Should I take out all this stuff on top?

[Hollie]

It's strawberry and all of this stuff floated to the top after I pitched the yeast. It is really bubbling and I don't know if it will effect the fermentation if I get rid of all of this gunk that is on top. It is about a half inch thick. I have been stirring it down but this stuff seems to be growing. What should I do about this? Thanks.

 

[seefish]

That looks like your yeast, you'll want to keep that. Reminds me of whipped strawberry yogurt.

 

[dobe12]

Stop messing around with your yeast and let it do it's thing!

 

[Hollie]

Oh thank you. I didn't know that was yeast! Oh then it must remain in there. Thank you. I thought it was pulp inflating and floating to the top.

 

[Hollie]

I have one more question. This yeast packet says it is good for 5 gallons. I have well over 5 gallons of juice here. Should I toss in another packet of yeast?

 

[morticaixavier]

I have one more question. This yeast packet says it is good for 5 gallons. I have well over 5 gallons of juice here. Should I toss in another packet of yeast?

doesn't appear to be needed

 

[Hollie]

Oh so as long as it is bubbling, it will produce the same results? I am sorry, but here goes a really stupid question. What if I only used half of this yeast packet, would the yeast die before it could eat all of the sugars? Would there be a bunch of sugar left over?

 

[LovesIPA]

Underpitching can lead to off-flavors and incomplete fermentations so yes, it's possible. How likely it is to be the case here is very hard to know.

 

[Sammyk]

I used one pack of yeast because it was all I had on hand for 8 gallons and it fermented just fine. Generally speaking though one pack is good for 5 to 6 gallons.

 

[Hollie]

Underpitching can lead to off-flavors.

Does over pitching lead to off-flavors?

 

[RegarRenill]

Does over pitching lead to off-flavors?

Anything that stresses the yeast ( under pitching, nutrient deficient, too high initial gravity, etc) can lead to off-flavors. Over pitching usually doesn't, but it could if it led to a situation that stressed them, such as nutrient deficient or lack of O2 during lag phase...

 

[morticaixavier]

Does over pitching lead to off-flavors?

ooh boy, that's a tricky one. and I don't really know how it translates from beer to wine. in beer brewing underpitching has a tendency to create off flavors related to ester, phenol, and fusel production and possibly under or slow attenuation (incomplete fermentation). Over pitching MAY lead to a deficit in desireable esters resulting in a flat unbalanced or boring beer OR, depending on what article you are reading an INCREASE in ester formation.

 

[PatrickSweetman]

Yeast is a living thing. When it is growing in the ferment it reproduces millions of times.

Your fermentation looks typical for that early stage. After a while all of the foam and yeast will sink to the bottom and the liquid can be racked off.

Too much yeast, like if you add a pound or two, or leaving the sedimented yeast too long before you rack, can lead to off flavours, but adding too little yeast will just make your brewing take a day or two longer.