Cranberry slow start

Sounds like it might be a bit cool, try warming up the batch. I've been known to get my heating pad out, put it under the glass fermentation container and turning it on to the first level of heat. I usually watch very carefully (don't leave on overnight), and once the batch starts fermenting, turn the heating pad off. All it seems to take is a couple of hours to warm it up a bit. If that doesn't work, your yeast could be bad.... Darlene Wisconsin

Your temperature is cool but certainly not too cool. The energizer and nutrient is important for finishing but not so important for starting your wine. It may be that it is just slow to kick off.

Your procedure is such that it makes it hard to tell. If you had followed Lalvin's recommendation to not stir the yeast in, then you could tell better. They suggest that you sprinkle the yeast over the must and not stir it in. That way the yeast get plenty of air, which is necessary for reproduction, and you can see it growing and know if it is working in 6 to

You might move it to a warmer environment to see if it takes off, or at this point, I think I would go ahead and make a starter with a new batch of yeast. With a starter, you will see it start in 3 to 6 hours. If the starter fails, then the yeast is bad. If it goes, then stir an equal volume of your must into the starter. If that works, then stir it directly into your must.

If it fails then, you have a totally different problem. Something in the must is killing the yeast. Maybe the cranberries were sprayed with preservative or something. But worry about that when the time comes.

Ray

fermenting,

THat also sounds like an awful low ph to moi.....