Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

[yamastill]

Hey Yama
Looks like your on your way to making some good BW.
This recipe is my go-to for making a really good neutral.
I give mine 3 weeks from start to finish including the clearing stage.
The bakers yeast i use ( Lowans ) likes it warmer than where i live so it drags a bit but gets there eventually.
I buy all the ingredients from woolworths supermarket and it ends up costing me less than $2 per bottle to make from a 27lt wash.
Happy drinkin

Wow you get your sugar cheap, eh? I like using brewer's yeast, especially ec1118. I find there's more final moonshine taste, less rum-y taste. Plus there's a higher yield as it can tolerate more alcohol, which makes the higher price worth it to me.

Sugar on sale next week,, 2.50 a 4lb bag so going to cost me about $8-$9 for a 22L wash.

[seaguy]

The fertilizer I use has the same magnesium sulfate so if I use 20-20-20 I use less or no Epsom Salt... I was hoping to mix up another batch of my tweaked Birdwatchers this week but it might be next week before that happens...

I was planning to make 3 five gallon buckets of your tweaked BW today. I scaled ingredients for 4.7 gal to allow krausen room. I plan to start with 8lbs of sugar instead of the calculated 8.8lbs and will adjust up if necessary to get 1.07 .... keeping up with everything so I can post a 5 gallon bucket recipe for the USA 'math challenged' like myself I will be using Great Value Puree at slightly more since it isn't isn't cooked as dry as tomato paste. It's cheaper and easier to get out of the can. The Walmart 29oz can thirded is just right for 3 five gallon washes and filling a 15 gal keg boiler. Hope 1/2 tsp 20-20-20 per bucket isn't too much

[rad14701]

Hope 1/2 tsp 20-20-20 per bucket isn't too much

I use 1/2 tsp per gallon...

[joemac1958]

I just finised running a scaled down 4 gallon run of this recipe in my pot still. The only differance I can see from the original was I started out the wash at 1.06 sp.
After the first 75 ml I started keeping and mesuring proof every 250ml . The highest was 90 proof in the first 250ml . The proof went down by 10 proof for every 250ml that was run. My pot still holds one gallon per run. Was wondering what I did wrong? Was hoping for a higher "medical" proof at least the first cup or so per pot......Any suggestion<

[retlaw]

can't expect much more with a one gallon pot,

[joemac1958]

can't expect much more with a one gallon pot,

Humm.....? I've ran several 4 gal washes with packaged yeast and nutrients that produced 120+

[GuyFawkes]

Sugar on sale next week,, 2.50 a 4lb bag so going to cost me about $8-$9 for a 22L wash.

That's nice, it costs me about $3 per 2 lb bag or $10 a 10 lb bag here....

I'm actually considering beginning to use oranges and apples instead, there's a few orchards around me that don't mind if I go and take the stuff that falls off the trees since their machines can't get them and it costs too much for them to do it manually, the only problem is that would be a lot of them to make neutral.... oh well, maybe someday I'll go out and collect as much as I can and see how much I get in all.

[joemac1958]

Sugar on sale next week,, 2.50 a 4lb bag so going to cost me about $8-$9 for a 22L wash.

That's nice, it costs me about $3 per 2 lb bag or $10 a 10 lb bag here....

I'm actually considering beginning to use oranges and apples instead, there's a few orchards around me that don't mind if I go and take the stuff that falls off the trees since their machines can't get them and it costs too much for them to do it manually, the only problem is that would be a lot of them to make neutral.... oh well, maybe someday I'll go out and collect as much as I can and see how much I get in all.

Very cool.....by the way, where are you located where apples and oranges grow in the same area???

[seaguy]

Hope 1/2 tsp 20-20-20 per bucket isn't too much

I use 1/2 tsp per gallon...

Well....seems I used 1/4 the fertilizer in your tweeked version so this one is a little different. My fermentation area is staying at 72F to 75F so I plan to not use supplemental heat unless I have to. The initial SG was 1.075 and this morning it was bubbling nicely with a 1/4" Krausen. Nice to see since the buckets' fill is 1" from the top rim Used a little more water than expected to stay under 1.08 ....Using the parent site ABV calculater this batch will finish at 11.1% so the next batch I try I will reduce the sugar yet again to 6.6 lbs per bucket. That will give me an ABV around 10% and a wash level 2" down from the rim....thus no runover and a perfect amount for my boiler. AT these amounts there is no 'leftover' tomato puree or sugar to deal with

[yamastill]

Sugar on sale next week,, 2.50 a 4lb bag so going to cost me about $8-$9 for a 22L wash.

That's nice, it costs me about $3 per 2 lb bag or $10 a 10 lb bag here....

I'm actually considering beginning to use oranges and apples instead, there's a few orchards around me that don't mind if I go and take the stuff that falls off the trees since their machines can't get them and it costs too much for them to do it manually, the only problem is that would be a lot of them to make neutral.... oh well, maybe someday I'll go out and collect as much as I can and see how much I get in all.

Very cool.....by the way, where are you located where apples and oranges grow in the same area???

SO wash seems to be stuck at SG of 1.002. Should I run it or wait?

[RumRaider]

Yamastill,
I'm interested in how people reply to this too. I just ran it through the calculator on the main site and, depending on your starting SG, the last bit of SG could make quite a difference. Starting at 1.09 and finishing at 1.002 gets you 11.35% ABV while finishing at 0.995 gets you 12.25 (about an 8%difference) and finishing at .98 (the default for the calculator) gets you 14.2% ABV (about a 25% difference). Of course, if your starting SG is lower (1.08 or 1.07) it makes less difference.

I don't think .980 is a realistic finishing point but I'm new here so I have to figure they made it the default for a reason.

Also, I've read people (old-timers I think) here saying you don't want too high of an ABV % in your wash cause it will taste funny (I thought 12% was stretching the limit) . But then I read others (also old-timers) are trying to get as high as 14% ABV.

Could somebody help as I just put down a batch of BW (starting at 1.072) and the answers are going to make a difference very soon

[Andy Capp]

Hey Yama
If the wash has stopped bubblin and the FG is 1.002 then it sounds to me like it's ready. If it's still giving the occasional bubble then leave for a few more days. After it's finished turn off the heater so it can cool for a couple more days. This will help with clearing the wash before running it through your still. If your able to siphon it to another container to clear that would be even better.
Its amazing how much settles in the second container from what appears to be a very clear wash.
Happy drinkin

[maheel]

best way to test with a hydro is

test your sg today = ?
wait two days and test again sg = ?

if the same SG on both days its either stuck or finished

i mostly aim for .990, if your at 1.002 thats 12points out and IMO a long way from finished for a BW
10-12% is fine for a BW
i reckon the best way to run it is strip say 50L of BW then reflux the result to about +93% for great neutral hearts

the 1st question i would ask is whats the temp of the wash liquid, i reckon around 28'c is a nice temp for BW
2nd q would be did you follow the original recipe ?

[patriot469]

Hey Guys
I just started this wash today.

8 Gallon wash
11oz paste
1 lemon
13.75 lbs. sugar
3.25 oz Bakers yeast
Dash of Ebsom salt
sg 1.006
Temp 70F
I will keep you updated.

Thanks Birdwatcher.

[GuyFawkes]

Very cool.....by the way, where are you located where apples and oranges grow in the same area???

Arizona. I'm actually not sure there are apples, I assumed there were, but I suppose I don't really know what they are past the oranges

[yamastill]

Yamastill,
I'm interested in how people reply to this too. I just ran it through the calculator on the main site and, depending on your starting SG, the last bit of SG could make quite a difference. Starting at 1.09 and finishing at 1.002 gets you 11.35% ABV while finishing at 0.995 gets you 12.25 (about an 8%difference) and finishing at .98 (the default for the calculator) gets you 14.2% ABV (about a 25% difference). Of course, if your starting SG is lower (1.08 or 1.07) it makes less difference.

I don't think .980 is a realistic finishing point but I'm new here so I have to figure they made it the default for a reason.

Also, I've read people (old-timers I think) here saying you don't want too high of an ABV % in your wash cause it will taste funny (I thought 12% was stretching the limit) . But then I read others (also old-timers) are trying to get as high as 14% ABV.

Could somebody help as I just put down a batch of BW (starting at 1.072) and the answers are going to make a difference very soon

Yes I started at 1.09, looked at it this morning while drinking my coffee and waiting for bubbles in the airlock. Yup still bubbles, so gave it a shake and will check it tomorrow. This is my first wash so getting a little antsy but don't want to mess it up. Just ordered another fermenter over the weeked so can keep it going. Sugar on sale so stocked up and ready to go.

[seaguy]

sg 1.006
Temp 70F
I will keep you updated.

Thanks Birdwatcher.

You might need to get it a little warmer if you can. 75F better 80F even better

[RumRaider]

I understand. For all the effort that we can put into this, sometimes the hardest thing to do is wait. Hang in there

[yamastill]

sg 1.006
Temp 70F
I will keep you updated.

Thanks Birdwatcher.

You might need to get it a little warmer if you can. 75F better 80F even better

I am using a 60 Watt bulb with one of those metal work cone type lights about 2" away and one of my daughters old winter jackets over it which keeps it at 84-86F. Give it a shake every night and every morning.

[Bushman]

sg 1.006
Temp 70F
I will keep you updated.

Thanks Birdwatcher.

You might need to get it a little warmer if you can. 75F better 80F even better

I am using a 60 Watt bulb with one of those metal work cone type lights about 2" away and one of my daughters old winter jackets over it which keeps it at 84-86F. Give it a shake every night and every morning.

Sounds about right however there are mixed reviews about shaking it. Some aerate the first 3 days and then leave it others do a stir at the beginning and then leave it alone. I have tried both and really don't notice a major difference.

[yamastill]

sg 1.006
Temp 70F
I will keep you updated.

Thanks Birdwatcher.

You might need to get it a little warmer if you can. 75F better 80F even better

I am using a 60 Watt bulb with one of those metal work cone type lights about 2" away and one of my daughters old winter jackets over it which keeps it at 84-86F. Give it a shake every night and every morning.

Sounds about right however there are mixed reviews about shaking it. Some aerate the first 3 days and then leave it others do a stir at the beginning and then leave it alone. I have tried both and really don't notice a major difference.

Still stuck,, UGH

[rad14701]

Still stuck,, UGH

If the SG is still at 1.002 it's not stuck, it's done... It should already be cleared in this amount of time so rack it and run it... It's not worth wasting any more time and effort trying to wring an additional ~1% ABV at most out of your wash...

[curtisbowling]

just finished first run 5 gals,started at160 proof stopped cllecting at 40 1 1/2 gal per 5 gal in less than 2 hrs.tried your recipe at 1/2 scale.still cold where i live.but its getting warmer and i work most of time not a lot of time to play,wondering why not distillers yeasr[much cheaper]seams like a lot of bakers yeast,cost me more than turbo,but results are well worth it,gonna do the whole recipe tommorow ,i have distillers on hand and bakers,also brewers.oh reason didnt do whole recipe is when cold gotta keep it inside for heat gonna try submergible fish tank heaters wont have to worry bout heat much longer

[yamastill]

Still stuck,, UGH

If the SG is still at 1.002 it's not stuck, it's done... It should already be cleared in this amount of time so rack it and run it... It's not worth wasting any more time and effort trying to wring an additional ~1% ABV at most out of your wash...

Running it Friday, soon as I can get to it. This won't bother it all will it letting it sit?

[rad14701]

Running it Friday, soon as I can get to it. This won't bother it all will it letting it sit?

How long will my wash last before I run it?

[yamastill]

Running it Friday, soon as I can get to it. This won't bother it all will it letting it sit?

How long will my wash last before I run it?

Thanks that sums it up,, I am safe!

[Andy Capp]

A few weeks ago i had a 3 month old bottle of this stuff sitting on the kitchen bench ready to drink when the mother-in-law came to visit. "what are you drinkin" said the long time vodka drinker. "vodka" i replied. She picked it up and sniffed it and declared it was water and i was pulling her leg then took a big swig. In between the spluttering i heard "glass of water please" and "shit it's not water".
Now whenever we drink this we no longer call it vodka but "not water"
This hobby keeps bringing hours of enjoyment in more ways than one.

[yamastill]

A few weeks ago i had a 3 month old bottle of this stuff sitting on the kitchen bench ready to drink when the mother-in-law came to visit. "what are you drinkin" said the long time vodka drinker. "vodka" i replied. She picked it up and sniffed it and declared it was water and i was pulling her leg then took a big swig. In between the spluttering i heard "glass of water please" and "shit it's not water".
Now whenever we drink this we no longer call it vodka but "not water"
This hobby keeps bringing hours of enjoyment in more ways than one.

THATS AWESOME!! I PLAN ON DOING THE SAME...

[GuyFawkes]

A few weeks ago i had a 3 month old bottle of this stuff sitting on the kitchen bench ready to drink when the mother-in-law came to visit. "what are you drinkin" said the long time vodka drinker. "vodka" i replied. She picked it up and sniffed it and declared it was water and i was pulling her leg then took a big swig. In between the spluttering i heard "glass of water please" and "shit it's not water".
Now whenever we drink this we no longer call it vodka but "not water"
This hobby keeps bringing hours of enjoyment in more ways than one.

Oh, my buddy did the opposite to me in college. I've never been all that much of a drinker, he convinced me that everclear was one of the weaker vodkas out there..... that was a bad, bad day. I can't remember it in the slightest, but I know it was bad

[seaguy]

I have read a few posts that mention stripping runs of BW with a Boka. This stuff clears so nicely I'm wondering why anyone would strip It with a Boka? Mine cools off to 185 proof on a single slow run as most probably would. Is it worth the hassel to do two runs with these kind of results or am I missing something here?