Hmmm...stuck wash

[ScottishBoy]

Im in the process of re-educating myself in this so I think I actually may be killing myself. I have a stuck wash that just refuses to move.

Heres the story.
I did my first run in 25 years last week and got a reasonable amount of about 40-50%. But the wash was really cloudy and I got some yeasty taste. Im using a potstill so I decided I would just drop the used wash back into the bucket with the sediment which should result in a bunch dead yeast ( for the new yeast to feed on) and some leftover nutrients from the tomato paste. I dropped the temp on the used wash and then inverted 10 pounds of sugar to go with a five gallon wash. Inverted with lemon juice, cooled and added to remainder of the wash. Made sure it was cool enough to bath my hand ( I think of it like testing a baby bottle) then pitched 4 tablespoons of yeast and aerated the hell out of it with a braun multimixer. Popped the lid expecting the ferment to start by morning.

Next morning..nothing. I know the bucket is sealed. I press the top ever-so slightly to see bubbles come out the airlock. Seal is good

So I do more reading and eventually ended back at the gerber wash. I have some Cream of Wheat in my cupboard...lucky me its 'Processed for faster cooking". Why waste it?

So next day I do more reading and decide that I might feed it some Cream of Wheat ( infant formula ) and some fertilizer. I had some Peters on hand which should be fine.

I wander by my homebrew store and get a new pail with lid and another airlock and a few packets of Red Star. I am astonished at their yeast selection. I turn my nose up at the Turbo's which the manager approves of. He doesnt think much of them either.

I go home and cook up some Cream of Wheat which ends up being about 4 cups after cooking with some of the wash. Cool it and then drop it in the wash. I add about a tsp of the Peter's Fertilizer.
I pour the wash between the buckets a few times after wash out the new one. Now I have actually 6 gallons so I decide that if it foams I should use both buckets, so I decide to put about two gallons in the new one and ( on a lark ) I pitch one packet of Red Star into the mix. I seal it and then seal the other.

Im expecting furious action....but I get nothing. Temp is 70 deg F in the room. No wild fluctuations and no one is disturbing it. The Red Star bucket seems more active in that it bubbles if I areate it by madly shaking the bucket. The main bucket bubbled once in the ten minutes I was in the kitchen.

Suggestions? Questions? I could use a little help here.
SB

[rad14701]

Although it may appear that your buckets are sealing properly they may still be leaking... It sounds like you have CO2 production going on... When in doubt, seal the lid to the bucket using Duct/Duck Tape... I have one fermenter that requires this over 50% of the time... The more air space in the bucket, the more likely to not notice a leak...

[ScottishBoy]

I have checked the seals and they seem to be fine. I took a close look at the airlocks and they both are sitting at that point "just about to bubble" but never quite getting there. I guess its possible I could have slow leak, but I was figuring with the amount of yeast and yeast food in there that I should have been worrying about flowing over. No such luck. I suppose I could try thinning out the smaller bucket and giving it a heating pad treatment.

PS. Thanks for the help. I find Im needing all I can get now..

SB

[rad14701]

I've found that the leaks can be so small that you can't hear or smell them... Taping was the only way to know for sure... I never trust plastic buckets that have lids with rubber seals in the lid... Very few of the ones I've used have sealed 100% efficiently so I just plan on taping from the get go...

You stated that it's been about 25 years since you last practiced the craft so don't feel bad about having difficulties... Some of the methods have changed... Others haven't... You forget bits and pieces along the way... It's to be expected... We aren't getting any younger, that's for sure... Just take your time, ask questions when needed, and enjoy the ride...

[ScottishBoy]

I went home last night and dumped the bucket of small batch and started a traditional Gerber. Had to use mixed grain but it started up pretty nice. I checked the seal on the bucket by pressurizing it and I dont have any leaks, but the mash still seems slow. Im thinking that my water might be a bit too hard. I do have scale on my faucets etc. Then I checked it for pressure after I sealed it. I could make the water move with less that a gram of pressure. Think "trying to pick a lock" type pressure. So I know that one is sealed, but it is moving. I think I didnt use enough use yeast, but I did bomb it.

The old bucket, I decided it might be fun to try something. So I opened it up and took a look at it. It had a floating layer of red tomato slurry. So I took it off with a slotted spoon and then I mixed up a can of tomato paste with some of the wash. Aerate and then cover, tested airlock. Once again very little pressure to make it bubble.
This morning it was active, if slow.

The Gerber wash is poking along quite nicely. I expect the activity to be very mild since all washes in my house have been slow ferments.

I need a PH kit. Something in my water seems to have changed. We take it from a well that is 700 feet deep fed by natural migration through granite and groundstone.
Any suggestions on a kit that wont break my wallet?

SB

[HookLine]

I need a PH kit. Something in my water seems to have changed. We take it from a well that is 700 feet deep fed by natural migration through granite and groundstone.
Any suggestions on a kit that wont break my wallet?

SB

Don't know where you are, but in Australia you can buy soil pH test kits from Manutec. They use a liquid and powder, plus a colour reference chart. Not very high resolution, probably only within ±0.25, but reliable. I use a cotton bud, put 3-4 drops of the liquid I am testing on it, then the test chemicals. Seems to have worked so far. Cheap too.

http://www.manutec.com.au/default.asp?p ... id=MTO8000" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Dnderhead]

most companys that sell water pumps etc. also sell water treatment . most will test your water free in hopes of selling treatment.

[ScottishBoy]

Well its been an excellent week for cultivating yeast. I think Im dealing with a bit of hard water and slightly lower temps than ideal for yeast. The kitchen runs about 68 degrees. So, once again, the stove comes into play. I started a 250 ml yeast bomb with some lemon juice ( @ a tblsp) some sugur and some yeast. Using the warmer pad I dialed in about 110F and let it sit. Once it puked onto the stove I gave it to the gerber and pretty much doubled its production. Im thinking I will be able to strip on Thanksgiving.
The tomato wash just keeps right on chugging away.
Possibly my water is more friendly to distiller's yeast. Im gonna have to check.

Thanks again for the help.

SB

[LWTCS]

I went home last night and dumped the bucket of small batch and started a traditional Gerber

Yet another rinkle ay Rad?

[ScottishBoy]

Who am I to argue with success?

[ScottishBoy]

Checked my Gerber wash last night as it seems to have slowed down. Gave it a quick taste and damn if it isnt sweeter than hell. I can smell alcohol on it, but it tastes like it has a ways to go.
I was hoping to do a stripping run on Friday, but I dont think its going to be ready.

Damn...now I understand why some folks crave the rapid ferments.
Maybe a trip to the homebrew store is in order. Im beginning to think the combination of sugur and my water PH is making it tough for the yeast. Wondering if maybe some yeast with a higher alcohol tolerance might be the thing.

[rad14701]

What %ABV were you shooting for, ScottishBoy...??? And what is the wash/room temperature...???

I'm getting 14% with Fleischmann's Bakers Yeast at 78F in around 4 days... My Gerber washes take slightly longer than All Bran, but are still pretty quick... I get impatient at a week... Well, actually before that but it gets worse at a week...

[ScottishBoy]

I was just shooting for a basic 10-12% nothing that would push the yeast too hard.

I ran some water tests on my well water and came up with my problem. My water is very hard and its also quite alkaline. Actually the amount of hardness was indicative of eczema like effects, which we have treated both the children for. The slow ferments can be explained by the high PH.

Surprised it didnt occur to me before.

[ScottishBoy]

Well, I opened up the tomato wash last night and swirled in a little egg white to start it settling out. It smells like soda pop! Just a tiny bit sweet and red like pink lemonade.
I may do a run tonight with it to see how it comes out. I cant do runs on Sundays and Wednesdays cause of our cleaning woman. She came in last time and saw the big glass condenser and the pot and all the mini-mason jars lined and up and immediately accused me of making crack "to sell to the local kiddies"!
Took me a while to convince her I was actually "learning how to make perfume", and how all perfume starts as an alcohol base..."Here! Smell! Would a sane person drink this?" I handed her the foreshots. Hehehehe.
Okay. Now she is cool with it.

Only problem is Im going to need to make some Rose Perfume for her for Christmas....sigh.

SB

[plonker]

She came in last time and saw the big glass condenser and the pot and all the mini-mason jars lined and up and immediately accused me of making crack "to sell to the local kiddies"!
Took me a while to convince her I was actually "learning how to make perfume", and how all perfume starts as an alcohol base..."Here! Smell! Would a sane person drink this?" I handed her the foreshots.SB

Snort, I just fell off my chair.. that is so funny..

[ScottishBoy]

Quick thinking is supposed to be one of my strong suits.......unless you ask my wife.

[ScottishBoy]

So I cracked the lid on the stuck wash last night that finally stopped and it was quite nice. Very dry finish. It smells very sweet, but you cant taste it.
Finally found my hydrometer ( True Brew kit hydro with a triple scale.) and few other supplies and the wife is beginning to show an interest. I think I have her curious about what Im going to make.
Took almost a gallon off of a 6 gallon batch last night on a strip run. Nothing glorious, but nice to have some base to work with to give me a little extra push to do my column. Since winter is coming, I think I will just make a 1.5 inch to play with and see if I really need to build a larger one in the Spring.

SB