Judging by the reviews of many novice moonshiners, it happens that the mug does not play. Two to three days after the laying of all the ingredients was made, it turns out that the mash does not roam. What to do in this case? According to experts, do not despair. What to do if the mash has stopped roaming? There may be several reasons for this. If they are eliminated in advance, then there will be no problem. You will learn from this article about why mash is not wandering and what to do to prevent this.
What is the essence of the process?
Before you wonder why fermentation stops, you need to figure out what this procedure is. The task of fermentation is to form alcohol and carbon dioxide. The raw materials used are starch and sugar, which are broken down by yeast.
At this stage, according to experienced moonshiners, oxygen is not needed. If it penetrates into the container, the process will stop and the alcohol itself will begin to split. As a result, instead of the expected distillate, the master will receive vinegar at the outlet.
Presence of leaky water lock
Judging by numerous reviews, an increase in oxygen is the most common problem. It is formed as a result of frequent stirring of the mixture. The task of the moonshiner is to mix products and create comfortable conditions for fermentation. Everything else is done by yeast. Therefore, often mixing the mixture is undesirable. Otherwise, the fermentation process will slow down, and the mash itself will turn sour.
Also, the reason lies in the poor-quality hydrodoser. Some craftsmen can even replace it with an ordinary rubber glove. For beginners, it may seem that the sweet mug has ceased to roam. What to do if it is impossible to understand if the drink is playing? The fact is that this can only be determined by the bubbles emanating from the water lock. If the design is not installed correctly, then the carbon dioxide exit will occur from other holes, past the tube. Therefore, it may seem that the mash does not roam.
What should a beginner do in this case? First, as experienced moonshiners recommend, you should blow strongly into the outlet tube into the container. This is necessary to identify problem areas, since a whistle is formed in them. It is undesirable to use an unpressurized hydraulic lock. If the mash greatly ferment, then it will surely turn sour. As a result, the output of alcohol will be less and it will be with a sour taste. However, most often really mash does not wander. What to do to make the process last non-stop? More on this below.
First reason
Often, beginners ask the question, why the mash did not start to roam and what to do? According to experts, this is mainly observed in cases where very little time has passed since the laying of the ingredients. Mostly the mash does not begin to roam right away. In addition, this process directly depends on such parameters as the quality of the raw materials used, temperature and type of yeast. Therefore, for those who are interested in what to do, if the mash is wandering for a long time, we can recommend to wait a while. In addition, you should take into account the nuances, which will be discussed later.
About temperature
Braga will play with store yeast if the temperature varies from 18 to 32 degrees. At a temperature below the mash, it does not wander. What to do? It is enough for the moonshiner to simply transfer the mash to a warmer place. Yeast at low temperature will not die, but only stop its fermentation. The opposite effect is observed if the temperature is exceeded. In this case, the yeast will “boil”. According to experts, during fermentation inside the tank, the temperature increases spontaneously. The larger the capacity, the stronger its increase. This fact should also be considered by a beginner. After the container with raw materials has been transferred to a suitable place, it should be supplemented with a new batch of yeast. It is advisable that this be a dark place. The container is covered so that direct sunlight does not fall on it.
Using low quality yeast
According to experts, the active pressed yeast should be of a uniform, moderately solid consistency. In addition, they have a uniform pinkish-cream, yellowish or grayish color. Such products can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 12 days. If there is a putrid musty smell, this indicates that the yeast has deteriorated. Loose dry yeast. It is easily verified. Simply touch a pack of food. If storage rules are not followed, this will become obvious: the yeast will have a sticky consistency and take on lumps. If the fermentation process suddenly stopped, despite the fact that the temperature and sugar content are normal, the moonshiner should acquire new yeast, which in the future needs to be supplied to the mash.
If you use low-quality water
According to experts, yeast will develop normally in the presence of oxygen and trace elements that are contained in water. Therefore, the water that is planned to be used for making mash can not be subjected to boiling and distillation procedures. It is best to use filtered, spring, well or bottled drinking water, which is characterized by a high oxygen content. Some expose water to aeration through an aquarium compressor. Braga can stop fermenting if there is water with a high concentration of chlorine. It may contain other substances, the presence of which is undesirable for microorganisms. At least with these substances, the fermentation process will significantly slow down. If this happens, experts recommend adding high-quality water to the mash with the calculation of 50% of the original volume.
Lack of minerals
And if the mash on wheat does not roam, what to do in this case? For yeast to roam normally, they need nutrients. The fermentation process will proceed without problems in the presence of the required amount of phosphorus and nitrogen. If the mash does not roam well enough or the process has stopped at all, experts advise using folk dressings, namely rye flour, bread, raisins, peas and grated raw potatoes.
About sugar content
Judging by numerous reviews, it may be that the fermentation process is suspended even at normal temperature. It is noted that the mash is sweet and does not wander. What to do? According to experienced masters of home brewing, it all depends on the sugar content.
The fact is that this product is an excellent preservative that can slow down or even pause the whole process. Therefore, sugar mug roams badly. What should a beginner do if this problem occurs? It is advisable to initially correctly calculate the proportion. The optimal amount of sugar is up to 20% of the total volume. If there is too much sugar, then the mash will turn out with too high a strength. According to experts, most often yeast strains stop fermenting at an alcohol concentration of more than 14%. Some continue the process, even if this indicator varies from 16 to 18%. As it increases, the fermentation process becomes slower.
If you use a lot of sugar, mash will turn out with maximum strength. Due to the fact that yeast converts sugar to alcohol faster, fermentation itself will end much earlier. As a result, there will remain an “unpleasantness,” namely, a part of the unfermented sugar, as it is also called moonshiners. A low sugar content is undesirable, since the distillation procedure will be too costly, namely it will require more time and energy. This is due to the fact that more liquid is subject to heating. So that during the preparation of moonshine there are no problems, you should determine the amount of sugar used.
How to calculate?
A kilogram of sugar diluted in water will take 0.6 l of the total. So that the sugar content of the mash was in the range from 15 to 20%, 4 l of water should be added to it. In addition, it must be supplied with pressed yeast (100 g). If this product is not available, you can use dry (20 g). Judging by the reviews, 0.6% alcohol will be obtained from 1% sugar. The initial sugar content of the mash ready for distillation will be 20% with an alcohol content of up to 12%. Such a concentration, experts say, is suitable for any yeast.
Some moonshiners add 1 kg of sugar to 6 liters of water. They explain their decision by the fact that the mash with such a proportion wanders off earlier. Since the yeast will function for a short period of time, they will leave behind less waste products. According to such moonshiners, there will be no harmful impurities in Braga. In extreme cases, their number will be insignificant. If the sugar content of the mash is too high, then its hydromodule is considered violated. The sugar content in this case is required to bring it to the desired value. For this purpose, experts recommend adding cold or slightly warmed (up to 30 degrees) water to it. The mash is diluted in two vessels. Judging by the reviews, after performing these actions, the fermentation process often resumes again.
If the mash stops
As experience shows, rearrangement of products is dangerous because in most cases the mash will simply turn sour. As a result, the moonshiner will receive vinegar at the exit. Nevertheless, if it still happened that the mash did not play for a long time, it is not worth throwing it away. According to experts, it can still be useful for making moonshine. However, this is only possible if there are no extraneous odors and a strong sour taste.
How to determine the readiness of the mash?
According to experienced moonshiners, with starch or starch-containing raw materials, the mash will be ready in five days after laying. If sugar is the basis, then fermentation will last at least two weeks. On the grapes, the mash is cooked for 4 weeks. The degree of readiness is determined by taste. The ripened mash is always with a bitter taste. Unripe is characterized by a sweet taste. If the mash has settled on the bottom of the container, then she has already prepared. In addition, it becomes lighter and more transparent.
Finally
It is much more advisable not to bring the fermentation process to a halt. But if this happened, the moonshiner, as we see, has effective ways to revive the mash.