ferm. not starting on blueberry batch

[Tyler1985]

Hi everyone
New to the forum here and I already got an issue.
Started 2 batches of blueberry wine a little over 5gallons each.

For each batch i ran 4 full gallon bags of blueberry's through a crusher and added with fruit and juice to the fermenting buckets. Mixed the sugar water which was made with distilled water which i know now is not great but works as long as you have yeast nutrient. It was slightly mixed Say 4/5 destilled to well water. Then I added 5g of Potassium Metabisulfite per batch and let sit covered for 48 hours.

I then added
2.5tsp. acid blend
1tsp. pectic enzyme
3tsp. Yeast nutrient
1 packet Red star montrachet yeast
per batch.

the starting gravity on 1 was 1.09 and 2 was 1.1 nothing has changed there

both have been sitting in 70-75F the whole time.

It's been 24hrs since I pitched the yeast in dry. So far no bubbles.

So any suggestions?

I was thinking of taking them both back to the vineyard to bring the temp up to maybe 80F and maybe add more yeast nutrient.

 

[Dend78]

okay, im new at this but what was the reason for 5g of Potassium Metabisulfite in the primary? that seems like alot, and it retards fermentation alot, which would cause the slow/no start.

your SG's seem good for the start so i would think the meta is your problem child, unless that yeast prefers warmer temps. have you checked your SG since pitching?

 

[Tyler1985]

Well The 5g was on the recipe that I used. 0.18 oz. (5 g) potassium metabisulfite
(approximately 150 ppm SO2)

I'l recheck the SG when I get back to work.

If the Pot.M was to much is there any solution for getting the ferm. going?

 

[Tyler1985]

What the Heck...
The recipe says what i said before, but now I'm reading that you should never use more than a quarter teaspoon per 5 gallon batch.
I put in a tsp. that doesn't sound good.

 

[magpiemini]

Are you sure the 5g of PM was not for cleaning before you started?

 

[mmadmikes1]

Blueberry is a tough start. Every year at this time we get, " the blueberry wont start" posts. To much K Meta will make it even toygher. Do not warm up Red star montrachet yeast to 80. It has a habit of do nasty taste when it gets to hot. Splash rack to must, make a yeast starter and have it going strong. I use apple juice . Add some yeast energizer.

 

[Dend78]

make a yeast starter and have it going strong. I use apple juice . Add some yeast energizer.

i second that

 

[southlake333]

Are you sure the 5g of PM was not for cleaning before you started?

Or for preserving once its done and clearing?

 

[southlake333]

What the Heck...
The recipe says what i said before, but now I'm reading that you should never use more than a quarter teaspoon per 5 gallon batch.
I put in a tsp. that doesn't sound good.

Maybe try splash racking to introduce oxygen and remove some SO2?

 

[Tyler1985]

Thanks for the responses.
I wasn't able to see them before I went back to work but here is what i did.
I took some racking canes and hooked them up to some air pumps i had. I let them bubble with the lids off for about 6 hours in hopes that it would dissipate some of the kmeta.
I did set the temp to 80 so if that is not good for that yeast I'l turn it down when i get back tomorrow. I was hoping that a little warmer would get the yeast back in action.
I added one more tsp. Yeast nut. per batch. I figure since I used mostly distilled water it couldn't hurt. Then put the lids back on.
So if by tomorrow there is no action should I do the yeast starter thing and introduce a new batch?
Also If I do that should I stick with the same yeast Or should I switch to something like Lavlin1118?
And what exactly is the formulation For the apple juice yeast starter. Do you have to heat it up, and how much yeast energizer?
Thanks for the help

 

[Dend78]

any updates one this?

 

[loumik]

any updates one this?

Take a look in the tutorial section to learn how to prepare a yeast-starter. Actually it would probably be a good idea to read through all of the tutorials.
There is a lot of good info there for newbies and more experienced wine makers as well.

LOUMIK

 

[mmadmikes1]

Thanks for the responses.
I wasn't able to see them before I went back to work but here is what i did.
I took some racking canes and hooked them up to some air pumps i had. I let them bubble with the lids off for about 6 hours in hopes that it would dissipate some of the kmeta.
I did set the temp to 80 so if that is not good for that yeast I'l turn it down when i get back tomorrow. I was hoping that a little warmer would get the yeast back in action.
I added one more tsp. Yeast nut. per batch. I figure since I used mostly distilled water it couldn't hurt. Then put the lids back on.
So if by tomorrow there is no action should I do the yeast starter thing and introduce a new batch?
Also If I do that should I stick with the same yeast Or should I switch to something like Lavlin1118?
And what exactly is the formulation For the apple juice yeast starter. Do you have to heat it up, and how much yeast energizer?
Thanks for the help

Use about a quart of Apple juice and add a 1/2 teaspoon of energizer and a 1/2 teaspoon of nutrient . add some sugar, maybe a tablespoon or 2 and warm the mix to about 90. Add yeast and put a lid on. I use those glad storage containers and once it gets going good the lids pop off. I use d-47 because it has a lower ABV rating and I always max out yeast. Blueberry looses a lot of flavor if ABV is to high

 

[Tyler1985]

Ahh thanks..

Everything is going well as to say that my anxiety was premature
The next morning after doing the air pumps and a little more yeast nutrient both batches were very active.
SG yesterday was .80 for both batches.

 

[Dend78]

SG yesterday was .80 for both batches.

down from 1.1 and 1.09 in 3 days?

 

[Tyler1985]

I think I meant 1.08, but ya that's correct. I have a spectrometer as well... I think it was at around 22 brix.

 

[Dend78]

i was gonna say you win the prize hahah thats some super fast yeast