Re-starting stuck ferment

partsbill · Post by **partsbill** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:17 am

Referring to my last thread:

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5051

I've decided to start with much more sugar, more yeast and today I'm buying a hydrometer for SG counts. I've still got @ 30 gallons of wash thats still kinda sweet and has no ferment action going on at all. Should I (a) toss this out or (b) try some other yeast such as EC-1118 and some more sugar and try to re-start it. I do already have 25 lbs of sugar and 25 pounds of corn inversted plus it did ferment for @3-4 days before crashing down.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:28 am

EC-1118 is good for stuck fermentations.

Is the wash under an airlock, or is it open? What is the temp of the wash? What is the SG? Don't go for really high alcohol washes -- you're increasing your chances of a stuck ferment.

Aidas

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:52 am

if it highern 8 when it sticks run it or cut it in 1/2 an make 2 barels.
or draw enough off to get bout or below 5 an get it goin again an put what you drawed off in your doublein keg.
hole lotta thangs can cause a wine to stick an it can stick low anor not start.
like aidas say the higher the harder.
so im tole

partsbill · Post by **partsbill** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:52 am

its open at @65 degrees. I'll know the SG tonite with my new hydrometer.
Not going for super high just ran into a probelm with my mash the last 6 times I've mixed and its not figured out quite yet.

thanks

partsbill · Post by **partsbill** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:56 am

i may??? have fudged a bit on the 30 gallon fermenter. its actually 3-30 gallon fermenters. I don't have the room to split it in 1/2. As it stands now, i'm trying to figure out how to swap it back into my fermenters once the current;high sugar/high yeast washes are done. I'm going to need a 90 gallon holding tank!!!

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:14 am

in wine makein they say if it sticks after it gets over 7 % you aint gonna get it workin again. if you aint got room . run it. an see what it can do.
save your suger its goin up.

partsbill · Post by **partsbill** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:32 am

Since I don't have a starting sg, am I going to be able to determine the alc. content?

Post by **HookLine** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:23 am

partsbill wrote:Since I don't have a starting sg, am I going to be able to determine the alc. content?

Maybe.

If you know the amount of sugar used (in kilograms), the ferment volume (in litres), and that it has fully fermented out (has no sweet taste), then

kg sugar ÷ litres of ferment ÷ 0.017 = % abv

(Sorry, only got a metric version.)

I never measure my starting or final SG. Don't need to, and couldn't be bothered (cause I'm a fat lazy bastard). It is just one more tool to break.

However, if you haven't fully fermented out, then it could be a problem.

partsbill · Post by **partsbill** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:13 pm

HookLine wrote:
partsbill wrote:Since I don't have a starting sg, am I going to be able to determine the alc. content?
Maybe.

If you know the amount of sugar used (in kilograms), the ferment volume (in litres), and that it has fully fermented out (has no sweet taste), then

kg sugar ÷ litres of ferment ÷ 0.017 = % abv

(Sorry, only got a metric version.)

I never measure my starting or final SG. Don't need to, and couldn't be bothered (cause I'm a fat lazy bastard). It is just one more tool to break.

However, if you haven't fully fermented out, then it could be a problem.

GREAT I could live with this. 15.876kg suagr/113.53 liter wash/.017=8.226%

But I think I'm not fermenting out anywhere near completion. Therefore I'm going to try the ample quantity of EC-1118 yeast to try to restart and finish a little higher. We'll see!!??!

Post by **bronzdragon** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:47 pm

If it were me, I'd pitch the yeast you're getting and see if it takes off again. If the wash is still sweet then it has not fermented all the way out. If it doesn't take off in a week, I'd just run it like was said above and start over, and make some changes with the next batch.

cheers

~r~

CoopsOz · Post by **CoopsOz** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:59 pm

What I would do is draw a 500m sample and throw some yeast on it, if it takes off you know your in for a show. Now go back to your fermenter with your new, fresh starter and throw it in, I would also throw in a handful of wheatgerm and a couple of tablespoons of DAP (if you've got it).

pintoshine · Post by **pintoshine** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:33 pm

Throw it away and mark it up to experience. We all have had to do that once in a while. Study up on the correct nutrition for yeast. It is a plant after all. You are not doing a chemical reaction you are growing a colony of fungus, white plants. It is not rocket science but it is exacting enough to make a baker cringe. It is creating an environment for for white, single cell plants to grow and use anaerobic respiration to create alcohol.
So here is the thing. Yeasts need b vitamins, protein, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and particles to grow on. They cannot tolerate very high sugar above 1.120 very well. and they need heat and a ph between 5 and 2.

It is stuck because one of these needs was not met. It is not Yeast turns sugar into alcohol
Maybe just maybe you got some studying to do.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:49 pm

Being a bit frugal, I can see where you're hesitant to throw out the wash. Regardless of whether you do or not, I think your problems are manifold:

1. Too much sugar (too ambitious -- lower your abv expectations -- you'll have easier washes and better product)
2. Don't open ferment -- I suspect that your wash is infected and that's why it's stuck. The good yeast cannot win out over the enemy. I'm not talking about the fiery ferment stage (days 1-3), after that you should cover up. Even when you're open you should have covering on the fermenter.
3. 65 is a bit cool (though that's pretty much the temp that I ferment at too), try fermenting in a slightly warmer place -- 70-72 degrees F or 18 C.

Aidas

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 3:34 am

run it for the learnin.

bout time to do alittle cleanin
so im tole

aidas these boys dont call it frugal they call it dirt floor poor.

jake · Post by **jake** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:34 am

im with goose run it.
then let it cool; check the backset for the SG; if it is as Pint said 1.12 or lower.hopefully it will be. add some nutrents and pitch a load of 1118
let it ferment again. if you can check your PH that would be helpful to
hey good luck! keep studying.

partsbill · Post by **partsbill** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 1:13 pm

I think I'll start all over again with a clean slate. I'm sure i could have cleaned better, plus the break just might do me good. Only bad thing is that this is the drinking time of year for me and my friends. Thanks for all the help. There is still much for me to learn and with all the possibilities of problems out there as noted by all you kind folk, I need to go back and read, read, read, from the start just as i did when i started.

Thanks once again for all the help!!