It worked and that is what counts. I will just comment that the normal
procedure is that every time you add more of your mead to the fermenting
starter, add twice as much as you did the last time. But hey, it worked and
you can't complain about success.

Ray

"winogeneral" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hello, group.
> Well, I'm glad to say that i finally got it going.
> I did two things, both suggestions from this thread.
>
> I added some calcium carbonate, which I actually had on hand, but had
> forgotten about.
> that alone, however, did not start the fermentation.
>
> I had a pack of Lavlin EC, and I rehydrated that in a cup of very warm
> water mixed with a bit of sugar and yeast energizer, and a couple of
> tablespoons of the must. within a couple of hours it was bubbling
> away. I added a couple more table spoons. Next morning, still
> fermenting, so I added 1/4 cup. At lunch, another. By supper time,
> 1/2 cup. Before bed, another 1/2 cup. When I woke, 1 cup. At lunch,
> I swirled it all around and gently poured it on top of the must in the
> primary. By supper, it had a nice cap as all the cranberry sludge was
> pushed to the top. . . . aaaaah, the sweet sweet smell of fermentation,
> and the joy of not wasting my fruit or my work!
>
> Thanks again for the ideas....
> Have a blessed Christmas, y'all!
>