Tonights run...
Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:10 pm
Got home and charged the still with 40L. I'm brewing in a 121L hdpe can, can't remember how much sugar I used but I thought it was 40lb's. Well it's been a month or so (yes it's been cool but still..4-5 weeks?)
Anyway, charged the still and did a strip. Came out a bit milky cause I was really cooking. Got about 8L??WTF? I started at 45% and stopped at 20%.
Pulled the half full keg off the burner and remembered the other kegs I got upstairs. Cool! Filled a second (cold) keg with 40L and stripped it...started 45%, ended 15%..another 8-10L.
No I never checked the ABV I just up-sized the recipe from 20L. Used 40lb's corn, 40lb's sugar, topped with water and pitched the yeast. Yes it smelled like wine, the alcohol smell, but there was a bit of sweetness still there. I've done this recipe several times so not sure why it is so low in ABV this time.
Anyway, I guess the question is, how much sugar per L of water? Am I not in the ball park? (why did I run it even though it appers to not be finished brewing? the wife and kids are gone for 3 days and this is my opportunity to make as many runs as I can!) LOL!
I have a hdpe 45 gallon drum I'm thinking of fermenting in too so it would be helpfull if I had the actual lb's per litre measurement.
Oh, some good news, when I went looking for a glass carboy to strip into, I found one 3/4 full of 68% product!
Not sure if I should be happy that I found it, or worried because I forgot I had it! 
Anyway, charged the still and did a strip. Came out a bit milky cause I was really cooking. Got about 8L??WTF? I started at 45% and stopped at 20%.
Pulled the half full keg off the burner and remembered the other kegs I got upstairs. Cool! Filled a second (cold) keg with 40L and stripped it...started 45%, ended 15%..another 8-10L.
No I never checked the ABV I just up-sized the recipe from 20L. Used 40lb's corn, 40lb's sugar, topped with water and pitched the yeast. Yes it smelled like wine, the alcohol smell, but there was a bit of sweetness still there. I've done this recipe several times so not sure why it is so low in ABV this time.
Anyway, I guess the question is, how much sugar per L of water? Am I not in the ball park? (why did I run it even though it appers to not be finished brewing? the wife and kids are gone for 3 days and this is my opportunity to make as many runs as I can!) LOL!
I have a hdpe 45 gallon drum I'm thinking of fermenting in too so it would be helpfull if I had the actual lb's per litre measurement.
Oh, some good news, when I went looking for a glass carboy to strip into, I found one 3/4 full of 68% product!
Not sure if I should be happy that I found it, or worried because I forgot I had it! 
I recently discovered some millet whisky that I made a few years back. Very nice it is too.