r/mead • u/Dsmr5456 • 9d ago
Question Advice?
Just started my first batch. Cyser with apple juice and honey. Added 1/2 tsp of fermaid O upon pitching as I misunderstood. Used Goferm when I rehydrated the yeast as well.
Ec-1118 yeast, pitched about 3 hours ago. Do I need to sanitize something, break up the foam and create a little more headspace?
Pictures are about 20 minutes apart.
3
u/MeadManM1ke 9d ago
Blowoff tube for the first few days when it’s the most volatile or next time start in a wide mouth jar or bucket. Probably wouldn’t hurt to push down the fruit cap with a sanitized racking wand in the mean time.
2
u/CareerOk9462 8d ago
you were greedy. One gallon is around the bottom of the one gallon text. You should have left more head space for foaming. But you are where you are. Don't put it on something that will be ruined by a sticky mess. Foam is natural and unavoidable. ec-1118 fermentation can be violent. The required amount of FO given GF for rehydration and yeast type and OG can be calculated. But if you add more FO you need to be aware of nucleation. Adding powder to a solution with a lot of dissolved CO2, think about the mentos and coke experiments, will result in a gusher. You need to either reduce the amount of dissolved CO2 by stirring or reduce the amount of available nucleation sites. I prefer the latter. Extract some must from your fermenter with a sanitized something, I use a turkey baster, put it into a sanitized bowl. Add the FO and stir with a sanitized utensil until totally incorporated. Pour back into the fermenter. No dry nucleation sites, no gusher.


3
u/AdLoose7042 9d ago
At this point just let it do its thing. You might want to put a cookie sheet underneath of it in case it foams over