Watermelon peach

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Bavis54
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Watermelon peach

Post by Bavis54 »

While bak I was given some watermelons and half a bushel of peaches. I washed everything n made a wash out of it- no sugar no water just watermelons n peaches. I de rhined melons, n squashed peaches good n put in a fermenter. Added ec 118 yeast. Worked off great for 3 days then it got a white powdery coating to cap, I stirred cap once a day n everyday the white mold looking powdery stuff got more n more. With 6 melons n peaches it made about 9-10 gal of wash. I tried gravity check but juice threw it off.I left it alone and after 14 days n I distilled it today... not very good so far. Heck I only got 2 qt of alcohol at 100-110 proof hearts. Can't believe so little alcohol. I think the white stuff messed it up- anyone ever have this happen?? Before the white stuff started it smelled great!! U could smell the alcohol but after white stuff started it jus kinda went away- didn't smell bad but def didn't smell same as before. I really wanna kno wat the fuck it was n how to prevent it. I had such high hopes for this bc at first it was amazing . Thanks guys-
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still_stirrin
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by still_stirrin »

Did you check opening and finishing gravities? What about the pH? You washed, but didn't boil the must? Chances are you got a bacterial ferment. You probably have it throughout your brewery. Sometimes it is OK...but sometimes it's a curse. It sounds like this time it was the latter.

Oh, and although watermelon tastes sweet and is quite watery when you eat it, there is not a lot of fermentable sugars (per volume) in it...mostly a lot of water and pulp. So, a low product volume is not surprising.

But the white cap is indicative of your processes....sloppy. If you don't like it, then you've got some work to do to clean it up. Good luck.
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by goose eye »

You gotta spray watermelon once a week with fungicide if want to make any for the market. You dont do it cause you wanna do it you do it cause you gotta do it. Watermelon goes to the bad quick.
You gotta start your your yeast the day before . I take it you washed every thang down with bleach.
You gotta keep everythang clean. Watermelon timein is everythang. Ole boys never liked watermelon cause even when you work it off you still aint got nothin but we aint makein it.
Like i said watermelon sitin in a barrel will go to the bad overnight if you aint bum rushin it.


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Bavis54
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by Bavis54 »

I did not boil must. I've done 11 fruit - peach runs this yr, 6 of them 50 gal in each barrel n never had this- never had any issues bc of my(sloppy) processes. ...never boiled must but some did get boiling inverted sugar water added to pulp n juice . Maybe that's it. Maybe should've boiled must.This first melon I ever tried, it was wonderful for first 3 days after yeast pitched, watevr it was started at the 3 day mark. I use the hell outta bleach cleaning barrels and everything that touches my stuff, the place where must is housed stays anywhere from 68-80 degrees this time yr. it's not in a stainless warehouse but it's clean. Just wanted see if you guys ever seen or experienced this- thank you for ur input.
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goose eye
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by goose eye »

It most likely wont the peaches it was the watermelon.

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Bavis54
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by Bavis54 »

Thank u goose eye. I' never considered or thought about watermelons bein more succeptable to bacteria. I had really big hopes for it bc u get so much juice from them, the first 3 days after yeast pitch- went fine it smelled like great combo of watermelon n peach. The fourth day I popped lid on barrel n stirred cap up n noticed it. Everyday after the white stuff jus got more n more. I dunno if mold or bacteria spore got in one those times I stirred, or if somehow it was in melon. At any rate I not doin anymore melon.
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by Shine0n »

Mold is everywhere and ya just can't avoid it in most areas as it's in the air, so if ya don't want mold use a lab or build a bunker with forced fresh air purification system. lol
As goose said and I didn't know that about melons.
I thought of boiling to reduce the water content and have it more of a concentrate to add to the peach must.?.?.?.?

No idea bubba, at least you didn't try it in a 55 gal of peach!

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MichiganCornhusker
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

Recently, someone posted that bleach, or chlorine, isn't a good idea around the still house:

http://nyloveswhisky.com/lost-spirits-update/
Bleach in a distillery is not a good choice. Best to avoid it even for cleaning since it can sit in drains and still cause issues.


Here is the thread: http://www.homedistiller.org/forum/view ... 50&t=67069" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Not sure if that had anything to do with your troubles but maybe try a different cleaner?
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goose eye
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by goose eye »

Ole boys dont got many drains where there makein thangs. You pour bout a pint in a barrel fill it up an leave it in the sun. Pour it out wash it out let it dry in the sun . Put you head in it an smell. You smell bleach then rinse it again an let it dry.
You got used cannin jars . Fill up a barrel put bleach in it then sink all the jars. Leave em in the sun for a couple days. Dump the barrel wash the jars out an they ready unless you had beans in em. Aint nothin gonna take that stain off.
All this is unscented bleach.
You mixin wine clean your paddle before you put it in the next barrel to stir or you gonna cross contaminate if one got a issue.

Now these is the old ways an im sure ole boys been doin somethin wrong but it works for them

Just read the thang bout fiber an bleach. What fiber is you usein bleach in. Aint never here of anyone bleachin a oak barrel round here.
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ga flatwoods
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by ga flatwoods »

Never could make a decent watermelon wine and believe me, I made a lot of different wines!
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SilverBullet
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by SilverBullet »

Opening the lid on your fermenter everyday isn't a good idea. I wonder if you left it sealed with an airlock from start to finish, if it would have got mold or not
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Shine0n
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by Shine0n »

SilverBullet wrote:Opening the lid on your fermenter everyday isn't a good idea. I wonder if you left it sealed with an airlock from start to finish, if it would have got mold or not
Then he would not have a way to punch down the cap.

This just solidifies me not doing watermelon as likker and just stick to eating the sweet tangs with a little salt.
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PipeWelder316
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by PipeWelder316 »

ga flatwoods wrote:Never could make a decent watermelon wine and believe me, I made a lot of different wines!
Ga Flatwoods
I hear ya, flatwoods, I too have made many many different wines. I used to add 10 lbs of sugar to 2 medium watermelons blended with a blender for 5 gallon wine. used bread yeast.
my wife and I used to call it rocket fuel. It would lose all color after a few weeks of fermenting and the finished product didn't taste like a watermelon at all. We used to just mix it with 7up or sprite.
I would think you should make a peach brandy and add some watermelon extract to it to get the desired flavor your looking for.
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Re: Watermelon peach

Post by MDH »

MichiganCornhusker wrote:Recently, someone posted that bleach, or chlorine, isn't a good idea around the still house:

http://nyloveswhisky.com/lost-spirits-update/
Bleach in a distillery is not a good choice. Best to avoid it even for cleaning since it can sit in drains and still cause issues.


Here is the thread: http://www.homedistiller.org/forum/view ... 50&t=67069" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Not sure if that had anything to do with your troubles but maybe try a different cleaner?
Davis blamed trichloroanisole as the culprit. It's accurate to blame chlorine, but trichloroanisole is not the sole culprit. Rather, all number of chlorinated organic compounds are to blame:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinfection_by-product" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Essentially, chlorine prevents bacteria in the water from using traces of organic matter to reproduce by reacting with the organic matter, rendering them unable to metabolize it.
The still is not a liar. Mash and ferment quality is 99.9% of your performance.
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