Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Report Share Posted September 2, 2006 I made that " Sweet Potato Fly " in the WF book (interesting!) and am trying to carbonate it like one does with ginger beer. Didn't add the full amt of water to ferment it with, so am adding more water with sugar dissolved in it, to the fermented brew. Will put it in soda bottles and keep an eye on them. I'm assuming I have the right idea? One thing that's curious - the WF book suggests letting ginger beer ferment in the bottles for 2 weeks, then warns of extreme carbonation when opened. (I've seen that - when my husband made ginger beer 34 yrs. ago and 1/2 the bottle erupted out unexpectedly when opened, we were afraid to drink it!) But in the antique recipes one of you refered to, it suggested letting it be in the bottles 2 days. If the idea is to get a " soda pop " amount of carbonation but not a Vesuvius amount in the finished drink, I wonder about how much time it should be left to ferment? Will keep testing the plastic soda bottles to see how taut they are, and when they are hard to depress, I'll try it. Nance ....Tiny bubbles, in the pop... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Report Share Posted September 2, 2006 Hi Nance, I was just answering about this on another group so I'll go with my momentus momentum and throw you a bone too :~) Provided that you have an active ferment going on.. Roughly 24 hours at temps around 70-75 will give you good carbonation. Some key points: Do like you said and check the firmness of the soda bottles, wait till it's pretty good and hard. Then refrigerate until well chilled. The colder a liquid is, the more gas it is able to take into solution. So by chilling the bottle first you will allow the gas compressed in the small space above the liquid to dissolve into the brew. This also slows the dissolution of the gas when you open the bottle preventing said " Sweet Potato Vesuvius " .. I have that Sandor Katz book but never tried that one, it sounds like it ought to be ready soon so please do let us know how the results. Cares, Beau On 9/2/06, nan4cl <nan4cl@...> wrote: > > I made that " Sweet Potato Fly " in the WF book (interesting!) and am > trying to carbonate it like one does with ginger beer. Didn't add the > full amt of water to ferment it with, so am adding more water with > sugar dissolved in it, to the fermented brew. Will put it in soda > bottles and keep an eye on them. I'm assuming I have the right idea? > > One thing that's curious - the WF book suggests letting ginger beer > ferment in the bottles for 2 weeks, then warns of extreme carbonation > when opened. (I've seen that - when my husband made ginger beer 34 > yrs. ago and 1/2 the bottle erupted out unexpectedly when opened, we > were afraid to drink it!) But in the antique recipes one of you > refered to, it suggested letting it be in the bottles 2 days. If the > idea is to get a " soda pop " amount of carbonation but not a Vesuvius > amount in the finished drink, I wonder about how much time it should > be left to ferment? Will keep testing the plastic soda bottles to see > how taut they are, and when they are hard to depress, I'll try it. > > Nance > > ...Tiny bubbles, in the pop... > > > -- Evolving Creations Glass www.evolvingcreations.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Report Share Posted September 2, 2006 >> One thing that's curious - the WF book suggests letting ginger beer ferment in the bottles for 2 weeks, then warns of extreme carbonation when opened. (I've seen that - when my husband made ginger beer 34 yrs. ago and 1/2 the bottle erupted out unexpectedly when opened, we were afraid to drink it!) But in the antique recipes one of you refered to, it suggested letting it be in the bottles 2 days. If the idea is to get a " soda pop " amount of carbonation but not a Vesuvius amount in the finished drink, I wonder about how much time it should be left to ferment? Will keep testing the plastic soda bottles to see how taut they are, and when they are hard to depress, I'll try it. It is a really odd thing, but back in the days when we made pop as a kid, there was LOTS of sugar, and it sat for weeks sometimes, and we never got a vesuvius. With homebrew, we would let it " go dry " then add a very measured amount of sugar, and that prevented it from over-fermenting, even if we kept the beer for weeks or months. But the microbial brews will just keep on fermenting, so you have to be more careful. Myself I gave up on glass, and use polycarbonate or PETE bottles. With the PETE bottles you can just feel the sides to see how bubbly it is, then put it in the fridge when the sides are taut. -- Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Report Share Posted September 2, 2006 Hey Heidi, You mention how the soda you used to make with LOTS of sugar didn't over-carbonate..that is odd.. Hmm well, sugar is a preservative and pretty much un-fermentable at really high concentrations. (e.g. Honey won't really ferment until you dilute it with water) Maybe your soda was so sweet that it fermented just a little before the yeast just couldn't handle the sweetness anymore? Or maybe the pressure inhibited further fermentation.. Not that I know these to be traits of bakers yeast, I'd bet that you used bakers yeast back then? I mean I've made ginger beer with ale yeast and if you leave that stuff out for more than a day or two they can get pretty Vesuvial too... and that's pretty much a yeast only ferment. Oh well it's all good unless someone gets hurt, so unless you're taking hydrometer readings, fully fermenting and calculating your priming (carbonating) sugar, I agree that it's always best to make soda in plastic bottles. Beau On 9/2/06, Heidi <heidis@...> wrote: > > >> One thing that's curious - the WF book suggests letting ginger beer > ferment in the bottles for 2 weeks, then warns of extreme carbonation > when opened. (I've seen that - when my husband made ginger beer 34 > yrs. ago and 1/2 the bottle erupted out unexpectedly when opened, we > were afraid to drink it!) But in the antique recipes one of you > refered to, it suggested letting it be in the bottles 2 days. If the > idea is to get a " soda pop " amount of carbonation but not a Vesuvius > amount in the finished drink, I wonder about how much time it should > be left to ferment? Will keep testing the plastic soda bottles to see > how taut they are, and when they are hard to depress, I'll try it. > > It is a really odd thing, but back in the days when > we made pop as a kid, there was LOTS of sugar, and > it sat for weeks sometimes, and we never got a vesuvius. > With homebrew, we would let it " go dry " then add a very > measured amount of sugar, and that prevented it from > over-fermenting, even if we kept the beer for weeks or > months. > > But the microbial brews will just keep on fermenting, > so you have to be more careful. Myself I gave up on > glass, and use polycarbonate or PETE bottles. With > the PETE bottles you can just feel the sides to see > how bubbly it is, then put it in the fridge when the > sides are taut. > > -- Heidi > > > -- Evolving Creations Glass www.evolvingcreations.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Hey Heidi, You mention how the soda you used to make with LOTS of sugar didn't >> .that is odd.. Hmm well, sugar is a preservative and pretty much un-fermentable at really high concentrations. (e.g. Honey won't really ferment until you dilute it with water) Maybe your soda was so sweet that it fermented just a little before the yeast just couldn't handle the sweetness anymore? Or maybe the pressure inhibited further fermentation.. Not that I know these to be traits of bakers yeast, I'd bet that you used bakers yeast back then? Beau My guess is, now that I know a little more about it, that the yeast didn't have any nutrients to eat. White sugar has zero yeast food. So if ALL you use is white sugar and yeast and a little packaged flavoring, you really don't get all that much yeast action. A couple of people had failures doing home fermenting for that reason: and " yeast nutrient " solved the problem. However, our nice probiotic healthy drinks have plenty of nutrients. And man do they fizz! BTW ... I bottled my latest batch of molasses/hops kefir beer a little early (after only 2 days in the jug) and sheesh ... 2 days in the bottle -- it has a nice head! This next batch I'm adding a little agar-agar and see if the head " keeps " better. -- Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Ah yes, that makes complete sense.. Ginger must have some serious yeast nutrients.. I have kombucha going and sometimes bottle it with a ginger slice or two..the difference and intensity of the carbonation that develops is incredible compared to just bottling it alone.. Hmm agar-agar for head retention interesting, let us know.. Take Care, Beau On 9/3/06, Heidi <heidis@...> wrote: > > Hey Heidi, > You mention how the soda you used to make with LOTS of sugar didn't > > > >> .that is odd.. > Hmm well, sugar is a preservative and pretty much un-fermentable at really > high concentrations. (e.g. Honey won't really ferment until you dilute it > with water) > Maybe your soda was so sweet that it fermented just a little before the > yeast just couldn't handle the sweetness anymore? Or maybe the pressure > inhibited further fermentation.. > Not that I know these to be traits of bakers yeast, I'd bet that you used > bakers yeast back then? > > Beau > > My guess is, now that I know a little more about it, that > the yeast didn't have any nutrients to eat. White sugar has > zero yeast food. So if ALL you use is white sugar and > yeast and a little packaged flavoring, you really don't get > all that much yeast action. A couple of people had failures > doing home fermenting for that reason: and " yeast nutrient " > solved the problem. > > However, our nice probiotic healthy drinks have > plenty of nutrients. And man do they fizz! > > BTW ... I bottled my latest batch of molasses/hops > kefir beer a little early (after only 2 days in the jug) > and sheesh ... 2 days in the bottle -- it has a nice head! > This next batch I'm adding a little agar-agar > and see if the head " keeps " better. > > -- Heidi > > > -- Evolving Creations Glass www.evolvingcreations.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Hello Heidi, Please explain more about this to me, " go dry " and measured amount of sugar...more about how to do this. So much appreciate hearing about the origional ways. Audrey <snippet> > It is a really odd thing, but back in the days when > we made pop as a kid, there was LOTS of sugar, and > it sat for weeks sometimes, and we never got a vesuvius. > With homebrew, we would let it " go dry " then add a very > measured amount of sugar, and that prevented it from > over-fermenting, even if we kept the beer for weeks or > months. > > But the microbial brews will just keep on fermenting, > so you have to be more careful. Myself I gave up on > glass, and use polycarbonate or PETE bottles. With > the PETE bottles you can just feel the sides to see > how bubbly it is, then put it in the fridge when the > sides are taut. > > -- Heidi > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Hi Beau, Oh, now that sounds like what I was asking Heidi about. I need to practice using that hydrometer I bought too. Audrey <snippet> > Oh well it's all good unless someone gets hurt, so unless you're taking > hydrometer readings, fully fermenting and calculating your priming > (carbonating) sugar, I agree that it's always best to make soda in plastic > bottles. > Beau > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Hi Heidi, Oh, now I need to go recheck what the brew shop lady sold me, for making ginger ale, root beer...think I have yeast nurtient in there also. Audrey <snippet>> > My guess is, now that I know a little more about it, that > the yeast didn't have any nutrients to eat. White sugar has > zero yeast food. So if ALL you use is white sugar and > yeast and a little packaged flavoring, you really don't get > all that much yeast action. A couple of people had failures > doing home fermenting for that reason: and " yeast nutrient " > solved the problem. > > However, our nice probiotic healthy drinks have > plenty of nutrients. And man do they fizz! > > BTW ... I bottled my latest batch of molasses/hops > kefir beer a little early (after only 2 days in the jug) > and sheesh ... 2 days in the bottle -- it has a nice head! > This next batch I'm adding a little agar-agar > and see if the head " keeps " better. > > -- Heidi > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Report Share Posted September 3, 2006 Hi Beau, What about using the lemon verbena? Agar Agar??? Audrey <snippet> > incredible compared to just bottling it alone.. > Hmm agar-agar for head retention interesting, let us know.. > Take Care, > Beau > On 9/3/06, Heidi <heidis@...> wrote: > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2006 Report Share Posted September 8, 2006 I have made the Sweet Potato Fly. At the end of the suggested fermentation period, I found it was still quite sweet and not too bubbly. So, I stored it in flip lock bottles in the refrigerator. It was at least a month or 2 later when I ventured to open it and it was great. Not sweet and it had a head on it like beer. The longer it stayed stored in the refrigerator, the better it got. Carol S. nan4cl <nan4cl@...> wrote: I made that " Sweet Potato Fly " in the WF book (interesting!) and am trying to carbonate it like one does with ginger beer. Didn't add the full amt of water to ferment it with, so am adding more water with sugar dissolved in it, to the fermented brew. Will put it in soda bottles and keep an eye on them. I'm assuming I have the right idea? Drink Real Milk http://www.F-A-R-M.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2006 Report Share Posted September 8, 2006 Good tip Carol, Not that it can solve everything, but cold storage/aging or simply cooler fermentation often can improve SOME fermented beverages..Lactofermented beverages seem to be best if fermented below 75F.. Beau On 9/8/06, Carol Saunders <carolnpepa@...> wrote: > > I have made the Sweet Potato Fly. At the end of the suggested > fermentation period, I found it was still quite sweet and not too bubbly. > So, I stored it in flip lock bottles in the refrigerator. It was at least a > month or 2 later when I ventured to open it and it was great. Not sweet and > it had a head on it like beer. The longer it stayed stored in the > refrigerator, the better it got. > > Carol S. > > nan4cl <nan4cl@... <nan4cl%40>> wrote: I made that " Sweet > Potato Fly " in the WF book (interesting!) and am > > trying to carbonate it like one does with ginger beer. Didn't add the > full amt of water to ferment it with, so am adding more water with > sugar dissolved in it, to the fermented brew. Will put it in soda > bottles and keep an eye on them. I'm assuming I have the right idea? > > > Drink Real Milk > http://www.F-A-R-M.org/ <http://www.f-a-r-m.org/> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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