StillSmart

Re: yeast

2018-01-14T00:28:37+00:00

Easydrinker wrote:
My thanks to Phantom and Myles there.
I think that I understand a little more.

All I can say from experience is that my sugar based neutral ferments are very acidic by day 3 or 4, and the addition of an Alkali (Sodium Bicarbonate here) seems to sort them out. And allow them to ferment out a few days later.

Different strokes for different folks maybe?
Or just different,water ,methods et. al.?

Robert.

A little "aside".........

As with sanitising, it's better to use potassium carbonate because you can get salty/metallic notes from the sodium based possibilities (yes they tend to be more expensive, but it's why I located potassium metabisulphite rather than sodium metabisulphite for sanitising etc).

Worth the extra cost and effort IMO.......

Statistics: Posted by Phantom — Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:28 am

Re: yeast

2018-01-14T00:21:36+00:00

My thanks to Phantom and Myles there.
I think that I understand a little more.

All I can say from experience is that my sugar based neutral ferments are very acidic by day 3 or 4, and the addition of an Alkali (Sodium Bicarbonate here) seems to sort them out. And allow them to ferment out a few days later.

Different strokes for different folks maybe?
Or just different,water ,methods et. al.?

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:21 am

Re: yeast

2018-01-13T14:49:49+00:00

Myles wrote:
H12rpo wrote:Well looking on the site, it appears this is a ‘turbo yeast’ ie high alcohol tolerance and comes with nut4ients and a ph buffer ( though I still do t understand how a ph buffer works

pH Buffers are just like a seesaw. They contain a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base (matched alkali) in a balanced relationship.

Small changes in acid or alkali are counteracted by the buffer working in opposition, so the overall remains balanced at a designated value. Different buffers are available to maintain a range of different pH values.

I haven`t used them yet so can not comment on the taste aspects.

From the mead world, many are surprised how acidic honey (actually sugar in general) can be. One of the issues, especially with "traditional's" (that'd be honey, water, nutrients and yeast), is that you can get some unexpected pH swings i.e. you mix a must and fire it up, only to have it start ok but it seems to be slow.

You do all your checks etc, then when it comes to checking pH, you find that it's dropped to 3.2 or lower and the yeast is on the verge of stalling. Some potassium carbonate helps balance it back up, say to about the 3.6 pH sort of area which I understand is good for both wine and mead (maybe all sugar based ones) fermentation.

I did manage to find some details about this, but I can't find it ATM. Apart from routinely adding some to my trad mead ferments, then only bit of info that's actually stuck in my head is some fragment about the fermentation chemistry and "delta-gluconolactone".

So I'm presuming that by bunging some K2CO3 into the ferment at the start allows the ferment to progress without much of this potential swing down. K2CO3 is considered the better of such materials as it doesn't leave any possible "chalky" taste that can occur if you use CACO3 instead......

Right, that's my tuppence worth I'm off to the Still Dragon site to try and work out what I need for a column........

Statistics: Posted by Phantom — Sat Jan 13, 2018 2:49 pm

Re: yeast

2018-01-13T06:44:54+00:00

H12rpo wrote:
Well looking on the site, it appears this is a ‘turbo yeast’ ie high alcohol tolerance and comes with nut4ients and a ph buffer ( though I still do t understand how a ph buffer works

pH Buffers are just like a seesaw. They contain a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base (matched alkali) in a balanced relationship.

Small changes in acid or alkali are counteracted by the buffer working in opposition, so the overall remains balanced at a designated value. Different buffers are available to maintain a range of different pH values.

I haven`t used them yet so can not comment on the taste aspects.

Statistics: Posted by Myles — Sat Jan 13, 2018 6:44 am

Re: yeast

2018-01-12T20:33:25+00:00

Weren't you the guy having stalled wash problem just recently?

Apologies if I've wrongly fingered you; the buffer stops you sweating the pH

Have heard tho' it comes at a taste cost

Statistics: Posted by packapoo — Fri Jan 12, 2018 8:33 pm

Re: yeast

2018-01-12T18:32:25+00:00

Well looking on the site, it appears this is a ‘turbo yeast’ ie high alcohol tolerance and comes with nut4ients and a ph buffer ( though I still do t understand how a ph buffer works

Statistics: Posted by H12rpo — Fri Jan 12, 2018 6:32 pm

Re: yeast

2018-01-12T05:40:38+00:00

It's a big tub, but 25% dearer that Allinson's.

It will be interesting to see what the quality is like. All yeasts do different stuff (and if you want to be picky.. on different days, at different temperatures etc)

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Fri Jan 12, 2018 5:40 am

Re: yeast

2018-01-11T23:35:11+00:00

That is not the cheapest yeast price out there.
I would need some very good reviews to tempt me to try it, at my own cost.

Robert

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Thu Jan 11, 2018 11:35 pm

Re: yeast

2018-01-11T21:16:51+00:00

H12rpo wrote:
Sounds good
What’s the price?

Mine was free but it’s £17 free delivery on eBay. Seller sells direct for garffen,

Statistics: Posted by daren — Thu Jan 11, 2018 9:16 pm

Re: yeast

2018-01-11T06:06:29+00:00

Anytime a supplier starts talking about yeast fermenting to 19% or 20%, I start wondering if they are intending it for fuel alcohol use.

I know that I sometimes ferment to 16% but that is with great care, and deliberate use of methods to minimise stress on the yeast.

Some of these high alcohol tolerant yeasts are most definitely stressed when used as recommended. It doesn't matter if you are making fuel, but some of the fermentation products don't taste very nice.

Statistics: Posted by Myles — Thu Jan 11, 2018 6:06 am

Re: yeast

2018-01-11T05:37:11+00:00

They are not saying how long. This is not a turbo yeast.

So 19-20 might be achievable - but how long? 4-6-8 weeks.

I wouldn't mind testing some.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Thu Jan 11, 2018 5:37 am

Re: yeast

2018-01-11T00:55:35+00:00

Garffen Ltd quote some big numbers there.
If I had this stuff to use, I would probably cut back on the sugar, increase the yeast X 6 and add a bag of Lentils and 100g of Sultanas/Raisins.
And if it got to 14% in two weeks I would announce a second xmas.
But that is me
If you go the route advised by Garffen Ltd , please do keep a photo diary,else I ain't gonna believe you

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Thu Jan 11, 2018 12:55 am

Re: yeast

2018-01-10T23:42:15+00:00

Sounds good
What’s the price?

Statistics: Posted by H12rpo — Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:42 pm

Re: yeast

2018-01-11T05:33:22+00:00

Yeah it might do 8.5 kg - but how long will it take.

I would try 5kg and run it a 25/28c see how that does.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Wed Jan 10, 2018 2:08 pm

Re: yeast

2018-01-10T09:35:52+00:00

I emailed the manufacturer direct and they replied with the following email,

“This is a high quality, high alcohol and temperature tolerant yeast.
Packaging sizes: 800g and 10kg.

For best results we would advise using our yeast nutrient VitaNutrient.
Packaging sizes: 1kg and 10kg.

25g Dry Active Distillers Yeast + 100g VitaNutrient will ferment 8.5kg sugar in total volume of wash 25L and make 19-20%.

Kind regards,

Garffen Ltd

I think given the size of the 10kg package it’s for commercial application.
Anyway will give it a go but think I will back of the sugar a bit !

Statistics: Posted by daren — Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:35 am