Start the ferment
Thursday’s activities:
- Clean bin with valve (Esteban did it before we got there)
- Test out valve for delestage
- Place second macro bin next to first, upside down.
- Place 4×4’s on upside down macro bin.
- Place valve bin on 4×4’s, with valve draining into right side up macro bin.
- Decided not to do any tartaric acid addition at this time. Last years TA went way up during ferment. Not sure why.
- Moved must to valve bin.
- Added water : 3 gallons to get to 14.3% alcohol, down from 14.9%.
- Mix yeast rehydration solutions:
- Start with 2925 mL water at 110 F (had a hell of a time getting water to 110.)
- Add 146 g GoFerm and mix.
- Let temp drop to 104 F.
- Add 117 g yeast. (whole 4 ox packet)
- Mix, and let sit 15-30 minutes.
- Mix over 5 minutes with equal amount of must.
- Keep repeating previous step until yeast within 10F of must.
- Add slurry to valve bin and mixed.
- Clean macro bin and replace.
- Clean up.
- Setup ladder for punch down.
- Show Esteban punch down log, tools, thermometer.