Hard Seltzer. No airlock activity after 4 days

[Brewtron3000]

Hi this is my first post and a couldn't find a forum for hard seltzer. I've brewed beer and cider before without issue and just wanted to give this a try. After 4 days the airlock is not bubbling, though it is filled up to the correct line. OG was 1.030, 4 days later is has only gone down to about 1.029. When I opened the bucket to take the SG reading it smelled yeasty and there was some foam on top.

I followed a YouTube tutorial and did the following: boiled 2kg of dextrose in RO water, put in a bucket and added yeast nutriant. Topped up with room temp RO water to 5G (now must at 30C) Pitched EC-1118 yeast at 35C (as per instructions). Added yeast and stirred.

Lid is on tight and I dont think leaking air is the issue. Has anyone had these issues before? Should just leave it be or would adding some yeast energizer help?

 

[marc1]

1) How are you measuring gravity? Hydrometer, refractometer, correcting for temperature?
2) What kind of nutrient did you use and how much?
3) Were you rehydrating the yeast at 35F? Or pitching it directly at 35? Here's the directions I found:
https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/docs/products/tds/TDS_LALVIN_EC1118_ENG_DIGITAL.pdf4) 30C is at the top of the recommended temp range for the yeast, but should work - how sure are you of your temperatures? If your thermometer is off by 10 degrees and you pitched at 45C there could be a problem.
5) How are you controlling your fermentation temp? If there are large swings in temperature it could stall the fermentation.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Sugar wash (or "seltzer must" if you will) is EXTREMELY nutrient deficient. If you added nutrients in similar quantities to what you'd add to beer, it's not surprising it'd take forever.

Additionally the starting pH was likely very high compared to wort or must, and accordingly the yeast have a lot of work to do to drop it to a level where they're happy. That tends to lead to a long lag.

Basically expect it to take some time.

 

[Brewtron3000]

1) How are you measuring gravity? Hydrometer, refractometer, correcting for temperature?
2) What kind of nutrient did you use and how much?
3) Were you rehydrating the yeast at 35F? Or pitching it directly at 35? Here's the directions I found:
https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/docs/products/tds/TDS_LALVIN_EC1118_ENG_DIGITAL.pdf4) 30C is at the top of the recommended temp range for the yeast, but should work - how sure are you of your temperatures? If your thermometer is off by 10 degrees and you pitched at 45C there could be a problem.
5) How are you controlling your fermentation temp? If there are large swings in temperature it could stall the fermentation.

Thank you for the response,

1) I'm using a hydrometer

2) the nutrient is dibasic ammonium phosphate. I used 21ml (5ml per 4.5L). Now I'm thinking not having a more complete nutrient could be the problem.

3) sorry I think my terminology is a bit off. I hydrated the yeast at 35C then added to the must which was around 30C. It has since cooled down.

4) I have not had a problem with temperature on my other brews. I have a mercury thermometer and a stick on thermometer on the fermentation bucket.

5) I do not have any fermentation temperature control in place but the room I ferment in is pretty constant at around 21C

 

[Brewtron3000]

Sugar wash (or "seltzer must" if you will) is EXTREMELY nutrient deficient. If you added nutrients in similar quantities to what you'd add to beer, it's not surprising it'd take forever.

Additionally the starting pH was likely very high compared to wort or must, and accordingly the yeast have a lot of work to do to drop it to a level where they're happy. That tends to lead to a long lag.

Basically expect it to take some time.

Thanks for the answer, so where I just added 21ml of dibasic ammonium phosphate (5ml per 4.5L per instructions), what else could I add to get fermentation going?

 

[AzOr]

As long as you added nutrients it should start up in a day or two. I would also use a whisk and oxygenate periodically.

I had the same issue but w an ultra low gravity mead that I used as a base for a seltzer like drink.

Next time I will make a 1.060 must then water down after fermentation.

 

[marc1]

Thanks for the answer, so where I just added 21ml of dibasic ammonium phosphate (5ml per 4.5L per instructions), what else could I add to get fermentation going?

Something like Fermaid K will have a lot more than just ammonium phosphate to try next time. You could also try rehydrating the yeast per instructions to give it a head start going into the relatively unfriendly sugar wash.

 

[Brewtron3000]

Something like Fermaid K will have a lot more than just ammonium phosphate to try next time. You could also try rehydrating the yeast per instructions to give it a head start going into the relatively unfriendly sugar wash.

Do you think I could still add better nutrients to this batch? Or it's too late?

 

[marc1]

Do you think I could still add better nutrients to this batch? Or it's too late?

I don't know - too much can affect the flavor. If it really has stopped fermenting you wouldn't have much to lose.