True hillbilly

[Prairiegold]

Im a true hillbilly i have always thought about makkng moonshine but never acted
I have built a 10gallon ss still with a 2' stack and 25' copper coil
I have a rum mash going but i have tons of questions to ask and have alot to learn
I really hope to make some friends and learn as much as possible
Thanks alot guys for the site and everyone that apart of it

[Halfbaked]

Welcome Prairiegold. Crankies spoon feeding in my signature will answer 95% of your questions. If you have not already read it and know what you are doing I would put a lid on that rum (it will wait) and be sure you are safe. You need a proper diameter coil for safety reasons. You might or might not have that. If you have not guessed safety is our #1 goal here. Some post pics to be sure everything is safe others tell details but all must read Crankies spoon feeding. Welcome be safe and Cheers

[Prairiegold]

I have a 3/8 coil tube i have ran a few runs of store bought wine to make sure it works and also i have ran water and vinger through to clean the system it seems to work well i also have a pressure gauge plummed in just for safety im having issues with my mash right now

[Bushman]

Welcome to HD, can you give us a little more detail about the mash your having trouble with?

[Bigbob]

Welcome Prairiegold, listen to the advice given. Crankys post has been a real improvement here in the forums. All the mandatory reading in one place. Also we are all here to help, let us know the problem and we'll get it fixed! Enjoy the forums!

[Prairiegold]

my mash has been frementing for 11 days when i was done mixing everything a couple hours later it started bubbling for a couple days then slowed down it is still bubbling inside the jug up the sides i checked it with my hydrometer and it reads 1.050 im concerned it shoud be done soon and my hydrometer read should be lower
The other problem i think is my mash temp is 69
So in conclusion
I have very little bubbling going on
Fair amount of residue on the bottom
Hydrometer reads 1.050

[StillLearning1]

Temp seems a little cool assuming you used bakers yeast. What was the reading on your hydrometer at the start of the wash? And tell us the exact recipient you used that will help out a lot finding your problem.

Sounds like its simply not finished yet. I have ferments go for 3 weeks sometimes in cooler temperatures.

[HDNB]

rum/bakers likes warmer temps. warm it up
whats the PH? don't know?...add some oyster shells or egg shells.
what's in the wash? solids in molasses reads high. often will finish at 1.03
when it's done, it's done. clear it. run it.

[Prairiegold]

The recipe is 10lbs sugar 5 galon water cup honey and yeast i also cut up apples and threw it in there for a twist
What do egg shells do
What do you mean clear it

[Prairiegold]

There is also white foamy stuff from the small bubbles
If you say when it done it done how do i know i have read the forms in fermenting but it only states on variable
The ph is 3 right now

[RandyMarshCT]

There is also white foamy stuff from the small bubbles
If you say when it done it done how do i know i have read the forms in fermenting but it only states on variable
The ph is 3 right now

If the Ph is 3, it's too acidic. You need to bring it up some with a base. Baking soda will help, but don't use too much... a teaspoon at a time. Or washing soda (sodium carbonate), even smaller amounts (1/2 teaspoon at a time). Calcium carbonate is best (chalk, shells, etc.). You can get oyster shells from a feed store (http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produc ... _vc=-10005" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow). They take a little longer to bring the ph up... I just buy calcium carbonate powder from the home-brew shop.

[S-Cackalacky]

You have 4 major problems going on: 1.) The temp is too low for baker's yeast. 2.) The PH is too low - needs to be at least above 4.0. Egg shells and seashells are made of calcium carbinate (base) and will help to maintain the PH as the acid dissolves them, or you can use powdered calcium cabonate for a more immediate result. 3.) You're using too much sugar. A good rule of thumb is 1.5 to 1.75 lbs per gallon of water. You have 2 lbs per gallon, plus the honey, plus the sugar in the apples. To remedy this, you could split the wash into two fermenters and add another 1.5 gallons of water to each. Next time you might want to use one of the recipes in the "Tried and True Recipes" section of the forums. 4.) you need to do the reading that has already been pointed out and is also in my signature. That reading will answer a lot of your questions and steer you in the right direction.

Welcome to the forums, good luck, and stay safe.

[HDNB]

the egg shells do the same thing as all those things RandyMarshCT said, they buffer the PH to a level the yeast can tolerate and live in.
At PH 3 they are swimming in so much acid, they cannot do their job. the PH must come up.

to "clear" means to let the solids settle. While fermenting, alcohol production creates CO2 gas which "stirs" the trub, keeping solids suspended in the mixture. when it is done fermenting,those solids can settle in a day or two when not being disturbed by gas bubbles.
Most guys will then "rack" or siphon to a secondary container to leave the trub solids behind; this leaves the wash to further clear without being disturbed...then rack the cleared wash into the boiler leaving even more solids behind in the secondary container.

this reduces foaming, the chance of a puke is reduced and there is arguments that dead yeast in the boiler can give a bad taste.

EDIT posting with S-C, who is right on all counts. (i must have missed that recipe of sugar/honey/apples...i though this was a rum wash.)

[Prairiegold]

Ok thanks alot
So if i split up the mash i have add 1.5 gallon to each jug bring the temp and ph up i can save this mash?
Next time ill defintaly use one you hd reciepes
I also didnt realize the apples would have sugar in them
I started all this two weeks ago and only found this website a couple days ago so i have gotton alot of different instructions from other websites but you guys seem to know the whats best compared to other sites
I wish i could call someone i like the forms but sometimes would like to talk to someone about all this stuff i learn better through talking than reading

[rad14701]

#5: You wash needs more nutrients... For this wash you could split a 6oz can of tomato paste between the two jugs...

[bentstick]

hint "wash"

[Prairiegold]

Ok i got the ph up to 4.5 and added some tomatos paste add a little bit of yeast and she is buddling like crazy hydrometer is down to 1.3 this morning im happy now numbers are coming together
Popcorn suttons says in the summer your mash can take 5 days to finshing and in the winter can take 30 days

[goose eye]

That's the problem with heroes

Year from now come back to what you wrote an see
if you can see

So I'm tole

[Prairiegold]

What!!

So today the hydrometer is reading 1.4 and ph still 4
Bubbling every second
Should i just wait it out ? Is this right what im doing

[Bigbob]

Wait it out. You want it at 1 or lower.

[Prairiegold]

Cool cant wait to distill my first mash

[woodshed]

Good on ya for making the effort. But man you have a LOT of reading to do.
Stick this one out, read and read some more. We all want you to be successful and safe. That's why I say read. Cranky's thread is where you find the spoon. Tried and true is where you find the easiest path.

What you have is a wash. Not a mash.

[Prairiegold]

But my mash is full of apples
Isnt wash just suager and mash is with fruits

[StillLearning1]

But my mash is full of apples
Isnt wash just suager and mash is with fruits

Nope. You really need to read the links that otherembers suggested to you. I know its a lot but it will help you an unbelievable amount I assure you. Good luck!

[rad14701]

But my mash is full of apples
Isnt wash just suager and mash is with fruits

Time to crack down and do the research, as suggested... You should know the difference between wash, mash, and must...

[still_stirrin]

Ok...I started all this two weeks ago and only found this website a couple days ago...you guys seem to know the whats best compared to other sites...

Well, there it is...PROOF....HD is the BEST.

...I wish i could call someone i like...but sometimes would like to talk to someone about all this stuff...I learn better through talking than reading.

OK...I get it.

But you can "talk" with your fingers...and "listen" with your eyes. Best of all...the questions and answers are written down in black and white. They're here sustained through time so you can revisit whenever you need to re-educate yourself. Plus, mental retention is 10x greater if you read the answers opposed to just hearing them.
ss