First EC-1118 attempt...fail?

[shine406]

Hey guys, I am pretty new to distilling, I have done 7 or 8 successful sugar/turbo runs. I decided to get away from turbo yeast and got some EC-1118 and nutrients. I made 16lbs of sugar up to a 6.5 gallon wash, added 6 teaspoons of nutrients, made sure the wash was cooled enough and added two packs of re-hydrated EC-1118. At this point I got a reading of 1.102 SG. I never got any rapid fermentation what so ever, airlocks were bubbling very slowly. I aerated the wash occasionally. If i am reading my hydrometer correctly, the SG was headed the wrong way? Two weeks later, the airlock bubbling had almost came to a complete stop, I tasted the wash and it was still very sweet. I decided I would re hydrate and add two more packs of EC-1118. For the next few days the fermentation was still very slow, I added two teaspoons of turbo and still no change, still have a very sweet tasting wash that is fermenting very slowly. Where did I go wrong here? or does this yeast just work this slow? I am fermenting in the exact same conditions as I do with turbo, which completely ferments in around 7 days.

[Prairiepiss]

Holy crap thats 17.4% ABV potential. Do yourself a favor and go get a recipe from the tried ant true recipe section.
You will probably have problems with anything over 14%. Not to mention it will taste like crap.

[dakotasnake]

general rule of thumb is 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. of sugar per gal. of water. you cant go wrong with that.

[CuWhistle]

Split it in half and top each one up with clean water Then see what it does. If no action add some Bread Bakers yeast.

[shine406]

Thanks everyone for the replies, I will try diluting and adding bakers yeast to save this wash. Next i plan on trying birdwatchers or Wineos Plain Ol Sugar Wash. Could I have started with less sugar and added a bit more once the fermentation is going good? I understand the quality vs quantity aspect of moonshining but for now I am willing to sacrifice some quality and shoot for higher ABV, because I am short on time and really go through a lot of likker!

[Prairiepiss]

If you want to make crap. You mite as well stick with the turbo crap.

If you need more alcohol then a 14% wash van make. You either have a problem or are doing something illegal? Even if its neither of those. I still question your motives?

[shine406]

If you want to make crap. You mite as well stick with the turbo crap.

If you need more alcohol then a 14% wash van make. You either have a problem or are doing something illegal? Even if its neither of those. I still question your motives?

I just only have time to make a run every other month or so, just trying to make the most out of what I can do, thats all. I guess there isn't actually that big of a difference between 14 and 18%. I was just hoping someone would have some experience with making a decent quality higher ABV wash that they could share.

[frozenthunderbolt]

I was just hoping someone would have some experience with making a decent quality higher ABV wash that they could share.

Can't be done.
You get more drinkable out of a lower AVB wash for a lot less hassle AND a faster ferment time; some say as much as an extra week per % point potential over 12%

[likkerluvver]

If you need more alcohol then a 14% wash van make. You either have a problem or are doing something illegal? Even if its neither of those. I still question your motives?

Hey PP, none of us EVER do anything illegal

[Jimbo]

I just only have time to make a run every other month or so, just trying to make the most out of what I can do, thats all. I guess there isn't actually that big of a difference between 14 and 18%. I was just hoping someone would have some experience with making a decent quality higher ABV wash that they could share.

Even our resident sugar head guru and mentor Rad says keep your sugarheads at 12% or less for best results. As a general rule I never go over 8. There's too many things that start to go wrong at higher ABV's than that, lots of foul congeners from stressed yeast, long ferment time, stuck ferments, high FG's, etc. The bold ones are serious issues. congeners is obvious, but slow feremtns are a problem too because as a rule you shoudl run as soon as its done to avoid bugs taking over and thriving on the yeast autolyses products. If your ferment time is not predictable its hard to plan for the run. With lower ABV's you can pretty much bank on planning your run 7 days out. Or 6 or 8 if youre busy. EC-1118 is a fine wine yeast, used it plenty. Even if you can only make one every couple months Id suggest keeping it to 12% and enjoy a higher quality drink. Also, dont forget when you add your feints back in at the next round, it will significantly bump your yield from your 2nd run forward. Good luck.

[rad14701]

shine406, let me reiterate some information that has been posted far too many times already - again... When you start pushing for high gravity washes or mashes the act becomes self-defeating... By that I mean that although you may end up with more alcohol there will be less good alcohol to be had... Once you cross over the 14% mark, and some would say 12%, for sugar washes, 8% for all grain, you end up with proportionately more Foreshots, Heads, and Tails, and proportionately less clean Heads... So, while you end up with more quantity of alcohol, overall, you get less quality alcohol... Kinda like working harder for longer at your job for less money... Who the hell wants to do that...???

Greed is just that - greed... There's always a trade-off... With grain mashes you start losing quality flavor and start getting a greater quantity of hotter, worse tasting, spirits... With sugar washes it's pretty much the same unless you run through a reflux column very slowly for neutral spirits and even then you may need to dilute and do a second run... Or carbon filter... Or settle for the same lackluster crap you can buy at the liquor store, headaches and all...

So where are the advantages you seem to feel compelled to seek...??? They don't exist unless you are making fuel, plain and simple...


Typed as Jimbo was posting... What timing...

[Prairiepiss]

I personaly would shoot for the nest quality stuff I could produce. If I could only run it once every two months or so. I can get cheap crap at the store all day long. A lot cheaper then I can make it. But I can make some really good stuff a lot cheaper then I can buy the good stuff for.

And I have settled in to making all my washes or mashes 8% or under. Just because I like the product I het from it better then a high ABV ferment.

[shine406]

Thanks Rad for explaining it that way. I looked at your Gerber recipe and I am excited to give that a try. Have there been any updates since the original recipe? Another question, could I use up my remaining nutrients and ec1118 by making a lower gravity wash? One that would have 12-14% potential. Or would that wash also not ferment well like my current wash? Is the generic yeast nutrient I got off of amazon complete enough?

[Halfbaked]

Shine 406 I do mean this in the best possible way. What do you consider a successful turbo run?

[CuWhistle]

Turbo yeast is 100% successful in that it does exactly what it is claimed it will do, ie; turn 6 kg of sugar into 20% ABV in a week or 6kg into 14% in 2 days. There are many heretics out there who know no better and are probably blissfully happy with what they are able to do with it. Otherwise it would have long since disappeared. They probably enjoy watching their spirit drip through the end of a plastic Activated Carbon Filter too.

Best advice is though; Don't do it unless your making fire lighters or lawnmower fuel.

PS; You should have seen the rig and accessories that some peanut out here was trying to sell on an online classifieds add site for $2000.00. Made Bali Arak look real good. Scary stuff. Uuuuurrrrggggg.

[shine406]

Turbo yeast is 100% successful in that it does exactly what it is claimed it will do, ie; turn 6 kg of sugar into 20% ABV in a week or 6kg into 14% in 2 days. There are many heretics out there who know no better and are probably blissfully happy with what they are able to do with it. Otherwise it would have long since disappeared. They probably enjoy watching their spirit drip through the end of a plastic Activated Carbon Filter too.

Yes, being new to this hobby I felt successful after distilling it out into some good burning fuel I fallowed Rad's Gerber recipe and it was bubbling away pretty good after a couple hours. I wonder if inverting the sugar would have helped my EC1118 wash? It is still fermenting very slowly, I think it will get there eventually.

[gonagin58]

Hey guys, I am pretty new to distilling, I have done 7 or 8 successful sugar/turbo runs. I decided to get away from turbo yeast and got some EC-1118 and nutrients. I made 16lbs of sugar up to a 6.5 gallon wash, added 6 teaspoons of nutrients, made sure the wash was cooled enough and added two packs of re-hydrated EC-1118. At this point I got a reading of 1.102 SG. I never got any rapid fermentation what so ever, airlocks were bubbling very slowly. I aerated the wash occasionally. If i am reading my hydrometer correctly, the SG was headed the wrong way? Two weeks later, the airlock bubbling had almost came to a complete stop, I tasted the wash and it was still very sweet. I decided I would re hydrate and add two more packs of EC-1118. For the next few days the fermentation was still very slow, I added two teaspoons of turbo and still no change, still have a very sweet tasting wash that is fermenting very slowly. Where did I go wrong here? or does this yeast just work this slow? I am fermenting in the exact same conditions as I do with turbo, which completely ferments in around 7 days.

Add 2.5 gallons of water and try again.