DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Highland Home Brew
  HTML https://highlandhomebrew.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: Help And Advice
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 24--------------------------------------------------
       Stuck Fermentations And What To Do
   DIR By: diaboliq20
       Date: November 1, 2013, 10:21 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       This subject is not all that common in modern day home brew, but
       does create quite an issue when it crops up.
       A stuck fermentation refers to a brew that has stopped
       fermenting prematurely without the brewer wanting it to.
       This can occur for several reasons which we will look at below.
       Yeast requires a certain set of circumstances before it will
       begin the conversion of sugars into alcohol.
       It needs the right temperature - this is very important
       It needs to be the correct yeast for what you are brewing
       It needs to be in a sanitized environment
       it requires food - the sugars in your must/wort and also
       nitrogen
       it requires oxygen - too much co2 can cause a fermentation to
       stick.
       So lets look at temperature.  This is critical when it comes to
       brewing, yet a lot of people leave this to guess work, and then
       wonder why their fermentation is lacking or not happening.
       Yeast likes to be warm - not too hot and not too cold.  Too
       cold, and the yeast remains in suspension, too hot and the yeast
       dies.  When yeast dies it releases a chemical compound which
       inhibits the growth of living yeasts, thus making a restart very
       difficult.  As a rule of thumb, keep your brew between 18 and 24
       degrees.
       Another note regarding temperature is temperature shock.  This
       is when you rehydrate your yeast and then pitch into your brew
       when the brew is significantly warmer or cooler than the
       rehydrated yeast.  A difference of more than 5 degrees can cause
       temperature shock in yeast.
       Yeasts have been developed for certain aspects of brewing, so
       you need to be using the correct yeast for purpose - this is
       more important for wine making than it is for beer making.
       Sanitising ALL of your equipment is vital.  You can develop
       infections in the brew if your equipment is not sterilised
       correctly, and the addition if nutrients only aids the growth of
       these microbes.  So give your yeast a healthy environment, and
       don't forget to rinse out afterwards unless you are using a
       no-rinse sanitiser.
       Make sure you leave any brew 24 hours after adding campden
       before you pitch any yeast.
       Yeast needs Sugars and nitrogen to feed on.  The sugars come
       from your malt or fruit/veg and any added sugars, and the
       nitrogen can be supplemented with nutrients.
       Yeast needs to breath so it is important to get as much oxygen
       into your must/wort as possible by agitating with a beer paddle
       or spoon prior to pitching yeast.
       To be continued.....
       #Post#: 27--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Stuck Fermentations And What To Do
   DIR By: diaboliq20
       Date: November 2, 2013, 11:08 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       updated stuck fermentation tutorial
       *****************************************************
       Page 1 of 1