What is Fermentation and What Does it Look Like?

[@FlashPK89]

Great video, thanks! Another way to measure SG/Brix is to use refractometer. I think this is way more handle method. You need just a few drops of a must.

[@menofthewestmedia]

Low temperatures over the last month stalled fermentation on some of my brews. I wouldn’t have really caught it unless I had a hydrometer. SO EVERYONE GET A HYDROMETER! You won’t regret it.

[@tomknight2366]

Good tips! Forever trying to answer that age old question "I just started this, does it look right?"

[@tewodrosshewangzaw5285]

Happy to see you again, great information

[@TrollFalcon]

You read my mind. I've been asking this about my imperial stout the last couple days

[@thosesguys6489]

Good video for new brewers. However I was wondering how to tell if a fermentation is stalled or finished. I’ve heard dell’s constant mentioned before but I have yet to look into it. Can we expect to see a video on that in the future?

[@ManMadeMead]

I can try to make one!

[@gvbalajee]

Well explained

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you!

[@LFHiden]

I'm a cool European so I don't use Specific Gravity, I use Oechsle (because I couldn't find a SG hydrometer) Which is (1 - SG) * 1000 and im sad to say that took several months for me to figure that out

[@riukrobu]

Great one! Very informative!

[@davidmcdonald4771]

Great video. Always fun.

[@TheShorterboy]

So yeast fart CO2 and piss out ethanol until there is too much ethanol and they stop

[@bryanelfert4386]

I thought the gravity reading needed to reach 1.0 before it’s done ? I’ve been using a refractometer. I thought the cold weather was just stalling it, so I added more yeast to try to restart fermentation.

[@ManMadeMead]

Your brew doesn’t always have to end at 1.000. If the yeast cap out and can’t consume any more sugar, they can definitely stop before then!

[@connorwise1567]

I do have one question, I'm new at this. Roughly how much yeast would you add per gallon?

[@menofthewestmedia]

5g (typically 1 packet) per 5-6 gallons is standard. I think half a packet is good for a 1 gallon batch. I have always done that and never had any problems with too much yeast(yeasty taste) or too little yeast(delayed fermentation/not fermenting).

[@connorwise1567]

@@menofthewestmedia I appreciate it

[@theastronomer5800]

Yeah, half a packet. I've done ~25 one-gallon meads with half a packet and also never had any problems (except one brew that was a bit too cold and it stalled, but when I moved it to a warmer place it started up again).

[@ManMadeMead]

I normally add 1 - 2 grams of yeast per gallon

[@ozoneswiftak]

Thank you. Very much.

[@Tuatha_De_Gaming]

Mine is 3 weeks in and has this smell, its not bad, but I don't know what it is. It's still bubbling in the air lock every 7 seconds or so.

[@leeread6757]

Do you recommend stirring mead during the fermentation process?

[@ManMadeMead]

Only during the first few days maybe!

[@verax218]

What’s the best way to get a mead unstuck? Started with 2 Red star champagne yeast, 5 tsp of yeast nutrients, 3 tsp of DAP and 3 tsp of tartaric acid and 15 lbs of honey - it’s been stuck around 1.040 for a month or more - being store in a room kept at 70F

[@ManMadeMead]

Make a yeast starter with a strong yeast and add that to your main fermenter after a few days!

[@Max-de2rt]

Are you aware how the "thickness" of your beer/mead/or whatever alcoholic beverage your making, is affecting or not the fermentation ? Is is possible that it slow the fermentation process and also false a bit the hydrometer reading ? I am trying to ferment a exotic fruit concentrate that have some "thickness". Thank you and congrats for your videos !

[@ManMadeMead]

A "thicker" mead can definitely present a higher gravity but I wouldn't say that it affects the fermentation too much!

[@TheAmateursOriginalMusic]

Brewing in a plastic container with no air lock so how can you tell? Is it ok to peel the lid of a bit to look at it?

[@ManMadeMead]

You can definitely open it and look. Just make sure the CO2 can escape somehow!

[@TheAmateursOriginalMusic]

@@ManMadeMead cheers👍

[@JohnDoe-di2rt]

I accidentally got the bung stuck in my carboy, would this be bad for the mead? I'm worried about bacteria ruining the batch. It's a 3 gallon traditional mead.

[@theastronomer5800]

Stuck as it fell in, yikes?! I don't see that it would be a problem if you sanitize the carboy with the bung in it, some people for example put in (sanitized) glass marbles to reduce the air space after racking. You might just want to do some extra shaking/sanitizing. I'm sure different people will have different opinions though!

[@ManMadeMead]

As long as it’s sanitized - you should be fine!

[@avermontlife]

I bought something called an Easy Fermenter lid. I made a quart of rose mead four days ago. I sprinkled a little yeast on top and topped up with a small handful of raisins and still I am seeing nothing. This morning I added more yeast, about 1 gram. There is some foam on top, and it smells like alcohol, but with this easy fermenter lid there is no way to see the air being released. I've brewed beer and could certainly tell when it was fermenting, as bubbles ride up the side of the carboy. This mead is looking very lazy indeed. Any thoughts?

[@ManMadeMead]

Hmm… it could be that your yeast weren’t good. I would shake it up some more and get some yeast nutrient if you can. Those raisins aren’t going to give the yeast ant nutrient to start fermenting.

[@avermontlife]

@@ManMadeMead Thank you! I will give that a go.

[@avermontlife]

@@ManMadeMead I looked it up, and yeast nutrient has urea... not something I want in my drink, even if it's 'food grade'. If the yeast is old, could I perhaps add new yeast? How long before the batch is spoiled? Thank you!

[@hunterdekarski8093]

I'm here from your mead 301 video, do you feel like you can't age in a plastic bucket? Also with the armoretty flavors can you add after first and secondary? Could you add it after fermenting is done?

[@ManMadeMead]

Aging in plastic isn't great for long term! You can add the flavors after primary or secondary, you will probably just want to stabilize the brew!

[@hunterdekarski8093]

@@ManMadeMead thank you so much. Binge watched like 30 vids.

[@TheAmateursOriginalMusic]

No air lock in my plastic container🤷‍♂️

[@Funpants94]

Have you made BCs butter beer recipe by chance? I followed it to a T volume wise. My OG was 1.052, 3 weeks later it's been sitting at 1.012. Do we think the fermentation stalled or could there be that many nonfermentable sugars remaining?

[@ManMadeMead]

I haven't! There could be some non fermentable sugars that leave it sweet!

[@elricthebald870]

Is it done fermenting? When in doubt wait a few more days and take another reading.

[@seufererfamily]

I've had brews that the readings hadn't changed for 2 weeks and then weeks after bottling the corks pop out. Is that degassing?

[@ManMadeMead]

It could be! It could also be that it continued to ferment. If you check your hydrometer you should be able to know if it's done fermenting. It could also create some pressure from degassing. It sounds like it was more likely that it continued to ferment in the bottle.

[@theastronomer5800]

How soon after starting do you bottle? I would not bottle anything sooner than 3 weeks and never had problems. Strangely, I do have just one 9-month old bottle of an acerglyn that likes to push the cork out, I think it's just haunted.

[@stormygeo]

You can also use a condom or a balloon with a pin prick hole in the top for an airlock if you are in the army and on deployment in a country in the middle east that doesn't allow alcohol 😎👍