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The only problem I have now is that it taste like rubbing alcohol. What did I do wrong?

I just ran my first Gerber and have the same problem. I made 2 one gallon batches. After running both gallons I threw it all back in the still minus the heads. I took about 110ml per gallon for the heads(overkill I know). The tails had a very sharp nasty taste. The hearts taste like straight up rubbing alcohol, very clear and hardly any smell. Does this sound right when using the Gerber mash? I broke my hydrometer, waiting on the new one to get here, so I'm not sure what the proof is, but it is some strong stuff straight up lol.

aknewb1s wrote:How much sugar is a little sugar? Dump it in or sprinkle on top?

If you read and followed the recipe you should have ended up with a SG of ~1.092 which equates to ~14.1% ABV potential yield... A container with 2 pounds (4 cups) of sugar filled to the 1 gallon mark should be very close to 1.092, but the cereal will skew that a bit... I just use 4 cups per gallon and call it close enough... But I don't always shoot for that high gravity of a wash... Sometimes I only use 3 or 3.5 cups per gallon...

aknewb1s wrote:I read it precisely at 60F which is what the default calibration called for.

How much sugar is a little sugar? Dump it in or sprinkle on top?

i havent read the recipie in a few months but here is a calculator
http://homedistiller.org/calcs/rad14701" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

xjjeeperx wrote:

The only problem I have now is that it taste like rubbing alcohol. What did I do wrong?

I just ran my first Gerber and have the same problem. I made 2 one gallon batches. After running both gallons I threw it all back in the still minus the heads. I took about 110ml per gallon for the heads(overkill I know). The tails had a very sharp nasty taste. The hearts taste like straight up rubbing alcohol, very clear and hardly any smell. Does this sound right when using the Gerber mash? I broke my hydrometer, waiting on the new one to get here, so I'm not sure what the proof is, but it is some strong stuff straight up lol.

that by definition is a nuetral

Well, I adjusted the recipe a bit, using a 5 gal bucket to ferment. I used one whole box of cereal (8 oz), and 10 lbs of sugar. Ended up at 1.100, definitely higher than I intended. But I'll ferment it out, run it, and see what I get. Worst that can happen is I get alcohol out of it. Perhaps some flavors...

*Edited to add... this is the STINKIEST wash I have ever made to date. This thing smells like an un-flushed toilet. SO different from SF, BW, and rice ferments.

rad14701 wrote:I just ran off a batch of Gerber Barley last night that had finished in 60 hours...

4 gallons warm water (full measure, not total wash)
8 pounds white sugar (not inverted)
3 tbsp Fleischmanns dry active yeast

What's the significance of the changes from the original Gerber recipe? Specifically, 3 tbsp vs 8 for the yeast and inverted vs. not inverted?

Is 8 tbsp of yeast a waste of yeast?

Is inverting the sugar a waste of time?

My wash is pretty much like f6hawks except it smells good...
5 gallon wash;
Boil 3 gallons water, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 10 lbs sugar
Add 1 box gerber barley
Add 2 gallons distilled water
Cool in bucket to 90f, pitch and add yeast.
Cap, airlock, wait.
I let mine sit about 3-6 days after it finishes before I rack it off, I get a bette nuetral that way.
This recipe kicks a$$!
When I started out about 11 months ago, this recipe gave me a regular schedule, and kept me going. I still use it for my "regular". Good Times.

You can't find Gerber Barley?
Some Jerk must be Hoarding!
Jealous? No but seriously, I heard they were going to discontinue it.
Maybe just a rumour, but I need it for my regular.
Gotta have some good product while I play with rice, hominy and some asian stuff.
Load up if you can!

mystakilla wrote:I wouldnt say its ruined but 4 weeks is pretty long for a gerber recipe.

I would run it!!!

I've gone 6 weeks, ran it, no problems, no funky smells, no muss no fuss.
It just sat all quiet in the kitchen and waited for me to get some time.
Cheers!

aknewb1s wrote:What's the significance of the changes from the original Gerber recipe? Specifically, 3 tbsp vs 8 for the yeast and inverted vs. not inverted?

Is 8 tbsp of yeast a waste of yeast?

Is inverting the sugar a waste of time?

I think inverting doesn't do much besides waste propane or electricity. And I typically use 2 Tbsp for a 5 gallon wash. IMHO, anything more is a waste. Yeast multiply quickly up to the point of available food, then die off as the food decreases.

I agree about the yeast, but disagree on inverting the sugar.

If you buy some sugar like walmert, it is yellow right off the bat, straw colored.

The rest, the white and the clear, I'm a firm believer in boiling it
with lemon juice, just my experience, I'm no pro.

But if you're trying to alt/turbo like some in this thread,
tossing in more yeast will speed it up a wee bit.

What is the benefit of boiling the sugar with acid? Does your wash not ferment completely unless you do this?

F6Hawk wrote:What is the benefit of boiling the sugar with acid? Does your wash not ferment completely unless you do this?

"Inverting" the sugar actually breaks down some of the carbohydrate chains and makes it easier for the yeast to process into ethanol.
It splits the Sugar (sucrose) into it's componenets, glucose and fructose.
It gets more complicated, as sugar is a disaccharide, and you are are splitting it into it's component monosaccharides...
Short version, Make like a Nike commercial...
Just Do it...
It makes it easier for the yeasties to make it into Sweet Sweet Booze.
Wikipedia usually suxxes, but they have a good page on this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_sugar_syrup" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
And of course, here at this site there is tons of info about it.

For all the Nerds like me:

Base is H20 at zero rotation

C12H22O11 (sucrose, Specific rotation = +66.5°) + H2O (water, no rotation) → C6H12O6 (glucose, Specific rotation = +52.7°) + C6H12O6 (fructose, Specific rotation = −92°)
net: +66.5° converts to −39°

Yeah, I have read about it here, but very few seem to think it's important. If it makes a neutral that's instant gratification, I'm all about it. If it just makes a wash ferment a day or two faster, but with the same "chemical bite"... not sure it would be worth it.

F6Hawk wrote:Yeah, I have read about it here, but very few seem to think it's important. If it makes a neutral that's instant gratification, I'm all about it. If it just makes a wash ferment a day or two faster, but with the same "chemical bite"... not sure it would be worth it.

Everybody likes thier Steak cooked different.

Inverting the sugar gives your workers (the yeastie boys) less stress.

The yeast can take apart inverted sugar, or monosaccharides, with more ease and less byproducts (nasty bits).
Hurrying is bad, letting it go, letting it settle and readsorb.... Oh yeah.

Instant gratification?
Not in my vocabulary Brother. I got Mad Time.

But yeah, for the alt/turbo crowd, it's faster to the end of the ferment if you invert the sugars.
And it only takes a few minutes, so... you know.

Whatever YOU like, that's what's the best for you.

Cheers!

Nothing like quoting yourself to say nothing new....

Have you been sampling the wares tonight,TDS?

F6Hawk wrote:Nothing like quoting yourself to say nothing new....

Have you been sampling the wares tonight,TDS?

Hah! That just appeared because I was editing my post.

If you weren't watching me like a F6Hawk You wouldn't even have noticed!



Also, Yes.

Well, based on your input, I am starting a new GB wash today, and the water is coming to a boil now, sugar and citric acid are at the ready...

And now I'm concerned... went to the store today, and there was no Gerber Barley on the shelf. There was rice (thinking it will work just fine, since it has vitamins and minerals). Gonna go check Wal Mart tmrw and see what I can see. Hmmmmm

Ok, can't find an official post about Gerber discontinuing the Barley, but can't find it on their site. The new plastic boxes have wheat, rice, oatmeal, and multi grain. Might hafta use one of these instead.

Also: http://www.iherb.com/Gerber-Cereal-For- ... 27-g/31880" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Lots of people in this thread used rice, apple etc, all seem to have had success.

Yeah, I figure so. It's not like the cereal is the fermented product; rather, it provides nutrients for the yeast as it breaks down the sugar. Got me some rice in the new plastic container today. We shall see...

I think the B1 vitamins are key... the barley box lists the first two ingredients as DAP and TRAP
Ingredients in the US list by proportion.
Whatever there's most of lists first,
whatever there is the second highest percentage of lists second.
Etc.

Close... Barley Flour, Tricalcium phosphate, and dicalcium phosphate. Not DAP. Tricalcium phosphate is an anti-caking agent. Dicalcium phosphate is a nutritional supplement. DAP (diammonium phosphate) is basically plant fertilizer, and a lot of nutrients for a wash. But looking at the barley and rice side by side, they have most of the same vitamin B levels. The barley has more protein. No biggie.

F6Hawk wrote:Close... Barley Flour, Tricalcium phosphate, and dicalcium phosphate. Not DAP. Tricalcium phosphate is an anti-caking agent. Dicalcium phosphate is a nutritional supplement. DAP (diammonium phosphate) is basically plant fertilizer, and a lot of nutrients for a wash. But looking at the barley and rice side by side, they have most of the same vitamin B levels. The barley has more protein. No biggie.

Hah! You're totally right, I misread that.

Still, I think it's the b vitamins that make it work so well.
It's a pretty complete diet for the little buggers, Bless thier hearts.

Yeah, it is. And considering the TPW and BW recipes, and all the stuff Rad does... I'm considering doing a sugar wash with nothing but plant food, water, sugar, and yeast. Would it make a good neutral? I suspect so. Though I suspect nothing will satisfy my taste buds like rice. Just finished my 4th cooker full of rice, cooling now. I think I'm not a corn guy, after all. Corny sounds... normal. Am I "ricey"? Ricical? White Grain? My identity is at question here...

Sad News,


Gerber has Greatly Reduced thier product line...
this site has what they make and where to get it...
you might still get other stuff from other places while it lasts.

http://www.gerber.com/allstages/product ... cator.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I picked up some Heinz barley baby cereal at wal-mart the other day... they had no gerber cereal... maybe I should go get some more

This is my first mash and Im not sure if I did it correctly or not... I figured I would start out small so I made a 1 gallon mash almost exactly like the original recipie. I did add lime juice, I didn't have any lemons, because I read further through the post and people suggested it.

I simmered 3.5 teaspoons lemon juice, 3.5 cups sugar, and 3.5 cups of water for 30 minutes.
Mixed in 1 cup gerber multigrain and remaining water. I waited until the temp dropped to 92 degrees. then added 2 tbsp of feinmanns active dry yeast and stirred until all the yeast had dissolved into the water and came back and stirred it every 10 minutes for an hour then sealed it off.

I was getting a single bubble out of the airlock every 2-3 seconds immediately now its day 3 and Im getting one bubble every 10-12 seconds.
I don't have a hydrometer, its supposed to be in tomorrow, so I didn't have any way to check the SG.

I watched some youtube videos on gerber mashes and the airlocks looked like they were boiling! did I do something wrong? thanks.

TXMike06 wrote:I watched some youtube videos on gerber mashes and the airlocks looked like they were boiling! did I do something wrong? thanks.

My initial guess would be that you added too much lime juice which dropped the pH too low... You could try adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to see if that raises the pH and increases the airlock activity... Be forewarned that you may get some serious foaming action when you add the baking soda... You might want to pour about a cup into a large glass, add the baking soda to that, and then add the mixture back into the fermenter...