InertiaticESP
Member
A week a go I made a 5 gallon batch of mead with the very traditional ingredients (wildflower honey, water, Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast and yeast nutrient). I created a starter in a growler 24 hours before and it was very active. It had at least a 1 inch layer of foam at the top. I mixed the ingredients and pitched the starter the next day. I had a few bubbles in the airlock at the beginning but not many... and to this day there are no bubbles coming out of the airlock. There are a lot of very small bubbles on the inside of the airlock but no movement. Should I be worried? It is in a 6 gallon white bucket. Is it perhaps not 100% airtight around the edges? Is the yeast not taking off and/or dead? Are there not enough nutrients to get the yeast going (raisins, etc) ?
I plan on keeping it in the primary for 1 month before racking into separate 3 gal and two 1 gal glass carboys (w/three different recipes).
Should I do anything like add yeast, yeast nutrient (or yeast energizer) or both? Or should I leave it alone? The lack of bubbles is the only thing that's worrying me.
(i know you're going to say take a hydrometer reading... i am going to do so tomorrow morning.. what should it read after 1 week if the starting G is around 1.130?)
I plan on keeping it in the primary for 1 month before racking into separate 3 gal and two 1 gal glass carboys (w/three different recipes).
Should I do anything like add yeast, yeast nutrient (or yeast energizer) or both? Or should I leave it alone? The lack of bubbles is the only thing that's worrying me.
(i know you're going to say take a hydrometer reading... i am going to do so tomorrow morning.. what should it read after 1 week if the starting G is around 1.130?)