sugar + juice + yeast not fermenting

[rsandler]

Hey,

After several years of beer brewing, I started experimenting with moonshine. I figured since Im distilling I dont have to deal with all the exacting procedures of beer making and I just needed basic sugar water to ferment and distill. So I did just that. I added 2 packages of white table sugar (https://i.pinimg.com/236x/c5/a9/e0/c5a9 ... 38ed2c.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow) and 4 gallons of fruit juice to a bucket of water mixed it and added yeast. I sed this high ABV distillers dry yeast (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064O77LQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow). The first time I did this the yeast went CRAZY! I had heavy foam coming out of the airlock! Ive never seen that before. The resulting 'beer' was fairly disgusting, but after distilling 2x made some great shine.

Fast forward to the 2nd time I did this, 4 months after the first time. I added the same yeast (which was sitting in an unrefrigerated ziplock bag) to the same wort. Hydrometer said it was supposed to be 15% ABV. This time however, the fermentation is going super slow, and pretty much stopped at 7.5%. The max rate of bubbles in airloc was 1 every 3 seconds - pretty slow even for beer. Thinking the yeast might've went bad, I added another yeast (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064 ... UTF8&psc=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow). Still nothing. Its still fermenting but super slowly. Last check the hydrometer was at 5% ABV. This is after 2.5 weeks.

Whats going on?

Question 1: Can yeast process water + table sugar or does it need additional nutrients (ie like https://beerandbrewing.com/what-exactly ... -nutrient/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow). Does fruit juice help? If so, why did the fermentation work so well last time?

Question 2: What can I add to save the batch?

Thanks,
Roman

[acfixer69]

That yeast is turbo likker quick. I never have used it but since it is a nutrient included packet I would assume it is meant to be used as a one and done batch. Splitting would be unbalance on yeast to nuttient.
What fruit juice are you using?

AC

[jdetechguy]

Hey,

After several years of beer brewing, I started experimenting with moonshine. I figured since Im distilling I dont have to deal with all the exacting procedures of beer making and I just needed basic sugar water to ferment and distill. So I did just that. I added 2 packages of white table sugar (https://i.pinimg.com/236x/c5/a9/e0/c5a9 ... 38ed2c.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow) and 4 gallons of fruit juice to a bucket of water mixed it and added yeast. I sed this high ABV distillers dry yeast (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064O77LQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow). The first time I did this the yeast went CRAZY! I had heavy foam coming out of the airlock! Ive never seen that before. The resulting 'beer' was fairly disgusting, but after distilling 2x made some great shine.

Fast forward to the 2nd time I did this, 4 months after the first time. I added the same yeast (which was sitting in an unrefrigerated ziplock bag) to the same wort. Hydrometer said it was supposed to be 15% ABV. This time however, the fermentation is going super slow, and pretty much stopped at 7.5%. The max rate of bubbles in airloc was 1 every 3 seconds - pretty slow even for beer. Thinking the yeast might've went bad, I added another yeast (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064 ... UTF8&psc=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow). Still nothing. Its still fermenting but super slowly. Last check the hydrometer was at 5% ABV. This is after 2.5 weeks.

Whats going on?

Question 1: Can yeast process water + table sugar or does it need additional nutrients (ie like https://beerandbrewing.com/what-exactly ... -nutrient/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow). Does fruit juice help? If so, why did the fermentation work so well last time?

Question 2: What can I add to save the batch?

Thanks,
Roman

Did the temp change? Seems like it might be lacking nutrients at this point too. You almost always have to add a fresh yeast starter to jump start a stalled ferment after fixing the problem.

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[cranky]

Question 1: Can yeast process water + table sugar or does it need additional nutrients

It needs additional nutrients, that's why Turbo yeast has so much added nutrients.

Does fruit juice help?

Fruit is nutrients, but what kind of fruit? Some have more than others and if it is store bought fruit juice does it have preservatives, if so you were lucky to get what you got.

If so, why did the fermentation work so well last time?

Obviously something is different. I know, not much help

What can I add to save the batch?

Time is probably the best thing to add. From what I read it's still fermenting, only slower than you would like, if that's the case let it go til it quits. It could also be a PH crash so you might add some oyster shells, seashells or washed egg shells to try to help regulate PH. It may not work but it's already at 10% alcohol so you have that going for you.

[thecroweater]

Let me guess, you are in the states and its getting colder? If so bingo and if there is not enough nuets than the yeast is using up dead yeast cells as they die so that will be mighty slow. My advise is stick some neuts in maybe tomato paste and wrap and electric blanket or at least some sort of cover to keep it warm. It could be pH but that is the least likely of those three suggestions .

[The Baker]

And put some carpet or a few layers of cardboard or something like that underneath.

Geoff

[NcHooch]

You said you've been brewing beer for a couple years, a lot of that experience is useful for making good beer for stillin. (aerating the wash, treating the yeast right, controlling temp. sanitizing, Etc)
If you just want to make sugar wash, I'd recommend you stick with recipes (and yeasts) out of the tried and true recipe section.

[StillerBoy]

I started experimenting with moonshine. I figured since Im distilling I dont have to deal with all the exacting procedures of beer making and I just needed basic sugar water to ferment and distill.

You are received good advise, but unfortunately, "I figured" and "started experimenting", before you got to understand what is all involved in wash making and distillation..

Best advise as this time is to slow down, read up on some the true and tried recipes for sugar wash.. then once you have master the process, then maybe venture to experiment.. but you wouldn't need to because its been tried or done before you..

Here's some reading for you.. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=14

Mars