landsknechte
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- Oct 25, 2016
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Hello,
I started my first batch of pear melomel on October 21st. So it's been 10-11 days and we still have activity. I know I need a hydrometer to be absolutely safe. I'm planning on taking a sample into work to use our store's tester. We're mainly vino there, but we do sell small amounts of juice and homebrew stuff.
I have a few questions as to why the fermentation seems to still be going relatively strong.
Okay so the ingredients and process:
3ish litres of spring water
~2.2 lbs of clover-alfalfa honey (Burke's raw, from Bulk Barn)
25 Raisins (suggested as cheap nutrient)
1 Bartlett pear, chopped up with core removed but skins on
5g package of Lalvin RC-212 (Burgovin) prepared according to package directions
I sanitized everything, added half the water then the honey which I'd warmed to loosen it up (didn't boil). I added the raisins then the yeast. I put in the stopper and fermentation lock.
Like a dummy, I forgot the fruit until about a day later when I saw the pear sitting in the fridge. I noticed a bit of bubbling about 36-40 hours later. It got up to about every 3-4 seconds but has settled back down to 5-7 seconds now.
As for temperature, my apartment unfortunately isn't sealed like it should be thanks to cheap supers. However, it's probably been 15-18 c in here on average.
The raisins are bloated and floating like dead bodies on the Volga. The pears are beginning to fall apart but aren't rotting near as I can see. There's a bit of a sediment cake on the bottom of the gallon jug. The mead-in-training is still cloudy but clearer than a week ago.
My question is: Being that I have read the Bourgovin is finicky and the temperature around here hasn't been 20 all the time, could that have slowed things down?
Second, the pear coming apart is normal, right?
Third, if I get myself a turkey baster and clean/sanitize, I should be able to use that for a wine thief...am I correct in assuming this?
Thank you.
I started my first batch of pear melomel on October 21st. So it's been 10-11 days and we still have activity. I know I need a hydrometer to be absolutely safe. I'm planning on taking a sample into work to use our store's tester. We're mainly vino there, but we do sell small amounts of juice and homebrew stuff.
I have a few questions as to why the fermentation seems to still be going relatively strong.
Okay so the ingredients and process:
3ish litres of spring water
~2.2 lbs of clover-alfalfa honey (Burke's raw, from Bulk Barn)
25 Raisins (suggested as cheap nutrient)
1 Bartlett pear, chopped up with core removed but skins on
5g package of Lalvin RC-212 (Burgovin) prepared according to package directions
I sanitized everything, added half the water then the honey which I'd warmed to loosen it up (didn't boil). I added the raisins then the yeast. I put in the stopper and fermentation lock.
Like a dummy, I forgot the fruit until about a day later when I saw the pear sitting in the fridge. I noticed a bit of bubbling about 36-40 hours later. It got up to about every 3-4 seconds but has settled back down to 5-7 seconds now.
As for temperature, my apartment unfortunately isn't sealed like it should be thanks to cheap supers. However, it's probably been 15-18 c in here on average.
The raisins are bloated and floating like dead bodies on the Volga. The pears are beginning to fall apart but aren't rotting near as I can see. There's a bit of a sediment cake on the bottom of the gallon jug. The mead-in-training is still cloudy but clearer than a week ago.
My question is: Being that I have read the Bourgovin is finicky and the temperature around here hasn't been 20 all the time, could that have slowed things down?
Second, the pear coming apart is normal, right?
Third, if I get myself a turkey baster and clean/sanitize, I should be able to use that for a wine thief...am I correct in assuming this?
Thank you.