high gravity, low yeild ????

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Pepper0715
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high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Pepper0715 »

so i am running a 12g apple mash. my starting gravity was .09-.095. or 20%ish abv.

im one gallon in and im already at 100 proof. first quart was 130 last quart was 100. it seems to be dropping 10proof each quart

based on those numbers i do not see me getting 20% or 2.5ish gallons? where have i went wrong? or am i being two literal in thinking i will get 2.5g? also i added a 12" column section which i packed full of copper mesh frroom top to bottom. should my proof not be higher? you see the last run, i did not have the 12" column section or copper mesh and my starting proof in that run was 145..
i thought copper mesh and a taller stack was suppose to increase proof?
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by juana_b »

Apples are usually around 1.050 starting gravity, and if it finished at 1.000 you would have just less than %6.5abv.
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zed255
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by zed255 »

Are you sure you are reading your hydrometer correctly? From what you say I'd say your OG was 1.020 which is low and in no way will yield 20% ABV. Even an OG of 1.120 is closer to a potential of 16% ABV.
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Pepper0715 »

tpyo in the OP. my starting G was .09-.095. i wrote it down.maybe i did mis read but pretty confedent i did not. finished at 1.00, the mash was 10g aj, 15 lb apples and 15 lb of brown suger.
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by zed255 »

Without deliberate reflux, i.e. a separate condenser, a short packed riser won't add much to your output ABV on its own.

Why add sugar? Apple flavour is hard to get in a bottle as it is without adding something with essentially no flavour.

Assuming your updated OG and FG are correct you made more like 11.5% ABV, not 20%. If you are doing a single run your output ABV will be low compared to a larger volume of wash /must that is first stripped and then rerun as a spirit run.
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by jonnys_spirit »

If you're doing a strip run I'd expect maybe about 3 - 4 gallons of low wines @ ~30%abv from a 12 gallon charge - Maybe a little more if you're starting gravity was 1.090. Spirit run those low wines and depending on your cuts I'd estimate in the area of 1/2 gallon give or take of hearts cut @ 120 proof.

Zed is right - It's not a "Mash". Fruits are referred to as a "Must" and sugar washes as a "Wash". A mash involved grains :)

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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Pepper0715 »

i wanted to increase the ABV... Im new and this is my third atempt....so my hydrometer read 20% abv, why would i only get 11.5%
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by jonnys_spirit »

Pepper0715 wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:41 am i wanted to increase the ABV... Im new and this is my third atempt....so my hydrometer read 20% abv, why would i only get 11.5%
What kind of hydrometer and what were you measuring?

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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Laredo7mm »

If your OG was 1.095 with and FG of 1.00, you are at about 12.5% ABV. If the OG was 1.090, then you are at about 11.8%.
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zed255
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by zed255 »

A brewing hydrometer, sometimes called a triple scale hydrometer, reads the specific gravity of the liquid you intend to ferment with a 1.000 being water at its calibration temperature. It may also have scales in brix and potential alcohol. Are you possibly using your proof - traille hydrometer instead, which is not the correct tool for checking your fermentation. Can you be very specific about what device(s) you are using and when / where? Pic maybe?
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Pepper0715 »

:roll: i must have read it wrong. .09-.095 is 20 on the brx side
thanks
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Laredo7mm »

Pepper0715 wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:58 pm :roll: i must have read it wrong. .09-.095 is 20 on the brx side
thanks
20 on the Brix scale is equal to 1.083 SG. 1.095 SG is 22.7 Brix
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by shadylane »

Pepper0715 wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:41 am i wanted to increase the ABV...
Instead of adding sugar to the fermenter.
Try adding some neutral spirits after the fermentation is done.
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by still_stirrin »

shadylane wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 1:50 pm
Pepper0715 wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:41 am i wanted to increase the ABV...
Instead of adding sugar to the fermenter.
Try adding some neutral spirits after the fermentation is done.
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Laredo7mm »

shadylane wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 1:50 pm
Pepper0715 wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:41 am i wanted to increase the ABV...
Instead of adding sugar to the fermenter.
Try adding some neutral spirits after the fermentation is done.
Damn, I am always amazed when something so simple never crossed my mind. This advice came at a perfect time for me. I have my first 50 pound batch of malted corn drying right now. I am hoping to get a good conversion during mashing, but this initial “large scale” run has had a few issues, nothing major, but I might end up with a larger than wanted amount of over converted malt. I ran into trouble during the free drying phase. I wasn’t adding any heat and after 24 hours, not much moisture was driven off. Put some heat to her and now things are going well.

If my first mash misses my target OG, then I will use your advice and add some neutral to the boiler when I distill. I have 5 gallons of 160 proof neutral kegged up and sitting in the basement. Never knew what I was going to use it for but didn’t want to toss it out. It is some stuff I made a couple years ago when first messing around with this hobby. Now I have a use for it. :)
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shadylane
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by shadylane »

Laredo7mm wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 3:05 pm
Damn, I am always amazed when something so simple never crossed my mind. This advice came at a perfect time for me. I have my first 50 pound batch of malted corn drying right now.
I've only used neutral for making brandy.
The extra alcohol seems to extract more character out of the fruit.
Not sure it would work as well for making whiskey.
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by shadylane »

Pepper0715 wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:04 am so i am running a 12g apple
Is that apple juice or crushed apples?
It makes a difference, there's more nutrients in fresh crushed apples than juice.
Some of the storebought apple juice has lots of ascorbic acid and is harder to ferment than a sugar wash.
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Pepper0715 wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:41 am i wanted to increase the ABV... Im new and this is my third atempt....so my hydrometer read 20% abv, why would i only get 11.5%
Trying to push ABV of washes is never a good idea.
You risk loosing flavour when dealing with fruits.
High abv washes also end up having a high risk of " off flavours"
Most people here stay below 10 or 11%......mostly even lower than that.
There are no shortcuts in this hobby.....that is if you want to make quality over quantity.
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by shadylane »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Sat Apr 22, 2023 6:12 pm
Most people here stay below 10 or 11%......mostly even lower than that.
There are no shortcuts in this hobby.....that is if you want to make quality over quantity.
Good advice. :thumbup:
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Wildcats »

If you want more. Just make a bigger ferment. I have tried 14 percent in the past.. with bad results. Now I shoot for no higher the 10 percent. Sometimes lower than that. It just tastes better, starting with a lower abv wash. Have fun and stay safe.
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Pepper0715 »

thanks yall. still learning here.the end result turned out well for a newbie like myself. and i plan on staying at that 10-15 max range going forward... now im on to my first cracked corn wash....
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Re: high gravity, low yeild ????

Post by Wildcats »

Pepper0715 wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 1:01 pm thanks yall. still learning here.the end result turned out well for a newbie like myself. and i plan on staying at that 10-15 max range going forward... now im on to my first cracked corn wash....
So how did your cracked corn turn out.
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