Stuck at 1.030

[Klunk]

Hi Mash, yea I think I'll attack them with my aireator, remebering to take the heaters out first

I'll try that later tonight and see how it goes, thanks.

[Klunk]

Well a week later and a little progress has been made. I turned up the heaters to 28oC on both bins and there has been some movement.

Bin#1 has moved a little down to 1010. This was after turning the heat up and then giving it a sound thrashing with my areator. So much so I knocked the plastic wings off it!! So there might have to be a plan b with this one.

Bin#2 however has moved on a bit. After fixing the areator and adding a teaspoon more of Alinsons I gave this a good stir up and again raised the heat to 28. This is now down to 960. I was thinking of turning off the heater for that one last night but I am assuming that if this is now getting a move on and is still dropping that I should wait till it's stopped falling for a couple of days. Would that be right? Also wondering if there is any negative effect if I let it drop to 900 or below?

I'm not in any crazy rush as I see this as an experiment and I don't have to restock just yet. Just like to get a better understanding of whats going on.

[Easydrinker]

If a yeast brew drops below .980, then I shout Halleluja and praise the lord.
It happens one in ten.
Life is generally too frickin' short to wait for such numbers.

Below .900 then your test gear ain't working, or you can't use it right.

Just my view.

Robert.

[Klunk]

Well you'd be amazed with my capabilities to use a simple hydrometer , but the question was more of a what if? Anyhow, that's all irrelevant now as I turned off Bin 2 at 960 on Wednesday, left it chillin for a couple of days on a cold floor and will syphon and strip tomorrow.

Bin 1 however gave me a bit of a scare today. I had a chance to pop over and take a look lunchtime, KFC in hand. As I went to take the lid off I thought to myself "that feels a bit warm". When the lid came off I could feel a lot of heat coming off the top, bit of steam too. Got my digital thermometer in there and it ran up to 50C. Turned off heater and pulled it out of bin and it was set to 28C but was obviously a lot hotter!! Got the bin cooling down and done a check a little later and its down to 960 too, but I am worried that I have cooked it and done some long term harm.

Only time will tell I suppose and put it all down to the experience bank. I'll clean up the heater and try it in a bucket of water tomorrow to see if it's fooked, hope not as I've only had that one a couple of months

Thank you all for the advice, you're a good bunch

[Easydrinker]

Curious to see a hydrometer that dips much below .980 is all I'm saying.

Robert.

[Mash]

Curious to see a hydrometer that dips much below .980 is all I'm saying.

Robert.

+1 (I think he's fermenting antifreeze)

[Mash]

When the lid came off I could feel a lot of heat coming off the top, bit of steam too. Got my digital thermometer in there and it ran up to 50C. Turned off heater and pulled it out of bin and it was set to 28C but was obviously a lot hotter!! Got the bin cooling down

If this is not finished, (Check with a hydrometer at 20c) then you need a fresh batch of yeast repitching.

It is generally accepted that the yeast strain we use (saccharomyces cerevisiae) dies at between 30-35c.

In a situation like this you get the fresh yeast on it quickly... There are other airborne yeasts (Lactobacillus - vinegar - for one and a whole array of molds) which will make a start if you don't, but you won't want to drink the outcome.

[Klunk]

Hello again,

Well nice to see the comments, Funny you said antifreeze Mash (I got your email BTW, thanks ) as one of the two hydrometers I use comes from RS Components and that has a more accurate scale for sub 1000 measurements. Antifreeze being one of the things it can be used for. Not as daft as the comment sounds

Anyhow, after leaving the damn thing cool down for a day or so, I ran it through the 500 yesterday as it was reading 960 so I thought I had feck all to loose and I could keep an eye on it while watching the football, nice one West Ham BTW . I ended up with 3 ltrs at 90% abv. Looked and smelled OK and I watered some down 40% for a taste test and was pleasantly surprised. Tastes or smells OK for a strip, it'll be fine for a spirit run. All is good.

Turned out the reason why the bin got so hot is that the heater, a 25v aquarium heater, had a crack in the glass and water had got into the elements. That'll probably be down to me forgetting to take it out the bin before I started attacking it with the aireator. It must have been a matter of seconds before I remembered but in that time I must have clipped it with one of the blades. Something else to put on Santa's list I suppose

[Easydrinker]

If this thread was a movie, then only Tim Burton could direct it

Robert.