do I have enough time to start first SP before vacation (12 days)?

[TimTheWiner]

So I am ready to start my first SP, but I am going on vacation on the 11th and want to make sure primary fermentation is complete and rack to secondary just prior to vacation. I want it doing it's thing so it'll be ready mid-end May. I will be gone the 11th to 28th, does this sound doable? Also, I have Lalvin 1118 yeast, but also collected a slurry (about a quart) from a White Zin I just racked to secondary. I put in in the fridge for a few days. Should this be usable or should I have put in the freezer. Worse case I can just use the new yeast packet right??

 

[Deezil]

I would think it'd be possible to get it into secondary in that time period, yeah. Just run the fermentation a little warmer - maybe 72-74F... 74 at first, then drop down as it progresses - fermentations generate their own heat on top of ambient temp.

Make sure you dose the nutrient/energizer out correctly, and slosh some oxygen in there real well so the warmer temps dont lead to H2S issues.

I'd use the slurry and give it a day or two to start working but if i didnt see any action by then i'd hit it with the 1118 just to make sure you're 'on time' for your vacay.

 

[TimTheWiner]

Sounds like a good plan. With the color of the slurry I think it might end up like a pink lemonade, but I don't care. I think I am not going to backsweeten my first batch with frozen concentrates and just try straight pee, just going to bottle 1/2 straight and carbonate the other 1/2.