My First Birdwatchers

[OlympicMtDoo]

I just put up my first batch of Birdwatchers last night. I did the whole mix in a large barrel as the recipe called for, I have the lid just sitting on the top loosly. The instructions say to hold there for 3 days and then transfer into my fermint buckets with air locks. I'm thinking of just letting it finish righ where it is without any air lock, anyone ever do it that way? I have done many different sugar washes but this is my first birdwatchers and I want to make sure I give it the best chance but it would sure save some work to just leave it in the large container without airlocks.

[Mud Mechanik]

You should not have any problems in the large barrel, thats what I use.

[maheel]

if it has started working just let it be for 3 weeks

[kenfyoozed]

Did my first this week, and let it sit for only a week, ran through Ailena, and used dephlegmator to fill my sight tower, when then was basiclly an inline thumper, and ran in pot still mode. I was impressed. Light flavor and sweet. for maxing flavored drinks like lemoncello, it would be good as is, but im going to do a spirit run as well so see how it comes out. Im interested in how yours turns out.

[beowoulfe]

I don't airlock anymore either. I have a hole cut in the lid with a coffee filter duct taped over it. Takes a week to ferment out for me keeping the wash at 80*F.

[Bushman]

I've done it both ways, actually put the airlock on right away. Don't notice a difference!

[kurgan]

I've done a plenty of these washes at 60L. Left it in the barrels I started with the whole time, and never used an airlock.

[Fastill]

I use a 20 gal fermenter with a lid, not airtight and it workes great, but I open ferment everything I plan on distilling, And only airlock beer and wine.

[OlympicMtDoo]

Thanks for all the input, I think I'll let it finish right where it is, I'll let you know how it comes out.

[rad14701]

I ran off a baseline batch the other day in pot still mode and kept the 110 proof center hearts out and dumped the rest in my low wines and feints jars to be refluxed... Very clean even for being pot stilled... I still have another batch waiting to be distilled that I tweaked a bit for a faster ferment... I'll do the same with that run and compare center hearts...

[mash rookie]

OMD, I do my BW in a plastic garbage can. (food grade) BW often works off so hard I would be afraid to air lock it. There is so much co2 coming off that no oxygen is getting in. I just leave the lid loose and it is always the fastest ferment that I do. Usually one week and it finishes to dry!! Who needs Turbo when you got BW???? WOO HOO!

[OlympicMtDoo]

All sounds good, let me know how your next batch turns out Rad. Mine has been working 7 days now and has cooled a little more than I'd like but it is still bubbling, checked SG yesterday and it's about half way to the target, so it may take a little longer being cooler. It's been a pretty cold December in the PNW, do you keep yours warm MR?

[rad14701]

All sounds good, let me know how your next batch turns out Rad. Mine has been working 7 days now and has cooled a little more than I'd like but it is still bubbling, checked SG yesterday and it's about half way to the target, so it may take a little longer being cooler. It's been a pretty cold December in the PNW, do you keep yours warm MR?

We shall see... I'm just sitting here looking at two test jugs right now that I'm letting air before airlocking... Just a few of my minor tweaks...

Ran off a batch yesterday in pot still mode and ended up with a liter of nice clean 120 proof... I'm enjoying some right now, in fact, and liking it...

I've got about 4 liters of feints to run through in reflux mode but probably won't get to that for a couple weeks... And I'll probably run this batch off in pot still mode so I can toss the feints from that into the mix as well... Running 40% feints or low wines I get 95% throughout most of my reflux runs... And all it tastes like is "good"...

[rad14701]

Here is something I have noticed over the course of more than a few Birdwatchers washes... If you let the wash cool naturally, rather than cooling by adding cold water, the fine particles of tomato paste/puree will remain suspended for almost the entire duration of the fermentation process... Otherwise, you will end up with a layer sitting at the bottom of your fermenter... I am not sure how much, if any, difference this make on fermentation times...

[mash rookie]

Yes I keep it warm and I use distillers yeast that likes warm temp's. A great combination. I recently switched to bakers yeast on my UJ and have been liking the flavor difference. I will stay with the distillers yeast on BW

[rad14701]

I had my first puke into the airlock episode overnight from the wash I have going now... I think the fermentation got a little overly aggressive for a while there and the foam buildup filled the headspace... Time to change the airlock water...

[OlympicMtDoo]

Getting excited to fire up the still but mine is still working so I guessw I'll have to be patient. I'm down to one jar or hooch I just used 5 star by the way.

[OlympicMtDoo]

I'm getting a little impatiant, my birdwatchers has been working for 10 days now, it is still working slow but steady. I checked SG last night and it was 1.05, started at 1.09. It seams to be dropping slowly but dropping none the less. Anyone have it take this long? Temp is around 60, a little cool probably but would that slow it up that much?

[maheel]

I'm getting a little impatiant, my birdwatchers has been working for 10 days now, it is still working slow but steady. I checked SG last night and it was 1.05, started at 1.09. It seams to be dropping slowly but dropping none the less. Anyone have it take this long? Temp is around 60, a little cool probably but would that slow it up that much?

yes to cold, warm it up to about 28->32 deg c
if you start colder (or let it cool at the start) it makes the whole ferment drag out long as the yeast dont start at their fastest

[rad14701]

I'm getting a little impatiant, my birdwatchers has been working for 10 days now, it is still working slow but steady. I checked SG last night and it was 1.05, started at 1.09. It seams to be dropping slowly but dropping none the less. Anyone have it take this long? Temp is around 60, a little cool probably but would that slow it up that much?

Brrr...!!! You'll have much better luck if you can keep the wash temperature in the 75F/24C - 85F/30C range for most yeast strains... Most yeasts, like bakers yeast, get really lethargic by the time the temperature drops even into the low 70'sF/20'sC...

[mash rookie]

I'm getting a little impatiant, my birdwatchers has been working for 10 days now, it is still working slow but steady. I checked SG last night and it was 1.05, started at 1.09. It seams to be dropping slowly but dropping none the less. Anyone have it take this long? Temp is around 60, a little cool probably but would that slow it up that much?

Brrr...!!! You'll have much better luck if you can keep the wash temperature in the 75F/24C - 85F/30C range for most yeast strains... Most yeasts, like bakers yeast, get really lethargic by the time the temperature drops even into the low 70'sF/20'sC...

I agree! Warm it up. it wont finish for a month at that temp. If you used distillers yeast you can keep it well in to the upper 80s. Once up and running it will make a lot of heat on its own but you have to get it there first. Wrap a heating pad around it.

[OlympicMtDoo]

Wow, a month to finish? Than is no good, I have been thinking and I think I'll wrap an electric blanket around my barrel, I can't wait a month I'm thirsty

[OlympicMtDoo]

JUst an update, I duck taped a heating pad to the side of my barrel and slowly was able to bring the temp up, it is now at 72 F and still working, sg down to 1.01, getin close. This is the first time with using the large barrel didn't know I'd have problem keeping it warm. I'm going to get a second heating pad to tape to the other side and that should take care of the problem. It'll be three weeks on Wednesday

[maheel]

wrap it in a blanket or something as well
even make a big cardboard box to fit over the whole thing to keep the heat in

a immersion aquarium heater will also work, i have one and they are more efficient than a heating pad

[Bushman]

+1 I have the same heating set-up as maheel, works great!

[OlympicMtDoo]

I do have it wraped in a blanket and it is working pretty good but thanks for the aquarium idea, I hadn't thought of that.

[mtdew_mn]

I'm using "beer belts" to keep the temp up on my 6 gallon buckets. They are about $20, and will raise the temp about 10 deg. F. And since I'm starting to get impatient I'm also puttying an old jacket loosely around it for a couple more degrees.

With luck they will be done soon and I'll be able to do my first spirit run this weekend...

[OlympicMtDoo]

still working, temp mid 70's

[OlympicMtDoo]

FINALY birdwatching today, it took just a month to finish the wash in this cold ass weather, I am running today in the snow and it's comming off really good, smells great. Perfect day for it, I aint gettin off my little mountain in this snow anyhow. Snow, football and the still cookin right along, life is good.