sugar wash not starting

[almost_responsible7]

First of all, I am greedy. I am cheap. And I like to drink. Because I am cheap, I started making my own alcohol. I ran kentukeyshiners sweetfeed recipe 2 times but I make it in a 5 gallon batch instead of 6.5... anyways the feed at the bottom of the bucket was bothering me so I started a sugar wash. In a 5 gallon bucked I mixed around 12-13lbs of sugar, with nutrients, and superstart distillers yeast. It has yet to start and it has been sitting there for about 2 days. I think the greed in me put too much sugar. Is that my problem?

[Prairiepiss]

Yes it is. Se what greed gets you?

[Prairiepiss]

13 lbs in a 5 gallon wash = 18%
12 lbs in a 5 gallon wash = 17%

That adding water to the sugar to make 5 gallons. And you don't know how many lbs of sugar you put in it?

Sir there is greed and there is cheap then there is None of these are good traits for this hobby.

Your best bet is to dilute it down. Add 1 or 2 gallons of water that will get it down where the yeast can actually work and not die. 1 gal if 12 lbs 2 gal if 13 lbs.Repitch new yeast and see what happens.

What kind of nutes did you use?

And have you looked at the tried and true recipes? They work good for a reason.

[almost_responsible7]

I have looked in there and one I found had 8 lbs of sugar but it seemed too low for me lol.. but I used fermax yeast nutrients. Crosby and baker brand

[Prairiepiss]

Dilute it down and give it a go. While its fermenting do some more research. That's if it will start. Look harder. There are some good ones there. You just need to take the time to find them.

You are going to give yourself more head aches and heart breaks then what your trying to save with your greed is worth. And I have a feeling those headaches will be in the from of hangovers. Because of the greed.

[rad14701]

I have looked in there and one I found had 8 lbs of sugar but it seemed too low for me lol.. but I used fermax yeast nutrients. Crosby and baker brand

Time to change your line of thinking, I guess... Being cheap can be fixed, being stupid can't... My guess is you can get over being cheap... If not, then you're just . . . . .

In all honesty, you've tried it the wrong way so ditch the greed and try it the right way... Study up on yeast rather than believing what those fancy yeast Ad's and sachets say and you'll learn that no yeast makes good potable alcohol from a high gravity wash... You want potable spirits, not fuel, right...??? You aren't the first person to come here thinking they would be the one to beat the odds...

You can do better...

[maheel]

i would have thought the yeast would have a least started regardless of a little to much sugar and might not have finished

what temp is it sitting at?
did you use a different water source ? (high PH / chlorine etc ?)
any other change from the last wash you did ?

[Azframer]

Did you check your yeast and see if it would start in smaller amount of sugar? Yeast may not be good outdated or what ever. Once yeast is opened it need to be refrigerated to keep it active. Not sure where you are at in this hobby but it would be good idea to do a starter. Over toss yeast in small batch to see if it starts and then toss into wash afterwards. If it starts you know you are not wasting time on bad yeast.

[rad14701]

No, yeast doesn't have to start if the osmotic stress is too much for the yeast... Never hurts to proof your yeast or make a starter, at least the first time you open a new batch or switch to a new brand/strain...

[Prairiepiss]

No, yeast doesn't have to start if the osmotic stress is too much for the yeast... Never hurts to proof your yeast or make a starter, at least the first time you open a new batch or switch to a new brand/strain...

Make sure you sit it on the shelf so you can watch the volcano action.

[almost_responsible7]

I know the yeast works. When I activate it do I have to heat up the mash to activate it or can I activate it in a cup of warm water? Because in the sweetfeed I activated it in the mash at around 95 degrees, but for this sugar wash I activated it a cup of warm water and waited about 15 minutes till it all bubbled up then I mixed it in. Does thar matter? And the temperature of the room it is in is about 76 degrees.

[Prairiepiss]

Warm water 90 to 95 F should be good? dissolve the yeast add a little bit of sugar to it.

[almost_responsible7]

That's what I did I wonder why. I even diluted it down and still its not working. How much sugar in a 5gallon batch do you think is too much?

[Prairiepiss]

I wouldn't go over 2 lbs a gallon. That would be 12% ABV potential SG 1.080 if 2 lbs of sugar added to 1 gal water. Or 14% ABV potential SG 1.092 if you add water to 2 lbs to make a total of 1 gallon. I like to stay 12% ABV potential or under. 14% ABV potential should be the max. Anything over that is looking for trouble. But that's just me.

It's faster and easier to run 2 batches at 10% then it is to run one 15% or greater. And the product comes out better.

[Bushman]

Warm water 90 to 95 F should be good? dissolve the yeast add a little bit of sugar to it.

Birdwatchers recipe calls for the water temp at about 86F, probably ok here but I think we are getting to the upper limit

[rad14701]

Warm water 90 to 95 F should be good? dissolve the yeast add a little bit of sugar to it.

Birdwatchers recipe calls for the water temp at about 86F, probably ok here but I think we are getting to the upper limit

Depends on the yeast... Both Prariepiss and I have recently started yeasts at their specified temperatures which are in the 105F - 110F range after having miserable results with the yeast started at lower temperatures... My Fleischmann's states 105F - 110F right on the packaging... But that temperature is just for starting the yeast and definitely not fermentation temperature...

[Prairiepiss]

And that's what I was thinking about Rad. But I was unsure of what yeast he was using. So 90 to 95 sealed like a safe temp for most of the yeasties I have heard about. Just the rehydration part anyway. Yrs during ferment the temps should be lower.

Sory if I didn't make myself clear with that. But he was asking about starting some more yeast.

[jrrichards1775]

Y is my suger wash not fermenting.


White grape sugar wash
15 lbs of white sugar
April 15 0.074 pitched yeast.
Pasteur Champagne red star. Nov 2015. 5 grams

No fermation
May 20

May 21 added 10 oz yeast
May 29 1.060@61 degrees

What the heck???

[Dnderhead]

what was the grape?
you need the sugar content and if any preservatives.

[F6Hawk]

How much water?

I use 17-25g of bread yeast per 5 gallon wash. If yours is 5 gallons, you have WAY too much sugar. If yours is 10 gallons or more, I'd wager you have way too little yeast.

[jrrichards1775]

The grape was a white grape frozen drink mix. My total carboy was about 6 gal(including the sugar)

[rad14701]

That would be a potential yield of 17.6% - a bit high... If you didn't proof the yeast then it might be bad... Just use good old fashioned bakers yeast, proofed as per the instructions...