Yeast issue, Process issue or???

[MM-Brew]

Good Day to you all
This was my first Birdwatchers TPW . I was excited to do this run as this was my largest amount mash I've made to date. Also this was my first non turbo neutral run.
This was about 75L in total but in 3 buckets. 30L, 2x 25L. I did the same process for all three buckets. I added close to the same amounts of ingredient to each bucket at each step. I did try and make 25L in each bucket.
42g (6 packs) Red Start yest re-hydrated at 110* and pitched at 90*
9 OZ of TaMater Paste (TP) a can and 1/3
enough sugar to reach a SG of 1.07 I did make lots of checks to keep them REAL close to the same reading
4 OZ of lemon juice
1lbs of raisins
water was the City water. I did mixed some between the buckets and boiled some to help get rid of chlorine. I did not let it set for 24+ hours prior to mixing
1 fire- extinguisher on hand and 1 more in the next room.
Process
I did sanitized all buckets and equipment with iodophor sanitizer before starting. Then I do rinse them twice B4 stating.I stated with 12 cups of sugar w/TP/ and lemon Juice then added HOT water (low boil) to dissolve. Then added cool /warm water to bring it up to 25L in the low 90's*f. Then I start my SG testing to get close to the 1.07 mark to pitch yeast. I did re-hydrate the yeast at 110*f and pitched the yeast into the buckts were in the low 90's*f. This took off like a rocket!!!!
I did let this set for 2 weeks in my small insulated room in my basement. 1st week was with the heat on (in the 60's) and wrapped in blankets. the next week was with not heat still wrapped in blankets. After 5 days I so no bubbles/activity in the air lock for 25 min.
The FG was at 1.04 at the end of 5 days and when I went to do the stripping run. When I did taste the mash, it did taste a little sweet. lesson learned that there may be an issue.
The issue
I'm not sure where things went wrong. But what ever I did, I did the same thing to all 3 of them. Not sure if that is a good thing or not. I'm going with its a good thing.
When I checked on them about 3 hours later. I had fountain coming out of 1 air lock (not enough head space. Lesson Learned )and it looked like it was going to blow the lid off at any moment. The 2nd Air lock had a constant steam of bubbles coming out (this had more head space ) the third one was going good (lots of head space). I then popped all of the tops to loosely sit on them for the next day. Then the activity went down to what I'd call normal activity. I don't check the SG until at least day 4. I do check on them at least twice day. On day 5 the FG was close to 1.04 in all three. I did not sample the taste of mash at this time, but I'm going to start doing that. With all that crazy activity I had in the beginning I was thinking that the raisin and or TP was causing a false reading of .04 and deiced to stop the heat so it could clear in a cool environment. It had been over 12 hours with no change in FG
I did strip one bucket and I collected 5 jars. by the time i collected the first 200ml was collected the temp was in the 190's*f. 1st Jar was @ 55% and the temp was 195*f and I collected down to just under the 20% and the temp was @ 215*f. The temp went form 81.5 - 185 in a minute or supper quick. I was not more then 10 feet from my still during this time. Normally for me this happen much closet to 100*f. I just glad i turned on the water earlier then I normally do.
Other two buckets
I did re-heat the mash of the other two to get the temp back up into the mid to high 80's*f and re-pitched another 42G of the same yeast. I did re-hydrated the yeast at 110*f. For 1st bucket I was getting ready run this one next. I had already racked it off and pored it back forth between tow buckets to remove some CO2. I thinking this got some oxygen in it and with the mixing .The 2nd bucket still has the old yeast and I'll need to aerate this one tonight. As it just got some stirring to mix up the yeast and warm water.

Should I added some more TP to the mash? Is the TP the nutrient for this mash? I was thinking of adding something like 1/3 to 1/2 can to the mash? but I wanted to ask before I did anything. Anyone see where I can I make some improvements, on this run or in my process ?

Links
Iodophor
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007R64URO/re ... rd_w=eq7mV" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[still_stirrin]

Did you check the pH on any of the buckets? I’m suspicious that it may be down around 3.5, or so. That’s just too acidic and stops the yeast. On the birdwatchers, it very often happens because there is nothing in the wash to buffer the acid production.

So, your ferment stopped early, not fully reducing the fermentable sugars. And then when you distilled the washes, there wasn’t much alcohol in it so the temperatures jumped up quickly.

In summary, I would suggest switching to Rad’s All Bran recipe in stead of the birdwatchers. The bran flakes provide very useful nutrients yet help buffer the sugar ferment reducing the liklihood of a pH crash. Plus, it makes a nicer neutral when distilled, ie - less sugar burn.
ss

edited to add: If you did indeed have a pH crash, you should raise the pH with some pickling lime (calcium hydroxide). It can be found in the canning section of your local grocery store. It is an effective base to raise the pH. If, on the other hand, you’re just starting a wash, try putting some calcium carbonate (egg shells/oyster shells) in the wash to act as a pH buffer.

[MM-Brew]

I've never done anything with the shells. Do you need to boil the egg shells or just grind them up finely? I'll go check the PH today

[StillerBoy]

You don't need addition nutrients (tomato paste), as they is plenty already.. as SS stated, you have a ph issue, sugar wash are known for acid drop within the first 24 hrs.. a good sign of an acid problem is the quick start in fermentation activity, then it dies down or stalls.. if you have any acid reducer, as mention use that, or as a quick fix, you can try acid relief tablets such Tums..

Mars

[StillerBoy]

I've never done anything with the shells. Do you need to boil the egg shells or just grind them up finely?

Just clean them, wash them good, and brake them into small pieces.. they are best used at the start, adding them after a stalled, with take lots to turn it around.. at the start you looking at maybe 2/3 to half a cup.. that why calcium carbonate works faster at the 24 hr mark, but it will still require about 4 or 5 heaping teaspoon to bring it down to about a Ph of 4.5 to 5..

As I stated in my other post, right now Tums is the better way to go, in my view, if you done have access to the other ingredients..

Mars

[MM-Brew]

Thank you for the advice

I'm off to the store to get some PH strips, pickling lime (calcium hydroxide) and maybe some tums

[greggn]

> 1st week was with the heat on (in the 60's) and wrapped in blankets. the next week was with not heat still wrapped in blankets.


... and those temps are compatible with your yeast ? Are you sure ?

[MM-Brew]

stopped. By the local beer supply store to pick up litmus paper2. They had 2oz potassium chloride and 2 oz of calcium chloride (may have wrong names)both said they were acid reducers. I also used 2 tums with them as well. The paper said it was around 3 a Redish orange after adding and stirring waiting for the foam to go away. It was now close to 4 more of yellow orange.
The litmus paper is not that specific. Im going to check it again tonight and see if it changed. I'm going to go look to the calcium hydroxide again as well. I'm thinking I'll need to add some yo it to bring it 5 more yellow on my paper cha

[MM-Brew]

> 1st week was with the heat on (in the 60's) and wrapped in blankets. the next week was with not heat still wrapped in blankets.
[color=# this is the rough temperature of the room. I apologize for not making that clear in the beginning. As before I did not monitor or notice the ambient air temperature of where I was keeping my Mash. As a new habit to start I will Monitor and document the temperature. As before if the mass showed a temperature I was good with that. I now know that I should strive to keep a more constant temperature of the mash. This is a tex t to speech update. As I am not breaking the law and updating this while driving. /color]

... and those temps are compatible with your yeast ? Are you sure ?

[still_stirrin]

....They had 2oz potassium chloride and 2 oz of calcium chloride (may have wrong names)both said they were acid reducers....I'm going to go look to the calcium hydroxide again....

I wouldn’t trust your LHBS sales clerk. Both KCL (potassium chloride) and CaCL (calcium chloride) are salts...not bases. You need a base to raise pH.

Carbonates (CO3) are negative ions which will attach to the positive H ions in an acid. But, hydroxides (OH) are much more powerful negative ions for attracting the positive H ions.

While salts will disassociate in the wash, it will not raise the pH of the wash. It will just introduce chloride ions into the wash which also can be threatening to the vitality of your yeast.

So, the LHBS sales clerk has lead you astray suggesting the salts for your ferment. Both of those salts are used for water adjustment when mashing grains, although chloride ions are still less desireable in the wort. But when mashing grains (for beer), the wort is generally boiled (for hop addition) and that will liberate the chloride ions.

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a very weak base and would require too much to correct the pH problem. Sodium carbonate can be made from baking soda (Google it on the internet) and it is a little stronger base than baking soda. But I strongly suggest picking up some calcium hydroxide (pickling lime) from the grocery store. It will work 10 times better, or more.

And Tums are also calcium carbonate and buffered with sugar. So, they should help you although they are a little more expensive than the chicken feed eggshells (available at the farm supply stores). I bought a 40 lb. bag for less than $10 US.

As for the pH strips, you need strips with a test range from 3 to 8 at least. I found strips on the internet with a 3 to 12 pH range and they work great. $5 for 2 dozen strips. Getcha’ some.
ss

[MM-Brew]

Thank GD Wally World and It was the 3rd store. But I'm now the proud owner of 2lbs of Picking Lime. I just added 3 and 1/2 TSP to each bucket gave it a good stir I let it set for about 10 min then gave it a check. It looks like it's sitting close to a PH of 5. My papers I have are a 2 -10. Looks like I may be back on track.
I'm going to have to get a bigger note book to keep track of all this data.
Thank you for the all the info and help you've given me today.
With all this that's been going the temp has gone down more then what I like. I have the heater in the room turned up some and I added a electric blanket to help keep what temp I have or maybe bring it up a little yo finish off the mash
I post an update on the progress of the mash and my end results.

[MM-Brew]

HERE THE UPDATE
Good Day to you all.
I had 1, 6 an 1/2 gallon bucket and a 1, 25 l bucket with the TPW. The FG was1.01 There was no bubles. I went and stripped both them. There were not 100% mature but needed to run them to move on to the next batch. When completed I had about 4 gallons of low wines from all three of them. I did charge the boiler with a gallon of faints when I went to do the stripping run.
I ran with both sections of my column in pot still mode, to see what happens. My first jaw was at 190 then dropped to 175 by the 3 jar.
My collection using quart jars
Jars 1-4 ,collected 700 mils amounts (heads or i hope its all heads )
Jars 5-23, collected 400 mills (give me room to dilute the shine).
Jars 24-26 full jars for faints I ended this at 111*f it was still in the high 30%.
It was a busy day at da house, with all that I did TWP. I was still able to make my first 40L of Sweet feed with sugar red star yeast SG of 1.08 and 6 gallons of a corn with sugar SG 1.08.
Thanks again for the advice and the chance to learn something new.

[StillerBoy]

There's always something new to learn in this hobby.. getting the right tools and ingredients at the start, is the best advise that can be given to beginners.. without them it become a disappointment at every turn, as witnessed by so many posting.. the rest comes with experiencing the hobby..

Your're on your way..

Mars