My first batch - looks dead..

[klamb9]

I just got my EZ caps which I ordered because I'm a newbie and wanted something real easy. Note - I am making ethanol for shop/lab use, not for drinking.

I made a 2-liter batch using 1 pound of can sugar, and about .5ml of the EX Cap-supplied yeast. I heated the water to 100 degrees to facilitate dissolving of the sugar. I then let it cool to about 85 degrees F, then I added the yeast.

I placed the 2-liter loaded reaction vessel in my garage cause its much warmer than my air-conditioned house. Its around 80-85 degrees.

After 3 days the reaction vessel looks like nothing is happening. Its a little cloudy, but there is no motion, no gasses, no smell.

Am I doing this correctly? Is it working? Did I do something wrong?

pH today is exactly neutral (7).

I tried to upload a picture but it didn't seem to work.

I really need some advice here...

- Keith
Columbus, OH

[ezcaps_phpbb3_import2]

I just got my EZ caps which I ordered because I'm a newbie and wanted something real easy. Note - I am making ethanol for shop/lab use, not for drinking.

I made a 2-liter batch using 1 pound of can sugar, and about .5ml of the EX Cap-supplied yeast. I heated the water to 100 degrees to facilitate dissolving of the sugar. I then let it cool to about 85 degrees F, then I added the yeast.

I placed the 2-liter loaded reaction vessel in my garage cause its much warmer than my air-conditioned house. Its around 80-85 degrees.

After 3 days the reaction vessel looks like nothing is happening. Its a little cloudy, but there is no motion, no gasses, no smell.

Am I doing this correctly? Is it working? Did I do something wrong?

pH today is exactly neutral (7).

I tried to upload a picture but it didn't seem to work.

I really need some advice here...

- Keith
Columbus, OH

Sugar is food for yeast, but it contains no nutrients. You can add a tablespoon or two of frozen orange juice concentrate to the mix and supply nutrients for the yeast. When fermenting non-juice mixtures or difficult-to-ferment juice mixtures, it also helps to shake the bottle gently daily to mix up the nutrients. Since you have no action as of yet, you will need to add more yeast to start the fermentation.

[Sandy B]

I suspect I have a low/no nutrient problem also. Will a handful of raisins (which I have) instead of orange juice (which I do not have) do the job?

Sandy B.

[ezcaps_phpbb3_import2]

I suspect I have a low/no nutrient problem also. Will a handful of raisins (which I have) instead of orange juice (which I do not have) do the job?

Sandy B.

Raisins will probably work, but you have to be careful because they have natural yeasts. The EZ Caps yeast should outcompete the natural yeast and at some point they will die, but during the competition the natural yeast may have an opportunity to give off flavors to the brew.

[Sandy B]

I suspect I have a low/no nutrient problem also. Will a handful of raisins (which I have) instead of orange juice (which I do not have) do the job?

Sandy B.

:o Ohhhh, of course! Forgot about those teen years of dumping a box of raisins into a jug of cider to make it "hard". Certainly did give it a buzz. Guess I will hie off to the store in the AM and rustle up some orange juice.

Thanks.