Simple Sugar Wash Recipe: So I thought (Starting very small on first run)
5Gal Bucket w/ Super Airtight lid
2.5lbs Sugar
2.5Gal Water
1 Hodgson Mill Active Dry Yeast 8.75g Packet (Ingrediants: Yeast, Sorbitan Monostearate) (Foamed up and started dissipating within 15mins)
Controlled Environment Temp of 76 Deg F
After the past few weeks of research/development of where I want to be at after a few runs under my belt leaves me with concerning question that I can't find any information about except for using instruments to measure which all poor folks can't afford. I don't have any fancy equipment such as a hydrometer etc... as I am just starting out and not giving up on a hobby i've wanted to start for a long time now
Concern:
Consistent bubbling activity a few hrs after adding activated yeast "5-10 bubbles per few seconds out of an 1/8" sterile oxygen tubing fed into a sterile container, 1" below the surface of water". 24hrs after I added the activated yeast to my ferm bucket the wash tastes like a spoonful of yeast. Is this normal?
Last edited by Artofwar8719 on Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Maybe I am to overly concerned etc. However in every project I start/do its either do it right the first time or not at all So heres me attempting to make sure by the time it comes out my wyrm its going to be atleast decent/drinkable.
Stick with a recipe from the Tried and True Recipe forum until you have a proper handle on things... One pound per gallon gives a 7% ABV potential yield, if you stuck with a total of 2.5 gallons of water... But you never added any nutrients so the yeast aren't going to stay healthy or happy... You have more than enough yeast in there and that's what you'll taste until the wash is fermented to dry... You might get lucky and have it ferment to dry without nutrients, but it's a crap shoot...
Also, what you have there is a "wash" because it uses sugar... A "mash" uses corn or grains, with the starches converted to sugar via the "mashing" process... When fermenting fruit, it's called a "must"...
Your wash doesn't need oxygen... A decent aeration before and immediately after pitching yeast should suffice... Never aerate after fermentation has begun...
Don't go off on a tangent again until you have done ample research and have enough successful attempts using a Tried and True recipe to know what you're doing... This hobby is difficult enough without making it more difficult for yourself... Your lack of research is showing, even if you thought you had done enough...
Wash was aerated between 2 5gal buckets 10x before the yeast and 5x after the activated yeast added. Bucket has not been moved or disturbed except for lid removal 2x after last aeration within 15mins of the pitching of the yeast.
All water used was tap water. Not nutrient deprived filtered water imo. Maybe im wrong on doing that to?????? If so you won't hurt my feelings by no means by saying so.
Is this wash even still viable to keep going? Im not looking to make this to get drunk off of. The yield of it wouldn't suffice for the time of ferm for me.
Unfortunately I think my biggest mistake so far has been the ingred. I have been watching alot of youtube vids and small amounts of reading which i've done most of my life. More of a hands on visual guy. Unfortunately after reading some articles on this forum including your knowledge I think it has bit me in the butt.
rad14701 wrote: You have more than enough yeast in there and that's what you'll taste until the wash is fermented to dry... You might get lucky and have it ferment to dry without nutrients, but it's a crap shoot...
What does ferment to dry? Sorry From what im understanding from this article I am reading its stating in a portion:
The fermentation is considered done when you either reach your desired sugar level or go "dry" at 0° Brix. A wine with 0.2% residual sugar contains two grams of sugar in a liter of wine. Dry wines are typically in the 0.2%-0.3% range, off-dry wines in the 1.0%-5.0% range, and sweet dessert wines are normally 5.0%-10%. However this can be a little subjective on taste and a wine with .5% or 5 g/L may taste completely dry depending on the wine. In the end there is no "correct" sugar level for your wine, it just comes down to your personal preference.
So you can physically see the sugar level lower aka 0 degrees meaning bottom of wash container(Aka good indicator of finished ferm))? Is that when people were saying the starch and sugar will settle to the bottom but fermented to dry is just a fancy way of saying that?
Don't do anything more until you have done what we consider mandatory research here in these forums as well as reading the entire parent site, keeping in mind that some of the information on it is dated... These forums are more up to date but a lot of the theories and fundamentals that you are lacking are laid out better on the parent site... And forget everything you thought you learned on YouTube as there is a plethora of bad information posted there by folks who only think they know what they are talking about... You have many many hours of research ahead of you... This isn't a hobby where it is wise to learn from your mistakes because some mistakes can kill you... You need to know what you need to know before you need to know it... By doing what we consider mandatory research, not optional, you'll learn answers to questions you don't even know you have yet... We want you to be safe and successful and right now both of those attributes are doubtful... This may not be advice you want to hear, but it's the advice you need to hear...
There is a link in my signature that all novices should read in its entirety, including other links from within... You won't be ready to proceed to further practical application until you're ready... RIght now you shouldn't feel ready because you're not...
Okay well I appreciate your strong criticism and guide. However the guide and a few of the links in your spoon feed guide contains alot of materials I do not have access to nor have the funds to dump into this project that im not even to sure if I will stick with it for 10-20+yrs, might not even be alive then lol.
But as for now is this wash a throw away meaning 0% yeild, due to the overdose of yeast?
And from this forum and from other forum posts on this website as im collecting fermented to dry simply means you don't taste any sugars in the wash as the starch converted them.
Not trying to rush anything but no sense to throw away something that might still have the least bit yield.
And believe me hopefully, I am taking in and very appreciative of what you have took your time out to tell me so far.
Oh, where to start...!!! Yet more signs that you need to do some research... Yeast convert "sugar" alcohol and CO2... Starch is useless in a ferment and need to be converted to sugar via enzymes... You'll learn that and more when you do ample research...
As far as your wash, you could try adding a tablespoon or two of pure tomato paste with no other ingredients or a healthy handful of crushed basic breakfast cereal without sugar coating... The yeast need something to keep them healthy because they get zero nutrition from the sugar itself...
As for not being able to afford the proper tools, I'd have to call bullshit... If you can afford sugar and a still you can afford $20 worth of the tools you need... You need a test cylinder, a hydrometer for checking Specific Gravity, and an alcoholmeter...
While we're at it, what are you intending to use for a still...??? If you already have one, please post a picture so we can assure you that it is safe to use and suggest any needed modifications...
It's time to get serious about this hobby or move on to something less complicated...
Okay I don't mean to get rude but you'd loose everything you have on that call of bullshit "I CALL ALL IN!!* lol. These items I have obtained for the ferm container and still have been collected over many months. Secondly I have no transportation atm while my truck sits at a mechanic shop having a $3300 out of pocket expense repair. So if you can sit there and watch tv all day w/o picking up a hobby and deal with your ol lady then more power to you buddy.
Ill be using a Heavy Gauge stainless steel pot w/ lid w/ pressure safety valve w/ 6 c-clamps + 3/8" Copper line w/ continuous cold water flow to keep wyrm cool. As for a gasket for extra safety ill simply be using a homemade paste which worked wonders when running simple tap water thru the still.
Doing something easy for the eas is not a part of my thought.
As for my starch comment I did not mean that at all atleast the starch word. I don't know what the hell I was thinking when my fingers typed that word.
As far as questions from now on I won't ask anymore at this time due to a request from a member. I have learned alot in the past 4hrs that I wish I had done before. Thanx all.
*Noted on the addition of feed for what I have on hand at this very moment w/o walkin to the store*
Chin up, Artofwar.
Take advantage of the waiting game time to read, read, read everything you can of this forum and on the Parent Site (link on top of page).
The 'HD Google Search' also at the top of the page can find the answers to even your most obscure questions.
Here's one of my favorite links that I've saved as a browser Favorite, the Glossary Page: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 46&t=58100
This is not an impatient person's hobby, and it's not a dive in and succeed immediately hobby.
Relax. Read. Read some more. The time will pass and your knowledge will build.
You've come to the best site for distilling.
Build discipline to not re-invent the wheel, and for the love of God do NOT You Tube this stuff unless you see it in a link here.
The rewards are awesome.
Welcome!
Still Life wrote:Chin up, Artofwar.
Take advantage of the waiting game time to read, read, read everything you can of this forum and on the Parent Site (link on top of page).
The 'HD Google Search' also at the top of the page can find the answers to even your most obscure questions.
Here's one of my favorite links that I've saved as a browser Favorite, the Glossary Page: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 46&t=58100
This is not an impatient person's hobby, and it's not a dive in and succeed immediately hobby.
Relax. Read. Read some more. The time will pass and your knowledge will build.
You've come to the best site for distilling.
Build discipline to not re-invent the wheel, and for the love of God do NOT You Tube this stuff unless you see it in a link here.
The rewards are awesome.
Welcome!
Thank you for the link and your wisdom. Alot of those terms answered so many things when reading the forums. Hehe
I have no intentions of displaying anything I am visually doing to anyone especially on youtube. Simply asking to get a black suit and shiny shoes to knock on your door.
From what im understanding from this article I am reading its stating in a portion:
