Rookie

[Ryan_2013]

Hey guys, having some trouble with my first batch and would appreciate some input...thinking I've made a couple dumb moves but hoping I can salvage it. Under the direction of a well-meaning friend I started my first batch made from Grape concentrate, combining that with water to 6 gallons, sugar to a SG of 1.095, yeast nutrient, tannin, crushed Camden tabs, and acid blend (recipe called for .65% tartaric, we had no way to measure and so he told me the amount that he had previously used, no clue if it was accurate). So, per the directions, I let that sit for 24 hours and then added the yeast. Following his directions instead of reading the package, i added the yeast to some warm water/sugar mix in a bowl...and when nothing happened after about 15 minutes I got nervous and figured it needed to be warmed up more and so I microwaved it for a short time-stupid I realize but I honestly didn't get it more than lukewarm so not sure if I nuked the yeast or not...well I added that and kept the primary covered. Stirred and checked SG daily for 4 days with no signs of life...only 65 in my house so I bought a brew belt to bring the temp up, added some yeast energizer, and freaked out thinking I killed all the yeast, so I decided to add the second packet that I had just straight in without rehydrating...that was a couple days ago and I've been stirring a couple times a day, feels warm but no bubbles and SG hasn't moved...so I've been educating myself a lot over the past week or so on this forum and learning a lot...I swear I'm not as stupid as this post is making me sound but I would appreciate any insight or suggestions...who knows, maybe I'm just being impatient I would just like the comfort of knowing that it will eventually start! Thanks, and take it easy on the newbie!

 

[sour_grapes]

Where are you getting the yeast, and what kind is it? It bothers me, as it did you, that you saw no activity the first time you tried to rehydrate the yeast (before the microwave boo-boo).

 

[Ryan_2013]

Thought I wrote it down but guess I just thought I could look at the second packet...that I also threw out now...it was something like L_-1117 or something if that sounds right? Kept refrigerated, just a packet from the local brew store

 

[Buehler91]

Deleted my drunken post

 

[rita36]

The yeast should have worked. What is your temp now. I found that keeping the must at around 70 is best. Yeast may have been old. And how much sugar did you use ?

 

[sour_grapes]

Sounds like either Lalvin K1-V1116 or Lalvin EC-1118. Either would be a fine choice. If you bought it at your LHBS, I would have imagined it would be fine. I am stumped as to why it did not take off.

In any event, if it were me, I would try again. I would get another packet (or two) of yeast from your LHBS. Either of the above-named yeasts should work, although I would be tempted to try EC-1118. I would also be tempted to carefully follow these directions for rehydrating the yeast:http://morewinemaking.com/public/pdf/wineyeastrehydration09.pdf I don't think you should HAVE to rehydrate; that is, I think you should be able to get away with sprinkling it dry on the surface. However, given your past difficulties, it would make me feel better to see active yeast. Hell, if it were me, I would pitch one packet dry AND rehydrate another packet according to the directions I linked above.

Good luck!

 

[jamesngalveston]

you did not say what the must temp was.

 

[Julie]

James he has a brew belt on it, the must would be warm enough.

What was the name of the grape concentrate that you used? You need to look at the ingredient list to make sure there was no sorbate. By the sounds of it, I am thinking that there maybe sorbate in the ingredient.

 

[jamesngalveston]

Thanks julie..i guess i did not read it...
I have fermented all types of concentrates from the store, sorbate added to them. I usually will take two packets of yeast..I use red star pasteur red.
I will sacrafice the first packet in order to get the second to work,.
Sorbate can be over powered with yeast addition...it will only tolerate so much.
Many articles on this on the internet. Not advising , just saying

 

[Ryan_2013]

I used roughly 20 cups of sugar, was going by SG primarily...I used old orchard 100% grape concentrate, similar to Welches, no sorbets listed in the ingredients...it's ok to add more yeast though even with 2 packets in?

 

[jamesngalveston]

I have used many types of Old Orchard juice..never had a problem with a ferment to start...as Julie stated, your using a brew blanket, but, is it working. Other then that, i would say as others, bad yeast.

 

[Ryan_2013]

It is working, must is warm...I'll try again with some EC-1118 and see, appreciate all the suggestions!

 

[Julie]

It is working, must is warm...I'll try again with some EC-1118 and see, appreciate all the suggestions!

It may have been a bad yeast, look at the expiration date and you are right to go by sg. If it has been more than three days and you are not seeing any activity, then yes make a yeast started and add that.

 

[wildvines]

I almost had something similar happen. I pitched the yeast after rehydrating it. Two days went by and nothing. It was 72 degrees as per my sticker temp. I was going to pitch another bag of yeast but decided to warm up my bucket to 75. An hour later we had lift off.

 

[Ryan_2013]

Must have been the yeast, followed the instructions above for rehydrating and pitched another packet dry on top for good measure and it's bubbling away finally...thanks for all the help!

 

[grapeman]

I realize it is going now, but how many campden tablets did you add? You may have had so much that it took a while to get rid of enough of it to allow the ferment to begin.

 

[Ryan_2013]

Definitely possible, the recipe called for one tab per gallon so I used 6 tabs crushed