Harvest neutral

[Mash]

I did a lob in yesterday, cos there was a lot of nutrient kicking about

Just to see what would happen.

25l - 5kg - 50g bakers with...

2 large overripe tomatoes
The steamer water from spinach / kale wilting.
2 oyster shells
Tiniest drizzle of olive oil

Temps are so good at the moment I have left it on the floor just in the house.

Was going like a train a couple of hours later, expecting it to take about 10 days.

Let's see...

[Icefever]

You just don't care....do you???

Ice.

[Mash]

I think it should come good.

[phantom]

The adage of "if it contains starch or sugars, booze can be made from it" still allows pretty much anything.

Whether one of the materials might cause any off flavour, I can't say as it depends on whether any possible off flavour is in a form where it can be removed by either distillation or other methods (carbon filtering etc).

All you can do is to run your "experiment" to the end and learn by taste..........

[Mash]

Mr thinking was..


2 large overripe tomatoes = tomato paste

The steamer water from spinach / kale wilting = kale juice.

2 oyster shells = my new goto pH (& previously proved solution)

Tiniest drizzle of olive oil = my goto yeast nutrient (loaded with B Vitamins)

.. And not I am not being tight. I was being environmentally friendly, with natural resources

[Easydrinker]

Soup, or at worst gruel.
Please Sir, can I have some more?
Dickension wash..

Robert.

[JedTodd]

doe's anyone bring their sugarwash p.h. down with citric acid? i read 5.4 was a better place for the yeast to be happier, lol

[Icefever]

doe's anyone bring their sugarwash p.h. down with citric acid? i read 5.4 was a better place for the yeast to be happier, lol

Yes, every time, I aim for 5.4 then when the PH drop kicks in it's still in a workable range for the yeast...it works for me.

Ice.

[Mash]

Have given up on it. They always get started really well & I am finding oyster shells good for the pH swing.

[Mash]

Had a tidy up in the freezer yesterday. Found a few bags of old apples and pears, so another wash is going on. 80l blue drum this time. Stalks and all

Top it up with some sugar, once it's done it can go back in the freezer for stripping.

I have started collecting honey scrappings... Hmmm.

[phantom]

{snip}
I have started collecting honey scrappings... Hmmm.

Don't forget, when he was still alive, the late, great Brother Adam of Buckfast Abbey fame made his meads with the comb and capping "washings".

So "scrapings" sounds familiar enough that why not.

A few regions in Europe do manage to produce enough honey, to make a "honey spirit" (though I understand it's expensive as honey as a form of fermentable sugars itself, isn't cheap).

[Mash]

Brother Adam had the right idea. Are there any good books on the subject?

Yes I did win the country show years ago with my JM mead.... And never got the certificate.... Don't know if I have ever mentioned this

[Easydrinker]

doe's anyone bring their sugarwash p.h. down with citric acid? i read 5.4 was a better place for the yeast to be happier, lol

I always check Ph of any wash these days, and adjust as needed to be around 5.4.
I have wasted time, effort and whole washes where the Ph was too acidic.
My lentil & Tomato sugar washes start well, but become acidic by day 3, and need a little adjustment.

Robert.

[Mash]

I am starting some frozen filth today. Let's see.

[Easydrinker]

The local Blackbirds and myself are growing tired of the seeming endless supply of soft fruit hereabouts.
I harvest what I can, but there are only so many hours in a day.
Gonna have all sorts in the freezer by the end of the season.
The recent wet spell here means that the Barb, is going for a second flush.
I cannae waste it, during a recession.
Life's a bitch and then you die.

Robert.

[JedTodd]

so, my 12 Gal wash had been fermenting for ten days in a temperature controlled fridge and inkbird controller, and had slowed down to a bubble every 2 seconds or so. Thinking it must be nearly done i checked the s.g. which was still at 1.050 from a start of 1.100 og. Checked the p.h. at 2.69 so raised to 4.5 with calcium Carbonate. within minutes the airlock is bubbling crazy again and still doing so after one hour, initially thought the cc was just releasing co2 in suspension. So, lesson learned, check p.h. after a few days and adjust as necessary.

[Mash]

Good man, does your kettle in the kitchen get limescale?

[JedTodd]

eventually, installed a whole of house water softener from "water filterman", not salt treatment, ceramic and carbon filters that you change every couple of years. My local waterboard is also chloramine treated so use a campden tablet for each 5 gallon to treat the water with before brewing begins, apparently releases it from the water.

[Mash]

Are you using softened water then?

[JedTodd]

yes, to the extent of the filters capability, i live in a very hard, rated water supply area, so the softeners probably only take it down to Hard rating

[Mash]

Try the real thing. Real hard water is good for brewing.

I know. I have it too. Makes good beer and wash.

https://www.industrialwaterequipment.co ... -area-map/

This is a handy map.

[Elecrafter]

JedTodd.... Would you mind revealing the make and model of your softening system?

Ele.

[Mash]

https://www.waterfilterman.co.uk/

Is what I found...

[JedTodd]

replacement filter - Scale prevention cartridge
£99.99
EcoPlus XL Whole House Water Filter and Water Softening
EcoPlus XL Whole House Water Filter & 99.6% Scale Prevention, Water Softener Alternative
£549.99

[Mash]

Another on today.
Refining this a little...

25l - 5kg - 50g bakers with...

4 large overripe tomatoes (instead of paste)
150g lentils
2 oyster shells
Tiniest drizzle of olive oil

Back in the airing cupboard for a 25c fermentation.