Cranberry 1092

[Britesea]

Ignition! I guess no sorbate?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Maybe you'll get cranberry flavored eggs too, lol!

 

[CrealCritter]

Ignition! I guess no sorbate?

Well it fired up last night then it quit I expected to see a lot of action this morning but it was dead.

After a little more research I found out that cranberries naturally contain a form of benzoate, a preservative/fermentation inhibitor. So I need to take drastic measures and make a yeast starter. I also added 1/2 gallon more water to bring the batch up to 5 gallons and 1.092 initial gravity.

I'm going to make a yeast starter once the yeast comes up to room temperature and try to get this batch to ferment again.

 

[CrealCritter]

I fired fermentation back up with a yeast starter and more yeast nutrient. I have very slow bubbles flowing through the air lock about once every 45 seconds. We'll see if it stays lit or not. Two packs of yeast (one dry and one for a starter) should be more than enough yeast to keep it lit and achieve lift off.

"Benzoate acts essentially as a mold and yeast inhibitor in high acid foods and the poor activity at pH values above 4.0 limits its use against bacteria. Benzoic acid naturally occurs in cranberries, prunes, strawberries, apples and yogurts."

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/benzoic-acid

I will also take another hydrometer reading tomorrow. If it's still 1.092 then its dead. However if the hydrometer reading is less than 1092 then its fermenting and making alcohol.

 

[CrealCritter]

I'm happy to say it stayed lit this time and have consistent bubbles out of the air lock about once every 5 seconds or so. So it looks like I was able to overcome the natural occurring benzoates that are in the cranberries. Hopefully it will continue to ferment, if not, I'll hit it with a little more yeast nutrient and yeast energizer.

 

[baymule]

You are a man of many talents. Wish you and family were my neighbors!

So when it doesn't ferment, is it still good to drink as a refreshing drink or is it just gross?

 

[CrealCritter]

You are a man of many talents. Wish you and family were my neighbors!

So when it doesn't ferment, is it still good to drink as a refreshing drink or is it just gross?

It would be way to sweet to drink if it won't ferment. You need to add lbs of sugar to the fruit juice. Yeast eats the sugar added plus the natural sugars from the furit and produces CO2 gas and alcohol. So yeah... Gross

 

[CrealCritter]

The yeast in this batch started throwing off sulfur smelling gas last night. Fearing the worst I called tech support (my buddy @ hobby homebrew). He said perfectly normal, stir it real well twice a day and that will help drive off most of the gas and just throw a towel over the bucket no lid or air lock. He also said when I de-gas the must, it will drive it all off anyways.

Phew... I thought I may have botched up the batch. But nope, perfectly normal for yeast to throw off sulfur gas it just don't smell so good. I would rather much smell bright fruit and alcohol than sulfur, but a guy can't have everything.

I'm glad I have tech support just a phone call away

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It's good to have a mentor who knows these things!

 

[CrealCritter]

It's good to have a mentor who knows these things!

He's a super cool guy - else I wouldn't have him as a friend. Life is to short to have iffy friends.