure it wasn't infected. It was fine and fermenting nicely, so I added another 10lbs pouring half (half of each 5lb bottle) straight in the carboy, and dissolved the other half in the bottles with warm water. Then, added more nutrient/energizer and another packet of ec-1118. The airlock seemed to really slow down at this point, but there was still activity. After a week, I added 10lbs more (same as above), shook the carboy up, and pitched a packet of red star champagne yeast (all I had on hand). Now I have little to no activity and don't know why.
Thanks,
wickerman
 
pH too low ? Potassium carbonate if below 3.0 pH......

How far down has the gravity dropped ? More than 1/3rd ? If not then more energiser/nutrient, if so then FermaidO if avaiable or boiled bread yeast or yeast hulls and a bloody good stir.....
 
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