Cranberry 1092

[frustratedearthmother]

Is the plan to make wine? or some other fermented delight?

 

[Mini Horses]

Hmmm...need taste testers??

 

[CrealCritter]

I can't quite figure this batch out. I was ready to pitch the yeast after the needed 24 hours campden wait period. I decided to pull a hydrometer reading and it's 1.120 or like 16% alcohol potential I noticed the musk is a lot more cloudy now also.

I guess the pectin enzyme pulled out some additional sugars - IDK???. Anyways I need to get this down to or below 1.105/14% alcohol potential before I pitch the yeast. Only one thing to do... Add sterile water a little at a time, mix it in well, pull hydrometer readings and continue until the musk is at the target gravity. Then pitch the yeast and cross my fingers.

 

[CrealCritter]

Hmmm...need taste testers??

Oh I got lots if taste testers around here. No shortage of those, that's for sure... It's the first thing asked "can I taste it?"

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I sure hope these cranberries were not sorbated/sulfited or they won't ferment and I'll have to dump it all down the drain.

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[frustratedearthmother]

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