Very first batch

[pocketrocket]

looking for guidence.........i made a small batch of sugar wash 2 gal. bee about 36 hrs. how long should it ferment, no bubbles in my airlock, hydrometer is reading 1.090 didnt get it till today so i dont have a starting point reference. I will be asking alot of questions being that i am a little slow in the head and get overwhelmed with so much info offered here so please be patient with me. Thanks and bottoms up

[Braz]

Tell us what your sugar wash recipe is and it will help get an answer. 1.090 is what I usually see as a starting specific gravity with the recipe I use. 1.000 or less is what it should finish out at. Mine usually end up at around .996

[Bayou-Ruler]

Tell us what your sugar wash recipe is and it will help get an answer. 1.090 is what I usually see as a starting specific gravity with the recipe I use. 1.000 or less is what it should finish out at. Mine usually end up at around .996

+1

[pocketrocket]

yea cool i started with 4lbs sugar 2gals h2o and a 21 gram pack of reg yeast... getting some foam on the top but havent notice much else its been almost 48hrs and its about 75 deg f thanks .............for the help

[kiwistiller]

bit short on nutrients there... maybe have a read of the tried and true recipes. also, if it's foaming, but no airlock activity, you've probably got a sealing issue there. it's not a problem, though.

[pocketrocket]

thanx kiwi.... but its hard to find a small batch recipe..........everything i read is alot more complex for a beginner and my air lock is somwhat primative might have a bit of a seal issue....guess i will keep checkin with the hydrometer

[Kentucky shinner]

You need to look at tried and true. Here is just one recipe that rad has put up that is for 1 gallon. If you want to do 2 gallon then double it.

Per 4 liters (1 gallon) of water:

Ingredients
* 3.5 cups sugar
* 4 liters water
* 1 cup crushed All Bran cereal
* 2 tbsp active baking yeast

Process
* Simmer equal amounts of water and sugar for 30 minutes or longer to invert sugar.
* Combine boiled components with cold water and cereal to bring up to total volume.
* Let cool to 95F.
* Pitch yeast.
* Aerate for one hour.
* Cap and insert air lock.

[kiwistiller]

things scale down pretty well...

[rad14701]

The higher your initial specific gravity (read the more sugar), the more important nutrients become... If the yeast don't have enough nutrients they will become cannibalistic (eating each other) or will suffer autolysis (eating themselves)...

The simplest fix at this point would be to add some plain tomato paste (without spices)... The only ingredient listed on the can should be "tomatoes" or "tomato puree"... About 1 tablespoon per gallon, or about half a 5-6 ounce can, should be plenty...

For a future wash, by all means, try the All Bran... It has all of the nutrients the yeast need for a full and successful ferment...

[pocketrocket]

well its been 5 days and not much luck on the sugar wash ferment checked it with the hyrometer and still the same reading as last time. a little froth on the top, smells ok... i guess i will have to try over. a few more days i will run it just for practice and see if i can get a flame. going to try a basic recipe from the forum and hope for better luck.

[Dnderhead]

add some nutrients.

[pocketrocket]

well it didnt work threw it out last night guess i will try again...........lookin for simple sugar wash without all the technical equipment

[rad14701]

well it didnt work threw it out last night guess i will try again...........lookin for simple sugar wash without all the technical equipment

If you can buy a box of All Bran you can make a simple sugar wash... See the link in my sig... Simple and virtually foolproof if you follow the directions without deviating...

[pocketrocket]

If you can buy a box of All Bran you can make a simple sugar wash... See the link in my sig... Simple and virtually foolproof if you follow the directions without deviating...[/quote]
got it goin did a 2 lt in galss and its churnin away looks like it will be ok..........now i have to get my primative equipment goin.....lets hope i dont mess up the next step but i guess its all trial and error thanks for the feedback

[N0N4M3]

Was the yeast old, has it been stored in poor condition? Try adding new yeast.

[ethanol]

If you can buy a box of All Bran you can make a simple sugar wash... See the link in my sig...

What link? This sounds good for the stage I have reached. I tried potatoes but just ended up with a starchy mess. Thanks

[Kentucky shinner]

the link is in the bottom of all of rads post. Look at the very bottom of a post he has made. You can also go to the tried and true recipe's and find it.
KS