Yeast Diary - April 30, 2020
Apr. 30th, 2020 10:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nezchanSo here I am back again with a fermentation update. Not that much to really talk about, but I'll do my best.
First is the cranberry wine. It actually seems to be fermenting, which is a good sign. There is a line of tiny little bubbles along the edge of the liquid in the bottle, which tells me that CO2 is being produced. The first couple of days I left the cap slightly ajar to allow gas to escape, which I learned from watching a few videos, but it seems a better approach is leaving the cap on tightly and simply loosening it enough to vent once a day. That way the yeast gets to remain in the anaerobic environment it likes. So that's pretty positive.
On to experiment number two, ginger beer. And...it's not as hopeful, even though there are good signs.
It's been two days since i bottled, and on the face of it things are going really well. The plastic bottles I have, meant for beer, are getting more firm, with less "give" if I try to squeeze them. There's also noticeable sediment in the bottom of all the bottles. So today I put one in the fridge and gave it a shot.
No carbonation at all. There was a subtle little hiss when I opened the cap, but that was it. Highly disappointing.
Don't get me wrong. It was very tasty. The ginger bite is definitely there, and the spices give a subtle complexity in the background. In that sense it's easily of a similar or even higher quality than you get in a commercial variety, except without the harsh fizz. I'd definitely make this again based on that alone. It's just...something that's meant to be there isn't there, and I don't know why.
My theory is that since it's been a pretty cool spring thus far, it gets cool at night and thus the yeast gets less active. If I were doing this in the summer, I might get where I want to in only two days. But right now...maybe three or four is a more reasonable expectation. In any case, I'll monitor the situation, and try again on Saturday.
Here's today's photo on Instragram. I must say, the colour is definitely attractive. Add a head of foam on top and it's be pretty much perfect.
First is the cranberry wine. It actually seems to be fermenting, which is a good sign. There is a line of tiny little bubbles along the edge of the liquid in the bottle, which tells me that CO2 is being produced. The first couple of days I left the cap slightly ajar to allow gas to escape, which I learned from watching a few videos, but it seems a better approach is leaving the cap on tightly and simply loosening it enough to vent once a day. That way the yeast gets to remain in the anaerobic environment it likes. So that's pretty positive.
On to experiment number two, ginger beer. And...it's not as hopeful, even though there are good signs.
It's been two days since i bottled, and on the face of it things are going really well. The plastic bottles I have, meant for beer, are getting more firm, with less "give" if I try to squeeze them. There's also noticeable sediment in the bottom of all the bottles. So today I put one in the fridge and gave it a shot.
No carbonation at all. There was a subtle little hiss when I opened the cap, but that was it. Highly disappointing.
Don't get me wrong. It was very tasty. The ginger bite is definitely there, and the spices give a subtle complexity in the background. In that sense it's easily of a similar or even higher quality than you get in a commercial variety, except without the harsh fizz. I'd definitely make this again based on that alone. It's just...something that's meant to be there isn't there, and I don't know why.
My theory is that since it's been a pretty cool spring thus far, it gets cool at night and thus the yeast gets less active. If I were doing this in the summer, I might get where I want to in only two days. But right now...maybe three or four is a more reasonable expectation. In any case, I'll monitor the situation, and try again on Saturday.
Here's today's photo on Instragram. I must say, the colour is definitely attractive. Add a head of foam on top and it's be pretty much perfect.
