StillSmart

I'd include pH in that list.

I have fermented all sorts of things it the past. Can't say I have ever experienced ph issues. Only ever heard of it here. I can't explain it ... yet.

For me it doesn't make the list..Until you get VERY serious indeed and start doing lab analysis On your ferments.

I, on the other hand, can't recall the last time I did a wash that did not have pH problems (usually too low causing a stall). Maybe you gave a better class of water!

For me,the understanding of Ph and washes has only come from wishing to run fast and simple ones for distilling.
Often I do not need to intervene,sometimes I do.
When I do,it seems to be beneficial.
Why I sometimes need to intervene and other times not,I do not understand,with virtual identical washes.
It keeps me on my toes though.

Robert.

I wonder if it has to do with our relatively nutrition-poor ferments? I never had this problem with beer or wine. I don't recall at the moment how my mostly grain washes fermented out. It could be stress on the yeast affecting pH?

Is it only lentil washes?

Hmm, got me thinking now. I never have problems with slow ferments when making wine. IS it the poor nutritional value of lentils?

Any thoughts on using a wine-maker's yeast nutrient rather than lentils?

Hampk

No, not just lentils for me.

I have only had the lentil wash hiccup on me,both before the time and after,that I started adding Sultanas and other nutrients.
For sure there is less bulk than the average wine or beer wash.
I am loath and too tight to see if doubling the lentils make the occasional problem go away,equally,a day or two longer ferment does not really bother me.
I plan to start recording Ph data in the brewing book to see if it helps me solve this conundrum.
In time...

Robert.

hampk wrote:
Any thoughts on using a wine-maker's yeast nutrient rather than lentils?

Hampk

I was thinking along the same lines. Drop the lentils completely and replace with tronozymol.

Sounds like you two dissidents are trying to formulate a turbo.
I wish you well with it,keep us posted.

Robert.

Nah. Not a turbo at all. Not even new.
A simple sugar wine. 12% ish.
Often used to teach the principles of fermentation.
Also good for comparing the effect of different yeasts.
Ideal as it is cheap, colorless and tasteless.

Hmmm. ... do these last three points ring any bells

Actually, the wash you descibe is the sort of wash that I was running through my first pot still almost 30 years ago.
Information was hard to come by in those days,and involved much time in the local library.
Oh,that the interwebs and sites like this had existed back then!
Sharing is caring.
You raise a very good point,IMHO.
Are we trying to be too clever?
A couple of spoons of Tronozymol or equivalent have to cost less than a bag of lentils.
If you care to try distilling a simple sugar wash,and start a new thread on how it is working for you,awesome.
I think this may be wandering off topic.
Personally,I like to see threads evolve and grow,the thread police like a tidy board,and I think that I hear sirens....

Robert.

Agree on all points.
I will put a wash on and start another thread for it.

Dissident? I like it

It just struck me that as my background is in home-made wine, not distillation (still new at this game!) and you add yeast nutrient to your bucket of elderflower/damson/whathaveyou, why not to a plain sugar solution?

Sadly I'm away on holiday shortly so won't have a chance to lead any research - but look forward to Mashy's findings in due course.

As for the thread, I started it as I felt my lentil washes were slow, and who knows, maybe leaving the lentils out is the answer