Just ran a sugar wash, and got more questions

[Sarah916]

So I just finished running a 7 gallon batch of some sugar wash, using bread yeast, nutrients, and some raisins. My SG was only at 1.052 to start and it finshed at 1.000. Only like a 6% wash. I knew I screwed up on the low gravity reading from the beginning. But hey I'm learning. So I ran it hard and fast, max my burner will get the column temp to is 202°. Starting proof was 98. (Didn't expect anything special) 9 quarts later I was down to 12 proof. I know most people stop at 20 proof, but I was waiting for some oily tails to show up, or that wet cardboard smell I still haven't experienced, and they never did. I shut her down, figured there was no point going any further.

So my few questions for today are:

Since starting out at a low proof, is that why I didn't get any oily tails? Even at running it all the way down to 12 proof?

Should I pour all of these into my next sugar wash run, since the proof is low? Making sure I'm at 40% or lower of course, or keep the heads and tails separate? And use them for different runs?

Say if I wanted to keep one of the middle jars for drinking, what do you guys suggest I could do with 80 proof. Would doing a fruit infusion (limoncello, or Apple pie) just be a waste since the proof is so low to start with?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and any advice is always appreciated. Thank you

[StillLearning1]

I would dillute the whole run to 40% or less. The run it again slow this time. I bet you will be happy with that result.

[BTR Kentucky]

How long did it take you to run that batch?

How does the heart of it taste?

[der wo]

Yes, it would be better to stop a stripping run for a neutral earlier than you did. But it's not a huge mistake.

Sugar washes without grains or fruits don't have much oils.

FG 1.000 after how many days? Not good FG. Perhaps bad recipe? Or not enough long waited? I normally have 6 days heavy fermentation and 6 days very slow.

I would do a spirit run with all jars. It will be for sure under 40% because of the long stripping run. Even if you discard the last two or three quarts (what I would do). Or perhaps safe a small sample of the best jar, so you can compare after the spirit run. Or do first another two or three sugar washes and stripping runs.

[Sarah916]

About 2 1/2 hours which even running it down to such a low proof, seemed pretty fast. This was my largest batch that I've ran. The hearts taste kinda like a strong vodka I guess, I only have a corn whiskey run that I've done to compare it to. Need to get more runs under my belt so I can compare notes.

[Sarah916]

The recipe was:
4 gallons of water
12 cups sugar
1 tsp fermaid k
Handful of raisins
2 oz of fleischmann active dry bread yeast

SG was 1.052 first mistake found that out quickly

Fermented for 12 days, racked it for 1 day
FG was 1.002
PH was 4 at the end is that ok?

So I'm learning. I have a gerber wash fermenting right now, should I add this yield to that? Or keep this for just sugar washes?

[LWTCS]

Hi Miss Sarah,

During this learning phase I would likely stick to a single recipe. Learn it inside and out. Run it inside and out. Get familiar with what happens to the finish product when some minor variables are thrown into the mix.

Just so you can establish a bench mark point of reference if you see my meaning? Get your baseline down, then move on.

BTW, seems like your doing fine.

[der wo]

And you ended with 7gal? No. You had two 4gal ferments?

The handful of raisins is not enough material for the yeast, I think. Do a birdwatchers with tomato paste, but also add those nutrients you have. It should end at 0.990 - 0.985.

pH 4 is good.

From gerber you can make a neutral or a whiskey. For a neutral you need a reflux still, because gerber has more flavor than for example birdwatchers. Yes you can mix. I would decide short before the spirit run.

[LWTCS]

Yeah tea spoon of ferm k per gallon more better.

[Sarah916]

Hi Miss Sarah,

During this learning phase I would likely stick to a single recipe. Learn it inside and out. Run it inside and out. Get familiar with what happens to the finish product when some minor variables are thrown into the mix.

Just so you can establish a bench mark point of reference if you see my meaning? Get your baseline down, then move on.

BTW, seems like your doing fine.

Thank you, yes I did get a little overzealous and tried 4 different recipes, all scattered on different days. Was just trying to see what worked but now I'm learning I should master one recipe before moving on. Great advice to any newbie!!

[Sarah916]

And you ended with 7gal? No. You had two 4gal ferments?

The handful of raisins is not enough material for the yeast, I think. Do a birdwatchers with tomato paste, but also add those nutrients you have. It should end at 0.990 - 0.985.

pH 4 is good.

From gerber you can make a neutral or a whiskey. For a neutral you need a reflux still, because gerber has more flavor than for example birdwatchers. Yes you can mix. I would decide short before the spirit run.

I did have 2, 5 gallons buckets thanks for the correction my bad lol. And now I'm learning I'm definitely not adding enough nutrients. On to the next batch of trial and error.

[flyweed]

my first 3 runs, as a newby, was the birdwatchers sugar wash. I ran stripping runs first on all of them, then proofed down to about 35% abv and ran a final spirit run. All of my sugar washers started out damn near 180 proof, and I only collected down to about 40proof. You'll find it's hard to do "cuts" on a sugar wash, because it runs so clean..I could certainly make out the foreshots, and as I got into heads and hearts...I could tell a minor difference. tails I had to REALLY REALLY touch, taste and smell often, as there is NOT much for wet cardboard smell there on a sugar wash...occasionally you'll catch a whiff and ONCE you smell it, you'll know. Also, I could tell deep tails by a sort of "oil" look to the liquid dropping down into the liquid already in the collection jar.

Again, I really paid attention on my first runs, because I TOO was a newb. I felt the liquid, and I can tell you on the sugar wash, the foreshots, heads, hearts and tails all have very different feels between your fingers. Just keep trying, you'll catch on.