Locked up fermentation

[wildburkey]

Hi guys, I'm currently fermenting my second all bran wash and fermentation has stopped at just below 1.020. What I have done thus far is to invert 6Kg of Sugar in 10Lt of water with a cpl of teaspoons of lemon for 45min, crushed a box of all bran boiled it with 1 Tbl Sp of yeast and reduced to simmer for 15 min, combined in fermenter topped up with cold water, cooled to 35c and pitched 6 Tbl Sp of yeast. I placed it on a heat mat and put a jacket around it to try avoid fluctuations and it went off it's head fermenting for 4 days and stopped Was sitting around 35 - 36c. I left it 24hrs and no noticeable change so last night I decided to chuck in a cpl of Tbl Sp of Turbo yeast and it started again. The last ferment I done locked up and wouldn't come below 1.002 to finish hence the reason I have used the heat mat, extra yeast and insulation this time. What are your opinions on what I am doing wrong here? Some things I am looking into are quality of yeast, lack of nutrients, stress on yeast.

[CH3CH2OH]

what was your final wash volume?

your SG?

current pH?

[brad81]

Did you oxygenate your wash before pitching your yeast to do their thing? I know it helps for beer, not sure how important it is for a higher SG wash though.

I'm keen to hear other advice too :)

[Meatheadinc]

my cereal washes generally take around 12-14 days at a cooler temp and I use no more than 5 kg per 25 litres . what size wash with 6KG
I believe you reached the limit of the yeast, try and keep potential abv to around 10% for sugar washes

[wildburkey]

Sorry I was going to add that but couldn't figure out how to edit my post. I topped up to about 29Lt with an OG 1.080 both times, I broke my old Ph. meter so not too sure but thinking about it Ph. is most likely the issue seeing as this time I used less lemon juice whilst inverting the sugar. I allowed to cool down to temp with the lid off and kinda oxygenate it when tipping from my stove top boiler pot into the fermenter.

Cheers

[RefluxEd]

Check the pH of your wash. I was using lemons or citric acid to invert the sugar in my 200 litre washes and had the same problem. The pH was down around 3, so I added CaCO3 (chalk) and some gypsum which brought the pH back to 5. With a 100g of DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) and a small amount of freshly hydrated yeast the wash would start off again and finish without a problem.
Consequently I don't bother inverting the sugar anymore. The washes still get down to 0.990 reliably. Use the KISS principle, sometimes we can make things too complex.

[wildburkey]

Can anyone recommend a cheap Ph. testing option? I used to have a Hannah Combo Pen but it has died and I can't afford another one right now. I have Aqua one water test kits and Soil test kits but assume these are no good for what I want

[Meatheadinc]

pH test strips work fine on clearer washes- not good on molasses rum washes as they are too dark in colour. Unless you are pushing generations you shouldn't be getting pH issues

[wildburkey]

I can't see it being a temp issue cause it has been a consistent 35c with the heat mat and jacket insulating it. I will try hunt down some test strips tomorrow and see what the Ph. is. I would like to avoid using ferteliser if possible, I have some epsom salts I will try adding next time and will look into other nutrient sources although I would have thought the all bran would have had plenty enough. Also planning on trying the recipe with no lemon, it doesn't actually call for it.

[wildburkey]

Update - It's slowly fermenting again since I added the turbo yeast, down to 1.010 now after 10 days. I still haven't done a Ph test, I'm waiting for a tester I ordered off ebay.

[sp0rk]

I would like to avoid using ferteliser if possible, .

You do know you can get food grade gypsum, right?

[Zak Griffin]

No I didn't, thanks spork! About to do a bit of research on nutrients so I will check it out. I just tasted the wash and it tastes nearly dry I think it will still be a few more days before I can run it tho at the rate it's going. Today I scored this 15L barrel 2nd hand for $100 :music-deathmetal:

[wildburkey]

:oops: sorry I didn't mean to give you all the bird, I thought that little devil dude was rocking on. Can anyone explain why it is I can't edit that post, the option isn't there?

[CH3CH2OH]

you only have 10 mins to edit your post then it is locked into the cyberspace archive!!

[Sam.]

:laughing-rolling: all good looks like Zak has fixed it for you :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Do you know what was previously in the barrel?

[wildburkey]

Thanks Zak, the cask was used for port for a year then had whiskey in it for another year Sam. I will be sure to check my posts are right before posting in the future thanks CH

[Sam.]

Ah that's good most of the port flavour should be gone then, im not a big fan of my whisky tasting like port :snooty:

[CH3CH2OH]

Well i just found myself in the same situation as you with a stuck ferment but on a tpw. First one ever!!!! :think:

Nothing different in my recipe, exacly the same quantities, same sugar, same yeast, same yeast rehydration and starter procedure, initial aeration, nothing different but it wouldn't drop below 1.05. I tried pH adjustment, raised the temp a bit, added a little fermaid and ..... nothing.

Finally I remembered one little thing that was different. I used a different brand of tomato paste, an off brand that I had never of before, because they were out of the regular brand I use. This was the only one on the shelf that said 100% tomatoes. There was no additives no salt no spices so I figured I'd get it. Well I think the TP was the culprit. I went and bought some more tomato paste to add and see what happens. I added 300g of the TP brand that I usually use and it took off again.

Happily bubbling away like a champ now a few hours later!!! :dance:

[wildburkey]

Good to hear it started again for you CHCHOH, I still can't say for sure if it was nutrient or yeast related with mine because the bit of turbo I added got it going again (very slowly however, the FG was 1.000). I ran the wash a few nights ago in pot still mode through my recently modified super reflux still and got about 5L of 49% stripped low wines which tasted pretty nice off the still mid run. I have started another 60L wash using a box of corn flakes, a box of all bran, 1tbl sp. boiled yeast, half a teaspoon of epsum salt, 6kg dextrose, 4kg of inverted/ disolved table sugar - simmered with no lemon juice for 40min, topped to 60L with OG of 1.075 and pitched 8tbl sp. of Lowans bakers yeast (red can) at 32c. Can't wait to get it stripped down to make my first ever spirit run from low wines, I think I will try using just pot still mode seeing as I like the light wheaty flavor carrying over from the all bran and if I'm not happy with it I can always throw it all back through the reflux condenser. Cheers guys I hope you are all enjoying the weekend :-)