StillSmart

Well,four days ago I racked a fermented wash. Degassed it with paddle on elec drill, and then added Sparkoloid It still isn`t clear and has bubbles on top. It is in an unheated shed and no heater on it. Wondering what my next step should be? More sparkoloid, more degassing?

Thanks

Sonny

If it has bubbles on top then my best guess is that it is not quite done. Or not fully degassed. If it has just finished fermenting, it can take 2-3 days for stirring to get all of the gas out. If you whiz the paddle around and no foam at all is produced, then it is degassed.

Is the fermentation really over? I usually look for it start clearing (losing the milky look as the dead yeast settles to the bottom) in the primary before I rack it. Did you measure the final gravity? A low pH, temperature or a high alcohol level can make the yeast very, very slow. But they still produce enough to prevent clearing. You could also have another infection that is eating the alcohol and producing gas (an aceto-bacter). There is nothing that I know of that you can do in that case, but the final yield is not going to make you happy.

I've rarely seen sparkoloid fail when fermentation was really over and all of the gas removed. I have had it fail on a few washes, but I don't recall why I thought that was. It could well be that the was wash infected, not a degassed as I though, or still going.

Chuck

Dip your finger in the wash and taste it. If it's sweet then the ferment is not finished just very, very slow. Plus, if you racked it off the lees it only has the suspended yeast to do the job.

If it is sweet try getting it warmed up, aerate it and then pitch some more yeast.

If, on the other hand, it tastes like a crap wine but not sour or slimey then it's not properly degassed.

I'm guessing that it's not finished because I've never known Sparky to fail but it can take a few days in very cold conditions.

You should consider an aquarium heater and a sleeping bag for your fermenter. you only need to keep it above 13oC or 55oF for the yeast to be comfy

Go on, taste it and see

AM

Okay-think it tastes a bit sour, not sure, but it doesn`t taste sweet. So I paddled it again for 15 minutes. Will see what it looks like in a couple of days, then maybe add some more sparkoloid?

I have 2 aquarium heaters that I use when fermenting, but don`t use them after racking and degassing. It isn`t freezing in the shed, temp is usually above 5C and lately 10C.

Thanks for the help guys.

Sonny

What were your starting and ending SG? If you don't have the equipment to determine SG, purchase before next wash. I read and record SG, temp and date every morning I have a wash fermenting.

Thanks RJ''

Did not do the SG--only after, and always found if 980 or better--was always ready to go..

Been so used to doing all this stuff inside, and now out to the shed.. Its a whole new (ball game(.. Aquarium heaters, and blankets, and light bulbs etc.. Temps up and down like a yo0yo.

The tax man cometh this week--but maybe next week can avoid him..lol

Good site--good people..

Thanks

Sonny