First batch! What went wrong?

[That Person]

I just got don't fermenting my first mash.Here is the recipe;

1.5gal unsulfered molasses
4.5gal water
4.75oz pkg turbo yeast (Turbo pure 48 hour)

I followed the directions on the package. Everything seemed to be going well. My mash was bubbling like crazy and when I put my ear to it you would hear it "fizzing"

It never developed a yeast "head" to it. Nor did it separate. It is just one big lump of brown liquid. It stopped bubbling yesterday night. I took it out and tested it. There is no alcohol in it. None.

I am trying to figure out what happened. It was kept cool. I don't think it ever got above 74. Any help?

[Dnderhead]

first not all wash produces a "head" grain halls etc.does that so something clear will not, now how did you test for alcohol?
did you use a beer/wine hydrometer?did you have the starting gravity? then the final gravity? what is it now?
is it sweet? (about the only way you can tell now if you did not take the proper readings)

[Mr.Spooky]

why use turbos?

[WalkingWolf]

You could have done much better than sticking turbo in there but all is not lost. I'll bet you money marbles to chalk you got alcohol in there. I've had more than one run that I couldn't taste nor smell alcohol but it was in there. If you had sugar, yeast and it was running you got alcohol. It stopped -- then it's finished. Run it and report back. Don't throw nothnig away. Use 100% dunder and add 10 lbs brown sugar and fill it back up to 5 gallons. Put in 2-3 tablespoons of DAP and more yeast and run it again.

If any of the above doesn't make any sense -- do a search for it. Report back and we'll see where you're at. And quit using the damn turbos -- if ya want quick liquor go to the liquor store.

[That Person]

You could have done much better than sticking turbo in there but all is not lost. I'll bet you money marbles to chalk you got alcohol in there. I've had more than one run that I couldn't taste nor smell alcohol but it was in there. If you had sugar, yeast and it was running you got alcohol. It stopped -- then it's finished. Run it and report back. Don't throw nothnig away. Use 100% dunder and add 10 lbs brown sugar and fill it back up to 5 gallons. Put in 2-3 tablespoons of DAP and more yeast and run it again.

If any of the above doesn't make any sense -- do a search for it. Report back and we'll see where you're at. And quit using the damn turbos -- if ya want quick liquor go to the liquor store.

As a newb I have no idea that using turbo yeast sucks. Thanks for the heads up. I had a second packet of it that is currently being used for a sugar mash. Nothing came out of the still with the molasses mash. :'( It may have something to do with the thumper keg. We are leaving it out next run to see what happens.

[LWTCS]

Takes a bit more input to run the thumper.