How long does a sugar wash take?

[Guest]

Hi folks, I'm wondering how long this sugar wash will take to finish?

It's 8kg of sugar to a volume of 25 liter water with prestige "turbo pure 48" yeast.

According to the instructions it's like 5 to 7 days. Well, 22 days on and it's still bubbling, albeit slowly.

The pitching temperature was 37C and the ambient air temp is 17C (and has been 17C so far for the whole fermentation). The actual wash is 18C, according to the thermometer sticker attached to the fermentation barrel. The taste of the wash is definitely alcoholic with a slight sweet taste.

Have folks found their wash cycle stretches on far more than the claims on the yeast packet? This is my first sugar wash, though I was of the thought that a cool fermentation might drag it out an extra week (like draught) not a fortnight+. Yes, I could move the barrel to a warmer area but I'm out of room on account of ale brewing. Any stabs at how much longer it might go?

[jbrew9999]

Somewhere on homedistiller I read that a fermentation that takes 5days at 25 C would take 3 weeks at 15 C.

I'm more interested in what your wash looks like.

My first sugar wash is on day 3 and it is very active but there are virtually no large bubbles or foam. There are tons of tiny bubbles though that come up out of the liquid in steady streams. Is there any "head" on yours?

Mine is 4.5 Kg sugar in 20L water, with bread yeast and nutrients.

[linw]

For a shorter "normal" ferment all you have to do is have the right amount of sugar and keep the temp around 25deg C. I would suggest a bit less sugar (6-7kg) and use a heater pad/belt to keep temp at around 22-25deg C. Your ferment would be done in 3-4 days, then.

[Guest]

Somewhere on homedistiller I read that a fermentation that takes 5days at 25 C would take 3 weeks at 15 C.

I'm more interested in what your wash looks like.

My first sugar wash is on day 3 and it is very active but there are virtually no large bubbles or foam. There are tons of tiny bubbles though that come up out of the liquid in steady streams. Is there any "head" on yours?

Mine is 4.5 Kg sugar in 20L water, with bread yeast and nutrients.

jbrew9999, well at the 24th day of fermentation I added the finings to precipitate the wash after I had to give it a good stir to rid excess gas (Co2). It came out reasonably clear - about as clear as white wine. The smell was clean too. My current wash is moving along a little faster as the Spring warmth is here.

Was there a head? I didn't see any when I added the finings and at the most when I gave it a stir, there was a lot of small bubbles.

For a shorter "normal" ferment all you have to do is have the right amount of sugar and keep the temp around 25deg C. I would suggest a bit less sugar (6-7kg) and use a heater pad/belt to keep temp at around 22-25deg C. Your ferment would be done in 3-4 days, then.

linw, it says on the packet to use with 8kg of sugar if after a 18% to 20% alcohol content fermention, or use 6kg if after a 14% alcohol content fermentation. I certainly agree on a warmer temp to aid in a faster fermentation. Though I'm suspect of the fast times they pimp on the packet (likewise Alcotec).

All up, the resulting distilled product is super clean, and even without carbon it's better than "Absolut", "Below 42" and "Stoli" vodka, though not quite up there to Grey Goose (which is the best vodka I've ever tried). I think some polishing will put it into that top shelf. The wait on the slow mash was worth it.

Next test is to compare this yeast with Alcotec 48.

[linw]

Glad to hear of your success.

Yes, the ferment times on the packet are always short. Like a 48hr one will actually take 3 days! Still, as long as we know their tricks!

[Grayson_Stewart]

I've never had a ferment go as short as the packet says.....and if you dump a couple ounces of carbon in a gallon of cut 190 proof and shake it real good a few times a day for a wek or so it will be totally tasteless.