Powdered Malt Extract and AG Whiskey Yeast question / issue

hutchicj · Post by **hutchicj** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:45 am

Hello

I am trying to make what will hopefully be a simple scotch style whiskey.

I started by boiling about 7 litres of water and adding 2 Kg of light powdered malt extract with 1.5 Kg of Corn sugar. I boiled for about 20 mins, and then added to a 25 litre bucket and topped up to 21-22 litres of cool water. Final temp was 28-29 degrees C, and SG was 1.060. I then added 1 packet of Gert Strand Whiskey Yeast, let is sit for a few minutes on the surface and then stirred it in.

It has been 24 hours now, and I am hardly seeing any activity at all. I see the occassional bubble, but I really would have expected to see more.

Does anyone have any ideas?

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:11 am

unless thats how the yeast package recommended to do it....I'd say thats a really poor way to rehydrate yeast. Making a starter or at least rehydrating the yeast in plain water is best. Otherwise that is not an unusual lag time.

hutchicj · Post by **hutchicj** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 9:05 am

Thanks Dawg - I had wondered about that, but I followed the seller's recommendations directly from the web site:

"Add the yeast directly to the mash to avoid problems. One sachet is enough to ferment 6.6 US gallons (25 liters) whisk(e)y mash.

Most problems with whisky mash fermentation are from wild fermentation or bacteria in the mash. Using stater culture is what usually causes this: it must be sterile. This type of failure can happen to anyone. Our whiskey yeast contains enough yeast cells to start without a culture. Just sprinkle the yeast on the surface of the room-tempered mash, wait 15 minutes, then mix it with the mash."

Anyone else had experience with this kind of wash and yeast?

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:10 pm

Hmmm? Thats a pretty odd instruction. I think somefolks here have used that yeast with good results. Saying that making starters is a major source of infections is strange to my ears tho. So hows it doing now after a little more time? Checking the sg will let you know more about whats going on.

hutchicj · Post by **hutchicj** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 4:41 am

Hey Dawg,

Last night I added some yeast nutirent and citric acid and gave the wash a good stir. I also wrapped a heating blanket around the bucket and got the temp up to 25 deg C before turning it off

This morning (now 48 hours after yeast was pitched) it looked like it was bubbing along all right. I probably wasn't patient enough.

This will be my first attempt at a whiskey style wash. I have done turbos with sugar before - but never anything like this. Hope it comes out OK.

Thanks for the help.

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:34 am

I've uses the GT whiskey yeast lots, never with malt extracts but with many different grain mashes. The way you pitched it is totally correct...I always had excellent results with this yeast.

hutchicj · Post by **hutchicj** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:16 am

Thanks for the tip Uncle Remus!