StillSmart

If you're doing TPWs watch out for cheap, mainly own brand, Tomato Purée many of which have Citric Acid added that will upset the pH balance of your wash and can make the wash stall before completion.

It's worth the little extra to get good quality stuff or, better still, with cheap tomatoes plentiful at this time of year why not make some and freeze it for future use.

AM

Is there a reason to go for puree and lemon juice over yeast nutrient and citric acid. I'd have thought cost would be less than tpw. Didn't know if there was something else at play.

Cheers

I think the original intention was to be able to make a wash using only ingredients from the supermarket that would not arouse suspicion. Some yeast nutrient (DAP) is very one dimensional, nutrition wise, as is citric acid. Using something else provides a broader range of nutrition for the yeast. It does not have to be tomatoes or tomato paste, those are just known to work well and be inexpensive.

Chuck

plus the use of Citric Acid or Lemon juice is completely dependant on your water...as I found out the hard way.

To remind myself why I use a buffer I pitched a TPW yesterday without the buffer in it. Starting pH was 6.8 but after just 24 hours it had nose-dived to 2.4 I added the buffer and it foamed up like a mad thing but the ph was back under control at 4.8 and I know it will stay there because of the buffer.

My water comes from a private well and has ZERO Carbonate in it so acids get a free run unless I control them with an appropriate buffer.

AM

Hi Aidanmac
I have had many stalled washes with the TPW in the past. After consulting with Harry Jackson (Master Distiller) he advised me to try malted barley for nutrients. I add 750 grams of Pale Malted Barley as nutrients to a 50 litre wash. Guaranteed finish every time below 1.000 approx. week to 10 days dependent on temperatures at the time. You should try this if you are having problems with slow or stalled washes. GUARANTEED EVERY WASH.
Regards
RM

I have been considering malted barley as a more optimal nutrient. I have never had a stall or slowness problem with my all grain or mostly grain washes. Do you toss it in whole or grind it first?

Cheers,
Chuck

Throw up a recipe your using RM

I don't understand, which is not an unusual occurence.

I put tomato paste into the wash to provide nutients, not for flavour.

If I have to then add more nutrients to get the tomato paste to ferment out, why do I use the tomato paste in the first place? Adding other nutrients seems counter productive.

Or are you saying used malted barley in place of the Tomato paste?

I read it as malted barley is a more effective nutrient than tomato paste.

HI Guys
My recipe for neutral
10 kgs sugar
1 tspn Epsom Salts
750 grams malted barlet crushed
Tin Allinsons Dried Bread Yeast (Tesco/Sainsbury)

I have used 12 kgs sugar and 1 kg malted barley just takes a few days longer.
Regards
RM

Oh forgot to say thats in 50 litres of water.
Regards
RM

Where do you find is cheapest to get your malted barley from.

Hi Lavis
It depends where you live. I usually get mine from The Malt Miller or the Worcesterhopshop.co.uk. Both are very reasonable. hope this helps.
Regards
RM