My first gerber wash!!

[short bus]

Started my first Gerber (actually BeechNut) Wash late last Monday Night. I boiled 14 cups of sugar in in 2 gals of water with 4 heaping tsps of citric acid. I boiled that for about 30 minutes and then added an 8 oz. box of of cereal and continued to boil for 5 minutes. I threw that into a 5 gallon bucket and added 2 gallons of water and covered it with a lid. I allowed it to cool overnight (and sleep). The next moring I stirred for about 5 minutes and I pitched 4 heaping tablespoons of bakers yeast. I stirred that another 2 mins. I stirred several more times over the next 24 hours. I just had a new and cheap 5 gallon bucket and lid that cost me $3.95 with tax!!

I didn't have an air lock and regretted it (would have liked to see how fast it was bubbling).I couldn't find any of my old fermentation supplies so I have no hydrometers. airlocks, yeast nutrient,etc,. I live so far out in the stix that a home brew supply store is a major drive. Any way i tasted it this morning and its ready! I was amazed how smooth and dry it was. Its still bubbling just a little and nearly opaque white. Will it clear any more with out any intervention?

Also I want to post some pix. How can I keep the file size down?

SB

[myerfire]

Four heaping teaspoons of citric acid seems like an awful lot for only two gallons. My tap water has a ph of 8.5 and I use only one tablespoon to bring it down to around 4.5. You might want to pick up some ph strips to check. You might be able to save yourself a lot of citric acid.
myerfire

[myerfire]

I forgot to mention that my one tablespoon of citric acid is for a 5 gallon wash.
myerfire

[rad14701]

Four teaspoons of citric acid does sound like a lot, regardless of the total amount of water... I rarely use any and my washes do just fine...

The wash should "settle" on its own once fermentation is complete... It won't go "clear" but all of the yeast and solids will drop to the bottom...

Good luck...

[short bus]

Thanks for the feedback on the citric acid. I guess I need to read up on inverting sugar. A buddy gave me a ph pen meter and calibration solution last night! I will find out what the ph of the wash is. Distilled a gallon of it of last night, it smells like moonshine! Wish I had a proof hydrometer or could read a bead like the oldtimers. Thanks again, I will post more later.

SB

[0re0]

Reading beads is really a game of guestimation.

Shake ya jar or bottle, look for the bigger bubbles, not the tee-tiny ones.
The quicker the bubbles dissipate on top of the shine the higher the proof.
My granddaddy has been shinning since he was a boy, he is not 80.
He has shinned from the smallest batches up to truck loads full of cases that were deliver
in and out of the state of South Carolina. If the bubbles dissipate within 5 seconds, he calls it 90 - 100 proof.

Keep in mind, the faster they dissipate, the higher the proof
And really its a game of guestimation

[gary.angie]

Open your picture in windows Paint program under accessories in main menu (if your using windows of course)

Once its open click on the image tab , then click on resize/skew then if you type in say 70 and 70 it will drop the size.
Click on save then close it .
Minimise the paint program find your pic file and right click on it and select properties and check file size.

If its not small enough , then just repeat process.
(its not a flash way to do it but it works )

Gary & Angie

[short bus]

Thanks G&A and OreO. The information on reading a bead is much appreciated. I have been watching people shake Mason Jars my whole life and talking about the bead and never paid attention.

SB

[short bus]

Had a tasting party with some friends last night. Between us we were able to come up with three other samples for comparison. Gerber wash clearly produced some mighty fine MOONSHINE! Thanks again RAD!!!!!

SB

[rad14701]

Had a tasting party with some friends last night. Between us we were able to come up with three other samples for comparison. Gerber wash clearly produced some mighty fine MOONSHINE! Thanks again RAD!!!!!

SB

Glad to hear that everyone enjoyed it... I might put down a couple more Gerber washes today if I get a chance...

[short bus]

I guess I'm bragging a little. Met up with a couple older guys from Kentucky tonight. Both, far as I know lifetime moonshine consumers. They loved my shine!! Maybe my ego is getting a little big. I have produced a bunch of sub par stuff in my life. Kudos to all the contributers of this forum!!!

SB

[rad14701]

Good for you, short bus... Did they scoff when you told them it was made with baby cereal...???

[short bus]

The couple people that tell what it was made of shook their head seeming to understand. One guy even said,
"that must work off (ferment) clean". That comment from a friends dad told me he knew a thing or two. I must admit that only half the people I have shared with knew where it came from. I told the rest it came from a near by town. I am not very paranoid. I just don't see the benefit of them knowing. I just found a local place where I can get all the beer kegs I want for $30! I plan on owning one soon so I am trying to keep a low profile.

SB

[LWTCS]

My wife's car salesman buddy had one of my (amber/orange colored or the like) bottles of aged on oak on his desk after hooking my wife up with a sweat Landrover deal.

Coincidently, a couple came in looking for a car and saw the bottle on his desk. Queried about the color but shook to evaluate the bead. Smiles all a round,,, drinks all around and he sold the car. He never got the likker but he was damn happy to get 2 sales in one day.

He said them folks seemed to understand (and liked) what they were drinking.

It's nice to be appreciated.