Moonshine31 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 7:35 pm
I'll have to clear a spot on top through all the gunk to check the sg but I will do that tomorrow and reply. I'm kind of afraid to taste it lol
Sounds like it still actively fermenting if there's a cap.
If it's setting on the floor, raise it up a couple feet so warm air can get under the fermenter.
Is it off of the floor a out a foot, I just checked the sg and it's above 1.0 still, I hear it bubbling but very very slowly. I can see mold on top of the cap, is that normal? I know im going to boil it but still wondering. Here are some pics
Judging by the stains on the side, looks like the cap has already fallen.
I'd punch the remaining cap down, to keep more mold from forming.
While I was at it, remove a sample and get a good SG reading.
On a side note, don't make the mistake of trying to stir with the hydrometer.
Doing so didn't end well for me.
So I pushed it down and took a good reading of it. It would suck if this was all for nothing. Can I still cook it or do I need to wait for the sg to go down.
If I read that correctly it is sitting at 1.012. I would seal it back up let the yeast continue to work. What is the temp, it you can get it up to 80F it will finish off more quickly.
Also think about getting a wine thief so you can get samples with less disruption of the CO2 layer. If you can sample every other day to see if the gravity is still falling you will know if the ferment has finished or stalled.
You think I should seal it up? Like put my airlock lid on top? Doesn't the yeast need to breath? My wife is complaining about the smell so I really hope it keeps fermenting and finished soon so I can get it out of the basement and cook it. I'll put a heater around it to warm t
It up a bit.
Moonshine31 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 7:26 am
You think I should seal it up? Like put my airlock lid on top? Doesn't the yeast need to breath? My wife is complaining about the smell, so I really hope it keeps fermenting and finished soon so I can get it out of the basement and cook it. I'll put a heater around it to warm t
It up a bit.
Hmmm … perhaps moving your cot/bed to the basement would help. SWMBO isn’t happy —> nobody’s happy.
Seriously, closing a fermenter and venting it outside might help your status with the wife. Tread lightly.
ss
Moonshine31 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 7:26 am
You think I should seal it up? Like put my airlock lid on top? Doesn't the yeast need to breath? My wife is complaining about the smell so I really hope it keeps fermenting and finished soon so I can get it out of the basement and cook it. I'll put a heater around it to warm t
It up a bit.
yeast only needs O2 for the first 24 to 36 hrs. After that it goes an anaerobic metabolism which is when it makes alcohol. Having it open just lets in bacteria and molds. So yes, put a lid and airlock on as should have been done right after you aerated and pitched yeast.
Moonshine31 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 7:26 am
You think I should seal it up? Like put my airlock lid on top? Doesn't the yeast need to breath? My wife is complaining about the smell so I really hope it keeps fermenting and finished soon so I can get it out of the basement and cook it. I'll put a heater around it to warm t
It up a bit.
yeast only needs O2 for the first 24 to 36 hrs. After that it goes an anaerobic metabolism which is when it makes alcohol. Having it open just lets in bacteria and molds. So yes, put a lid and airlock on as should have been done right after you aerated and pitched yeast.
Thank you, I'll cover it tonight and open it in a few days to check the sg.
Or It might of finished fermenting because they're really close so it's kinda hard to tell the sg. What happens if it stops fermenting but still above 1? Is it ok to cook?
Moonshine31 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 9:05 am
I'll leave it and check it in another 3 days, no more smell or mold happening so I can wait.
That would be my move. And for me, even after I get it off the grain and into carboys to clear it may be a month before I actually put it in a still. but during that time it will continue to clean up.
So just an idea to keep in mind if you are ever in a hurry to get a fermenter freed up. If you have storage like carboys you can rack off a bit early and let the ferment finish in the carboy while starting a new ferment in your fermenter.
Moonshine31 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 9:05 am
I'll leave it and check it in another 3 days, no more smell or mold happening so I can wait.
That would be my move. And for me, even after I get it off the grain and into carboys to clear it may be a month before I actually put it in a still. but during that time it will continue to clean up.
So just an idea to keep in mind if you are ever in a hurry to get a fermenter freed up. If you have storage like carboys you can rack off a bit early and let the ferment finish in the carboy while starting a new ferment in your fermenter.
So you rack it into carboys and leave it alone for a month to settle more. I assume it's better to cook when it's cleared up and not just filtered? You must siphon it from the top and keep racking? I know with wine I racked 3 times then filtered.
I have 2 ss tanks 150l each, so I'll probably rack this in a few days and start another ferment In the other one.
Racking is fine as a term. Most will understand it. You will not be “filtering” unless you just mean limiting solids in the boiler which you will do the avoid a scorch.
There’s no rush here other than you probably are just excited to get it “cooked” or run through the still. You want to let things finish so there isn’t a bunch of residual sugar which A) could result in a scorch, b) reduce your net alcohol and c) would mean that the yeast aren’t “finished” which they need to do to clean up after themselves and give you the best flavor profile.
Just put the top back on and leave it for a few days. It’s done when the SG stops going down and not before. .
I just read an article about the dangers of drinking that scared the crap out of me.
So you rack it into carboys and leave it alone for a month to settle more. I assume it's better to cook when it's cleared up and not just filtered? You must siphon it from the top and keep racking? I know with wine I racked 3 times then filtered.
I have 2 ss tanks 150l each, so I'll probably rack this in a few days and start another ferment In the other one.
Yes, I rack into carboys, then squeeze the grain, if a whiskey, and put the squeezed liquid in carboys as well. I ferment about 36 gal batches so I have enough for three stripping runs in my keg still it can sometimes be a month or more before I get the stripping runs completed. I don't filter, I just want most of the solids to settle so there is less chance of a scorch.
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