Stalled fermentation/ missing nutrients

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buMbLeB

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I've made various fruit wines and ciders, all of which quickly (7-10 days) drop gravity from at least 1.080 to close to 1. If I let them go, they generally bottom out lower than 1 (0.996 or so). However, I'm experimenting with a couple of non-fruit recipes (ginger, liquorice, tea), and these consistently come to a near stall at around 1.020 - they might continue to give off an occasional bubble, but at a neglible rate.

I'm pretty certain that the difference is either some missing nutrient, or the pH. I do add both yeast energizer (I think it's dead yeast?) and nutrient (diammonium phosphate) at 1/2 tsp per gallon. I'd really like to be able to bring them down from OG 1.080 - 1.070 to finish just above 1.

Anyone have any insights or suggestions?
 
I've made various fruit wines and ciders, all of which quickly (7-10 days) drop gravity from at least 1.080 to close to 1. If I let them go, they generally bottom out lower than 1 (0.996 or so). However, I'm experimenting with a couple of non-fruit recipes (ginger, liquorice, tea), and these consistently come to a near stall at around 1.020 - they might continue to give off an occasional bubble, but at a neglible rate.

I'm pretty certain that the difference is either some missing nutrient, or the pH. I do add both yeast energizer (I think it's dead yeast?) and nutrient (diammonium phosphate) at 1/2 tsp per gallon. I'd really like to be able to bring them down from OG 1.080 - 1.070 to finish just above 1.

Anyone have any insights or suggestions?

What are you adding for the sugar/fermentable ingredients?
 
What are you adding for the sugar/fermentable ingredients?

White table sugar. Technically I guess it's inverted syrup, as I boil the "must" and then add the sugar to make sure it's dissolved and sanitized.
 
Do you keep in a bucket/open container the entire time? I usually start mine in the bucket (covered, of course), and let it run until 1.000. It's like an unstoppable train in the bucket. What and when do you rack?
 
Do you keep in a bucket/open container the entire time? I usually start mine in the bucket (covered, of course), and let it run until 1.000. It's like an unstoppable train in the bucket. What and when do you rack?

OK this is an interesting point! In fact, my non-juice concoctions have all been in 1 gallon carboys, while the apple cider & wine I've made starts off in a covered bucket. I've employed various levels of stirring/ oxygen exposure, but haven't really noticed too much of a difference. Also, the other fruit wines I've played with (grape juice, cherry, pomegranate, apricot) have all been in the carboys and they've all dropped down below 1. Nonetheless you've given me something else to consider.

Re racking, the non-fruits generally clear on their own, so I just rack once to a 2L plastic soda bottle for carbing & crashing. Then again, perhaps I don't fully understand the effect and importance of racking - why do you ask?
 
OK this is an interesting point! In fact, my non-juice concoctions have all been in 1 gallon carboys, while the apple cider & wine I've made starts off in a covered bucket. I've employed various levels of stirring/ oxygen exposure, but haven't really noticed too much of a difference. Also, the other fruit wines I've played with (grape juice, cherry, pomegranate, apricot) have all been in the carboys and they've all dropped down below 1. Nonetheless you've given me something else to consider.

Re racking, the non-fruits generally clear on their own, so I just rack once to a 2L plastic soda bottle for carbing & crashing. Then again, perhaps I don't fully understand the effect and importance of racking - why do you ask?

Yeah, try an open bucket. I bet it goes next time. Not often will it stall (although I had it happen once with acidic limes!).
As for racking, just asking how soon it goes into glass/airlock. Don't do it too soon. No sooner that 1.010. 1.000 is even better. That way, if it happens to stall (unlikely), it will still be nearly finished enough, and not overly sweet to save it!
 
Yeah, try an open bucket.{...}As for racking, just asking how soon it goes into glass/airlock. Don't do it too soon.

Apart from my apple ciders/ wines that I do in a 6 gallon bucket, everything I've made has been in some sort of narrow-necked carboy (I have both 1 gallons and 6 gallons). So maybe I should change that up.

Here's the thing though: all those fruit wines I mentioned earlier were also done in the carboys, and they went down just fine, every time. So there must be some nutrient, acid or simliar factor that is present in fruit juices but missing in ginger, liquorice, tea etc that is inhibiting full fermentation, despite me adding nutrient and energizer. What could that be?

Thanks again for the input so far!
 
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