Fermentation, how long is too long?

by **Balmoral** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:28 am

Hi chaps, long time no post.
Got a wash on the go at the moment, the usual turbo yeast jobbie. It\'s been bubbling away, albeit slowly, for four weeks now. Usually it\'s all done in around two weeks.
I\'m quite happy to let it continue until cooked, but is it detrimental to let it go on and on?
Thanks in advance,
Balmoral.

by **Phantom** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 6:55 am

no, shouldn\'t be a problem, though I\'d have put a hydrometer in to test the gravity by now.
Never bothered to test the starting gravity of a wash, but it should finish at something like 0.980 to 0.990

by **Ancient1** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:28 pm

I too have had times when the period of of fermentation appears to be inordinately long. I now always take a hydrometer reading before starting fermentation. My reasoning being that by doing so I feel that this indicates whether of not all sugar had been totally inverted. Any sugar not inverted would I feel be possibly the cause of this longer period of fermentation as it would be slowly dissolving during fermentation before it becomes fully available for use by the yeast.
Other than this factor, I think possibly it can only be put down to variations in the yeast/nutrient mix on the part of the supplier.
I would be interested in what others might put it down to.
Ancient.

by **Balmoral** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:48 am

Gravity is about 1.030
I have given it a stir and put it next to a panel heater with a thermometer so I can keep an eye on the temp.
The problem is very likely that it has been too cold. We have our CH thermostat set at 18, the wife pops it up to 20-22 of an evening, but it is off during the day.

by **bluecap** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 9:51 am

Buy a fish tank type heater from your homebrew shop and set it to about 24c, look at as a investment, half a bag of turbo 48 will ferment 6 kilo of sugar dry in about 6 days.

by **Balmoral** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:44 pm

Thanks bluecap, I bought a fish tank heater and it\'s going great now.
Top tip that was.

by **optic** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:55 pm

I tarted a wash going yesterday lunchtime using an alcotec triple distilled turbo and 28 hours later its hasnt started yet,its on a heat tray and ive checked the temp and its 23c,its got a little bit of throth on top and if I put my ear close to the top of the fermenter with the lid off I can hear a fizzing noise but with the lid snapped on tigh there is no activity through the airlock,normally by now it would be fermenting like crazy,anyone got any idea why its gone tits up?

by **Balmoral** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:03 pm

I\'m still struggling with mine, had the heater in for almost a full week, temperature is steady at 24 degrees, SG now at 1.020. Slow going eh? It\'s been five weeks, if it\'s not done by next weekend, I think I\'ll ditch it as somethings not right?

by **optic** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:20 pm

HinBalmoral

I was thinking about giving mine a few days and if its not going i will pitch some wine yeast and if that dont work think i will chuck mine,its just taking up the heat tray space and i need to get some more beer brewing.

by **optic** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 6:58 pm

my wash got going after 36 hours,very odd as the temp has been kept at 24c.

by **Balmoral** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:12 am

Mines still stuck at 1020. I notice on the packet it says fermentation will stick above 24 degrees, with the tank heater it has been spot on 24, having been too cold in the weeks previously. I don\'t suppose I have gone from being too cold to too warm?
Anyway, I think I\'ve just ruined it, I put a packet of Allinsons easy bake yeast in there, which I found in the cupboard and rashly bunged it into the wash.
Will that get it moving, or did I boob?

by **bluecap** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:52 am

Hi Balmoral I doubt the Allisonâ€™s yeast will make a difference but all is not lost give it a couple of days if no joy with it clear it, and distil it thereâ€™s still alcohol in there.
Optic if it fizzing its giving gas off, all I can think of is your bucket is not air tight or a cracked airlock, try a different airlock.

by **Opus 27** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:58 am

Two different yeast stains wont work the existing yeast colony will just kill the latter one. depending on the starting SG you might still have some useable alcohol in there. Just need to be carefull it does\'nt foam up if you distill it. Not sure if Distillers Conditioner would help.
Opus 27

by **optic** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 4:18 pm

Opus27

Hows the john stone wash going?,i take it as its a 40ltr wash you are going to do a couple of stripping runs and a spirit run through the super reflux,ive been looking at the still plans in johns book i would like to try and make one,the only part that is elusive is a needle valve,any ideas on where to source one from thing is i dont want to pay out for all the tubing and bits and pieces then find a valve isnt available.

Optic

by **Opus 27** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 8:59 pm

Hi Optic

The wash stuck at 1.020. So not too impressed I guess it's about 6 or 7%ABV. That took 3 weeks where as John Stone said 5+ days. Anyway I fined it and ran it through my Buon Vino Mini Jet Filter and as I type this it's coming out of the reflux. So far 750 Ml out of the first 20 Litres at 87%. The first 250 was 90%.

The still is puling 800 watts with 500ML of coolant a minute temperature is holding at 80 C. taken 3 hours for 750 Ml. Reflux is packed with 2 stainless steel scrubbers.

I'm looking at building a new head like yourself but still un-decided on the design. It may be possible to find a needle valve on one of the Model Engineer Sites as it's something you would use on a steam engine.
Opus