 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/30/2004(UTC)
Posts: 6
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"Hello, by no means am I a newbie, but I'm getting a weird thing lately. A month or so back I made a batch with *old* yeast, it was past its date, so I didn't think too much of it when the run was less than normal, and it took a few weeks to finish fermenting. I almost threw the packet out, it was that old.
But now I've just bought some new 48 hour turbo, and a week and a half later, its still not done, its bubbling quite healthily. I haven't changed anything about the way I do things. Anyone have any ideas on what would make a 48 hour yeast take this long to be done? This isn't a complaint, other than I like to start a batch on Sunday night, and be running it that next Sunday. So its thrown my rhythm off a bit. Mostly, I'm just curious...
Thanks!"
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 Rank: Administration Groups: Administrators
Joined: 2/10/2002(UTC)
Posts: 501
Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 8 post(s)
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There are several things that can potentially cause this- temperature, too much sugar (which would stress the yeast and slow the fermentation). Have you tested the SG recently?
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/30/2004(UTC)
Posts: 6
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"Honestly, I never test the SG, I'm pretty simplistic in my routine. I just clean everything with iodine before and after use, and make sure to keep the O2 out.
For years now, I've just bought two 10 lb. bags of sugar, I dissolve it into the boiling water, then let it cool and add the yeast and some more water. I know the sachet calls for 18 lbs., but this is the first time its seemed to cause any trouble... so are you suggesting that it has more sugar to eat, so its taking longer to run out of food/end fermentation?
Now, just recently, I've been letting the sugar-water sit overnight to cool, before I put it in the fermenter, add yeast, etc. The hose that I use to siphon it off with gets too hot and pliable right off the stove, it was easier to just wait.
The fermenter sits in my kitchen, so the temp should be staying within 60 to 70 degrees at any given time."
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Rank: Administration Groups: Administrators
Joined: 2/10/2002(UTC)
Posts: 501
Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 8 post(s)
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20lbs can be too much for the yeast if there is any other stress on it at all. Yeast can handle only so much stress, and the increased gravity on your wash is one.
You could have also received a bag or two of sugar that was over-weight. This is fairly common, which could have easily led to you having as much as 22lbs of sugar in your wash.
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/30/2004(UTC)
Posts: 6
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"Ok, thank you. As I said, I've never bothered with the SG, etc. When you say Specific Gravity, do you literally mean the *gravity*, the physical pressure, that exists inside this little world the yeast is trying to live and thrive in?
Other than the length of time, are there any other problems I might be seeing? As far as I can tell, I'm getting my 18% or so, when the run is through. So I guess I'm asking, as long as the fermentation is still happening, regardless of the time it takes, what other side effects might that pressure have, in your experience. More Fusels, etc.?"
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Rank: Administration Groups: Administrators
Joined: 2/10/2002(UTC)
Posts: 501
Was thanked: 8 time(s) in 8 post(s)
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In technical terms, yes. But our goal is to know the fermentability of the wash, and whether or not the yeast can handle it. We can also look at the current SG and the SG in a day or two to get an idea of what is going on. If the SG does not change in the time period, then there is no more fermentation taking place, and the liquid is simply releasing gas that was absorbed during fermentation.
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/30/2004(UTC)
Posts: 6
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Let me ask another question, then. I have a set level where I fill my fermenter with water, half of that is all that I can run at one time. How would adding more water to my fermenter affect the SG? Any effect at all? I'm guessing it would make it denser, or higher.
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