How to stall a sugar wash.

[shadylane]

Ya'll feel free to add your thoughts.

1. Too much sugar, then when it stalls, they add more sugar trying to restart it.

[Wildcats]

I just pitched my yeast on an all bran wash. Last time it kicked off in a few hours. But this time... Because my water is hard. I added lemon juice. Maybe that is the problem? My sg was 1.92 @ 93f. That was at 2pm. ... Know sure if I'm just being impatient. Any thoughts??

[Saltbush Bill]

Rely on the airlock bubbling to be 100% sure that your sugar wash stalls.
Making sure that your wash is out doors or in the garage with no heating in winter helps stall washes to.
Another fine way to stall a wash is to make up your own half arsed recipe when you still have absolutely no idea what a wash needs......why would anyone want to follow a tried and true recipe.?

[shadylane]

I just pitched my yeast on an all bran wash. Last time it kicked off in a few hours. But this time... Because my water is hard. I added lemon juice. Maybe that is the problem? My sg was 1.92 @ 93f. That was at 2pm. ... Know sure if I'm just being impatient. Any thoughts??

Ya need to add more lemon juice and raise the temp.

[NZChris]

Add lemon juice without checking the pH before and after.

[Dougmatt]

Starting SG high and pitched a yeast unable to tolerate high alcohol

Built a wash without consideration / understanding of necessary yeast nutrients to complete the ferment

Putting in ANY ph controls without first checking ph AND considering / understanding what will happen to ph over the ferment

Not understanding the temperature the SPECIFIC yeast requires for a healthy and complete ferment

Not understanding how to read a hydrometer OR even worse “what’s a hydrometer”

Playing peekaboo every couple of hours (ok unlikely to stall it, but it still annoys me)

Edit:

Oh and recently: trying to ferment something that has already been fermented (ie has alcohol in it) by adding sugar to it….. which is really just not understanding yeast alcohol tolerance…

Fermenting something with preservatives in it (ex: store bought juice with sulfates)

Edit 2: (d@mn there’s a lot of these)

Pitched yeast at 150F and don’t understand why it didn’t start…

[Wildcats]

Thanks for the feedback. I got a heat mat under it now and added some more yeast. I'll add another teaspoon of lemon juice too. Thanks

[zed255]

Nutrients? Wassat?

[shadylane]

Thanks for the feedback. I got a heat mat under it now and added some more yeast. I'll add another teaspoon of lemon juice too. Thanks

Hold up a moment.
I was being a smart ass when I said turn up the heat and add more lemon juice.

[Dougmatt]

Nutrients? Wassat?

I think you’re supposed to pee in the fermenter which takes care of nutrients and ph issues…. At least I swear I read where shady posted that earlier…..

[bcook608]

Thanks for the feedback. I got a heat mat under it now and added some more yeast. I'll add another teaspoon of lemon juice too. Thanks

Hold up a moment.
I was being a smart ass when I said turn up the heat and add more lemon juice.

oops

[bcook608]

A sugar wash is just sugar and yeast, right? How hard could it be

[bcook608]

Also, recommend adding a ("SARCASM") tag to the thread title to avoid people confusing this with actual advise lol

[bcook608]

Nutrients? Wassat?

I think you’re supposed to pee in the fermenter which takes care of nutrients and ph issues…. At least I swear I read where shady posted that earlier…..

[bcook608]

Oh and recently: trying to ferment something that has already been fermented (ie has alcohol in it) by adding sugar to it….. which is really just not understanding yeast alcohol tolerance…

Seeking a 20% wash to boot

[still_stirrin]

I just pitched my yeast on an all bran wash. Last time it kicked off in a few hours. But this time...

Maybe that is the problem?

My sg was 1.92 @ 93f.

That was at 2pm. ... Know sure if I'm just being impatient. Any thoughts??

I think you misread your hydrometer!

I don’t even think a brewing hydrometer would read a gravity that high. In fact, I’ve never seen one that would read 1.200 … fuget about 1.92 ….
ss

[shadylane]

Oh and recently: trying to ferment something that has already been fermented (ie has alcohol in it) by adding sugar to it….. which is really just not understanding yeast alcohol tolerance…

Seeking a 20% wash to boot

That's the one that motivated me to do.... "How to stall a sugar wash"

[Wildcats]

Wow. I knew I had to be messing up somehow. I just got the tester and this is the first time using it. So I'm definitely sure I have no clue how to read it. I thought I did. But from y'all's reaction. Welp that is just a perfect example of how important this site is to the new guy. I know I've made myself look foolish. I'm kinda good at that.. years of experience thanks guys for pointing out my mistakes. Part of the learning process for me I guess. Let me look again and see if I can get a better reading and report back

[Wildcats]

Oh wow Shady. I just read it thru again. I really look stupid now. Hope I gave y'all a good laugh.

[Wildcats]

On a positive note. The wash is bubbling away and happy. I'll stick to T&T . Rads recipe says don't add lemon juice. Lesson learned. Stic to the the T&T.

[bcook608]

On a positive note. The wash is bubbling away and happy. I'll stick to T&T . Rads recipe says don't add lemon juice. Lesson learned. Stic to the the T&T.

It's all in good fun
Shady's Sugar Shine is a GREAT recipe to start with. I use his nutrient recipe on all of my washes and mashes regardless if it's "needed" because happy yeast is the best kind of yeast.

[Wildcats]

Thanks man. I'll give that one a try.

[Wildcats]

I get it now. 1.092 was my reading osg

[bcook608]

I get it now. 1.092 was my reading osg

That sounds much better, but unless you're making a rum or other spirit that won't finish below 1.000, that SG is a little on the high end in terms of alcohol tolerance and keeping your yeast happy.

In the future, shoot for an SG between 1.070 and 1.080. If you need more alcohol than that, increase your recipe and add more/bigger fermenters. Don't get greedy and you'll be rewarded

[Wildcats]

Thanks for the advice. I'll make sure I keep it lower next time. Gool is the end taste. Definitely want to keep the year happy...

[bilgriss]

Well Shady, this thread didn't go where I thought it would from your original post. Kind of makes its own point though.

[shadylane]

Sometimes we get to read about attempts to restart a stalled ferment.
Then a week later the same OP is wanting to know why his shine is blue.

[shadylane]

I know I've made myself look foolish. I'm kinda good at that.. years of experience thanks guys for pointing out my mistakes.

Here was your biggest mistake. Ya should have distilled the 5 gallons of wine as is.
That way there would be something to drink while you're learning.

[EricTheRed]

I know I've made myself look foolish. I'm kinda good at that.. years of experience thanks guys for pointing out my mistakes.

Here was your biggest mistake. Ya should have distilled the 5 gallons of wine as is.
That way there would be something to drink while you're learning.

[Ben]

Pitching too much yeast

Not pitching enough yeast

Relying on broad spectrum pH paper.

Looking at pH meter instead of hydrometer

Looking at a pH meter and not having any idea what it should read during different phases of the ferment

Using an improperly calibrated pH meter.

Using an inaccurate (poorly made, poorly maintained, etc) pH meter

Using a pH meter and not having patience.

Using a pH meter... Put the thing away, pH is a symptom not a cause.

Using a refractometer to check final gravity and not using a temp correction chart

Using an uncalibrated hydrometer

Using a hydrometer without a temp calibration chart

Using lactose instead of a fermentable sugar

Rushing the declaration that the fermentation is done.