Fermentation Not Complete

[Mash]

Might make the next one without these additions.

BINGO.

[Icefever]

Might make the next one without these additions.

BINGO.

Back to basics...not a bad idea

[Mr Four Square]

I've seen a school of thought elsewhere (don't believe it was this board) that suggests pH can be assisted by chucking a couple of suitably cleaned sea shells (cockles, whatever) into the mix.Apparently it works. Theory is over a period the calcium is consumed and gradually you find, next two please.FWIW. I haven't tried it but I'm intending to.

I tried this on one of two identical Cachaca washes. Both came out just fine but you could tell the sea shells had given up quite a bit of calcium. Its a neat idea. The wash scavenges the calcium from the shells like a sacrificial anode !

What makes you think it has stalled? Lack of movement in the airlock? No change to the SG? How long was the wash sitting without a change to the SG? It is possible that it has just slowed down,. You can leave these things for a month sometimes ...

[Still Brewing]

The wash has been going for nearly two weeks now. I turned the heater back on a couple of days ago and it looks like there has been a little more fermentation as its gone down to 1004.

Bit strange that one as it was stuck on the same reading for nearly four days.

Fermentation is strange at times. Looks like I need to read up a little more instead of just understanding the basics.

[chill]

Have you tried adding some Baking Soda to see if it is the pH?

[Easydrinker]

It is not that I wish to argue with the sea-shells reference,only the disclaimer,"over a period of time" , my own washes take a week,or less,there is no more time!

Maybe you pre-soak the shells?

One of the reasons that I moved away from home winemaking was the inordinate amount of time that ferments seemed to take.
Maybe I could now improve on that?
Anyway,re-reading this thread,I am still convinced that it is PH (or maybe high sugar),causing the problem,so please let me know if I am wrong.
I won't promise to eat my hat,but will graciously admit that I was wrong.
I am here to try and help,you,me and anyone else that wanders by.

Robert.

[packapoo]

I liked Mashy's calc from the other day. Tomas sugar....

[hampk]

+1 to the comments relating to sugar and pH. My own experiments after suffering interminably long fermentations have led me to 5.5kg sugar in 25 litres, not 21, and a pH buffer. Even with 25 litres I found I needed the buffer for a quick ferment, but our tapwater here is well below pH 7.

Cheers

Hampk

[Mr Four Square]

Couldn't care less about the shells ED just mentioned them in passing. Just saying washes are more active than we give them credit for and we often panic thinking that its stalled or stressed or something. If the SG is moving down the yeast are working. Give it the sniff test. Head in the bucket. Inhale deeply and if it feels like both your nostrils have been stabbed all's well and there's life in them yeasties yet.

[Easydrinker]

Depends upon the size of yer bucket,- stick yer head in one of mine and you would need a towel if not a hair wash,not a lot of free space in the current ones!

Robert

[Mash]

Brilliant image... Thanks Robert

[Still Brewing]

Managed to get the ferment right down to sg 1000, but it was a bit of a struggle.

I see some of you have mentioned PH buffers. Do you use them as a matter of course or just when you are having problems with slow ferments.

What brand would you recommend.

[chill]

I use one as a matter of course with sugar bases washes. I make my own, it is just a precise combination of baking soda and citric acid.

Chuck

[hampk]

I've also been using a buffer -last three washes have all completed in 5 days with no stalling - previously I have had awful problems.

I guess you ideally want a 50% mix by atomic weight of citric and bicarbonate but I have to say I've just been chucking 50g of each into a litre of water, waiting for the fizz to die down, and then adding to the wash.

Works for me..

Cheers

Hampk

[chill]

Changing the ratio will change the pH level that the buffer "locks in". Equal atomic weights should hold it at 5.0, IIRC, which I may well not.

Chuck