Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

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rad14701
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by rad14701 »

The only difference between regular and instant rise is ascorbic acid that is intended to give a burst of energy at the very start of the aerobic phase... The difference in finishing isn't noticed for our purposes... It was intended for making breads rise... In a wash the ascorbic acid is diluted too far to be effective... I've done side by sides with both and they performed the same...
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Undies »

rad14701 wrote:The only difference between regular and instant rise is ascorbic acid that is intended to give a burst of energy at the very start of the aerobic phase... The difference in finishing isn't noticed for our purposes... It was intended for making breads rise... In a wash the ascorbic acid is diluted too far to be effective... I've done side by sides with both and they performed the same...
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Danespirit »

Prairiegold wrote:I just made this mash and i accidentaly put instant yeast in there any advice
I always keep a pack or two in my fridge, just in case i forget to buy some "real" yeast.
It can be stored for a long time.
When i use it, i make a slurry with luke warm water and a little sugar....no problems with the ferment.
So, you are doing fine...
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Amfamora »

5kg Sugar, 90g Lowens bakers yeast, Tablespoon of Salt free Tomato paste, pinch of Epsom salts, squirt of lemon juice for Ph.

Fermenter in a Icebox with water heater to 28c with 300w aquarium heater. 20+ fermentd every single one perfect.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Undies »

Amfamora wrote:5kg Sugar, 90g Lowens bakers yeast, Tablespoon of Salt free Tomato paste, pinch of Epsom salts, squirt of lemon juice for Ph.
You could try adding water too, would improve the quality and quantity greatly.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Beerbrewer »

Amfamora wrote:5kg Sugar, 90g Lowens bakers yeast, Tablespoon of Salt free Tomato paste, pinch of Epsom salts, squirt of lemon juice for Ph.

Fermenter in a Icebox with water heater to 28c with 300w aquarium heater. 20+ fermentd every single one perfect.
I wouldn't have thought you would need that much yeast for 5-6 gallons, I usuall add about four tablespoons, still ferments out within a week or so.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Danespirit »

Beerbrewer wrote:
Amfamora wrote:5kg Sugar, 90g Lowens bakers yeast, Tablespoon of Salt free Tomato paste, pinch of Epsom salts, squirt of lemon juice for Ph.

Fermenter in a Icebox with water heater to 28c with 300w aquarium heater. 20+ fermentd every single one perfect.
I wouldn't have thought you would need that much yeast for 5-6 gallons, I usuall add about four tablespoons, still ferments out within a week or so.
I can do well with 1 pack (50 G) for 2 X10 L.
Now..i should mention i usually make a yeastbomb from those 50 gramms.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Amfamora »

Undies wrote:
Amfamora wrote:5kg Sugar, 90g Lowens bakers yeast, Tablespoon of Salt free Tomato paste, pinch of Epsom salts, squirt of lemon juice for Ph.
You could try adding water too, would improve the quality and quantity greatly.
Sorry, yep in 25l wash :)
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Monkeyman88 »

Beerbrewer wrote:
Amfamora wrote:5kg Sugar, 90g Lowens bakers yeast, Tablespoon of Salt free Tomato paste, pinch of Epsom salts, squirt of lemon juice for Ph.

Fermenter in a Icebox with water heater to 28c with 300w aquarium heater. 20+ fermentd every single one perfect.
I wouldn't have thought you would need that much yeast for 5-6 gallons, I usuall add about four tablespoons, still ferments out within a week or so.
I use the same amount in 200L
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by rumBum2 »

Monkeyman88 wrote:
Beerbrewer wrote:
Amfamora wrote:5kg Sugar, 90g Lowens bakers yeast, Tablespoon of Salt free Tomato paste, pinch of Epsom salts, squirt of lemon juice for Ph.

Fermenter in a Icebox with water heater to 28c with 300w aquarium heater. 20+ fermentd every single one perfect.
I wouldn't have thought you would need that much yeast for 5-6 gallons, I usuall add about four tablespoons, still ferments out within a week or so.
I use the same amount in 200L

i use the same amount on a 5 gallon batch. this is what i use works great and is 2-3$ lbs.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by screin »

Hi Guys,

I just made my first BW wash. Used half dextrose half normal sugar, organic tomato paste, lemon juice and epsom salt for 40liter, following the original recipe.
I just noticed after 10 hours that the gas coming out of airlock stinks a little, like egg. I opened the fermenter but the mash has good smell. Is that a problem?

Also I have read lots of pages, but still need some advice. I only have a pot still. I know there is no general rule, but if i run s tripping run, keeping low wines until 20%,
what alcohol percentage i should cut the fores, heads and tails?

Thanks in advance,
A newby
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Monkeyman88 »

screin wrote:Hi Guys,

I just made my first BW wash. Used half dextrose half normal sugar, organic tomato paste, lemon juice and epsom salt for 40liter, following the original recipe.
I just noticed after 10 hours that the gas coming out of airlock stinks a little, like egg. I opened the fermenter but the mash has good smell. Is that a problem?

Also I have read lots of pages, but still need some advice. I only have a pot still. I know there is no general rule, but if i run s tripping run, keeping low wines until 20%,
what alcohol percentage i should cut the fores, heads and tails?

Thanks in advance,
A newby
If the mash smells good it's sweet as.

You don't cut by ABV, cut by taste/smell.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by thecroweater »

Its not a mash, it is not fermented seed. It is fermented sugar so it is a wash
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by ksarrow »

Made this up by the numbers scaled down to 5 gals. Used EC-1118 cause its cooler now where I'm at. Slow slow action from the airlock. 2nd week added a crushed oyster shell bomb (thin cotton cloth with a palm full of crushed shells hung a small string through the airlock hole). 1 week later added nutrients.
1 more week its very thick and slimy.
OG was 1.06
SG is now 1.01 if accurate due to viscosity
My water ph is around 7.5 that's why I added the shells when things slowed down.
Anyway I can fix the wash or just dump it?
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by NZChris »

You shouldn't need to add nutrients to this method.

Check and correct the pH of the wash after you have put it together then don't try to adjust it during the ferment without checking what it is. Shells are nearly useless for raising pH, and completely useless for lowering pH in a wash.

What temperature did you ferment at? You might be better to run bread yeast and insulate & heat the fermenter to keep it happy.

The slime is probably bacterial. As long as it doesn't smell bad it should be ok to run. If you have a still that is difficult to clean if the slime burns on, maybe you should dump it.

If you try to do the next ferment exactly the same way you did this one, don't expect a different result. Sterilize your equipment.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by ksarrow »

Thanks NZChris sounds good. Was just over thinking as I was reading other posts. I have better means to sterilize now also. I have a bucket next to that one just fine that I did not add anything to it.

Stockpot boiler so I'll bring it up to temp a little slow and hope not to burn the goo.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Danespirit »

Ksarrow, why don't you just rack it carefully off and leave the gunk behind..?
Unless it all turned to slimy gunk, if that's the case i would dump it and start over.
A birdwatchers wash is supposed to get all the nutrients from the tomatopaste in it.
I use to add a B-vitaminpill too...yeast loves it.
If you have a issue like you just experienced, it would be beneficial to sterilize all your fermentation equipment prior to a new batch.
Depending on what material your fermentation container is made of, a little bleach or just plain boiling water will do the job.
As for now, i never had to sterilize one of my fermentation containers...but i never had a infection like you discovered.
Your wash should be clear,with a pink tinge to it. Dead yeast should be seen as sediment laying at the bottom, having a grey colour.
Do you have a airlock on your fermentation container..??
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by ksarrow »

Airlock yes. Clear goo on the surface however the whole thing is thick. I use 5 gallon HDPE buckets to ferment in.

I recently got a bottle of Star San and set up some in a squirt bottle also.

Not out much on on one bucket full of birdwatchers so think I'll dump it and chalk it up as lesson learned.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by rgreen2002 »

Any chance for a pic of said slime? Could help identify the issue.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by HDNB »

did the slime look like this???

http://www.ww.homedistiller.org/forum/v ... 15&t=56969" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by ksarrow »

Yes it is that ectoplasmatic bull milk. Yeast is still active. No bad smell well not much smell at all. Looks kinda nasty. Stuck s spoon in it and the tomato paste boiled up under the top snot layer.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by NZChris »

Snot has been successfully run. Not be me. I threw mine out.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by HDNB »

so by the sounds of that thread you pitched dead yeast and a bacteria took over to slime you.

i'd be walking out to the shit slough and making a trip to the grocers for some fresh yeast.

good luck on the next one! bleach is a good anti bacterial wash for your fermenter...
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by blackpanther »

The other week i went to distill a run of birdwatchers but my stills thermostat was not working. its now been fixed but the time in between would be approx 3 weeks. Is the mash able to be used or is it waste now?
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by thecroweater »

Was it sealed? Is it showing some sign of infection
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by blackpanther »

somewhat. the lid sits on it loosely and hasnt been latched down. i cant see any differences from the usual and it had the same smell.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Danespirit »

I don't see any problems in running that batch.
Unless it has been standing there for a very long time, there will always be some CO2 that gasses slowly off and creates a "carpet" of gas on top of the batch.
As long as one doesn't disturb that layer of CO2 or anything is put/falling down in the batch, a infection won't be likely to happen.
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Kegg_jam »

Your still has a thermostat?
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Haus »

Is this calc still valid or is there a higher version?

http://shuggo.com/birdwatchers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow (indicates it's V.3)
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Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Post by Undies »

Haus6565 wrote:Is this calc still valid or is there a higher version?

http://shuggo.com/birdwatchers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow (indicates it's V.3)
Yup, it's the latest and greatest.
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