Fermentation question

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by CADETS3, Jun 13, 2015.

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  1. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    So I made a pumpkinator clone 2 weeks ago this Sunday and fermentation was very well and healthy. My OG was 1.067 and should of been around 1.10. Yesterday, I racked to a secondary and added 3 pounds of DME to the beer to raise the ABV back up a bit. When I racked, I got a little of the yeast cake into the secondary since I was going to add more sugar. I am aware that the addition of sugar is going to ferment a lot slower due to many variable but the beer has no action yet and it's almost been 24 hours. Should I pitch more yeast or what?!
     
    #1 CADETS3, Jun 13, 2015
  2. atpca

    atpca Pooh-Bah (1,652) Jun 10, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    After 2 weeks you almost certainly still have enough yeast in suspension, even without any of your sediment/cake for things to kick back off. Take a gravity reading, just because you didn't see it bubble doesn't mean it didn't rip through the DME. You might also be limited by Oxygen; you could try hitting with a *little* O2 (or just slosh the fermenter around) but that's not without some risk, especially if your fermentation is complete.
     
    #2 atpca, Jun 13, 2015
  3. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    I didn't check SG yesterday just because I knew I was having problems. My effiency was so low because of my mash tun not being very good. I have a gut feeling that it's contaminated. I had to transfer it to a 5 gallon carboy and then into another container, then cleaned the container I pulled it out of and then racked it back into the original container after cleaning it. It's about 5.5 gallons or so after I added the dme. I hope what's on the top is just the residual star San.
     
    #3 CADETS3, Jun 13, 2015
  4. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    How did you dissolve the additional DME?
     
    #4 VikeMan, Jun 13, 2015
  5. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    The first two pounds of dme boiled in 2 cups of water for several minutes but when I added the last pound, it never really boiled because I was trying to keep it from boiling over.
     
    #5 CADETS3, Jun 13, 2015
  6. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    What does the stuff on top look like? Can you post pic?
     
    #6 VikeMan, Jun 13, 2015
  7. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    im trying to figure out how to post a picture
     
    #7 CADETS3, Jun 13, 2015
  8. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    You have to put it on another site, like Photobucket, and link to it from here.
     
    #8 VikeMan, Jun 13, 2015
  9. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    #9 CADETS3, Jun 13, 2015
  10. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    Yea I'm pretty sure it's infected. It's gotten worse since this morning.
     
    #10 CADETS3, Jun 13, 2015
  11. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    it was just that in the picture this morning and a little bit more but i just went to go look at it again and there is a lot more white looking bubbles on the surface. what a freaking bummer.
     
    #11 CADETS3, Jun 13, 2015
  12. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    From your picture, it looks like yeast activity is starting up again, which is what you'd expect since you just added more fermentables.
     
    #12 VikeMan, Jun 13, 2015
  13. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    Well I'm trying to stay optimistic about the situation because this was an involving beer. Would seriously hate to dump it. As it is, just let it go and see what happens? Give it a taste a week from now and if it tastes like I shouldn't drink it, dump it?
     
    #13 CADETS3, Jun 13, 2015
  14. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Yes.
     
    #14 VikeMan, Jun 13, 2015
  15. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I wouldn't even try to taste it in a week. If all indications are that fermentation is occurring again (and I think it is), let it finish.
     
    #15 PapaGoose03, Jun 14, 2015
  16. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Beer is not alive; therefore ... it cannot be infected. Contaminated ... maybe but definitely not infected.
     
    #16 HerbMeowing, Jun 14, 2015
  17. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Beer is a living organism; therefore ... it cannot be infected. Better now?
     
    #17 HerbMeowing, Jun 14, 2015
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2015
  18. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Pot.
    Kettle.
    Black.
     
    #18 HerbMeowing, Jun 14, 2015
  19. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Next round is on me.
     
    #19 HerbMeowing, Jun 14, 2015
  20. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    I have to ask, if the beer was contaminated, would it still be fermenting? Because my airlock has some small amount of activity. The "substance" on top now seem to be more individualized as dots/circles. Yellowish white in color.
     
    #20 CADETS3, Jun 14, 2015
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