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You should definitely do a strip then a spirit unless you have a thumper

Thanks
I’m doing my 2 more batches for strip runs. I’ll then be able to do a full boiler charge of low wines for the spirit run.
I have 2 question on the amount of yeast to use.
The recipe calls for 1/2Tbsp per liter of mash. So for my 40 liter(10 gallon) batch I pitched 20 Tbsp. Seems like a lot when other recipes call for a 11 gram packet per 5 gallon batches.(not sure what it equates to in Tbsp but I don’t think it’s one Tbsp.
1. Why does this recipe need so much yeast?
I’m just trying to understand why some recipe need more than other. I didn’t rehydrate the yeast, just pitched and aerate for an hour.
2. Can I put less yeast?

Thanks
Pops33

Pops33 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:58 am Thanks
I’m doing my 2 more batches for strip runs. I’ll then be able to do a full boiler charge of low wines for the spirit run.
I have 2 question on the amount of yeast to use.
The recipe calls for 1/2Tbsp per liter of mash. So for my 40 liter(10 gallon) batch I pitched 20 Tbsp. Seems like a lot when other recipes call for a 11 gram packet per 5 gallon batches.(not sure what it equates to in Tbsp but I don’t think it’s one Tbsp.
1. Why does this recipe need so much yeast? <— It’s “overkill”. 11 grams (one packet of dry yeast) is most often adequate for 5 gallons, provided you properly rehydrate it before pitching. And also, if you adequately aerate the wort before pitching. Otherwise, overpitching helps to compensate for less than optimum conditions.
I’m just trying to understand why some recipe need more than other. I didn’t rehydrate the yeast, just pitched and aerate for an hour. <— Rehydration will always help your yeast start quicker and healthier. So, get into the practice.
2. Can I put less yeast? <— Sure you can. How much less.....are you a gambler?

Thanks
Pops33

One thing to note here, Pops33, is that this recipe says what is does because it worked for the recipe maker. And it is in the T&T forum because this recipe has been proven by many (different) brewers with different techniques. You can always adjust a recipe to your processes and techniques if you want. But know that the farther you stray from the T&T recipe, the less someone here can help troubleshoot your problems (if you have them).

So, YMMV.
ss

Thank you,
I had put half the amount of yeast but just added the full amount.
One batch smells good like something baking, the other has a strong smell, almost acidic, although it is sizzling/off gassing, hoping fermenting.
Is that batch infected? How to tell?
Thanks

Now the other bucket smells the same, acidic. I’m thinking it’s just working off. I’m gonna aerate it more and a little more aggressively. Hopefully it will smell like the batch I did 2 weeks ago.

Pops33 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 11:52 am Now the other bucket smells the same, acidic. I’m thinking it’s just working off. I’m gonna aerate it more and a little more aggressively. Hopefully it will smell like the batch I did 2 weeks ago.

Don’t!

Once it has actively started to ferment, you should NOT add more oxygen. Oxygen is only needed during the budding phase when the yeast is reproducing. After that, fermentation is anaerobic, meaning “without oxygen”. So, aggressively stirring will only cause the ferment to oxidize and produce off flavors which will spoil the taste of your product.

Stir it before you add the yeast slurry, not afterwards.
ss

Thank you SS,
You’re a great mentor and you always give explanation in your answers/replies. For a novice distiller like me, it’s much appreciated.
I hope I didn’t mess it up by aerating a bit more.

rad14701 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:50 pm * Let cool to 95F.
* Pitch yeast.
* Aerate for one hour.
* Cap and insert air lock.

I didn’t aerate before pitching the yeast, I aerate after like the recipe says.
What should I have done? Follow the recipe and aerate before or after pitching the yeast?
So much confusion with variances in different recipes.(amount of yeast, aeration, inverting sugars, adding stuff to the mash, etc...)

Thanks
Pops33

You can stir it like Rad suggests, when you’ve pitched. But once it starts to ferment don’t re-agitate it...let it work. During the initial 4 to 8 hours after pitching the yeast, it is in a reproductive phase called “budding” when the cell count is increasing to a population density to begin converting sugars. And nutrients are important at this time too, for the health of the yeast.

Just don’t mess with it once it has started to actively ferment, other than to help stabilize the environment (ambient temperature) for the yeast’s optimal performance. If the conditions are right: yeast health, proper oxygen, good nutrients, and proper temperature, the yeast will quickly, and steadily “do their job” for you.
ss

I'm doing 2 strip runs back to back, the first is a 10 gallon batch and almost done. The second is a 6 gallon batch. is there any advantage in leaving some backset of the 1st strip in the boiler for the second batch?
thanks

Pops33 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:40 am I'm doing 2 strip runs back to back, the first is a 10 gallon batch and almost done. The second is a 6 gallon batch. is there any advantage in leaving some backset of the 1st strip in the boiler for the second batch?

Probably not, other than having a mass of liquid that is already hot...think of it as “energy storage”...so that the added wash will be somewhat pre-heated. But, the additional mass will also require more heat to maintain a boil once it begins to produce. So, extracting the alcohol from the new wash with the previous backset will take longer than boiling only the new wash.

Also, using backset would dilute the new wash making it more difficult to separate the alcohol from the water and acids in the backset. Your proof at the spout would likely be lower too as a result. And you may even experience more smearing of the tails from the backset throughout the new wash’s spirit. It very well could affect the taste, making it “coarse”.

You can do it if you want, but I wouldn’t. I’d drain the backset, and then refill the boiler.
ss

Ok thanks,
I wasn’t sure and I was done the first strip, so I dumped it, almost done the 2nd. Storing the low wines in glass carboy and will do spirit run this weekend.

I'm finally doing the spirit run today. I have 39 liters of 30% low wines and collected 12 jars of 215 ml so far at ~79% ABV. I'd like to know approximately when does the heads finish/hearts starts(because at this point I'll start collecting in bigger jars), and where hearts finish/tail starts.
So if i have:
39 liters x 0.30 (30% low wines) = 11.7 liters of 100% alcohol
11.7 / 0.45 (45% of collected alcohol) = 26 expected liters of collected alcohol at 45% ABV
I saw on this forum a post where:
3% for fores (discarded during strip runs)
18% for heads
55% for hearts
24% for tails

So,
18 % of 26 liters = 4.68 liters of heads
55 % of 26 liters = 14.3 liters of hearts
24 % of 26 liters = 6.24 liters of tails

is this about right?
I'm not experienced enough to tell where the hearts starts and so on.
EDIT: using a pot still and thumper and condenser
thanks
Pops 33

Doing it using percentages is an unreliable method.

Pops33 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 9:23 am this about right?
I'm not experienced enough to tell where the hearts starts and so on.

Everyone in this hobby has been where you are now......we all had to learn.......get sniffing and tasting.
Dont rush it. Make small cuts, lots of jars.
The sooner you start the sooner you will get good at it.

Ok thanks
but what change in taste ans smell should i notice.
From a strong bite to somewhat smooth?

the beauty of this hobby is YOU get to decide

the change in taste is wholely up to you.
you collect in small jars to start this hobby, so you can learn the smell/taste/feel of the distillate
take a small amount from the jar, (start at the middle, work you way out to the ends) dilute with pure water down to at least 40%, some even recommend 25-30% ABV, then smell/taste

Keep what YOU like. if something smells/tastes interesting, perhaps mix that with the cleaner stuff.... dilute, smell, taste.... see of YOU like that. if not, no harm done, if so, you may have discovered a new drop for yourself that you cannot get anywhere else.

experiment!
You'll learn the hobby, learn something about the tastes/smells, and learn something about what YOU like!

and above all else, be safe, be discreet, and ENJOY what You make!

I'm in! Here goes the first 5 gallon batch.

Thanks guys.

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 9:32 am Doing it using percentages is an unreliable method.

Pops33 wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 9:23 am this about right?
I'm not experienced enough to tell where the hearts starts and so on.

Everyone in this hobby has been where you are now......we all had to learn.......get sniffing and tasting.
Dont rush it. Make small cuts, lots of jars.
The sooner you start the sooner you will get good at it.

SBB,
Do we have an equivalent to that Gerber Barley flavour baby cereal here in Oz? Have you found one?

From what I can gather is you can use any of the Gerber cereals as a substitute for the Barley. Sounds like we are just utilizing the vitamins in the cereal.

But yes, having a horrible tie locating said Barley cereal.

Gerber doesn't even list it on their web site anymore.

Let me just start with saying this is my first post. I've been doing a lot of reading and run a few runs on my 3" column. mostly sugar washes. I started a batch of Gerber on 12/20. I used Grain and Grow Multigrain cause thats what Wally World Had. Started out Inverting 25 lb sugar with 1-1/4 gallon of water, 1 T citric acid cooking until reaching 238F stirred in 6 more gallons water and cooked cereal just until started to boil. threw the rest of water in to reach 14 gallons OG 1.072 I used a little boiled yeast and a tablespoon of DAP. 1-5/8 cup of rehydrated and fed DADY pitched @ 95F and kept in an insulated and heated box @ 85F. it's almost exactly 3 days to the hour latter and its fermented out. FG 1.000 but its still cloudy. Once it clears it'll probly go lower. It even tastes good. So did the cereal. I think I'll run spirit tomorrow and turn it into Odin's Easy Gin

Update to my Gerber. I noticed two of the carboys that I racked into from larger fermentation barrel were not clearing. and the gravity reading on the ones that were clear were not down to where I thought they should be, so I put a teaspoon of glucoamylase in each one. after about an hour they were all bubbling away again. I think I'll use it again next run putting it in with yeast at pitching time. I didn't read all 30 pages of this thread but when I did a search on glucoamylase it didn't come up so I hope this might help someone else.