StillSmart

Luckily no foam party when I got up this morning but there was a slight eggy, sulphurous smell coming from the kitchen. Even the wife said she could smell it in the early hours when she visited the bathroom. Thermostats were set at 28 degrees and 30 degrees but have just reduced them very slightly to see if too much heat is the problem. What do you think gents.

This is the first time I didn't bother with a buffer. I set the PH to 5.2 on both fermenters but have not long checked and they have moved to 3.3 already. Adjusted back to 5.0 with Bicarbonate of Soda, but now have a question about what to do next.

Do I adjust with Bicarbonate of Soda every day until fermentation is finished and if so, should I keep it around the 5.0 PH mark.

Cheers.

This was my question that as yet is unanswered.

Don't be shy guys. Sometimes It's ok to say 'I don't know'.

A wiser man than I on this site said not to start fucking around with pH and shit.

Maybe he had a point.

Hey Duffer26

I see you are down the SW.

How far down are you, anywhere between Eden/Flambards way.

Nope, Plymouth.

Ah right, I'm a bit further down.

Was just wondering if there are any secret stilling groups down here. Would be good to meet up with like minded souls but I guess that's why I can't find one, because its secret !!.

"Sulphurous" is a worry. That normally means the yeast have a lack of nutrient.
What is the nutrient in the recipe just lentils ?

It should smell gassy - very mildly farty. Unlike kale that smell distinctly farty to the first day

"i don't know" 'cos I don't run washes that are a PITA and need this much attention [PH - bicarb or otherwise] - guess I am just idle.

I'm idle with you, Mash...

Never bothered with pH after found what my water was initially.
If I did need to fart around with it, I'd do so by using the stuff I mentioned earlier......
But I don't, so I don't.

FWIW, why does the lentil wash throw up so many questions on pH? Must be the reason I tried it only once.
See very little questioning with other washes.

Mash

Followed the recipe to the letter but forgot to take an SG. Just checked it and it is on 1062.

Will see if I can rescue this and have just added some nutrient and a couple of vitamin B! tablets to each vessel. This is going to be my last lentil wash from now on. Far too many problems associated with PH and having to fanny about with it.

Will look for another recipe. I want to mix the ingredients, add the yeast and let it ferment without any of the above hassles. What do you suggest please.

I like the kale wash. Very Neutral, very easy.

Packa makes a good point though.. You have got to get your water right (if it's not). People do all sorts of recipes buts 99% of all of them is water. I wrote up my kale wash recipe. It's on here somewhere as a PDF.

Thanks Mash.

I saw the Kale wash last night after commenting. Will be trying it once that these two are finished. After adding the extra nutrient and vitamin B1 tablets the smell is now virtually gone. Looks like I caught it before it went bad.

I've come to the conclusion that its got to be trial and error for every recipe due to the differences in water throughout the country. Its about time I actually put this into practice instead of trying to rectify problems that occur.

There is one advantage to the Kale wash, I love eating leafy greens like Kale and actually threw out half a packet last week that wasn't eaten. What's your average fermenting times on this wash.

There is a bit of trial and error. But it's about getting your water sorted and then nutrition right.

Kale has a lot of trace elements so does make up for water deficiencies.

Boil, strain, ferment with juice and then eat leafs.

You have me hooked on Kale Mash.
Have three of the bad boys on the go ATM.
As you say cheap, easy and clean.
Need to run at higher temp with Allinsons.

Bit of an update on these two lentil washes that I started this time on Monday evening.

In my previous post I mentioned an eggy/sulphurous smell coming from the fermenters. After some good advice about a lack of nutrient from Mash, I ended up sticking in some yeast nutrient and Vitamin B1 tablets.

Now a couple of days later there are no eggy smells coming from either brew and they are fermenting better than I have ever made before. Even though I didn't use a buffer I have daily tested the PH and adjust with Sodium Bicarbonate as required, much cheaper than 2 ounces of each buffer ingredient.

Have kept the PH very close to 5.2 since Monday and have just tested the SG. Both are already down to 1020 and still fizzing/fermenting like a good un. If they carry on like this, they should be just about done by the weekend.

Washes/Brews seem to lead a life of their own.
I usually run the same product, in side by side buckets.
The last dual wash sees me with one bucket finished and clear at 1.016, the other cloudy but finished at 0.096.
This was the last "yeast monster" brew that I mentioned, maybe the scraped up yeast was not evenly shared?
Sometimes I think that I have this beast by the horns.
Sometimes life is a Bagatelle.

Robert.

Sometimes life is a bag a shit.

Sorry had a bad week at work....couldn't help myself .