Calcium carbonate

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Dbates113
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Calcium carbonate

Post by Dbates113 »

Hey gang, so I’m doing a run of sugar wash, I’ve started monitoring my ph and noticed last time it dropped to about 3. So I bought some calcium carbonate from LD Carlson and added 1/2 tsp per gallon like the instructions said, my fermentation started quickly but it’s releasing a unpleasant smell. My best description is it smells like a hot fart that just won’t go away, wife’s complaining and blaming me and the dogs. Is this normal?

I use San star on everything , I just started it today so there’s no infection. Help before she sends me and my fermenters packing lol.
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shadylane
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Re: Calcium carbonate

Post by shadylane »

Have you added any yeast nutrients.
Such as DAP, boiled yeast or Epsom salts ?
Dbates113
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Re: Calcium carbonate

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I haven’t, just sugar , water and a mix of distillers yeast and bakers yeast, SG was 1.065 and ph was 6.5ish, should I add nutrients? I’ve been reading on here a lot , each fermenter has 7 gals water, 10 lbs sugar, 1/4 cup of red star distillers yeast and 1/4 cup active bakers yeast, been having good results so far with Wineo’s recipe until I added this calcium to it and now my house smells like a boiled egg factory 😂
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bluefish_dist
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Re: Calcium carbonate

Post by bluefish_dist »

Rotten egg is sulfur. I think you have something going on due to the high ph. Pitch ph should be 5.2-5.4 and then drop to 4 ish. 6.5 is way too high and will keep the yeast from propagating well, so you will have to overpitch. I learned that one the hard way. When I went from 6.5 at pitch to 5.3 ish, my washes finished a lot better.

Even with sanitizing you can get an infection. Better to let ph drop some, just not too much as it makes it harder for the bad stuff to grow.
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Dbates113
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Re: Calcium carbonate

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I’m check ph now, thanks for help gang will update in a few
Dbates113
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Re: Calcium carbonate

Post by Dbates113 »

Ph is running 5.6 to 5.7
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Re: Calcium carbonate

Post by Dbates113 »

So what’s best way to drop ph, did the calcicum carbonate make it higher? I was going to add it 3 days into the ferment but instructions say add before fermentation
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shadylane
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Re: Calcium carbonate

Post by shadylane »

Dbates113 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 5:17 pm I haven’t, just sugar , water and a mix of distillers yeast and bakers yeast, SG was 1.065 and ph was 6.5ish, should I add nutrients?
Definitely
Bring a small pan full of water to boil, turn off the heat and mix in a 1/4 cup of bakers yeast.
Let it cool and pour it into the ferment. I'd also recommend some epsom salt and DAP.

Plan B would be to buy some readymade yeast nutrients.
Get Fermaid K or something similar.

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bluefish_dist
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Re: Calcium carbonate

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Dbates113 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 5:54 pm So what’s best way to drop ph, did the calcicum carbonate make it higher? I was going to add it 3 days into the ferment but instructions say add before fermentation
To drop ph for pitching add a little citric acid or lemon juice. That’s why it’s in the tried and true recipes. Once the fermentation is started the production of co2 will drop the ph and you have to add calcium carbonate to neutralize the acid and control the ph.
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greggn
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Re: Calcium carbonate

Post by greggn »

Dbates113 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 4:11 pm my fermentation started quickly but it’s releasing a unpleasant smell. My best description is it smells like a hot fart that just won’t go away, wife’s complaining and blaming me and the dogs.
In addition to the other recommendations for pH control and nutrients ...

Consider replacing your airlock with a blow-off tube. Run the tube into a jug of water with a splash of bleach and your fermentation room will smell more like an indoor pool than a garbage dump.

shadylane wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:29 pm Bring a small pan full of water to boil, turn off the heat and mix in a 1/4 cup of bakers yeast.
Let it cool and pour it into the ferment. I'd also recommend some epsom salt and DAP.
... and if your wife didn't like the smell of your fermenter she's not going to like the smell of boiled yeast. It's a great, and cheap, nutrient but smells awful. Wait until she's out of the house before boiling.
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Demy
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Re: Calcium carbonate

Post by Demy »

Hi, the smell you feel comes from sulfur compounds. Generally this happens when the yeast is subjected to some stress (low temperature, lack of nutrients, wrong pH etc.) It can also happen that both the yeast strain that naturally behaves in this way (for example some Lager yeasts). In your case it could be due to fast passage between an acid pH and then basic then the yeast suffered. My advice: if the pH has stabilized a good nourishment (I use boiled yeast), an adequate temperature and lets ferment, that smell will disappear towards the end of fermentation.
Dbates113
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Re: Calcium carbonate

Post by Dbates113 »

Thanks everyone got it all under control now, thanks for the help and wisdom. I did 3 things different this time, my starting temp was a lot lower, probably by 10-15 degrees, I forgot to add lemon juice which was just my bad since I may have possibly been sipping when I started it and added calcium too early, oh well live and learn, thanks so much this place is awesome. :D
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