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God I hate being the new newbie...

But, hello!

I've been looking around this website for weeks, and I'm confidant enough to try to make some spirit, but I have some questions that only experience can answer, so if anybody can help me, I would appreciate it.

How long would a 16 L, 4 Kg sugar wash at 25 C take to completely ferment? Just an approximation would be fine. I know how to test for completeness and all that, but I'd like to know about how long it'll take. Assume I have all the optimal nutrients and normal, dried yeast. Thanks!

The rest is just some dribble in the form of more questions.

-- I don't understand how the reflux still can provide a more neutral finish.
As far as I know, the reflux part comes in when the still recycles the vapor back into the wash multiple times before the final condensation... I just don't see how that increases the ABV.

-- Is there anybody out there that's using the bucket still? -- http://homedistiller.org/notstill.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow -- I'm using it and I know it's primitive, but is there anybody out there? I feel so alone...

-- I'm currently using this wash for a neutral spirit: 16 L water, 4 Kg sugar, pinch of citric acid, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, 3 teaspoons of milk powder (courtesy of Nestle's Nido), 100 g corn flour, 750 g cornmeal, 1 egg, with regular dried yeast. I know it seems crack pot, but it also seems to be working. I was wondering, is there anybody that has used egg or milk powder? I'm using them because I don't have those fancy yeast nutrients yet. Birdwatcher uses tomato paste, so...

-- I'm using some very primitive stuff to experiment with before I buy more professional tools, and I'm having trouble getting the CO2 out of my now fermenting crackpot wash. The clingflim top looks like a balloon, and since I tend to avoid problems, I'm wondering, is it okay if I just place a big slab on top and trap the gas in? I've tired to make a straw and water one way valve (again, primitive) but the thing is till a balloon.

-- Wash or mash? Specific gravity or density?

Again, with these last few questions I'm just wondering, looking for some perspective. It's really hard for me to do anything if I don't understand the fundamental chemistry behind it.

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the forums, Dumdeedum... Sounds like you've made the mistake of being a bit over-eager to get going... There's an overwhelming amount of information here to weed your way through...

Your wash, if it was a normal wash, should ferment to dry in 1 - 2 weeks depending on the amount of yeast pitched... However, you're trying to make a sugar wash, not an omlet... I think the milk substitute has been tried unsuccessfully in the past... Egg should only be used for clearing just prior to running through the still because egg invites infections, which is why they use eggs to incubate vaccines... I honestly can't speculate on whether your wash will complete in good time or without infection at this point...

Your plastic wrap cover should be allowed to bulge while allowing CO2 to escape through several pin holes... The plastic and the CO2 layer between it and the wash is your infection barrier... As the plastic sags down you will know that the ferment is slowing... Do not let the plastic sag onto the surface of the wash...

Forget the idea of using a bucket still... You cannot make proper cuts which are required in order to attain safe drinkable spirits... There are several simple still designs which take very few skills and are reasonably inexpensive to build...

A reflux still increases the ABV because the refluxed ethanol/water shouldn't ever make it back to the boiler... The ethanol will be repeatedly stripped away from the water and the water itself will form into larger droplets which will then make their way back into the boiler... The ethanol should continue to become more pure and stay at the top of the column waiting for removal as condensed spirits...

Do yourself a favor and hit the parent site for one or two reads... Each time you read through that site you will glean more information because what may not have made sense the first time or two through will start to connect and gel in the gray matter... It's not like reading a Harlequin Romance where there's a beginning, a middle, and an end...

I'd also consider dumping your omlet mix and trying a simple sugar wash from the Tried and True section... My Gerber recipe is about the simplest there is as the Gerber has all of the basic nutrients your yeast need... Water + Sugar + Gerber + Yeast = Simple... Keep an eye on your wash for infection or off smells and if it turns, dump it...

Good luck...

Good on you Dumdeedum, for having a go..

Rad is giving you excellent advice, "I'd also consider dumping your omlet mix and trying a simple sugar wash from the Tried and True section" ..
yeah i would be worried about the mix you got running too...

Also plastic and spirits worry me too.. you can knock up a simple pot-still or slant plant reflux with some copper from a recycling place and a pot from a discount kitchen shop and make top notch likker...

Finally dont try to trap gas.. the pressure can build up to seriously dangerous levels...

Cheers

plonker

Thanks for all the info!

I have enough space to try two other washes, so I'm going to go for the Greber and another one. I'll tell you how it goes! I'm keeping my omelet wash (that's hilarious!) just for the sake of trying it.

Thanks!

It made me laugh out loud.. good luck with the omlet wash...

let us know how you go...

Cheers

plonker