Cranberry will not start

They were dried and from a farmers market. They were supposed to be free of any preservatives, they did have a light oil coating on them that was supposed to be organic.

Mike wrote "I have a Cranberry that will not start fermenting. Any ideas? I am using RC212 and I have added yeast energizer.The PH is 2.68, The temp is 69F"

Mike - I made Cranberry wine from grocery store berries...not the dried ones. The starting numbers were 3.2 brix (not much sugar), pH 2.68 and TA

1.00%. I added sugar to 18 brix and the must was still very tart. So, I added K bicarbonate to pH 3.2 and then added active yeast. I tried to ferment at 50F but no luck. Warmed to about 65F and it took off.

Your temperature of 68F is OK. I believe it's the low pH. Did you start your yeast before adding to the must? If not start some more yeast per package instructions just to be sure it's alive. Then if still no activity raise the pH with some K bicarbonate.

Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas

I have never used dried berries, only fresh and they ferment just fine. I have always heard that you really have to be careful with dried because of preservatives and that would be a concern of mine if these were not fermenting. They may have been mislabeled. Of course the yeast may have been bad as well. Did you make a starter? Normally not necessary but it proves whether the yeast is good.

Ray

That ph is =extremely= low. IIRC, a ph of 2 is ten times as acidic as a ph of 3. In the past I have just added a couple stixcks of chalk to a mix that came out w/a low ph. It foams like crazy as it dissolves and then a new pack of yeast makes it ferment like wild!

What was your PA?

I assume you mean potential alcohol. The sg is 1.07 it atarted at about

1.08 a month ago.

I have some calcium carbonate. How much should I throw in? It is a 3 gallon batch. The container says 5/8 tsp per gallon. I assume it means a little over a half a tsp not 5 to 8 tsps per gallon.

Go to a craft store and buy pure white chalk, throw three sticks in and another batch of yeast the next day. It will take off, I guarantee.

Calcium carbonate is chalk. Add one TBS, wait a day or so, and pitch another yeast into it. You should be in for a pleasant surprize.