Too much yeast, not an air tight fermenter!

[Akwine]

Hi guys, I added too much yeast getting my must started, my fermenter is not air tight so my air lock isn’t working, should I rack in to a new fermenter so I know when my initial fermenting is done??

 

[cmason1957]

No, you should measure with your hydrometer to tell you when initial fermentation is complete. I just set the lid on lightly and no airlock during primary fermentation.

 

[hounddawg]

i agree with cmason1957, i ferment in a open top barrel with towel or sheet over it,,, i stir daily to get as much oxygen into my must during ferment, when hydrometer stays the same for 3 days in a row around .996,,, i rack to carboy and airlock,
Dawg

 

[Rice_Guy]

You can not add too much yeast. Yeast will reproduce to approx 10 million per ml and then just sit there till all the sugar is gone.
HOWEVER,,,,, You can add enough yeast that it isn’t cost effective.

 

[KCCam]

Hi guys, I added too much yeast getting my must started, my fermenter is not air tight so my air lock isn’t working, should I rack in to a new fermenter so I know when my initial fermenting is done??

Ya, you don't want air tight or air lock during primary.

 

[Akwine]

Thank you all! I should have joined this forum earlier! The wild blueberries here in Alaska are very acidic, I hear this can slow fermentation down, should I purchase a ph meter? This might have been what initially stopped my yeast from getting busy?

 

[Johnd]

Thank you all! I should have joined this forum earlier! The wild blueberries here in Alaska are very acidic, I hear this can slow fermentation down, should I purchase a ph meter? This might have been what initially stopped my yeast from getting busy?

It would be pretty useful to have a pH meter. Blueberries are indeed pretty acidic and can be difficult to ferment if the pH is too low. If you know the pH, it’s pretty easy to manage with a prefermentation dose of potassium bicarbonate. Getting your starting pH up into the 3.3 range will alleviate a lot of potential problems.

 

[Scooter68]

Yup, pH meter, in my book, is the second most important tool after Hydrometer. Non-Grape fruit acidity varies so much from fruit to fruit that a pH meter can save you a lot of headaches.

AND yes Blueberries are known for being difficult when the acidity is high (low-pH number)* So a pH meter can tell you if you need to balance that out a bit. I've had successful ferments start even in the low range of 3.2 but that is pushing it a bit with some yeasts. Better to stay above 3.3 to start if you can. Also of course make sure the yeast has adequate nutrients as well.

Keep in mind that if you ever want to measure the TA of a wine, a pH meter makes that very easy. You just need one chemical and you don't have to watch for a color change - you stir and watch the pH meter. So the pH meter, to me, certainly is a much better tool than litmus paper or the complete TA test kits. That's just my two cents worth on that.

1) Hydrometer
2) pH meter
3) Notebook (Gotta keep track of what you did or you can repeat the same mistakes or be unable to repeat a successful ferment.)
4) Good racking gear (What ever works for you All-in-one, etc)

* Sorry if this sounds dumb but many people a hard time at first recognizing that a low pH number indicates HIGH acidity - it sounds backward. I figure better to offend by giving a little too much info than not enough. (Like giving a kid an bow and arrow and not teaching them how to use it properly.)

 

[Scooter68]

It would be pretty useful to have a pH meter. Blueberries are indeed pretty acidic and can be difficult to ferment if the pH is too low. If you know the pH, it’s pretty easy to manage with a prefermentation dose of potassium bicarbonate. Getting your starting pH up into the 3.3 range will alleviate a lot of potential problems.

You hit the same number I did on the pH of 3.3 as lowest safe start number.

 

[pete1325]

When is the best time to check/adjust PH? I'm ready to bottle some reds that has been bulk ageing for a year. I think it might be too late to start testing/adjusting....No?

 

[akron]

Hi guys, I added too much yeast getting my must started, my fermenter is not air tight so my air lock isn’t working, should I rack in to a new fermenter so I know when my initial fermenting is done??

Hi. I am in Southeast, and just finished a blueberry dragons blood. I didn’t have a pH meter and it stalled a couple times. I added a teaspoon of calcium carbonate and it restarted. Yours might be fine, but just in case it isn’t. Anyway, mine finished at 0.994 and all is well at this point..waiting for it to clear. I now have a pH meter for the next time!

 

[Chuck E]

When is the best time to check/adjust PH? I'm ready to bottle some reds that has been bulk ageing for a year. I think it might be too late to start testing/adjusting....No?

I think you should adjust the pH at the beginning, before fermentation. You can do other adjustments just prior to bottling. I think if I had too much acid I might balance it with sweetness near bottling. Bench test to find the best additions.

 

[Scooter68]

Adjusting the acidity at this point is something that would actually be dictated by the taste rather than the numbers. Does it taste too acidic, ir flat, or did you do a pH/TA test?

Unless something tastes off after aging, I'd document the pH but barring a problem with taste, I'd move on to bottling