Too much yeast

Sugar, and all about sugar washes. Where the primary ingredient is sugar, and other things are just used as nutrients.

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GrumpyJohn
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Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2023 9:56 am
Location: SE Saskatchewan, Canada

Too much yeast

Post by GrumpyJohn »

Hey all,
Noob here, so bear with me… I finally got around to doing a sacrificial cleaning run on my still using Birdwatcher’s sugar wash and now have some high octane cleaner/fire starter. I tried my best to treat it like a real run to get some practice with my first time ever running a still. I think things went ok. So right away I figured I’d do up another wash and try to run some usable likker.

Using birdwatchers recipe again since I had everything on hand and it is simple… well, shoulda been simple. Lol. I was going with a 1/3 recipe since I’m limited in space for fermentation. However, when I got to adding the yeast, I forgot to divide it by three and ended up using 225g traditional bakers yeast in about 28L of wash. A few hours later I thought, holy crap this thing is taking off, as I cleaned up some yeast that bubbled out from under my gently placed fermenter lid and onto the floor.

Now, two days later I do a face palm and think, holy crap I tripled the yeast!

So after two days of this thing fermenting, I figure I’ve got three options:

Let it go and see what happens when I run it
Pitch it and start over :x
Add more of each ingredient to bring it up to 2/3 or full recipe and go buy more fermenters/carboys which I could always use I’m sure

What do you guys think? Thanks for your time and advice, it’s much appreciated!
NormandieStill
Distiller
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Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:17 pm
Location: Northwest France

Re: Too much yeast

Post by NormandieStill »

What's done is done. Don't tip it out. You just eliminated the lag phase by pitching all the yeast needed! ...But it'll just start faster. Bit of a waste of yeast that's all.
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo

A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
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EricTheRed
Distiller
Posts: 1172
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:49 pm
Location: South Africa

Re: Too much yeast

Post by EricTheRed »

:D
did that accidentally on a 25L bucket of grapes - put in 100grams - man did it take off! fortunately, i had my lid on tight - so mess largely averted
:D
My fekking eyes are bleeding! Installed BS Filters - better! :D
Life has gotten interesting!
Tim Julius
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2024 7:02 am

Re: Too much yeast

Post by Tim Julius »

GrumpyJohn wrote: Sun Jan 07, 2024 6:00 pm Hey all,
Noob here, so bear with me… I finally got around to doing a sacrificial cleaning run on my still using Birdwatcher’s sugar wash and now have some high octane cleaner/fire starter. I tried my best to treat it like a real run to get some practice with my first time ever running a still. I think things went ok. So right away I figured I’d do up another wash and try to run some usable likker.

Using birdwatchers recipe again since I had everything on hand and it is simple… well, shoulda been simple. Lol. I was going with a 1/3 recipe since I’m limited in space for fermentation. However, when I got to adding the yeast, I forgot to divide it by three and ended up using 225g traditional bakers yeast in about 28L of wash. A few hours later I thought, holy crap this thing is taking off, as I cleaned up some yeast that bubbled out from under my gently placed fermenter lid and onto the floor.

Now, two days later I do a face palm and think, holy crap I tripled the yeast!

So after two days of this thing fermenting, I figure I’ve got three options:

Let it go and see what happens when I run it
Pitch it and start over :x
Add more of each ingredient to bring it up to 2/3 or full recipe and go buy more fermenters/carboys which I could always use I’m sure

What do you guys think? Thanks for your time and advice, it’s much appreciated!
What do you think would happen if you just let the wash ferment with the extra yeast? Would it affect the final product much?
Bolverk
Posts: 1557
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2023 7:44 pm
Location: NC

Re: Too much yeast

Post by Bolverk »

Nothing bad is going to happen, it's just going to finish the fermentation faster
There are two types of people in this world.
1. Those that can extrapolate from incomplete information.
GrumbleStill
Swill Maker
Posts: 256
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2021 4:11 am
Location: On the limit of an endless ocean.

Re: Too much yeast

Post by GrumbleStill »

Bolverk wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 2:11 am Nothing bad is going to happen, it's just going to finish the fermentation faster
+1 She’ll be right.
PhoenixoftheNow
Novice
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2024 6:37 am

Re: Too much yeast

Post by PhoenixoftheNow »

Since you're going for a neutral you might notice just a different mouth feel. I would think making a rum you would have less ester making due to the fast fermentation.
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