Should I add more yeast

Post by **bourbonbob** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 3:04 pm

I started a mash about 5 weeks ago, the temp hasn't exactly been ideal, I checked the SG today with a beer hydrometer and it read 1.025, there is no bad smell or sum on top, it's now producing 1 bubble from the airlock about every 2 minutes. Can I run this off or should I add some more yeast to speed it up?

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 4:28 pm

what it start at

Post by **bourbonbob** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 5:02 pm

not sure, the markings on the hydometer start at 1.050.....i'm guessing about 1.060????

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 3:45 am

did the cap fall. is it blue. if it is kick the barrel over if it aint charge it up. you never want it to quit workin an some folks like to runin alittle bit sweet. so im tole. they say it will want to puke runin it sweet. these boys are talkin about only corn the old way they aint made corn no other way.

didnt start with much sugar an id get me one of them tester that goes to 1.160 if you start makein wine

Post by **bourbonbob** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:18 pm

I used a 2 litre bottle of make up cordial, 5 kilo's sugar, small can of tomato paste, 1 x 8 gram satchel of dry yeast, This morning there were no bubbles coming from the fermenter.

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 3:49 pm

run it.
dont no metric an when you said mash thought you mint corn sorry

Post by **bourbonbob** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:34 pm

I took the lid off and tasted it....very sweet and the SG is almost at 1.020 and not very active, can I use another yeast satchel to speed it up?

AfricaUnite · Post by **AfricaUnite** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:49 pm

You could use something strong like EC-1118 that should ferment the crap out of 1.020. Maybe do a yeast starter to give it a good chance at life. This 1118 is pretty killer stuff so try a packet, it cant hurt.

Post by **bourbonbob** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:54 pm

"AfricaUnite"You could use something strong like EC-1118 that should ferment the crap out of 1.020. Maybe do a yeast starter to give it a good chance at life. This 1118 is pretty killer stuff so try a packet, it cant hurt.

Thanx for that, should I give it a good stir when I add the yeast?

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:23 am

More yeast may not help... hard to say if you don't know what you started at. There is some reason why it didn't ferment out fully in the first place. Just adding more yeast is not likely to help... thats the crux of a stuck ferment. If it smells good and tastes good then you might consider running it and using the backset to make a new mash. pay attention to sg, ph, nutrient levels and aeration at the start. make a starter of good yeast and try again. no sense whipping a dead horse...

Use the calculators on the parent site to figure out how much sugar and water to use and get a good hydrometer or two...

Post by **bourbonbob** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:40 am

I added 8 grams of brewers yeast and it's away again, I'll give it a few more days and see what happens.

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:42 am

did you put 5 lbs of sugar to one gal of wine. an it only read about 1.060 to start find you another tester. that would be 250 lbs to the barrel. you wont find no yeast that will work all that sugar off. distiller yeast wont do that. yeast goes to a certain point an likker kills it. when you run it you got to run it real slow cause it gonna want to puke quick. so im tole

Post by **bourbonbob** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:22 pm

"goose eye"did you put 5 lbs of sugar to one gal of wine. an it only read about 1.060 to start find you another tester. that would be 250 lbs to the barrel. you wont find no yeast that will work all that sugar off. distiller yeast wont do that. yeast goes to a certain point an likker kills it. when you run it you got to run it real slow cause it gonna want to puke quick. so im tole

I used 5 kilos of sugar( about 11lbs ) for a 23 litre wash ( about 5 gallons )

I will run it with my stove top pot sill so I can cut the temp back.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:26 pm

what else did you put in the wash? How much and what kind of yeast too? When you say brewers yeast, what do you mean? There is a dried brewers yeast that is not active yeast, its killed yeast that is a nutritional supplement.

Post by **bourbonbob** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:41 pm

"junkyard dawg"what else did you put in the wash? How much and what kind of yeast too? When you say brewers yeast, what do you mean? There is a dried brewers yeast that is not active yeast, its killed yeast that is a nutritional supplement.

I used Defiance instant dried yeast to start it ( 8 grams ) yesterday I added a satchel of brewers yeast, gave it a good stir and it's working again (Brigalow brewing yeast ) normally used for beer.