Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

[tubbsy]

This calculator makes it very easy for different batch sizes.

https://shuggo.com/calculator/

[agg2001]

just wanted to pop in here and say thank you for this recipe! whipping up a wash in 20 minutes from start to cap is amazing, and the cost is unreal. first mash of honey crisps was ~$50 for 12 gallon mash. This was $20 (and some of that was for supplies that i will never need to buy again, ie epsom salt) for the 10 gallon recipe.

this wash has been just a bubblin for the past 5 days, and it's looking and smelling like i'll be doing another run this weekend. the wife has some really good ideas for the flavors she wants to make with it, so this should be fun all around.

cheers y'all!

[Undies]

This calculator makes it very easy for different batch sizes.

https://shuggo.com/calculator/

Not sure if I can say this on here, but thanks to everyone that has donated from the website to help me keep the calculator up and running!

[MexicanCustard]

Did you strip it first?

Sorry for late response, been away for work. No I did not strip it first. Was trying to do things in a single run on the new column still.

[Farside]

To be honest, I run birdwatches once through a pot still, add oak and drink it as is lol.

[acfixer69]

To be honest, I run birdwatches once through a pot still, add oak and drink it as is lol.

You are easy to please. Do you mix it with redbull It really needs to be striped and rerun to be drinkable. I've only done it through a 4" 5 plate bubble cap with a 24" lava rock tube and it was neutral enough for me.

[Farside]

I have a CCVM in pot still mode. I run it really slowly, and only take the hearts cuts. The rest goes into feints.

[JacobH]

Just kicked off a 45L batch, what should I expect out of a pot still? Will a bit of flavour still come through? Should I triple distill?

[NZChris]

Some will come through, but how much depends on how greedy you are with your cuts. If you want to drink it in Bloody Mary's, it doesn't really matter how badly you cut it

What do you want to make with it?

[JacobH]

My girlfriend like gin, most of it will go that way

I am amassing the parts for a column still for future runs
I need to work out what configuration to go for with a 2.5m length of 100mm stainless tube and the 100L copper boiler I have

[NZChris]

I've made a lot of very fine gin using double pot distilled Birdwatchers. Don't be greedy with the cut.

I like the copper boiler, but SS is a poor cousin to copper for a column. Have a chat with your local scrappy.

[LandofSunSnow]

I've tried a couple other sugar washes but now I've smartened up and have a 5 gal of this going. Thanks for the recipe!

[LandofSunSnow]

Just learned my first lesson...check the temp of your fermentation. I keep my house at 70 all year round, with it being winter I thought I should place it on one of my register vents and wrap it in a blanket. It kept stalling out and nothing I tried was working, then the obvious aha moment. I checked the temp and one batch was at 125 and the other over 130. I have removed them from the registers and let them cool to about 75. I added some more yeast and gave a good stir now it's moving again. Hope I didn't ruin these.

[Undies]

Should we start a new thread where we can all lay down some still results? It would be handy to see what yields others get.

IE, it would be good to see that using a 2 inch, 1200mm tall VM still with copper mesh, from 200 litres of BW, resulted in 45 litres of low wines, resulting in 15 litres of final product @ 96%ABV. Amounts of heads, hearts, tails, etc., could be included. It could really help noobs like I once was.

[Saltbush Bill]

In theory a good idea.....in practice maybe a big distraction for newbs some of whom seem obsessed with numbers........better they lean without chasing numbers in my opinion.

[RC Al]

+1
There are too many variables
In this post viewtopic.php?f=17&t=77389 a novice is trying to hit a gallon an hour with a 3" cause that's what he read
Even the experienced guys are learning new tricks, like the scrubber teasing viewtopic.php?f=17&t=77389
We arnt racing nascars with umpteen controlled parts
Everyone has different cooling water, temperature and mineral density
Individual heating elements from the same manufacturer will have slightly different ratings, let alone the differences in power supply
Everyone has different materials in different places, with varying thicknesses which will effect efficiency one way or another
At hobby level it is difficult to produce the -exact- same wash every time, let alone have it the same as someone's half the planet away using differently processed ingredients
Run procedures as to how far into tails you go when stripping would be the biggest difference i think

Sure, there are generalisations we can make, but each stillers setup and product will be different in some way

I like chasing numbers too, but I am slowly learning when to say F#@! it and use what you have the best you can

[Archee72]

Couple of washes completed, this recipe is the bomb!

[Archee72]

Definitely getting the cuts right makes a huge difference to the end product.

[ve3rpm]

Being fairly new at this (think Christmas) I've tried a few different washes. The wife now knows to get tomato paste every time grocery shopping. I have to stick with what works, and the lack of flavour is simply amazing! Thanx!

[lilye]

I agree with husker. this recipe has less variables than others and as a newbie I am exciting about trying it out. I am sticking to the formula only dividing the ingredients by 4 to give me a yield of about 5 gallons of wash. I have a one gallon "Mr. distiller" table top distiller and want to keep it simple.

My only problem is that my hydrometer shattered into tiny pieces. now that I am living in Panama it is exceedingly difficult to find supplies her. I have ordered another but with everything in the country being frozen indefinitely no telling when it will arrive.

With all this time on my hands I'd like to go ahead and try it anyway. Can I assume that if there is a lot of activity after I pitch the yeast that things will proceed along as they should. I did make a few Uncle Remus' vodka ( hope I recall that correctly) and so that went pretty well for me.

Any advise, comments or suggestions??? Oh, did I mention blue laws are also in affect in this country and have been for most of March?

regards,
Lilye

[lilye]

I agree with husker. This recipe has less variables than many others and as a newbie I am exciting about trying it out. I am sticking to the formula only dividing the ingredients by 4 to give me a yield of about 5 gallons of wash. I have a one gallon "Mr. distiller" table top distiller and want to keep it simple.

My only problem is that my hydrometer shattered into tiny pieces. Now that I am living in Panama it is exceedingly difficult to find supplies here. I have ordered another hydrometer but with everything in the country being frozen indefinitely no telling when it will arrive.

With all this time on my hands I'd like to go ahead and try it anyway. Can I assume that if there is a lot of activity after I pitch the yeast that things will proceed along as they should. I did make a few Uncle Remus' vodka ( hope I recall that correctly) and so that went pretty well for me.

Any advise, comments or suggestions??? Oh, did I mention blue laws are also in affect in this country and have been for most of March?

regards,
Lilye

[lilye]

Think Saltbush Bill and Budapest8584 answered my question. Think I am trying the sugar wash tomorrow.

Thanks Guys!!!

[Saltbush Bill]

My only problem is that my hydrometer shattered into tiny pieces. Now that I am living in Panama it is exceedingly difficult to find supplies here. I have ordered another hydrometer but with everything in the country being frozen indefinitely no telling when it will arrive.

This is why I always enchorage people to learn to ferment and distill without using the fancy gadgets that a lot of folk seem to think they can't do without.
Tried and proven recipes are what they are for a reason. They work if you follow the instructions
Learn to use your ears, eyes, nose , tastebuds, and dont forget your fingers.
Do people really think the old timers walked around the mountains with a pocket full of gizmos?
Learn to ferment and distill using your God given senses and you can make booze anywhere any time with any still regardless of circumstances. Use the correct amount of sugar and nutrients.....watch what the ferment is doing.....taste to see if it's dry.....run it.

[Just 4 Fun]

Learn to ferment and distill using your God given senses and you can make booze anywhere any time with any still regardless of circumstances. Use the correct amount of sugar and nutrients.....watch what the ferment is doing.....taste to see if it's dry.....run it.

+1

[lilye]

Sounds like good advice to me. Thanks Saltbush Bill. I will let you know how it goes.

[lilye]

Everything started out just on Sunday but suddenly most activity has stopped. I could see very tiny bubbles surfaces at a very slow rate today before I put the airlock and cover on the ferment-er pail. I am sure you guys have heard this dozens of times. Been looking through pages and pages of information here but cant seem to figure out what went wrong. Has it stalled?? I used the recipe as instructed. the only thing I can think of is I used a natural sugar, sort of very light tanish in color which is what they use mostly here in Panama. It is a cane sugar though.

My ingredients are as follows:

10 pounds of sugar
5 gallons of water
60 grams of bakers' yeast
juice of one lemon
70 grams of tomato pastes (nothing added to tomatoes)

so the yeast had a head on Sunday abut 2 inches deep, yesterday was bubbling and today it has slowed substantially. I hate to give up before I even get started but this is somewhat frustrating. As stated my hydrometer shattered. I have another on order but I really do not want to rely on gadget as per Saltbush Bills advice. Can anyone help? Maybe I should just leave this up to te guys and go back to my sewing. Uh...no I don't think so.

[lilye]

temperature is not the issue. we are in the mid 80s year round in the high tropical forest. I have a PH tested somewhere. Will try to locate it in the morning.

[NZChris]

Did you taste it yet?

[Saltbush Bill]

Are you basing your assumption that its stalled on the fact that the airlock is not bubbling?
If so don't!
Air locks and fermenter lids are notoriousl for not sealing properly
As Chris suggested dip a finger in and have a taste...is it still sweet.?
With the lid off put an ear close..... is it making a hissing sound?......at times you can hear a ferment that is hard to see.

[lilye]

All is well this morning of day 4. it seems the lid on my fermenter has a tiny hole/gash in it. I applied some "Glad press n' seal" and the airlock is now bubbly away. I'm seeing an air bubble I'd say about every 2 seconds. Not too fast but it appears I am headed in the right direction.

to be continued...