Is there a "point of safety?"

[Dumdeedum]

I've got three washes cooking, one has been going for 5 days as of now, the other two have been going for 4. The yeast is happy and bubbling away. In fact, yesterday the little things spelled out "thank you" and a smiley face with the bubbles, or it could just be the booze in me when I check up on them...

Point is they seem to be doing well. After five or four days, do I still need to worry?

I mean, is there a point of safety that when you've past it, you've done a good job with the wash and it will just keep going until the sugar is out, or can things still blow up in my face after five days? (Assume temperature doesn't change)

Thanks!

[HookLine]

My experience has been that once a good ferment recipe is up and running, then there is rarely a problem.

[FeralPig]

My experience has been that once a good ferment recipe is up and running, then there is rarely a problem.

+1

[plonker]

Heh, as long as you dont try to trap the gas, things should never blow up when fermenting..

They should bubble away until they have eaten all the sugar or the alcohol level has gone too high and killed the yeast.. depending on temps, they can bubble for two weeks or more.. You can leave them for up to three weeks, any longer a you risk autolysis, which is dead yeast on the bottom affecting the taste of your wash, and then your product..

If you really want to know when they have finished, get a beer hydrometer and measure the specific gravity.. otherwise just wait till it stops bubbling..

Good on you for having three washes cooking..

[rad14701]

There are only a few reasons why a ferment should not complete as expected...

1.) Temperature - too high or too low
2.) Infection - airborn or introduced by equipment (hydrometer, thermometer, spoon, etc.)
3.) Depletion of nutrients - the yeast starve to death
4.) Autolysis - usually caused as the alcohol content exceeds yeast tolerance, 1, 2 or 3 above...
5.) Ferment induced pH imbalance

Those, plus the alignment of the planets, wool bear color band patterns, and whatever else can rear its ugly head...

[Dumdeedum]

Great! Thanks, it's a great confidence boost! But I'm not going to get cocky, not yet, and I'll keep a close eye on all of my babies.

[Dnderhead]

I just teat my ferments much like any food, clean containers, clean spoons hydrometers etc. . keep it covered so the flies don't git in even a towel will work.
Iv had 1-2 infections in many ,many ferments and ran them anyway. if the yeast gits a head start you most likely got it made.