Low alcohol % of mash

[dallen54200]

Good morning all. I am on my third all grain mach using NChooch's Carolina Bourbon. I followed the recipe to the letter excerpt I doubled the batch. Using the SG the first mash was 4.1 % the second was 2.6% and the third is 3.99%. An iodine test shows reddish brown more red then brown. It seems I have read that 6 to8 % is what an all grain should be. What am I missing? Thanks.

[cantbuyathrill]

Speaking from a brewer's perspective there are lots of things it could be. Your crush may not be fine enough, pH may be off, your scale may be off. It's hard to say. One thing about the iodine test it that it doesn't really work well if there are any grain husks present. So make sure it is pure liquid. If you have pH papers your pH needs to be between 5.2 and 5.8 (5.4-5.6 is actually preferable).

Are you fermenting the entire mash or are you running the wash off the mash and then fermenting it?

[still_stirrin]

I am on my third all grain mach using NChooch's Carolina Bourbon. I followed the recipe to the letter...What am I missing?

Is this the process you used "to the letter"? http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 0#p7182010

I agree that you need to pay attention to the pH. But also, your temperatures. Possibly you've missed some of the starch conversion because of the temperatures you stepped at. But those are critical to the enzyme activity necessary within your mash.

You should be in the ballpark (+/- a point or 2) for your ferment. If not, there's something wrong in the process, or grainbill.
ss

[Cotron]

Incorrect measuring, improper crush, using the wrong malt, not cereal mashing the corn, wrong mash Ph, short mash, improper mash temp, improper gravity measurement, low yeast pitching rate, unhealthy yeast, improper fermentation temperatures, yeast-inhibiting chemicals, short fermentation time, and probably some other things are all potential problems. Write down everything you did that day from the time you woke up in the morning and someone will be able to help pinpoint the problem.

[dallen54200]

Yes I used the link that was posted. I started this mash on 3/17/15. I don't know the PH. I am fermenting on the grain. What % should I be getting? Thanks for the replies.

[still_stirrin]

Yes I used the link that was posted. I started this mash on 3/17/15. I don't know the PH. I am fermenting on the grain. What % should I be getting? Thanks for the replies.

Nchooch says, 5% You're close. Low, but close.

[skow69]

+1 Cotron.

Get a pH meter and consider your water chemistry for starters.

[cantbuyathrill]

Incorrect measuring, improper crush, using the wrong malt, not cereal mashing the corn, wrong mash Ph, short mash, improper mash temp, improper gravity measurement, low yeast pitching rate, unhealthy yeast, improper fermentation temperatures, yeast-inhibiting chemicals, short fermentation time, and probably some other things are all potential problems. Write down everything you did that day from the time you woke up in the morning and someone will be able to help pinpoint the problem.

Said it way better than myself.

[shadylane]

Just a thought.
A couple of dollars worth of alpha and gluco amylase is cheap insurance, when using malt for conversion.

[BentJar]

absolutely get some enzymes to help the conversion. They work!