I'm a total newbie, this is my first attempt at fermentation of anything, so please be gentle
I'm working with a mead kit from LHBS, 2 gallon primary fermenter (food grade plastic bucket with 3-piece airlock), will rack to a 1 gallon glass carboy in secondary when the time comes....
My process was as follows:
1. Heat equal parts honey (3 pounds) and spring water (approx 32 oz) on stove in stainless steel pot to 170F, hold for 20 minutes to pasteurize. Skimmed off some of the white stuff that was forming on the top, but found this to be difficult to get all of it.
2. Add spring water to 1 gallon
3. hydrometer reading -- 1.105 OG (with temperature correction I believe it is actually closer to 1.109)
4. add 2 tsp yeast nutrient, add 3/4 tsp tartaric acid and 1 1/4 tsp malic acid, add 1/4 tsp grape tannin (all according to pre-measured additive packs and recipe that came with kit)
5. rehydrate Lalvin D47 yeast as per packet instructions. check temperature of must and pitch yeast.
6. immediately put lid and 3-piece airlock onto fermenter, stick in dark closet where temperature is consistent 70-72F
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I completed step six around 3:46am on Saturday night/Sunday morning (I underestimated how long my first batch would take!). When I checked on it the next morning, the airlock was happily bubbling away. My closet smells a bit like wine-breath and sourdough bread. Monday and Tuesday, I was timing the bubbles in the airlock at about 3-4 second intervals. So I assume everything is going great.
Today, I notice the bubbling rate is slowing already, and it's been less than 100 hours in primary fermentation. I'm timing the bubbles at around 6-7 second intervals now.
Should I be concerned? While my recipe that came with the kit says I can rack into secondary fermentation after 5-7 days, other recipes and instructions I've read online have suggested that primary fermentation can take much longer (weeks or even months), and the key is to watch for bubbling in 30 second intervals, roughly... I'm afraid at this rate, it might be bubbling that slowly in just another day or two.
I don't know if my yeast are just making great time, or if I'm looking at a stuck fermentation in my near future. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I'm honestly loathe to open it up to take another hydrometer reading or even peek at the state of the must, as I'm being super paranoid about anything contaminating my batch with this first attempt. Also, I'm only making a gallon, and I'd hate to lose a significant portion of this first batch to repeated thievings for tests and tastings.... I was kind of hoping if I just followed the instructions and left it the hell alone, I'd get a decent final product. But if I have to tinker with it to keep it viable, I'd rather know now...
thanks!!!!
I'm working with a mead kit from LHBS, 2 gallon primary fermenter (food grade plastic bucket with 3-piece airlock), will rack to a 1 gallon glass carboy in secondary when the time comes....
My process was as follows:
1. Heat equal parts honey (3 pounds) and spring water (approx 32 oz) on stove in stainless steel pot to 170F, hold for 20 minutes to pasteurize. Skimmed off some of the white stuff that was forming on the top, but found this to be difficult to get all of it.
2. Add spring water to 1 gallon
3. hydrometer reading -- 1.105 OG (with temperature correction I believe it is actually closer to 1.109)
4. add 2 tsp yeast nutrient, add 3/4 tsp tartaric acid and 1 1/4 tsp malic acid, add 1/4 tsp grape tannin (all according to pre-measured additive packs and recipe that came with kit)
5. rehydrate Lalvin D47 yeast as per packet instructions. check temperature of must and pitch yeast.
6. immediately put lid and 3-piece airlock onto fermenter, stick in dark closet where temperature is consistent 70-72F
----
I completed step six around 3:46am on Saturday night/Sunday morning (I underestimated how long my first batch would take!). When I checked on it the next morning, the airlock was happily bubbling away. My closet smells a bit like wine-breath and sourdough bread. Monday and Tuesday, I was timing the bubbles in the airlock at about 3-4 second intervals. So I assume everything is going great.
Today, I notice the bubbling rate is slowing already, and it's been less than 100 hours in primary fermentation. I'm timing the bubbles at around 6-7 second intervals now.
Should I be concerned? While my recipe that came with the kit says I can rack into secondary fermentation after 5-7 days, other recipes and instructions I've read online have suggested that primary fermentation can take much longer (weeks or even months), and the key is to watch for bubbling in 30 second intervals, roughly... I'm afraid at this rate, it might be bubbling that slowly in just another day or two.
I don't know if my yeast are just making great time, or if I'm looking at a stuck fermentation in my near future. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I'm honestly loathe to open it up to take another hydrometer reading or even peek at the state of the must, as I'm being super paranoid about anything contaminating my batch with this first attempt. Also, I'm only making a gallon, and I'd hate to lose a significant portion of this first batch to repeated thievings for tests and tastings.... I was kind of hoping if I just followed the instructions and left it the hell alone, I'd get a decent final product. But if I have to tinker with it to keep it viable, I'd rather know now...
thanks!!!!