Home Distiller

Posted: **Wed Nov 13, 2013 4:12 pm**

It has been 3 years since I have used Tinman... Anyway, I mixed up two 6.5 gallon washes this afternoon, using the Birdwatchers online calculator. I also mixed up two All-Bran washes from Rad. The water was 32C when I pitched the yeast. Within 30 minutes all of the fermenters were bubbling away. I didn't realize how much I missed the smell of the wash!

All four batches were at 1.080 specific gravity. I am hoping they will finish within a week to ten days.

I am also going to upgrade the heat controller on my stainless keg. It appears there are a lot more options available now than there used to be. I will be looking at the StillDragon DIY Controller. Simple enough.

Thanks to everyone that has kept the Birdwatchers thread alive and well!

Posted: **Wed Nov 13, 2013 6:18 pm**

FlyboyTR wrote:In using the Birdwatchers Calculator: http://shuggo.com/birdwatchers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow,
At the bottom it says; "As a helpful hint, don't add all the sugar at once, this is just the MAXIMUM amount you'll need." I am not seeing this addressed as a common practice. So, in a 25L batch, how much sugar would I hold out and when should it be added? I will assume that when I dissolve the sugar in hot water, I would pull out a liter or two, and not fill the bucket completely, then at a certain point, add the remaining sugar/water mixture. ??? A little clarification would be appreciated! Thanks

More on this... Before you start mixing your ingredients, you should have an ideal SG in mind (or a range at least), IE SG1.090. The amount of sugar in the calculator (http://shuggo.com/birdwatchers/)can be too much for your desired SG. Hence, it's a guide as to how much sugar to have on hand (cause you may need that much), but you probably won't need all of it.

For example, I have my 12kg of sugar ready from the calculator, but usually only end up adding 11.4kg to get my desired SG of 1.080-1.090.

Hope this helps. I'm glad you're all enjoying the calculator though.

Posted: **Wed Nov 13, 2013 6:23 pm**

Undies wrote:
FlyboyTR wrote:In using the Birdwatchers Calculator: http://shuggo.com/birdwatchers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow,
At the bottom it says; "As a helpful hint, don't add all the sugar at once, this is just the MAXIMUM amount you'll need." I am not seeing this addressed as a common practice. So, in a 25L batch, how much sugar would I hold out and when should it be added? I will assume that when I dissolve the sugar in hot water, I would pull out a liter or two, and not fill the bucket completely, then at a certain point, add the remaining sugar/water mixture. ??? A little clarification would be appreciated! Thanks
More on this... Before you start mixing your ingredients, you should have an ideal SG in mind (or a range at least), IE SG1.090. The amount of sugar in the calculator (http://shuggo.com/birdwatchers/)can be too much for your desired SG. Hence, it's a guide as to how much sugar to have on hand (cause you may need that much), but you probably won't need all of it.

For example, I have my 12kg of sugar ready from the calculator, but usually only end up adding 11.4kg to get my desired SG of 1.080-1.090.

Hope this helps. I'm glad you're all enjoying the calculator though.

Undies,
Thanks for the info. Please see my latest post, directly above yours. I followed the calculator and my SG was 1.080. I would have been happier if it has been just a tad higher; but I'll take the 1.080! Thanks again...I'll keep a closer eye on the sugar in the future!

Posted: **Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:18 am**

Not sure what the slow ferment thing is all about... I threw together a 5 gallon slightly modified Birdwatchers wash on Saturday evening, with an OG of 1.086, and it was finished this morning, with a FG of 0.994... That's ~12% ABV in 4.5 days at ~70F... I could have called it done last night but the yeast hadn't dropped yet so I waited until this morning when all airlock activity had ceased and clearing was well underway... And this was with half the yeast I normally pitch...

Posted: **Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:47 am**

What yeast did you use rad ?

Getting ready for my first BW.

FMH.

Posted: **Thu Nov 14, 2013 12:13 pm**

FreeMountainHermit wrote:What yeast did you use rad ?

Getting ready for my first BW.

FMH.

I have been using up some Fleischmann's Dry Active Bakers Yeast that I've had for a couple years... That's all I use...

Posted: **Thu Nov 14, 2013 12:20 pm**

Kind of figured that. Now I remember that's all you use.

Thanks for the reply.

FMH.

Posted: **Fri Nov 15, 2013 10:59 am**

This is an update on my Birdwatcher wash. It was started on Wednesday, 11/11/13 at 4 PM. Start SG was 1.080 & 33C for both washes. As of noon today, Friday, the washes are 1.043 @ 28C and 1.045 @ 29C. The air locks appears to be slowing down...but are still very busy.

Posted: **Mon Nov 18, 2013 6:30 am**

18th Nov, 1.02 and 28 degrees. Now well into stuck territory, maybe the bakers yeasties have given up. i could throw some ec1118 in, or i could just use it anyhow..... calculators show it is at 9.3 alc abc so no real worries. i might just campden tablet it and fine it.
i didnt have the full amount of tomato paste so used yeast supplement, i would be surprised if that did it.....\ducks

Posted: **Mon Nov 18, 2013 2:05 pm**

peteturbo wrote:18th Nov, 1.02 and 28 degrees. Now well into stuck territory, maybe the bakers yeasties have given up. i could throw some ec1118 in, or i could just use it anyhow..... calculators show it is at 9.3 alc abc so no real worries. i might just campden tablet it and fine it.
i didnt have the full amount of tomato paste so used yeast supplement, i would be surprised if that did it.....\ducks

Bakers yeast would not simply give up without there being something else going on... I have fermented to well over 14%, closer to 19%, by accident, using Fleischmann's... I'd be leaning more towards pH than any other reason for stalling... Merely tossing EC1118 into a low pH wash won't accomplish much other than killing off more yeast due to acidity...

Posted: **Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:46 pm**

braemar wrote:Hi luke777,
Like you i am in oz only down south.
i have been doing this recipe for a while now and have posted my process earlier this year it is much the same as yours but i do mine in 27 litre batches, i use 6 kg. sugar dissolved all at once in around 12 litres hot tap water then i add the paste and Epsom salts together dissolved in around 1 litre of hot water i then add cold water to a total of 27 litres before adding ascorbic acid or lemon juice (it is better if you don't put the acid in while it's too hot around 26-30 deg. c.) then the yeast on top and not mixed in. The difference between the two is i use 140 grams of tomato paste and 1/3 of a tin of the same yeast in 27 litres, considering your volume is double what i do there is a bit of difference in the quantity of paste and yeast what difference that would make i don't know but it is always said the least nutrients the better.

Regards
Braemar

G'day Braemar and everybody!
Yeah the wash I put down went swimmingly that's for sure. It finished up in 8 days and I stripped it last night. Going to put another identical one down tonight so that in a couple of weeks I should have the right amount of low wines for a 50 litre spirit run. Gotta get ready for Christmas ya know!!!
Having trouble with my keg heater element though which I will hopefully have sorted out by the time this wash is done. (Upgrading to better quality)

This will be the first spirit run I have ever done since leaving the Turbo's behind so I am really keen to see how the end product is.

Got a bit of an itch to make some "real" rum in my new pot 'still with a molasses wash but that is all very new territory to me so I will need to do lots of research before I commit to that one.

Anyway, Hello to ya all and keep on stillin'!!!

Posted: **Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:19 am**

pH 2.9

thanks for the pointer Rad.

so, ive got roughly 21Litres of wash. rennie tablets at 680mg calcium carbonate and 80mg magnesium carbonate per tablet i think, and bicarbonate of soda (sodium bicarbonate).

Any advice on relative quantities, how to add. I like a low pH but clearly 2.9 is crazy. 4 would be nice.

Pete

Posted: **Wed Nov 27, 2013 7:22 pm**

Sorry guys, I just went to try the calculator and realised it was down. All fixed now - should be back up within an hour or so. http://shuggo.com/birdwatchers/

In future, if it's down, feel free to PM me.

Posted: **Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:27 pm**

Thats a great little site thank you very much first time doing the birdwatchers wash thanks..

Posted: **Fri Dec 06, 2013 5:28 pm**

every time i saw birdwatchers mentioned in the forum...

i was thinking it used some cheap birdseed grain in the ingredients

now i finally get round to reading the tried and true section of the forum.....

i see it is a sugar wash created by the user birdwatcher

i'll get me coat

thanks birdwatcher

Posted: **Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:30 pm**

Did it - worked great. Starting SG = 1.09, final 0.98. I got thirsty and ran some on day 7 when SG = 1. A bit yeasty smelling but otherwise good enough to drink. My first attempt - HOLY MOLEY was it strong!! Had to seriously dilute it. Very easy - used regular Fleishmans yeast and a modded countertop still I bought online. Gonna experiment with longer ferments and maybe some charcoal polishing. Otherwise excellent, fast and easy.

One thing I did different was to add extra yeast, sugar, warm water on day 2 because my place is freezing cold. I airlocked it from day one and it would not stop bubbling.

Thanks Birdwatcher - great recipe.

Posted: **Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:00 am**

can the backset method be used or do you have to dump everything and start over? if it can be used does any know how and man this recipe takes a lot of sugar.

Posted: **Mon Dec 09, 2013 11:46 am**

Well to speed the process up I have found adding more lemon juice makes a big difference to the fermenting time.

I now use approx twice the recommended concentrated lemon juice and this cuts my fermentation time in half.

Compared to the previous Turbo yeast/carbon + sugar method I get a better smelling, more neutral tasting spirit that is at least 1/3rd cheaper to produce.

So many thanks for the recipe.

Posted: **Mon Dec 09, 2013 12:05 pm**

danmac660 wrote:can the backset method be used or do you have to dump everything and start over? if it can be used does any know how and man this recipe takes a lot of sugar.

It could be used. But it is a neutral wash. So I don't think I would use backset.

Reusing the yeast cake is a different story. But new nutrients would be needed with each wash. How much would take some experimenting. And depending on the sodium content of the tomato paste? It could possibly become a problem in later generations using the same yeast cake. From a buildup of sodium.

It would also more then likely slow down on future generations. And not be as fast as the first.

But the ingredients are so cheap. Making a new wash every time. Insuring a consistent output. Is worth it in my mind.

Posted: **Thu Dec 12, 2013 2:12 pm**

hey hey.i have used this recipe but result is not ethanol.all the product is fusel oil even at the first of distilling.at the 30-35 c and without DAP and high acidity the result of distilling is oily alcohol.be careful that fusel oil is like to ethanol.that fired with blue flame and has hangover.it is oily and not good for health.
i wonder why you don't buy spirit from store because the commercial spirits are controlled and analyzed in lap and don't have nasty material!

Posted: **Thu Dec 12, 2013 2:47 pm**

casting wrote:hey hey.i have used this recipe but result is not ethanol.all the product is fusel oil even at the first of distilling.at the 30-35 c and without DAP and high acidity the result of distilling is oily alcohol.be careful that fusel oil is like to ethanol.that fired with blue flame and has hangover.it is oily and not good for health.
i wonder why you don't buy spirit from store because the commercial spirits are controlled and analyzed in lap and don't have nasty material!

Um...

Posted: **Thu Dec 12, 2013 3:32 pm**

casting wrote:hey hey.i have used this recipe but result is not ethanol.all the product is fusel oil even at the first of distilling.at the 30-35 c and without DAP and high acidity the result of distilling is oily alcohol.be careful that fusel oil is like to ethanol.that fired with blue flame and has hangover.it is oily and not good for health.
i wonder why you don't buy spirit from store because the commercial spirits are controlled and analyzed in lap and don't have nasty material!

I've posted in your thread you started about this. Hopefully we can get the problem resolved in that thread. Found here.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 40&t=43777

Posted: **Sat Dec 14, 2013 6:26 am**

I started this wash on Thursday night and experienced typical newbie problems: took forever to cool the boiled water, didn't get the correct SG, didn't pitch enough yeast, couldn't get the wort above 64deg for fermentation. Basically, poor planning on my part. So Friday I boiled up another quart of water with heavy sugar, and bought 9 more packets of Fleishmans Rapid Rise yeast (.25oz / 7gr per packet). Got the SG up to 1.056 and pitched the yeast. This is a first-run mash for my recently built Boka so getting it precise wasn't a major concern, but it's been a great learning experience.

Posted: **Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:01 am**

Day 3: .996 SG at 81.68° (27.6C). Is it supposed to smell like Apple Cider?

Posted: **Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:06 am**

My BW smells like a weak bloody mary. UJSSM has a cider smell when done.

AC

Posted: **Tue Dec 17, 2013 12:04 am**

My first BW just got done today. Took 4 days to finish. I am very pleased with the results.

I tweaked the recipe to have a lower potential abv. Am doing a side by side with a 100% BW that doesnt have the lowered potential alcohol.

Im most curious if ill find and taste differences between a lower, and high abv wash. .

Posted: **Tue Dec 17, 2013 1:08 pm**

I am new to home distilling. I have been reading for weeks and have not made any wash or spirits yet. I wanted to use the sugar wash as my sacrifice run and experiment and then use it for my first run. I see in your recipe that you do not heat your mix of sugar, water and ingredients at no more than 30 degree Cel(86 degree F). I just wanted to be sure this is hot enough to dislove the sugar etc. Most others I have seen are in 185 F range..Also, you do recommend a pinch of Epson's salt, right? thanks and Merry Christmas to all.
countryboy64.

Posted: **Tue Dec 17, 2013 1:23 pm**

The temp doesn't really mater. As long as you get the sugar dissolved. And let it cool to pitching temps. Before you add the yeast.

What kind of still are you using?

Posted: **Tue Dec 17, 2013 2:32 pm**

Prairiepiss wrote:The temp doesn't really mater. As long as you get the sugar dissolved. And let it cool to pitching temps. Before you add the yeast.

What kind of still are you using?

I agree with PP but to add I use a 3 gallon stainless pot filled about half with water heat to about 100f then mix in about 8 or 10 lbs sugar, it dissolves easy, then repeat until I have all my sugar (40lbs) dissolved good then add the rest of my water cool enough or warm enough to have my wash at around 80f when I'm done filling my 18 gallon wash then pitch my yeast. Works great for me then there aint no waitin for things to cool.

Posted: **Tue Dec 17, 2013 2:37 pm**

Now the other recipes you are seeing. Mite be something like UJSSM or sweetfeed? Where the grains mite be contaminated. So the higher temps mite kill off any bad stuff.

Or you mite have read about inverting the sugars?

OMD's suggestion is a good one.

Home Distiller

Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

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