Too much sugar?

[sonicvalley]

Is this possible?

I am waiting on a batch of EC-118. I pitched it on Dec 2 and SG was 1.15. All action stopped in the airlock about 3 weeks later. I checked gravity two weeks ago and it was 1.112. I was going for a batch of rocket fuel but I screwed up something i think... I re-pitched one week ago and have had no activity...

any ideas?

 

[bernardsmith]

What were the ingredients and the amounts? What was the source of the apple juice? Did it contain sorbates or other "preservatives" (designed to prevent fermentation) ? At what temperature did you pitch the yeast and ferment the must? Did it really take 3 weeks to drop 3 points? Did you check your hydrometer using distilled water?

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Looks like 40 point change and then a stall. It could be nutrients or lack there of especially if you are fermenting mostly sugar. Either dump in a few more packs of yeast or boil up some nutritional yeast and add it in.

 

[sonicvalley]

What were the ingredients and the amounts? What was the source of the apple juice? Did it contain sorbates or other "preservatives" (designed to prevent fermentation) ? At what temperature did you pitch the yeast and ferment the must? Did it really take 3 weeks to drop 3 points? Did you check your hydrometer using distilled water?

-apple juice was from walmart (juice only, no other ingredients/preservatives). I have used it for other batches in the past with no ill effects...
-68 degree pitch and ferment
-hydrometer has been accurate with all other batches
-all hydrometer readings are accurate to the best of my ablility

 

[porterpounder]

Toss in some yeast energizer. Not a lot of yeast nutrient in apple juice.

 

[BadgerBrigade]

Wow! Would this be a 19.91% ABV cider?!
Can yeast not gas out at that level?
EC-1118 is champ yeast but can It go that far?

 

[sonicvalley]

with the calculator I was using (winecalc) it was supposed to be around 16-17%

I will go get more energizer and nutrient, and add that tomorrow and see what happens...

 

[Maylar]

Did you rehydrate the yeast?

With that much sugar you probably put the yeast into shock. I would have followed a staggered nutrient protocol like the mead guys do (see this article - http://www.meadmaderight.com/info.html )

I dunno if you can save it now. Good luck.

 

[sonicvalley]

ya, rehydrated according to the directions on the packet. I hope I dont have to dump it...