I'm attempting my first batch. After 3 weeks, and I've racked the mead. It doesn't smell or taste alcoholic at all. I wonder i I killed th yeast by not letting it cool down enough before adding it. Can I just add the same amount of yeast now and rack it again in another 3 weeks?
2007-12-09 08:23:26 · 6 answers · asked by Lancaid 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Did you have bubbles in the air lock? You can tell when you've got action in the first few days. Perhaps you need to keep a heating pad under your brew to keep it warm enough for fermentation to be maintained.
Start over, my friend. If it hasn't happened yet the brew isn't going to happen.
2007-12-09 08:36:06 · answer #1 · answered by Aravah 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can probably add yeast now and rack it again. For future batches, a candy thermometer (to test the temperature of the mix) is a cheap investment that might prevent this problem.
Just for gits and shiggles, you might also pick up a hydrometer. This measures the alcohol content of the finished product--handy for drinks like mead, which often don't advertise the punch they carry in the taste or oder.
2007-12-09 16:39:47 · answer #2 · answered by Jewel 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Was there no fermentation action during the 3 weeks? I usually got results, back when I was brewing, in the first day.
Just as an aside, I made a brown ale once that went into active fermentation 3
different times (all on it's own) over a 21 day period. It was beautiful, and it was delicious, but it kicked like mule!
Since no known pathogens inhabit beer, and if it's been sealed with an airlock, I'd hit it with yeast again. Check for settling and give it a good stir if you need to.
2007-12-09 16:32:27 · answer #3 · answered by NXile 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Speaking all biologisty, as well as mead maker-y, you've gotcha some dead or sleeping yeast.
Stir it up and place it somewhere to warm to about 37C (body temp). If you've got ANY sugar left, and you've got any hibernating yeast, you're going to see little bubbles foaming to the top within minutes. Set it somewhere dark and let them eat.
If your yeast is dead, gently warm the mead to slightly more than room temp, then sprinkle new yeast on the top. You'll see the yeast start to move around in what's obviously not brownian motion, as the dried spores hydrate and start eating. If, after about 5 minutes, you're not seeing bubbles rise, then it's too cold.
Once you get bubbles, stir it and let them babies eat.
My yeast went to sleep in my own latest batch and had to be warmed up last night. Got really cold in the workroom.
Bacteria pretty much can't grow in honey and water. Molds can. If you get mold in your mead, you just scoop it out and heat it to kill the spores.
2007-12-12 14:01:02 · answer #4 · answered by LabGrrl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when you cap the carbouy, or the fermentation bucket, you use an air lock with a bit of water in it, you can tell it is fermenting by the "bubbling action" If you did not use an air lock, then you risk contamination of the wort (non alcoholic mixture) with bacteria. I agree with the former poster and start again from scratch, new honey, & water 1lb/gallon boiled untill the scum stops rising, be sure to skim off all of the scum. allow to cool to a temp that will not burn the inside of your wrist, add the yeast culture, cap with an airlock, and watch it bubble. Then you will know it is fermenting.
2007-12-09 16:41:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd recommend just starting over again with a new batch.
2007-12-09 16:28:02 · answer #6 · answered by CRtwenty 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋