Failed wash x 3?

[Fierymac]

Hi all.

A while back i posted a topic of "failed wash x 2" where it turned out that i had basically messed up with the ingredient amounts in Googe's kale wash which took months and gave me poor yield. I said i'd try again and that's what i did:
500ml of water from 100g boiled up kale,
20 litres of water,
4kg of sugar,
50g of yeast "Allinson dried active yeast - yellow tin"
SG of 1.072 and let it go with an aquarium heater at 26 C. The air lock bubbled away nicely for 3 weeks and was slowing down but needed a couple of days longer which meant i had to leave it for another three weeks because I was working away.

Went to put it through the airstill today and checked the SG - bang on 1.000. As far as i understand it, i'm aiming for 0.990 - 0.980 but being outside those parameters i don't know if it's a good or a bad thing?? Certainly tastes likes got a whack of alcohol in there!

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Why is this called a failed wash thread? This is a perfect wash.

You'll never make it in specialty all grain when you routinely will max out at 1.015, or higher. Rum hardly gets to 1.000. And you're worried about below dry. Keep it simple man, and just run the dang thing .

[Fierymac]

Thanks Shine,
It's in the still now! What do you mean about being "below dry"?

[still_stirrin]

Thanks Shine,
It's in the still now! What do you mean about being "below dry"?

S.G. < 1.000.

Since alcohol (and heads) is lighter (less dense) than water at STP, if the gravity reading (density measurement) is below that of water, it means that the alcohol present in the post-ferment causes the S.G. to be lower. The greater the alcohol present in the wash, the greater the influence of it to depress the density measurement below that of pure water (for which the brewer’s hydrometer is designed).

It could also be an effect of the measured liquid being at a temperature above the hydrometer’s calibration temperature, for example, if you’ve had a heater in your fermenter keeping the ferment warmer than STP. When you take a post-ferment measurement, let it stand in the test tube for a short while to allow it to warm/cool back to room temperature. It’ll give you a more accurate reading. This same approach is valid for pre-ferment measurements as well.

Summarizing, fermented “dry” usually refers to a density reading of S.G.=1.000. But, as noted, many mashes and washes have density altering materials present post-ferment which will give you a reading above S.G.=1.000, yet the available fermentable sugars have been fully consumed. Rums, in particular, will show a relatively high density after fermentation due to the residual resins present in the wash. So, you have to manage the ferment properly relying on the process in lieu of the F.G. (final gravity) reading.
ss

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

I just mean that 1.000 is considered ad dry add it will go. Anything g below that is usually a temp difference on the instrument, or a little off calibration. There is a true below 1.000 reading caused by alcohol being lighter than water, but getting that reading shouldn't be a goal. Technically, you can't go below 1.000, it's just a manipulated hydro.

To be dry, 1.000 is what your looking for. And even that doesn't mean that much. I'd run anything under 1.02 without a blink, and have personally ran a ag bourbon at 1.04. That was a stalled mash, yes, but it drank just fine.

Edit: posted same time as stirrin. Kinda reads the same, op, huh? Means you can take it to the bank

[dukethebeagle120]

Hi all.

A while back i posted a topic of "failed wash x 2" where it turned out that i had basically messed up with the ingredient amounts in Googe's kale wash which took months and gave me poor yield. I said i'd try again and that's what i did:
500ml of water from 100g boiled up kale,
20 litres of water,
4kg of sugar,
50g of yeast "Allinson dried active yeast - yellow tin"
SG of 1.072 and let it go with an aquarium heater at 26 C. The air lock bubbled away nicely for 3 weeks and was slowing down but needed a couple of days longer which meant i had to leave it for another three weeks because I was working away.

Went to put it through the airstill today and checked the SG - bang on 1.000. As far as i understand it, i'm aiming for 0.990 - 0.980 but being outside those parameters i don't know if it's a good or a bad thing?? Certainly tastes likes got a whack of alcohol in there!