K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Production methods from starch to sugars.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Slivovitz
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 208
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:01 pm
Location: Underground bunker

K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by Slivovitz »

I've got five gallons of damson plums with ec-1118 and four or five gallon with k1-v1116.

Both are under airlock in a Carboy type fermenter and have almost two weeks elapsed at this point. It's been stored inside the house around 75 degrees constantly. Both of them are for men stopped bubbling and showing signs of fermentation a few days ago. I used a refractometer two tests and both were roughly 1.050.

Both wine tasted great but it's safe to say there's more sugar to ferment as they are not dry tasting.

I've never used either of these yast before without adding sugar to a must. This time I just liquefied the fruit and let the natural yeast go a few days before pitching the commercial yeast.

I put the cap back on both carboys gave them a vigorous stirring and late shaking. Both of them formed a new cap after several hours. There was some almost immediate bubbling but that seems to have slowed down now about 24 hours later.

Should I let them go like this or try to get a little bit more yeast started in a nice warm environment with a couple ounces of Plum juice?

I don't think it would be a good idea to cook it on Pulp at this specific gravity. Plus that indicates roughly a 5% wine when the yeast is tolerant to 17% or more. Starting gravity was 1.085 current gravity 1.050

This is important because I have 45 to 50 gal of the same plums in a barrel which were on natural yeast fermentation for 5 days this cap was third in a few times. Then k1-v1116 was added on day 6 or 7 which formed an ice cap and is still bubbling away. The specific gravity in that Barrel is also 1.050 after about eight days.
User avatar
subbrew
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1275
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:40 pm
Location: West of the Mississippi

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by subbrew »

Have/can you check ph? I have used EC-1118 for wine, cider and mead and it always went dry. The only time I had it stall was some cider from tart apples. On that instance, I added some potassium bicarb and then pitched D47. Since then on any tart cider I pitch D47 as it seems to tolerate low Ph better than other yeast.
Slivovitz
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 208
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:01 pm
Location: Underground bunker

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by Slivovitz »

PH was roughly 3.5 at the start
User avatar
shadylane
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10363
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:54 pm
Location: Hiding In the Boiler room of the Insane asylum

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by shadylane »

Slivovitz wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 3:46 pm
It's been stored inside the house around 75 degrees constantly. Both of them are for men stopped bubbling and showing signs of fermentation a few days ago. I used a refractometer two tests and both were roughly 1.050.

A refractometer is the wrong tool to use after fermentation starts.
Alcohol makes it read way higher than the gravity really is.
Measure it with a hydrometer. The SG will probably be around 1.010 :wink:
User avatar
jonnys_spirit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3630
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 7:58 am
Location: The Milky Way

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by jonnys_spirit »

+1 on hydrometer. For accurate samples I’ll take about a cup and blend to incorporate any remaining sugars bound up in the solids then strain through a sieve / cheesecloth in order to separate liquid. Then shake in a mason jar and burp out any CO2 to release gas - then measure.

Cheers!
-j
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
Slivovitz
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 208
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:01 pm
Location: Underground bunker

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by Slivovitz »

So do I need to make an adjustment to the ph and try and restart this if it is in fact stalled? I used a floating hydrometer as well and and registered almost exactly the same number

Go figure I opened up the airlock and stuck my hand in there to get a sample with a wine thief and now I've got a little bit of white lacto coming in on top. I've either got to get this restarted and dried out to 1.01 for I've got to run it like this
Slivovitz
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 208
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:01 pm
Location: Underground bunker

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by Slivovitz »

How do I adjust the pH once it's already going?
User avatar
shadylane
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10363
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:54 pm
Location: Hiding In the Boiler room of the Insane asylum

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by shadylane »

Slivovitz wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 3:01 pm How do I adjust the pH once it's already going?
If I were lucky enough to have a barrel full of plums. :D
And I "needed" to adjust the pH, I'd do it Carefully
There's a race going between yeast and bacteria and the winner gets the plums.
Don't raise the pH above 4.0ish. Bacterial hates low pH. Yeast doesn't mind as much. :wink:
Last edited by shadylane on Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
shadylane
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10363
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:54 pm
Location: Hiding In the Boiler room of the Insane asylum

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by shadylane »

Slivovitz wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 3:46 pm I

This is important because I have 45 to 50 gal of the same plums in a barrel which were on natural yeast fermentation for 5 days this cap was third in a few times. Then k1-v1116 was added on day 6 or 7 which formed an ice cap and is still bubbling away. The specific gravity in that Barrel is also 1.050 after about eight days.
It's still fermenting, wait awhile.
The barrel of fruit is going to get even uglier before it's done. :lol:
Sulaiman
Novice
Posts: 43
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2017 6:36 pm

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by Sulaiman »

About 50 yeats ago when I was into making wine from various fruits,
I would cover the fruit in just-boiled water to kill natural yeasts, moulds, bacteria etc.
Then top up with cold water, add yeast etc.

Why give the bad stuff a head start on your yeast?

I found that if I boiled the fruit before fermentation it would not clarify itself.
But sterilising everything with boiling hot water before adding yeast,
the wine always clarified itself quite quickly.
Slivovitz
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 208
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:01 pm
Location: Underground bunker

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by Slivovitz »

Last year I let wild yeast fully ferment my plums. It went okay. That's the traditional way it's worked for hundreds of years it works for me. This year I want to see if a combination of wild yeast and then commercial yeast yielded better results.

I've got two small containers as previously mentioned which the cap has finally sunk down on its own. I have to assume they're ready to go I will cuss with a hydrometer again tonight and if it floats anywhere close to 1.01 on going to run it in fact it was 1.02 on still running it. Black toe is sitting on top and although I did exhaustive research and found it contributes flavorful Esters that will benefit the must I don't want anything that makes vinegar taking hold.


I really never understood why it's necessary to check pH and had all these chemicals or natural supplements when fermenting fruit. People have literally been fermenting fruit and then drinking it or as long as there's been people and fruit. The search for Perfection is one thing but I'm trying to keep what I do all natural and go by touch taste and feel.

I know sometimes my questions may not explain my true motive but as little intervention by man in the process as possible is my goal.
User avatar
Ben
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1292
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:13 am
Location: Colorado

Re: K1-V1116 and ec1118 fermentation speed

Post by Ben »

Strange your having this problem with 1118, it is designed to ferment in really difficult environments. If it is still at 1.050 now I would degas and aerate, see if you can get the yeast reproducing and working again. The only other thought is you have may fruit that was treated to prevent yeast growth?
:)
Post Reply