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Offline elvis142  
#1 Posted : Saturday, August 31, 2013 11:57:38 AM(UTC)
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"hello to all, I have a grape mash going and I think it may have stalled! we started it on Tues the 27th added I packet of yeast to it via a gallon or 2 of warm water. any ideas out there to confirm?

thanks

Elvis"
Offline heeler  
#2 Posted : Saturday, August 31, 2013 12:05:25 PM(UTC)
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"Whats your recipe??
how many gallons
what yeast
how much sugar
fermentation temps

give a complete methodology that you used and someone here can figger out what happened."
Offline elvis142  
#3 Posted : Saturday, August 31, 2013 12:25:09 PM(UTC)
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hello, we are making grappa from a home recipe. The grapes were crushed and some water added. I was not there during this, they added something to kill the natural yeast (forgot what they call it) and waited 24 hours. The amount of grapes was about 1500 lbs of muscot grapes, which equals about 250 gallons of crushed grapes and juice. 1 packet of Redstar Champagne yeast. the last temp I took was 104. I also added about 35 gallons of water with about 5 lbs of sugar.
Offline heeler  
#4 Posted : Sunday, September 01, 2013 5:25:10 AM(UTC)
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"
Originally Posted by: elvis142 Go to Quoted Post
hello, we are making grappa from a home recipe. The grapes were crushed and some water added. I was not there during this, they added something to kill the natural yeast (forgot what they call it) and waited 24 hours. The amount of grapes was about 1500 lbs of muscot grapes, which equals about 250 gallons of crushed grapes and juice. 1 packet of Redstar Champagne yeast. the last temp I took was 104. I also added about 35 gallons of water with about 5 lbs of sugar.


My guess would be 1 pkg or approx. 8-11 grams of yeast in a container to hold 285 gallons.
And if that whole container was 104 degrees F. I bet that stressed or killed the yeast addition that you made. You can always add more yeast if it stopped working but something that big with that miniscule amount of yeast it could have made some etoh without any visiable signs. A 300 gallon container is a whopper no dought and one little pack of yeast, well with sugar in there it would consume what it could I would think if the heat did'nt kill it.
And then to start distilling almost 300 gallons man you're gonna be busy, sorry that was'nt what you asked about, if its cooled try adding more yeast (maybe more than 1 pack). If it's not covered with a airlock you might just have to watch the top or give it a week or so, then take a hydrometer reading to see if it's done......the reading should be around .999-1.000 or somewhere in that neighborhood to show completion of fermentation."
Offline elvis142  
#5 Posted : Sunday, September 01, 2013 6:38:01 AM(UTC)
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yes, we are going to be busy!Cool it was covered with some plastic, the real thin stuff. I always thought that the yeast multiplied, like you said maybe not enough yeast or too much heat. I have 3 more packs and I'm going to add that after I take out some of the solids to have more mixing room. thanks for your replies!

P.S. what is ETOH?
Offline RCRed  
#6 Posted : Sunday, September 01, 2013 7:53:56 AM(UTC)
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ETOH = Alcohol - And the inference is once the wash gets to a certain % of ETOH (From the yeast processing sugar) it also can cause the yeast to stress and go dormant if a etoh tolerant yeast isn't being used.

Something else to consider is some way to chill that container for the ferment - 100's simply is gonna cause problems, both in ferment and taste.. Nasties are more prevelant at those higher ferment temps. I don't do batches that big-nor have I done grapes yet, but I keep the ferments at 74-76F, max.. I read that the yeast are happy there(abouts) and tend not to produce as many off tastes. I lost a few batches early one beacuse I was trying to do them outside in Texas last year during the early summer. And, they worked, but tasted like solvent... Even refluxed. Once I started doing the ferments in a cool and dark environ, Oh baby.. BigGrin

One really needs a way to keep outside air out. Yeast make ETOH because they cannot get oxygen, and thus take O2 from the sugar molecules, and fart etoh and CO2. There's an excellent write up on it over at homedistiller.og (That's where I got my datum from). Maybe the thin plastic was ok, but ya have to be sure she's air tight and, have a way for that CO2 to get outa there too...

And good luck, As heeler said, you are going to be busy.. for days!! I don't know what size boiler you are planning for it, but god sakes, I hope she's bigger'n a 15 gal Wink
Offline elvis142  
#7 Posted : Sunday, September 01, 2013 12:19:22 PM(UTC)
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RCRed, we are working on a new boiler now. It should be about 30 or so gallons. thanks for the reply and I will keep you guys posted!
Offline elvis142  
#8 Posted : Monday, September 02, 2013 6:00:40 PM(UTC)
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update: we got it going again! It took a like 2oz of yeast, but its going. Threw in some yeast nutrients for good measure.
Offline elvis142  
#9 Posted : Wednesday, September 04, 2013 4:12:32 PM(UTC)
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then take a hydrometer reading to see if it's done......the reading should be around .999-1.000 or somewhere in that neighborhood to show completion of fermentation.

Heeler, so how fast should the reading be dropping? On Monday it read 1.150 and today was 1.100, is that too slow?

thanks
Offline dieselduo  
#10 Posted : Thursday, September 05, 2013 12:06:36 AM(UTC)
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if your OG was 1.15 and your FG was 1.0 that would be 18.7% ABV. Unless you used a turbo or something I doubt you will get the ABV that high with bread yeast. Sometimes it takes a few weeks for a ferment to finish. Just wait til it stops bubbling and read again
Offline John Barleycorn  
#11 Posted : Thursday, September 05, 2013 3:08:09 AM(UTC)
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"
Originally Posted by: elvis142 Go to Quoted Post
On Monday it read 1.150 and today was 1.100, is that too slow?

That SG doesn't sound correct.

Adding 5 pounds of sugar to 250 gallons of must would only get you an extra point or two, so it's insignificant. Assuming my math is correct, you would have somewhere in the neighborhood of 375 g/L sugar from your grapes ... which is about twice what I would expect (assuming 150 - 250 g/L is the normal range). Do you still have a lot of solid material in your must? Or did you add more sugar along the way?

In any case, if you dropped 50 points in four days, I'd say things are off and running.:)"
Offline Hokey  
#12 Posted : Thursday, September 05, 2013 3:10:26 AM(UTC)
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I agree with the above. Your fermentation seems to be going as it should. With the large quantity of wash and the small amount of yeast, even with the second addition, your ferment should take a couple of weeks. Keep it as cool as possible. Damp towels around the barrel if possible helps a lot. Don't rush it!
Offline elvis142  
#13 Posted : Thursday, September 05, 2013 10:42:18 AM(UTC)
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thanks, will do
Offline heeler  
#14 Posted : Friday, September 06, 2013 2:32:34 AM(UTC)
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"
Originally Posted by: elvis142 Go to Quoted Post
then take a hydrometer reading to see if it's done......the reading should be around .999-1.000 or somewhere in that neighborhood to show completion of fermentation.

Heeler, so how fast should the reading be dropping? On Monday it read 1.150 and today was 1.100, is that too slow?

thanks


I want to ditto what dieselduo said...that does sound high but no worries.
Something that big should take quite awhile in my opinion but you can't hurry it so give it until you THINK it's done and then a few more days to make sure. Again if you can keep it cool - not 100F+ that should be helpfull, you dont have to take a reading everyday just leave it alone and 2-3 weeks should do it."
Offline elvis142  
#15 Posted : Friday, September 13, 2013 6:06:46 PM(UTC)
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hello, all is well in fermentation land! I got a 1.000 on the meter and its doing great. thanks for all the advice!
Offline heeler  
#16 Posted : Friday, September 13, 2013 11:32:05 PM(UTC)
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It's time to cook it! That reading is telling you the yeast has used up all the sugars and it's time to cook- good luck!
Offline elvis142  
#17 Posted : Saturday, September 14, 2013 7:18:40 AM(UTC)
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ITS COOKING! really nice stuff, like 60 percent
Offline heeler  
#18 Posted : Saturday, September 14, 2013 9:54:17 AM(UTC)
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Elvis, just in case you dont know...collect in small jars soas to seperate all the cuts (you'll see tomorrow) then let all those jars air out for a day or two. THEN...after it airs for a bit cut it down to 100 for so before you taste it -- OR -- just plan on re-running it to really clean it up but what ever you do keep us updated.
Offline elvis142  
#19 Posted : Saturday, September 14, 2013 6:49:32 PM(UTC)
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ok, so we are collecting the heads and keeping the goods. Its going good!
Offline elvis142  
#20 Posted : Sunday, September 15, 2013 8:18:40 PM(UTC)
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we got her done!
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