Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi all

What is the best stuff to use to raise the PH is a wash, that is readily available?I have a stuck fermentation sitting at 1020 with a PH of 3.3, what is the best way to kick this off again? This was a second gen wash using the original yeast in the bottom of the first gen and just adding more sugar

Food grade Calcium carbonate.(oyster sheels shell grit also work but make sure its clean)

There's some good info here: Fix Stuck Ferments

Hi guys

I have some Calcium Carbonate handy, I got it from the local brew shop ages ago and never used it,I added 4 teaspoons to the 50l wash and stirred up and tested again, it only seemed to rise by .2

Any idea on dosing amount or does it take time to adjust?

All you can do is add it then do a reading waiting 10-15 mins in between. In 50l I would think 1 maybe two tablespoons would be ballpark.

Cool thanks

Do you guys think I should add some more yeast once the PH is stable?

Should fire back up fine :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Have you got temp control for your fermenter? Try and keep it above 27 , preferably closer to 35 degrees if it's rum.
Keep us posted.

andybear wrote:Have you got temp control for your fermenter? Try and keep it above 27 , preferably closer to 35 degrees if it's rum.
Keep us posted.

Hi

I am doing a lemon vodka using EC1118 yeast

davesims wrote:Hi

I am doing a lemon vodka using EC1118 yeast

If it was going before the pH got so low, then adjusting that should bring it back to what it was before. Keep in mind that EC1118 does takes longer than most yeast seem to....

Also, check this link out from the good Prof. :- click on the underlined words...

Professor Green wrote:There's some good info here: Fix Stuck Ferments

Hi all

I have read the thread on stuck fermentation, thank you Prof Green.

When I noticed the PH had gone to 3.3 I added 4 teaspoons of Calcium Carbonate and waited an hour or so and it only climbed to 3.5, I added another 4 teaspoons and waited 12 hours and it only got to 3.8

My first gen was exactly the same except I added 4 teaspoons of Calcium Carbonate at the start and it fermented out in 2 weeks

I started a 3d gen UJSSM today and the pH was so low i'm surprised it didn't melt the bucket, way down. Teaspoons? Hell i gave up after nearly a cup of calcium carbonate in a 10 gal wash.! I'll just abide and see how it goes. Sometimes it happens. :crying-blue: :angry-banghead:

Yonder, how much backset are you using? I generally back off the amount of backset after the second gen or I find I have that problem. Maybe don't put any in next gen to try get it back to normal.

Dave, is it fermenting again now? I guess you could try a few more teaspoons and see how it goes?

I've always had trouble with second generations. The yeast hate it. But if you can get to the third it normally settles down and just start working again.

Hey guys

I got the PH back up to around 4.5 and added 3 teaspoons of nutrient and left for 12 hours, still no activity


Do you think another yeast starter might be the go?

More yeast would be my next step..

bluc wrote:More yeast would be my next step..

DAMN DAMN

I should not do this sort of stuff on no sleep

I created a EC1118 starter with 3 packs of 5 g, the instructions say add the yeast to 40c water and leave for 20 mins and stir gently, my tired brain said add yeast to 40c water and stir the crap out of it and leave for 20 minutes

Is that going to affect the yeast? prior to pitching the yeast was milky but not frothy

I dont think stirring viragourasly will hurt. Would actually add more o2 which is a good thing when making a starter pitching yeast give the fermenter a good stir also..sometimes just stirring the fermenter will re activate yeasg also

Will only go frothy if you also add sugar.

"Rehydrating" yeast is not the same as creating a "starter".
A starter is made with wort or sugar water. It has to have sugar and is designed to multiply the amount of yeast cells, so what starts as a small amount of yeast increases to a larger amount of yeast so it can be added to a larger amount of wort/wash then would previously be possible. Adding not enough yeast will stress it and produce off flavours.

Rehydrating just bring the yeast back from sleeping by increasing the water content and gets it ready to start..

bluc wrote:I dont think stirring viragourasly will hurt. Would actually add more o2 which is a good thing when making a starter pitching yeast give the fermenter a good stir also..sometimes just stirring the fermenter will re activate yeasg also

Yeah i got out the paint stirrer and gave the fermenter a good old zap before pitching

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed this works