New one for me

[Boxcutter]

This a new one for me yesterday added 1/4 backseat back in my fermentor backset cooled down to 90 degrees. My mash never started bubbling is this considered stalled ? can I just pitch some more yeast in to get it started back up ? And how much should I pitch in ? I have 14 pound are so of corn 10 gallons water and 14 pounds sugar.

[still_stirrin]

Didja check the pH? It sounds very acidic to me.
ss

[Bushman]

Did you stir it? Doesn't hurt to sprinkle a little more yeast but my guess is it is slow starting!

[Boxcutter]

I did not check ph but will. This time when I poured my back sets in the bucket slipped out my hand and dumped it all in at once. So I guess it was stirred. Never had this happen to me I use distilled water. tap in the south is loaded with chlorine

[thatguy1313]

How's it taste? I'm also thinking low pH.

Heh. ^^^^ I made a rhyme

[bellybuster]

Distilled water makes for poor ferments, get a carbon filter for your tap or use bottled water.
How long has it been?

[Boxcutter]

I've always used distiller water and never had a problem. the only thing I did different this time was dropped the backsets in and stirred up all the corn on the bottom. It smells like beer and taste sweet. It has been since yesterday around 2 o'clock

[W Pappy]

You really need to stop using distilled water friend that is not good water for making whiskey.Fallow buster's advise your will get better ferments if ya do.
There is a reason no one uses distilled water for anything other than proofing with.And you should pour the oxygen to the backset before putting into
your fermenter your yeast will love you for it.

[Boxcutter]

I will I'll get a carbon filter tomorrow for my next ferment but need to get this on going first. I'm going to try pitching in some more yeast and see what happens.

[still_stirrin]

Again, check your pH. If you're down around 3 to 3.5, more yeast likely won't do much better. Calcium carbonate is available in powder form at the local health food store. "Now" brand is a good example.
ss

[Boxcutter]

Again, check your pH. If you're down around 3 to 3.5, more yeast likely won't do much better. Calcium carbonate is available in powder form at the local health food store. "Now" brand is a good example.
ss

Thought I had the right ph strips but the one I have the lowest level they read is 10 p.p.m and up to 200 p.p.m

[S-Cackalacky]

If you have tap water with chlorine in it, you can do a few things to easily get rid of the chlorine - let it sit in an open bucket for a day, boil it, or aerate it with a piece of tubing attached to an air compressor nozzle. If you boil it, use it to dissolve your sugar, let it cool and put it in your fermenter with your lees. If you carbon filter it, you will be removing more than the chlorine. The filter will also remove some of the mineral nutrients that are good for the ferment. Vitamin C is also said to assist in removing chlorine, but I've never tried it.

Just dropping your backset bucket into the wash probably wouldn't be enough to sufficiently aerate it. Give it a good vigorous stir or use the hose and compressor method. Make sure your compressor is oil free.

Edit: BTW - I never heard of PH strips reading in PPM. Mine read from about 2 to 12 - 7 being neutral and anything below that is acidic and anything above is alkaline.

[Boxcutter]

Thanks for all yall in put. My wife a Heath inspector and uses them to make sure the dishwasher has enough chlorine in their three compartment sink for sanitizer

[bellybuster]

i've fermented dozens of times with unfiltered tap water. For beers it ruins it. for distillation Ive had no issues

[W Pappy]

Yep mine has chlorine in it too and no problem,The bigger issue is not enough aeration and PH is too low.Go to the brew
shop they will have what you need for PH strips.

[Boxcutter]

Ok went out and tried to find ph test strips this morning not to easy to find in my neck of the woods. The brew shop I usually go to is closed on Sunday's. So I found a soil test meter not sure how acquite it is but it is reading 5. Is this good have to do my reasearch on ph now. Always something new with this hobby love it. The fermentor is bubbling slowly now

[W Pappy]

5 is good was this on your wash or tap water?

[Boxcutter]

My wash haven't check the tap yet

[W Pappy]

Ok so now you know the wash is OK on the ph, aeration I think is you biggest hinder here.
I have done both non aerated and aerated wash side by side same recipe everything
temp you name it.
And the non aerated wash took forever to finish over 5 days longer.
And to add you have no minerals in your water so that will compound
the problem also.
Hell I'm thinking bout getting a shite ton of lime stone and setting up my own
circulating filter system just for making my beer with.