StillSmart

Mine has just finished (with buffers) in just over two weeks appears to be about the same.

Next up, I'm going to run them a little hotter. 25C instead of 19C

What yeast are you using there?
Being a long term brewer you could be using a favourite,
Being a distiller I use Allinson's, and that seems to like 28 or 30°C.

Robert.

Thanks. Temp is probably the answer then.

I use a bread yeast very similar to Allinsons - Fermipan.

I have just started my first kale wash @ 22 degrees with buffers and after 3 days it seems to have stopped. I'm waiting for a pH meter (coming today) before I decide what to do. I'm using Allinsons dried active yeast - is that the right one - do you think I need to up the temperature? I followed Mashs recipe for a 25L wash but also added a 50g/50g buffer...

What does your hydrometer say ?

MrHodge wrote:I have just started my first kale wash @ 22 degrees with buffers and after 3 days it seems to have stopped. I'm waiting for a pH meter (coming today) before I decide what to do. I'm using Allinsons dried active yeast - is that the right one - do you think I need to up the temperature? I followed Mashs recipe for a 25L wash but also added a 50g/50g buffer...

You want to be using the one in the yellow tin, not the green stuff which has all sorts of things added to it. The yellow one is just yeast.

@Mash interesting - I use Allinsons Yellow and run at around 25-26 degrees - now another variable to contemplate

Cheers

Hampk

I use fermipan at 18-20. I think I am the slowcoach here.


...and no! its knowhere near the price on ebay.

It was stuck at 1.070 on the hydrometer. I don't know the OG as I broke (yet another) hydrometer when I was mixing it. Anyway, I think my problem was that I didn't give it any air - I just tossed the yeast in and put the lid on with an airlock. I have now added a bit more yeast and given it some air and it is going quite nicely.

I have always brewed my wine with an airlock - is it better with the kale mash to leave the lid loose to get more air? Or do you just need the air to allow the yeast to start and multiply, then put the lid/airlock on? I am using the Allinsons active yeast in the yellow tin.

BTW I tested the pH and it was 4.5 which I think is fine...

1070 this is unusually high to get stuck. That's almost not started.

Yeast needs some air to get going, and to be honest, you can't overdo it.

To airlock or not to airlock that is the question.
The only thing I can say is that I do not airlock anything fermenting more.
I use the youngs wide neck fermenters, with the lids on & then just crack them a little.

All my airlocks are used for bulk storage only.


EDIT: how much room are you leaving in the fermenter - between the top of the wash and the bottom of the airlock?

Yes it is high to stop - it did start tho but it was always a bit sluggish. One thing I noticed that seemed odd (before it stopped), the airlock would bubble at a fair rate (two bubbles per second perhaps) for maybe 10 seconds then stop completely for 10 seconds then start for 10 seconds etc. and continue on this cycle - normally at the start the bubbling is more constant for the first few days. I think that probably supports the theory that I didn't give it enough air at the beginning to properly get started - I stirred the yeast straight in and fitted the lid & airlock. I have since read that I should sprinkle the yeast on top and make sure it has air to let it reproduce and get going. My fermenter is 30L with 25L wash in it, so it has a decent gap at the top...

EDIT: @Mash Just re-read your question - The airlock was pushed all the way in the the flat lid of the 30L bin, so I guess it could have been within a couple of CM of the top of the wash

10 seconds... Oeer that is odd.

I have a doc somewhere about rehydration. But this is the short version.

Sprinkle. Wait for 15. Do nothing.
Then stir in and then whisk.

hampk wrote:So three weeks after I kicked the non-Trono wash off, it finally got below 1.00. This wash normally completes for me in five or six days, with buffer and the nutrient.

Not messing any more - I know what works and I can't be bothered trying it without the buffer

Did someone mention kale?

Cheers

Hampk

So the wash I started on Saturday using Mash's WWW recipe (OK, 400g of wheat and boiled quite vigorously, instead of how Mash advises) with a 50g/50g buffer, 25g Trono and 5.5kg sugar started at 1.08 and now has reached 1.01.

As I said, I'm done messing!

Cheers

Hampk

Good news. What temp did you keep it at?

It's currently sitting at around 26.5 degrees and bubbling nicely

Thanks. Suspictions confirmed - mine are tooo cool.