Hi Guys and Girls,
I would like some advice if you don't mind.
I have a small 15 litre fermenter that i use for experimenting etc, today i decided to try Birdwatchers recipe (thanks heaps by the way)out as per the following -
2 Kg Plain Sugar
1/4 tsp citric acid
Tiny pinch on Epsom Salts
140 gram tub of Tomato Paste
Rain water at 30 deg filled to 11.5 litre mark
1 small sachet of Lalvin EC1118
In my thinking this should give me a wash around 10% mark?
This seems to be rather sluggish ferment it is bubbling but only just say 1 bubble every 20 - 30 seconds?
I do rum washes normally in a 25 Litre fermenter with no issues this paste wash is bubbling heaps slower seems to be struggling any ideas?
Cheers,
Ruger01.
Fermenting sugar wash issues!?
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Re: Fermenting sugar wash issues!?
We'll see if we can get your wash figured out, ruger01...
Your recipe should have a potential ABV in the range of 10% - 10.2% according to the wash calculator...
Did you heat the water to help dissolve the sugar, boil it to invert the sugar, or was this a cold mix...??? Sounds like a cold mix...
What did the tomato paste list for ingredients...??? It should only list tomatoes...
Was the wash at 30C when you pitched the yeast, or cooler than 86C...??? Also, what is the temperature of the wash now...???
Did you proof your yeast by making a starter or just mix it into the wash...???
From what you've stated in your initial post I'm lead to believe that your wash will lag for 24 - 48 hours due to low temperatures during the preparation process...
Your recipe should have a potential ABV in the range of 10% - 10.2% according to the wash calculator...
Did you heat the water to help dissolve the sugar, boil it to invert the sugar, or was this a cold mix...??? Sounds like a cold mix...
What did the tomato paste list for ingredients...??? It should only list tomatoes...
Was the wash at 30C when you pitched the yeast, or cooler than 86C...??? Also, what is the temperature of the wash now...???
Did you proof your yeast by making a starter or just mix it into the wash...???
From what you've stated in your initial post I'm lead to believe that your wash will lag for 24 - 48 hours due to low temperatures during the preparation process...
Re: Fermenting sugar wash issues!?
Hi Rad,
Well i put the sugar, citric acid, epsom salts and paste in the bottom of the fermenter added about 2 Litres of boiled rain water and stired until all dissolved. I then filled it with rain water to the 11.5 L mark checked the temp and it was 32 degrees celsius so added the yeast sachet to the top sprinkled in and stired in gently, closed the top and filled airlock as per normal.
The ingredients on the paste tub is as follows - No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and 99% fat free. One thing i didn't noticed is it is triple concentrated would this make any difference i.e to much nutrient etc?
Only other info on the tub is a nutritional information label as per normal (it's Leggo's brand)
Cheers,
Ruger01.
Well i put the sugar, citric acid, epsom salts and paste in the bottom of the fermenter added about 2 Litres of boiled rain water and stired until all dissolved. I then filled it with rain water to the 11.5 L mark checked the temp and it was 32 degrees celsius so added the yeast sachet to the top sprinkled in and stired in gently, closed the top and filled airlock as per normal.
The ingredients on the paste tub is as follows - No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and 99% fat free. One thing i didn't noticed is it is triple concentrated would this make any difference i.e to much nutrient etc?
Only other info on the tub is a nutritional information label as per normal (it's Leggo's brand)
Cheers,
Ruger01.
Re: Fermenting sugar wash issues!?
Your mixing sounds alright, ruger01... The ingredient information you provided didn't list actual ingredients... They are usually listed as "tomatoes" or "tomatoes, spices, olive oil, preservatives" or the like... For our use we only want "tomatoes"...
Re: Fermenting sugar wash issues!?
I think you are suffering from the exact same symptom I had when I did my very first batch of Birdwatchers. pH is too low.
I found that my supply of tomato paste has a lower than average pH. (I used 1 tub, which was 170g). That, combined with the citric dropped the pH to 3.5. Overnight it went to 3.0. It just never got going.
Check the pH of your tomato paste. It should be about 3.5 - 5.0 depending on the type of tomatoes used and the season. Tomato paste, being a natural product, is all over the shop.
It takes VERY little citric to drop the pH of a tomato paste wash.
What I did was leave out the citric and drop the tomato paste to 85g (half a tub). You could try 70g. I also use triple concentrated.
Also, make up a citric solution, say, half a teaspoon in 100mls water. It is easy to overshoot powdered citric. A solution allows you to sneak up on it slowly. I aim for about 4.8.
For a 17L (total) wash I use 50g granulated bakers yeast. I don't know how much is in your satchet. I pitch always at 28C.
Hope this helps.
scarecrow
I found that my supply of tomato paste has a lower than average pH. (I used 1 tub, which was 170g). That, combined with the citric dropped the pH to 3.5. Overnight it went to 3.0. It just never got going.
Check the pH of your tomato paste. It should be about 3.5 - 5.0 depending on the type of tomatoes used and the season. Tomato paste, being a natural product, is all over the shop.
It takes VERY little citric to drop the pH of a tomato paste wash.
What I did was leave out the citric and drop the tomato paste to 85g (half a tub). You could try 70g. I also use triple concentrated.
Also, make up a citric solution, say, half a teaspoon in 100mls water. It is easy to overshoot powdered citric. A solution allows you to sneak up on it slowly. I aim for about 4.8.
For a 17L (total) wash I use 50g granulated bakers yeast. I don't know how much is in your satchet. I pitch always at 28C.
Hope this helps.
scarecrow
Re: Fermenting sugar wash issues!?
Thanks scarecrow will try leaving the citric acid out of the next batch, might have to invest in PH strips or something have never used these before. I believe the Lalvin sachet is 10 grams on the pack it said it was good for up to 23 L of wash?
It makes sense what you say about the PH being to low, i re read the tub and am sure the paste only has tomatoes nothing else on the label etc. If i was to check the PH when next home as i am away for a few days now would i be able to tell if the ph was to low or does this change over time etc?
Cheers for the help.
It makes sense what you say about the PH being to low, i re read the tub and am sure the paste only has tomatoes nothing else on the label etc. If i was to check the PH when next home as i am away for a few days now would i be able to tell if the ph was to low or does this change over time etc?
Cheers for the help.
Re: Fermenting sugar wash issues!?
Tomatoes are an acidic fruit anyway.
I'm making washes now without any citric and 85g tomato paste. pH is less than 5.0 (but this will depend on YOUR ingredients and where you buy them) and colour is a bit better.
I have a pHScan2 portable pH meter. I started off with a pH test kit for testing pond water, but it went by colour and could only read whole numbers eg 3, 4, 5 or 6. pH strips are good. Cut them in half and they last twice as long.
scarecrow
I'm making washes now without any citric and 85g tomato paste. pH is less than 5.0 (but this will depend on YOUR ingredients and where you buy them) and colour is a bit better.
I have a pHScan2 portable pH meter. I started off with a pH test kit for testing pond water, but it went by colour and could only read whole numbers eg 3, 4, 5 or 6. pH strips are good. Cut them in half and they last twice as long.
scarecrow