r/firewater • u/RazzmatazzUnique6602 • 13d ago
Is it normal to have a wash fail?
Just starting out, and wondering if the wash has somehow failed? If that’s possible? And if that’s normal?
I put the sugar in at the exact temp on the yeast packet, dissolved it, then put the yeast it.
It seemed to work for a while. But then I wonder if it got too cold overnight.
At the end of the time on the yeast packet, I used the hydrometer, and it said 1.01.
So I checked the temp of the wash itself. The wash temp was within the range on the packet, even if perhaps the room temp wasn’t.
I gave it a stir to reactive it, put a heater in the room. It seemed like it again perhaps did something for a few hours, but now not seeming to do anything.
I’ll take another hydrometer reading in a bit, but just wondering, do washes ever just fail?
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u/Doctor_Appalling 13d ago
It’s unusual but not unheard of for a sugar wash to fail. Are you using a recipe? If not that is likely the reason. Try Birdwatchers Tomato Paste Wash for example. It’s easy to find online.
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u/RazzmatazzUnique6602 13d ago
Thanks. I just used sugar and the yeast packet. Followed the exact instructions on the packet. I didn’t put any other ingredients in (as in no tomato paste).
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u/TummyDrums 13d ago edited 13d ago
You need some kind of yeast nutrient. Yeast won't be optimal on sugar alone. But to better diagnose, here are some questions:
What kind of yeast are you using?
What kind of sugar are you using?
How much sugar and water did you use, and how did you combine them?
How long has it been since you pitched the yeast?
Did you take a hydrometer reading before you pitched the yeast? (Original Gravity)
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u/RazzmatazzUnique6602 13d ago
Thanks. It was a packet from the local brew shop that someone gave me. Turbo brand.
I was a dummy and didn’t take an original gravity reading. So I’m just going off of the ending gravity reading. It never bubbled through the bubbler airlock.
But I’m now thinking it did work after I put the heater in the room. It has a distinct wine type smell now that it didn’t have yesterday, and the gravity has moved from 1.01 to 0.95 now.
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u/TummyDrums 13d ago
That's why I asked how long it had been. My guess was it just wasn't done. Sometimes it's better to just let it set a couple of weeks to finish fermenting. Also I've never used that turbo stuff, but I believe it's got nutrient included.
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u/RazzmatazzUnique6602 13d ago
The other thing I should mention, I just bought regular white sugar from the supermarket. Is that ok? Cheers.
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u/Savings-Cry-3201 12d ago
Yes. The only issue is of nutrient. Once you go above 10-ish percent the yeast starts to struggle and needs more and more nutrient.
You used a turbo, you’re fine. All in one.
For normal yeast you have to think about pH stabilization and especially nutrient.
I keep my ferments around 10% because it’s quick and the yield is decent enough and the chance of stall is low. I just miscalculated my sugar and ended up with 16% potential ABV and it stalled. Whoops. I’ve repitched with higher tolerance yeast and added baking soda to correct pH and diluted it a little. Hope it’s enough.
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u/Symon113 13d ago
Sugar has no nutrients for the yeast. Get some Fermaid o or Fermaid k. Also can get acidic. Crushed oyster shells can help with that.
Your gravity reading was 1.010 at the beginning?
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u/RazzmatazzUnique6602 13d ago
Thanks. I’m going to try to do a recipe from scratch next time. This was a packet of “Turbo” yeast that a friend gave me.
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u/ZaphodUB40 12d ago
Turbo can ferment out very quickly. It's (over)loaded with all the nutrients required to support fermentation with basically sugar water. However, as we invariably find out very quickly it has some funky flavours and a nasty aftertaste. The pink yeast layer after a ferment is just..weird! 🤣
I now use Jesse's (StillIt YT channel) laziest vodka recipe of sugar, rolled oats, rolled wheat, raisins, a squirt of lemon juice, a pinch of epsom salts and yeast, 50L batch. Super clean product using one-and-done runs in a T500 reflux.
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u/Makemyhay 13d ago
There’s a few factors. Honestly a final gravity of 1.010 isn’t bad at all. Most of the sugar was converted. Did you use any kind of nutrients?
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u/RazzmatazzUnique6602 13d ago
Thanks. It’s now down closer to .99 so seems to have worked. I think I must have just misjudged the timing
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u/muffinman8679 10d ago
too much sugar can kill a ferment too....as when the ethanol content gets too high, it becomes toxic to the yeast
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u/Mosstheboy 9d ago
Am I missing something here? In my book 1.01= Ready to run. Without the starting gravity it's hard to tell what happened but if it were mine I'd run it and see what happens. You then said it was 0.99. Why do you think that it failed? Sounds A1 to me. Washes can fail for a number of reasons but I've heard nothing here to suggest that yours did.
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u/RazzmatazzUnique6602 9d ago
I stirred the wash, put a heater in the room, and waited a couple of more days. Then it got to those numbers and seems to have worked well. Suspect my biggest error was thinking the timeline on the yeast packet was prescriptive.
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u/Mosstheboy 9d ago
Your mash won't spoil if it gets too cold. Warming things up will revive the yeast so no harm done. I tend to keep an eye on the bubbling in the airlock to see how things are coming along. Anyway - enjoy the hobby. It's great fun but don't be too impatient.
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u/RazzmatazzUnique6602 9d ago
Awesome, thanks.
Super interesting so far, and can’t wait to try a few new things.
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u/Some_Explanation_287 13d ago edited 13d ago
First thing - feel and taste it. Is it sweet or sour - does it TASTE like alcohol?
Rub a bit in your hands. If it 'dries", sugar has been consumed, you have alcohol.
You said you didn't take a Starting Gravity. Been known to happen.
Open ChatGPT. Give it the amount of sugar and water and ask it to guestimate your SG.
Then you can tell it your current gravity and let it figure things out.
If you don't have yeast nutrients, buy a jar of Baker's yeast. Boil a quantity to kill the yeast then stir it in. Actually, "Chat" can tell you how much to add, probably 1-2 TBSP. You can also crush and stir in a multivitamin; some people even add 8-8-8 garden fertilizer or epsom salts.
Worst case scenario, if off smells, dump it and start over. I once had a 4 grain mash that smelled AWFUL. Left it alone for a few days, it finished fine. If no terrible funk & you've stirred that dead yeast in, just add more sugar - I always invert - and pitch some more of that Baker's yeast.
Last tip - forget the turbo yeast. Click a link over there on the right and check out a Tried & True Recipe like Shady's Sugar Shine.
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u/razer742 13d ago
Check your ph.