24 hours since pitching--mead hasn't started...

[studentofbeer]

how much should i be worried?

24 hours before pitching the yeast i dropped 2 crushed campdens into the mead.

the next day i rehydrated some Cote des Blancs wine yeast and added it to the carboy with 1 tablespoon yeast nutrient. I aerrated by shaking.

Now it's 24 hours later and I haven't seen any activity (i thought i saw a bubble or two a few hours ago, but nothing since).

what should i do? I am thinking to go buy more yeast, maybe make a starter and re-pitch--I've heard honey is difficult to get going and this is probably relatively high-gravity (3 gal water, ~12lb. honey).

is all this time in the carboy going to really screw things up re: oxidation or anything else?

cheers.

[mookow]

Originally posted by studentofbeer
how much should i be worried?

24 hours before pitching the yeast i dropped 2 crushed campdens into the mead.

the next day i rehydrated some Cote des Blancs wine yeast and added it to the carboy with 1 tablespoon yeast nutrient. I aerrated by shaking.

Now it's 24 hours later and I haven't seen any activity (i thought i saw a bubble or two a few hours ago, but nothing since).

what should i do? I am thinking to go buy more yeast, maybe make a starter and re-pitch--I've heard honey is difficult to get going and this is probably relatively high-gravity (3 gal water, ~12lb. honey).

is all this time in the carboy going to really screw things up re: oxidation or anything else?

cheers.

I've never made a mead, though I eventually plan on doing so.

You shouldnt have to worry about oxidation. Until your yeast get in there and start multiplying, it's all aeration. It's possible that your yeast were not viable when you pitched them. It is also possible that the campden tablets killed the yeast (I've never used campden). In any event, I would pitch some more yeast, ideally after making a starter and then decanting most of the starter fluid after the yeast flocculate. That way you get almost all your yeast, and very little fluid to dilute the final product.

[BrewDog]

Give it another day. It will kick.

[Chris St Mary]

Patience, young grasshopper! The camden tablets may have a hand in this (I've never used them and feel no need to with mead). Give it another 24 hours and see what happens.
The camden tabs aren't necessary, in the future. Honey is a very "clean" product. The bees line the entrance to the hive with bee propolis that acts like an antibiotic to anything that enters the hive. If you go to a health food store, they sell it as a supplement to help you immune system. Depending on how your honey was processed (packaged), you really shouldn't need them.
As long as your airlock is patent, you should be o.k. until you get some activity (or need to add more yeast). Wait alittle longer.

[Derekt2]

Also Cote de Blancs is a slow-starting, slow-fermenting yeast. I used it in a sulfited cider and did not see activity for days.

[studentofbeer]

thanks for all the replies. i went to the homebrew store and he also told me i should try to get it at a warmer temp at least at the start. i got another packet of cote de blancs (the guy at the homebrewing store was adament i not make a starter for some reason) so i just dropped it in. Hopefully everything will turn out well, there will be no contamination etc. sounds like i shouldn't have used the campden.

the honey was cold packed--i.e. almost no processing done to it, which is why i didnt want to boil or even pasteurize (tho maybe i should have tried the pasteurization). time will tell.

[HogieWan]

what was your rehydration procedure?

[studentofbeer]

Originally posted by HogieWan
what was your rehydration procedure?

took 1/2 cup water boiled it to sterilize and drive off some of the water. waited for it to get down to ~100 (measured with a thermometer) then poured the yeast in, mixed it around a bit then dumped it into the carboy. nothing exciting, just what it said on the back of the package.

for this second dose i just added it dry. hopefully it'll get started soon.

[HogieWan]

you should always wait 10-15 minutes before pitching. The packet comes with a little food for the yeast and this time allows them to start waking up and gather strength before going on to ferment your mead.