celtic_man81
Well-Known Member
NOTE: I do NOT plan to use this for illegal activity, I am only using GAC FILTERING!
Hello everyone,
I started a sort of experiment, about a month and a half ago, and my brew seems to not be fermenting (or at least it seems to be going very, very slowly).
Here is the log of events:
Brewing Day: Used about 7Kg of grain +/-, 8Kg of DME (light) +/-, and 1kg of sugar (to increase OG).
OG: about 1.145 @ about 30L (final volume).
FG: expected to be at 1.000 (a very high gravity experiment.)
Yeast: Turbo Yeast (brand name) added @ about 30 degrees. NOTE: the instructions suggested to stir in the yeast, with the final volume being about 22 or 23L. 14 days for fermentation. Is to yield about 18-20% alcohol. The yeast was a little old, about 2 or 3 month before the expiry end date.
Day 14 to day 21:
Taste test/observations: still quite sugary. smelled like there might be a bit of alcohol in it, but it certainly didn't taste like it. I decided to give it another week, because it was a little old, and I had of course, went a bit over the recommended wort amount.
Taste test/observations II: Same issue, maybe a bit less sugary, but still pretty sugary.
Yeast II: Extreme Alcobase (http://clickabrew.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=1265) I only used Packet A, because it contained the yeast, while packet B contained liquid carbon (I already have the Carbon Snake to do the job). NOTE: instructions were the same, with a bit more description; it says to stir in the yeast in, to prevent wort from foaming over. 7 days to ferment. Is to yield 23% alcohol.
Day 28 to day 35:
Taste test/observations III: it seems a bit less sugary (although I can't tell much), and maybe a stronger alcohol smell (although I don't taste it) I also notice a bit of an oilish looking substance on top of the brew, fusels maybe?
During the whole process, the brew has never showed foaming. I think this is normal, because both instructions did say to stir the yeast in, and the Alcobase did explain that it was to prevent the brew from foaming over. Although, I do remember from wine production there was still at least a bit of scum at the top, so I'm not sure.
I have checked my brew book, and the only thing it suggests is to add more yeast, or that the temperature might be a little low (if it is even fermenting). I have thought of adding more yeast, to see if it will help at all, but I think it might be a bad idea, considering I have already put two large packets of turbo yeast in my batch already. I have also thought of checking the temperature and SG readings to see how the brew is coming along, but I am afraid of contamination.
If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks a bunch.
For those wondering what I am trying to accomplish, basically either a really, really high gravity barley wine, or a faux whisky (as I call it). I'm not sure what the effect the carbon filtering is going to have on the final product. Either it is going to retain all of the flavor. Or it will lose flavor, tasting a bit like whisky.
Again, to make it clear everyone, I am doing everything legit. people seem to be walking on eggshells whenever Turbo Yeast is mentioned.
Hello everyone,
I started a sort of experiment, about a month and a half ago, and my brew seems to not be fermenting (or at least it seems to be going very, very slowly).
Here is the log of events:
Brewing Day: Used about 7Kg of grain +/-, 8Kg of DME (light) +/-, and 1kg of sugar (to increase OG).
OG: about 1.145 @ about 30L (final volume).
FG: expected to be at 1.000 (a very high gravity experiment.)
Yeast: Turbo Yeast (brand name) added @ about 30 degrees. NOTE: the instructions suggested to stir in the yeast, with the final volume being about 22 or 23L. 14 days for fermentation. Is to yield about 18-20% alcohol. The yeast was a little old, about 2 or 3 month before the expiry end date.
Day 14 to day 21:
Taste test/observations: still quite sugary. smelled like there might be a bit of alcohol in it, but it certainly didn't taste like it. I decided to give it another week, because it was a little old, and I had of course, went a bit over the recommended wort amount.
Taste test/observations II: Same issue, maybe a bit less sugary, but still pretty sugary.
Yeast II: Extreme Alcobase (http://clickabrew.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=1265) I only used Packet A, because it contained the yeast, while packet B contained liquid carbon (I already have the Carbon Snake to do the job). NOTE: instructions were the same, with a bit more description; it says to stir in the yeast in, to prevent wort from foaming over. 7 days to ferment. Is to yield 23% alcohol.
Day 28 to day 35:
Taste test/observations III: it seems a bit less sugary (although I can't tell much), and maybe a stronger alcohol smell (although I don't taste it) I also notice a bit of an oilish looking substance on top of the brew, fusels maybe?
During the whole process, the brew has never showed foaming. I think this is normal, because both instructions did say to stir the yeast in, and the Alcobase did explain that it was to prevent the brew from foaming over. Although, I do remember from wine production there was still at least a bit of scum at the top, so I'm not sure.
I have checked my brew book, and the only thing it suggests is to add more yeast, or that the temperature might be a little low (if it is even fermenting). I have thought of adding more yeast, to see if it will help at all, but I think it might be a bad idea, considering I have already put two large packets of turbo yeast in my batch already. I have also thought of checking the temperature and SG readings to see how the brew is coming along, but I am afraid of contamination.
If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks a bunch.
For those wondering what I am trying to accomplish, basically either a really, really high gravity barley wine, or a faux whisky (as I call it). I'm not sure what the effect the carbon filtering is going to have on the final product. Either it is going to retain all of the flavor. Or it will lose flavor, tasting a bit like whisky.
Again, to make it clear everyone, I am doing everything legit. people seem to be walking on eggshells whenever Turbo Yeast is mentioned.