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BP,
Like you, I had my first three BW’s run VERY slowly. In hindsight, my problem seemed to be pH related. After discovering BW’s revised recipe, my 4 th ran in 3-4 days using bakers yeast at 90*F.
Like mentioned above, I use a seedling heating pad held against the side of a 16 gal, HDPE fermenter with a thermal blanket and bungee cords. i also use a $35 (Amazon) inkbird controller. If I pitch at 90*F, that pad will hold it right there for the whole ferment. On one of those original runs, I checked on it one morning and the temp had fallen to about 80*. I had knocked the plug out the previous evening. The activity was in neutral. I plugged it back in and it was back up to the high 80’s that evening and workling pretty well. Bakers seems to like it warm and the pH stabilized in this recipe. You should have good results with those two factors in range (and some Epsom salts with the yeast addition).

Good luck and enjoy your vodka!

GCB3 wrote:BP,
Like you, I had my first three BW’s run VERY slowly. In hindsight, my problem seemed to be pH related. After discovering BW’s revised recipe, my 4 th ran in 3-4 days using bakers yeast at 90*F.
Like mentioned above, I use a seedling heating pad held against the side of a 16 gal, HDPE fermenter with a thermal blanket and bungee cords. i also use a $35 (Amazon) inkbird controller. If I pitch at 90*F, that pad will hold it right there for the whole ferment. On one of those original runs, I checked on it one morning and the temp had fallen to about 80*. I had knocked the plug out the previous evening. The activity was in neutral. I plugged it back in and it was back up to the high 80’s that evening and workling pretty well. Bakers seems to like it warm and the pH stabilized in this recipe. You should have good results with those two factors in range (and some Epsom salts with the yeast addition).

Good luck and enjoy your vodka!

Where do you want the pH to be? I have a meter. I will check it today. Lots of limes in the frig to make adjustments.

[/quote]Where do you want the pH to be? I have a meter.[/quote]

Unfortunately, I just use those cheap pH strips. So, my actual pH could be +/- 1 point as I have read here. That said, they typically show about 6 when i check everything right before pitching. In my first 3 batches, they indicated 3 to 4 as the ferments stalled. The last batch, with oyster shells added, indicated 5 during the ferment. But, it’s tough and subjective trying to match the colors.

There are a number of posts regarding pH crashes in sugar washes. I believe the target number often given is around 5.2. The oyster shells apparently buffer the wash about there.

I just took the pH...3.2... How did this happen? Two limes squeezed, epsum salt, baker's yeast, sugar...that's it. 7.5 gallons of wash.

I just don't understand how the pH can be that low.

The SG is dropping. It'll be 1.5 weeks probably, but it's going the right direction.

[/quote]Unfortunately, I just use those cheap pH strips. So, my actual pH could be +/- 1 point as I have read here. That said, they typically show about 6 when i check everything right before pitching. In my first 3 batches, they indicated 3 to 4 as the ferments stalled. The last batch, with oyster shells added, indicated 5 during the ferment. But, it’s tough and subjective trying to match the colors.

There are a number of posts regarding pH crashes in sugar washes. I believe the target number often given is around 5.2. The oyster shells apparently buffer the wash about there.[/quote]

Organic is good, but how about just adding some baking soda? I don't have any oyster shells.

BP,
Off the top of my head, I can’t say with assurance that Baking Soda is a replacement for oyster shells. But, I know I have seen that topic, my feeble mind just can’t recall the specifics. Lots of folks find crushed oyster shells at the garden supply shops, Feed &. Seeds, or a Tractor Supply Store.

Run another search and you should find an answer to your Baking Soda question.
Take care.

Hi Budapest

You can use baking soda to help raise your pH just add a tablespoon at a time but on 30 litre of wash a few oyster shells at the start will definitely buffer the pH and should solve any future problems, different measures may be needed for larger ferments.

Lee

GCB3 wrote:BP,
Off the top of my head, I can’t say with assurance that Baking Soda is a replacement for oyster shells. But, I know I have seen that topic, my feeble mind just can’t recall the specifics. Lots of folks find crushed oyster shells at the garden supply shops, Feed &. Seeds, or a Tractor Supply Store.

Run another search and you should find an answer to your Baking Soda question.
Take care.

I added the dissolved baking soda. I'll check it again tomorrow to see if it helped. Next time I'll include the shells...live and learn!

I didnt want to go through 60 pages to find it, but what is current "revised recipe"?

vetting wrote:I didnt want to go through 60 pages to find it, but what is current "revised recipe"?

I've put up the recipe and rough directions here. http://shuggo.com/birdwatchers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I started 22 more gallons tonight. I added oyster shells this time and the pH is around 4.5 right now. It seems to be doing well with lots of bubbles. The stuff I started a couple weeks ago is at 1.02 and looks like it's going to be another week to complete. 3.1 pH is causing a sluggish fermentation.

I'm a wine maker who's used to clearing a product before going to the next step. How clear should this be to go into the boiler? I have a milk can, so I can get in there and scrub it out if there's any mess leftover.

When doing a 2nd batch, do you leave the old yeast on the bottom?

Like you, I have internal, electric elements. I try pretty hard to avoid any scorching. When sugar wash is finished n the larger fermenters, I will typically rack into three 6 gal airlocked fermenting buckets to settle a few more days. For a 14 gal batch, I’ll rack two 5 gal batches trying to stay way above the solids in the bottom to get them as clear as possible. I’ll then take as much of the last four gals into the last pale as I can while leaving as much of the solids in the fermenter as possible.
I always gravity feed the wash through an industrial filter cloth (1/8” thick, no idea what the mesh size is.), lining a large SS funnel in a gallon bottle. I can then count the exact amount of wash charged into the boiler. For the first two pales I just rinse out the sediment from the cloth after each bucket. The last bucket will take several filter cleanings. It sounds like a pain, but, it’s really not. I set the 6 gal buckets on the table top, open the spigot and let it drain into the gallon jug and lined funnel. (at weights I can easily lift compared to a 16 gal fermenter). Once it’s all filtered and counted, I have a known quantity of a known concentration, and a high clarity. To date, I have not had any scorching, even with all-moly.
Hope this helps.

GCB3 wrote:Like you, I have internal, electric elements. I try pretty hard to avoid any scorching. When sugar wash is finished n the larger fermenters, I will typically rack into three 6 gal airlocked fermenting buckets to settle a few more days. For a 14 gal batch, I’ll rack two 5 gal batches trying to stay way above the solids in the bottom to get them as clear as possible. I’ll then take as much of the last four gals into the last pale as I can while leaving as much of the solids in the fermenter as possible.
I always gravity feed the wash through an industrial filter cloth (1/8” thick, no idea what the mesh size is.), lining a large SS funnel in a gallon bottle. I can then count the exact amount of wash charged into the boiler. For the first two pales I just rinse out the sediment from the cloth after each bucket. The last bucket will take several filter cleanings. It sounds like a pain, but, it’s really not. I set the 6 gal buckets on the table top, open the spigot and let it drain into the gallon jug and lined funnel. (at weights I can easily lift compared to a 16 gal fermenter). Once it’s all filtered and counted, I have a known quantity of a known concentration, and a high clarity. To date, I have not had any scorching, even with all-moly.
Hope this helps.

If you want to drop sediment, the key is to de-gas the wash. Agitation and vacuum if you have the proper equipment work well for this. If not, pouring it back and forth between two buckets gives you a good result. Sediment falls out quickly this way.

I wasn't sure how important a clear wash is. Scorching, does that effect the end product? Or does it make cleanup more challenging?

vetting wrote:When doing a 2nd batch, do you leave the old yeast on the bottom?

I'm new to making a "wash", but have a lot of experience making wine. I don't know if there's any benefit to retaining the old yeast in this type of wash. I'm making vodka, so I'm guessing not. With Rum and Whiskey, it sounds like the generations approach is a good thing from what I read.

Budapest8485 wrote:

vetting wrote:When doing a 2nd batch, do you leave the old yeast on the bottom?

I'm new to making a "wash", but have a lot of experience making wine. I don't know if there's any benefit to retaining the old yeast in this type of wash. I'm making vodka, so I'm guessing not...

There’s NUTES in them thar dregs!

You can recycle some of the yeast slurry by boiling it for a few minutes and adding it back to the next (or new) wash. Yeast cells are a great source of nitrogen (proteins) for the freshly budding new yeast. A cup of slurry per 5 gallons is a great “supercharge” to a BW ferment.

Give it a try.
ss

still_stirrin wrote:

Budapest8485 wrote:

vetting wrote:When doing a 2nd batch, do you leave the old yeast on the bottom?

I'm new to making a "wash", but have a lot of experience making wine. I don't know if there's any benefit to retaining the old yeast in this type of wash. I'm making vodka, so I'm guessing not...

There’s NUTES in them thar dregs!

You can recycle some of the yeast slurry by boiling it for a few minutes and adding it back to the next (or new) wash. Yeast cells are a great source of nitrogen (proteins) for the freshly budding new yeast. A cup of slurry per 5 gallons is a great “supercharge” to a BW ferment.

Give it a try.
ss

Boiling the bottom for nutrient...that's not "sour" washing though, right? From flavor and character standpoint, the bottom isn't supposed to add anything, is it?

Quote: “I wasn't sure how important a clear wash is. Scorching, does that effect the end product? Or does it make cleanup more challenging?”

I haven’t had a scorch, so, I can only relay what I’ve read. All reports are that scorch tastes can carryover and can ruin your product. And, just to really add insult to injury, they are a royal pain to scrub off your elements. So, to me, the extra effort of filtering, etc. , is worth it. Now, in fairness, I’m just starting on AG, so, I may certainly have some scorches in my future!

What is this compared to commercially?


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Close comparison would be a high quality vodka. Most of us call it a neutral as it is flavorless and is commonly used in making drinks. Apple pie, lemon cello, schnapps etc. Though I like taking small shots of it because it’s smoooooth as long as your careful with cuts.

BoisBlancBoy wrote:Close comparison would be a high quality vodka. Most of us call it a neutral as it is flavorless and is commonly used in making drinks. Apple pie, lemon cello, schnapps etc. Though I like taking small shots of it because it’s smoooooth as long as your careful with cuts.

Agreed. And you can serve it solo, young & white, and tell your guests it's moonshine.
Watch their eyes light up.

Sweet. Soon as I get time today I’m gonna get the ingredients. Thank y’all for your help.


k

Is there anyway I can attempt this without being able to know the SG?

Rednick69 wrote:Is there anyway I can attempt this without being able to know the SG?


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https://winemaking.jackkeller.net/hydrom.asp

All you're trying to do is produce enough ethanol to distill off. It doesn't have to be precise. The table on the link above will tell you by weight how much sugar to add per gallon. Google can tell you approximately how much a cup of sugar weighs. Stressing the yeast is a no-no according to the seasoned guys on this site. Keep it around 10 percent and you'll have no trouble.

Rednick69 wrote:Is there anyway I can attempt this without being able to know the SG?


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BTW, a hydrometer is only $4.99 at my local brew supply store. You don't need it, but it's almost free...

Yeah I’m going to buy one I just won’t have it here in time for the first batch. Thank you for your comment.

Budapest8485 wrote:

Rednick69 wrote:Is there anyway I can attempt this without being able to know the SG?


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BTW, a hydrometer is only $4.99 at my local brew supply store. You don't need it, but it's almost free...

I have a few I’m looking at on Amazon. Do you mind giving your recommendation? I have pulled up two different kinds.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0735B5YND/re ... 6Bb825C60Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Or

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1GLSSF/re ... 6Bb18PWPMJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Rednick, each has its benefits. The refractometer is quick and easy.
The hydrometer can give a worse reading with pulpy mashes.

I use both in different situations.

Do not go with the plastic test cylinder, though. They craze (scar) in high % alcohol should you measure it with an alcoholmeter and become very brittle.
Besides, you don't want to drink the crazing. Stick with glass. Just purchase separately.

And on the subject of alcohol meters, you may want to pick up one of those, too.

Here's a nice bundle: Glass cylinder; Alcoholmeter; Hydrometer

They also make ABV refractometers too.

fizzix wrote:Rednick, each has its benefits. The refractometer is quick and easy.
The hydrometer can give a better reading with pulpy mashes.

I use both in different situations.

Do not go with the plastic test cylinder, though. They craze (scar) in high % alcohol should you measure it with an alcoholmeter and become very brittle.
Besides, you don't want to drink the crazing. Stick with glass. Just purchase separately.

And on the subject of alcohol meters, you may want to pick up one of those, too.

Here's a nice bundle: Glass cylinder; Alcoholmeter; Hydrometer

They also make ABV refractometers too.

Thank you for the advice. I'll go with something like the first link I posted then. I bought the alcoholmeter and a glass tube already.

Rednick69 wrote:

fizzix wrote:Rednick, each has its benefits. The refractometer is quick and easy.
The hydrometer can give a better reading with pulpy mashes.

I use both in different situations.

Do not go with the plastic test cylinder, though. They craze (scar) in high % alcohol should you measure it with an alcoholmeter and become very brittle.
Besides, you don't want to drink the crazing. Stick with glass. Just purchase separately.

And on the subject of alcohol meters, you may want to pick up one of those, too.

Here's a nice bundle: Glass cylinder; Alcoholmeter; Hydrometer

They also make ABV refractometers too.

Thank you for the advice. I'll go with something like the first link I posted then. I bought the alcoholmeter and a glass tube already.

If a few bucks matters to you, a local brew supply store will likely have it cheaper. That's the same hydrometer my local shop sells for $4.99.