Wineos Plain Ol Sugar Wash

[TonyHibbett]

Thanks for that. As far as gypsum and epsom salts go, I believe that my hard, alkaline London water, famous for beer, will take care of that. Been brewing for 46 years and rarely had any problems with fermentation.
As for aluminium, it's ok for cooking, but as distilling takes hours, I can see a potential problem, and after such use, the pan has a disturbingling cleaner look about it, suggesting that acids have taken something away.
Ideally, I'd like copper, as it's brandy I'm looking to produce. But would a stainless steel pressure cooker be the way to go?

[Slowninja]

Most folks run stainless around here

[TonyHibbett]

If I can get hold of a copper pot small enough to fit inside the pressure cooker, then the hot wash will not be in contact with the aluminium, although the hot vapour will. If I remove the handle from the copper pot lid and attatch it to the inside of the aluminium lid, this would further reduce contact. Does this make sense?

[rad14701]

If I can get hold of a copper pot small enough to fit inside the pressure cooker, then the hot wash will not be in contact with the aluminium, although the hot vapour will. If I remove the handle from the copper pot lid and attatch it to the inside of the aluminium lid, this would further reduce contact. Does this make sense?

Sounds like way too much work... Just get a stainless steel stock pot and be done with it if you're going small scale... If the lid won't work well, or is glass, just find a stainless steel mixing bowl that fits or can be cut down to fit the pot...

[tomgndallas]

I did a triple batch to get ready for my new still (thanks to Hillybillystills). I had been using the bakers yeast but switched to ec 1118. After 11 days the Specific gravity has dropped to 1.04-1.05 depending on batch. Its still bubbling but pretty slow (bubbles about every 30 seconds). I read that it might take longer with this yeast. I'm patient but want to make sure I should be patient and not be doing something. Thanks

you are on the right track. EC1118 is great, tolerates cooler weather, ferments a little slower, but yields a quality product which is easy to rack off the lees as they are pretty compact.

[rgarry]

Thanks. I have no problem waiting for better quality. I'm just so used to the bakers yeast taking off like a bat out of hell

[danehowser]

Thought I'd add my experience w/this recipe.

I put about 6 gallons of water and 8 lbs of sugar into a "vittle vault" plastic container, starting with OG of 1.060. I added the yeast nutrient, gypsum and epsom in while the water was still hot. I let it cool down to about 85 then added the acid and yeast, stirred it a bit then covered w/a cloth.

I put this on top of a little refrigerator I have near a hot water heater and it kept the temp around 80F. After 5 days SG dropped to 1.020, after 7 down to 1.010, after 12 down to .998 then finally down to .994 at the 15 day mark where I considered it done. I racked that into a 6.5 gallon carboy where it is currently clearing.

Thanks again to all for posting your experiences, this was a very easy recipe and I had no issues with fermentation getting stuck. I put some Strawberry Panty Dropper together and I'm currently aerating a Gerber wash before I put the airlock on and am hoping for great results again. I'll post my results w/those in the appropriate threads when they are done.

[BrewVegas]

How long should a stripping run take on a 6 gallon WPOSW? I think I'm doing something wrong as it has been over 12 hours and I'm only down to 50 proof. I've got the condenser recirculating in a half barrel keg through a submerged plate chiller in ice water. I've collected about half a gallon in 12 hours at full speed. I've got about 3-4 drips from the parrot per second when the cooling water is nice and cold. Also, I've got a 13 gallon Mile Hi pot still setup with a 2,000 watt element averaging 200F at the thermometer in the bung up top. Should I stop at 10 or 20 proof? I've read both.

Thanks...

[Bayou-Ruler]

How long should a stripping run take on a 6 gallon WPOSW? I think I'm doing something wrong as it has been over 12 hours and I'm only down to 50 proof. I've got the condenser recirculating in a half barrel keg through a submerged plate chiller in ice water. I've collected about half a gallon in 12 hours at full speed. I've got about 3-4 drips from the parrot per second when the cooling water is nice and cold. Also, I've got a 13 gallon Mile Hi pot still setup with a 2,000 watt element averaging 200F at the thermometer in the bung up top. Should I stop at 10 or 20 proof? I've read both.

Thanks...

well my 25 liter wash @ 10% ABV usually takes about 3 hours or so, but I'm running a Brewhaus rig on propane

[BrewVegas]

How many drops per second do you figure ?

[Bayou-Ruler]

How many drops per second do you figure ?

You can see the rate here: http://www.youtube.com/bayouruler/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[BrewVegas]

Thanks Bayou...I'm definitely not achieving a strong enough output even though there is a rolling boil at temps of 200+ at the top of the column. I'll ditch the hotplate and put it on my single-tier brewing stand which has propane burners. I was trying electric so I didn't have to go outside as I'm unsure about running propane in the garage with the door closed. P.S. I'm from the Bayou, too.

[Bayou-Ruler]

Thanks Bayou...I'm definitely not achieving a strong enough output even though there is a rolling boil at temps of 200+ at the top of the column. I'll ditch the hotplate and put it on my single-tier brewing stand which has propane burners. I was trying electric so I didn't have to go outside as I'm unsure about running propane in the garage with the door closed. P.S. I'm from the Bayou, too.

Your welcome, there are a few of us "swamp people" floating around here on the forum.....

[carolina moonshiner]

This may sound like a dumb question but is their 2 kinds of citric acid ? I heard someone say something about food grade. I have some citric acid i got from a wine store. In the book it says its for used for sanitation and for acid adjustment will this work ? I tried the WPOSW last year but after running it twice i still had the strong smell of the citric acid not sure why .

[rad14701]

This may sound like a dumb question but is their 2 kinds of citric acid ? I heard someone say something about food grade. I have some citric acid i got from a wine store. In the book it says its for used for sanitation and for acid adjustment will this work ? I tried the WPOSW last year but after running it twice i still had the strong smell of the citric acid not sure why .

Food Grade merely means that it has been deemed clean enough for human consumption... From the standpoint of making a wash that will later be distilled this is not a major issue... Kinda like how we use animal grain and other ingredients that may not be classified as Food Grade - like fertilizers...

[carolina moonshiner]

Thanks alot rad for answering my 1st question i undestand now , As for my second question after running the wash twice why am i still getting a strong smell of the citric acid ?

[rad14701]

Thanks alot rad for answering my 1st question i undestand now , As for my second question after running the wash twice why am i still getting a strong smell of the citric acid ?

Are you making proper cuts...??? If you are getting a sweet smell then it could be foreshots or heads... Tails have a more pungent smell, like wet cardboard, a wet dog, or dirty socks... Hearts shouldn't have off smells, especially from this recipe...

[danehowser]

Thought I'd add my experience w/this recipe.
...
I'll post my results w/those in the appropriate threads when they are done.

Finally got around to distilling this in an airstill. For each 4l of wash I threw out at least the first 50ml and then kept around 750ml. Ultimately after 5.5 runs I kept about 4l of wash which probably had an average of 35%. I am running this a 2nd time right now, measuring every 150ml w/my alchometer and so far the first .5l is around 80% but it has started dropping with the 4th measurement coming in at 75%. I am hoping to get about 1.5-2l out of this 2nd run, thinking I might stop once I get below 65% (not sure if there is a recommended stopping point but seem to recall others doing this), and have yet to determine if I will do a 3rd run to clean it up more.

[naeco]

I used this recipe with the bakers yeast for my first ever distillation and it fermented dry in 2 weeks. I now did the same thing but with distillers yeast and after 5 weeks ... it still bubbling and I'm only at 1.016 ???? I was under the impression that the distillers yeast would go wayyyy faster that the bakers ?

Should I just let it go until bone dry or rack to secondary in order to aerate the wash ?

[Odin]

A question. A want to try this recipe for a neutral. How do I interpret the original recipe? Is tsp a teaspoon so around 3 grams? Like Tsp is a table spoon and around 15 grams? A cup is 250 mls I know. And I learned tsp to be a teaspoon, but it seems to be such a small amout of the stuff for a 6 liter wash ...

Odin.

[rad14701]

A question. A want to try this recipe for a neutral. How do I interpret the original recipe? Is tsp a teaspoon so around 3 grams? Like Tsp is a table spoon and around 15 grams? A cup is 250 mls I know. And I learned tsp to be a teaspoon, but it seems to be such a small amout of the stuff for a 6 liter wash ...

Odin.

tsp = teaspoon = 5ml
tbsp = tablespoon = 15ml
cup = 250ml (240 - 250)

Remember, volumes, not weights...

[Odin]

Thanx! That aint much, what is needed for this recipe. But if it works for others, I will give it a try for sure.

Odin.

[rad14701]

My tweaks to the original recipe created the only washes that I have ever had puke into my airlocks... And when I make questionable tweaks I don't completely fill my test fermenters to their normal levels for 18 - 24 hours... And that topping off is usually the only time I open them up before the wash is done fermenting...

[Odin]

Now, I have been doin' me some thinkin' ...

If you make an "wineo's", you will get a neutral. The quintesesses seem to be in using as little nutrients as possible and adding lots of yeast. The yeast will work quickly, not needing to much vits&mins. And less additions means less flavour and so more of a neutral.

What would happen if one would recycle this recipe? Using backset of previous generations? Leaving the yeast bed that probably lingers down at the bottom alive for a next gen? Backset is like cooked fellow yeasties and supplements. Mite it make for a next generation to be even needing less supplemental vits&mins? Would it be like even more neutral? Maybe yeasts self selecting to be better at producing under "taste restricted" conditions?

Just thinking out loud. But thinking out loud with a goal/purpous in mind. I detuned my fractionating CM still. Don't see it bein' powered up to 96.5% realms soon. But still, I have this great old fellow that loves my neutrals. He calls it "genever" because there are some varieties that are vodka's, no less, no more. Less taste = more fun to him. 73 years old guy that is like the guy drinking 3 shots of "genever" an evening. And sleeping well on it.

I am looking for a kind of "repetitive" recipe on making neutral with an "upped" potstill ...

Odin.

[Slowninja]

Odin, I would think if you're looking for a "repetitive" result you would want to start over fresh each time. I may be wrong about that, but it seems to me like if you carried over the backset you may get a different flavor for each generation.

Try it? Whats the worst that can happen, get a different taste? It may be better, may be worse.. But the fact remains that if you dont like the outcome you can just start over new the next time around.

[Slowninja]

Whilst i'm in this thread, I have a 14 gallon mash of WPOSW fermenting right now.. My previous runs have been in 5 gallon fermenters, this time i'm in a big'un.

Kept all values the same, less the fermenter.

After about 4 days my wash got stuck. I have a heater facing the fermenter (as I did previously) and took a temperature of the wash.. It was over 90*f

I'm using superstart distillers yeast, which is supposed to thrive in the warmer temps.. I checked my UJSM (in another room, in the 5 gallon fermenters with a heater facing them) and they are about 85*f and a'bubblin away.

I've removed the heater from the WPOSW area, added some ice to cool the wash down to 85 and pitched 1/4 cup of yeast.. I'm hoping it picks back up. I suppose i'll keep everyone informed

[Mangler20]

Whilst i'm in this thread, I have a 14 gallon mash of WPOSW fermenting right now.. My previous runs have been in 5 gallon fermenters, this time i'm in a big'un.

Kept all values the same, less the fermenter.

After about 4 days my wash got stuck. I have a heater facing the fermenter (as I did previously) and took a temperature of the wash.. It was over 90*f

I'm using superstart distillers yeast, which is supposed to thrive in the warmer temps.. I checked my UJSM (in another room, in the 5 gallon fermenters with a heater facing them) and they are about 85*f and a'bubblin away.

I've removed the heater from the WPOSW area, added some ice to cool the wash down to 85 and pitched 1/4 cup of yeast.. I'm hoping it picks back up. I suppose i'll keep everyone informed

Please let me know how this goes, I am in a similar situation with a 26gal... I have 2 fermatech heat blankets on it and the temp is about 90*f. It seems to have stalled @ 1.030 after a period of about 2 weeks.... I am getting ready to pitch some more yeast (superstart).

If anyone has any better ideas to get this thing going again I am all ears. This is my second batch and it did not stall the first time like this one and everything is the same except the size of the batch.

[Slowninja]

I've tried more heat, less heat, more yeast, more water, more nutrients, more lemon juice... Nothing has got this wash going again.

[rad14701]

I've tried more heat, less heat, more yeast, more water, more nutrients, more lemon juice... Nothing has got this wash going again.

Without knowing your pH, and considering what you've tossed into the mix, I'd be leaning towards too low of a pH... Try mixing some baking soda in a small amount of your wash and then add that back into the fermenter... You wouldn't not want to add it in directly unless you have plenty of head space... I'd shoot for about 1/2 teaspoon per gallon... It's gonna fizz like crazy so you'll have to wait a bit to know if it has made any difference...

[Slowninja]

Good idea, worth a shot im close to throwing it out anyways..