First ever sugar wash...

[MX450248]

So I started my first sugar wash 2 days ago. Here is a picture of my notes so far.



Add that I checked it this morning and the foam was gone. Slight fizzing going on. Sp Gr is 1.083. I checked the pH and it dropped to 3.2!! Added my egg shells and stirred. Hopefully this helps bring it back up and restart foamy fermentation.

[MX450248]

Today checked SpGr and it's down to 1.070 also stirred the shit out of it with drill and mixer

[rad14701]

Today checked SpGr and it's down to 1.070 also stirred the shit out of it with drill and mixer

Stop doing that...!!! Once the yeast colony switches phases from aerobic to anaerobic you should not be introducing new oxygen into the wash for a number of reasons... First, doing so can also introduce unwanted bacteria that can grow rapidly, consuming sugars and possibly killing the yeast colony... Second, the colony could revert back into aerobic multiplication phase until the available oxygen is expended again, slowing fermentation... Third, it can potentially cause autolysis (cannibalism) if the wash lacks easily accessible nutrients... Fourth, it just isn't necessary to phutz around with a ferment once started...

It's a fermenting wash, not your girlfriend, so keep your fingers out of it...!!!

[still_stirrin]

It's a fermenting wash, not your girlfriend, so keep your fingers out of it...!!!

You said it right.

[MX450248]

Ok...well...what's the positives. 1. I learned this the hard way now. Patience isn't my strong suit so I always feel the need to @#$% with things. I will leave it alone from now on and let it do it's thing. 2. I know my fish tank heater works good because of the multiple times I checked the temp. 3. If I @#$%ed it up then at least it's a cheap wash. 4. I must re-read things I thought I learned but clearly didn't absorb.

Now...negatives...1. I could have @#$%ed the wash up beyond repair. 2. The tomfoolery I pulled with this wash doesn't really give me a good idea of how the ferment actually should go so my notes could be off anyway. 3. This learning experience came the hard way

[MX450248]

Ok I've kept my fingers out of it...haven't even touched it. I looked at the fermenter once from the doorway but that was the extent. Do I wait to...say...the 7 day mark and check SpGr to see if it's done? I can't go by the air lock cause the lid isn't completely sealed and the co2 that is supposed to bubble out is just escaping through the lid rim cause I can smell it.

[greggn]

Your notes confuse me ... OG was 1.100 (BTW, much too high) which then dropped to 1.090 (still too high). I assume your next measurement, 1.850, is an error and you meant 1.085.

Know that sugar washes are prone to pH crashes which, in turn, causes your yeast to stall. I suggest you buy some crushed oyster shells and add a handful to future ferments to moderate the pH. I don't know what your "yeast nutrient" is comprised of but 14 tsp sounds excessive. I'm surprised no one has suggested it yet but your next batch should start with a recipe from the Tried & True section.

[MX450248]

Your notes confuse me ... OG was 1.100 (BTW, much too high) which then dropped to 1.090 (still too high). I assume your next measurement, 1.850, is an error and you meant 1.085.

Know that sugar washes are prone to pH crashes which, in turn, causes your yeast to stall. I suggest you buy some crushed oyster shells and add a handful to future ferments to moderate the pH. I don't know what your "yeast nutrient" is comprised of but 14 tsp sounds excessive. I'm surprised no one has suggested it yet but your next batch should start with a recipe from the Tried & True section.

OG was 1.100 and then adjusted to 1.090 with sugar/water before pitch.

Yes that was an error in writing...I meant 1.085

This was the Birdwatchers recipe adjusted to the quantity in gallons that I wanted. The recipe states an OG of 1.090 is what is required. I'm buying oyster shells tomorrow from the local feed supply store.

The nutrient was a complete screw up. It's DAP...my package of DAP says 1 tsp per gallon. I now know that's the definition of overkill

[rgreen2002]

MX.. you spent all that time fabricating a beauty of a still... now comes the hard part. Waiting..... followed by patience. 90% of the quality of the sip is directly related to the start (mash/wash...) in fermentation. Mess that up and no beautiful still can bring that back.

Start a ferment.... then get back to the shop and make something!

[MX450248]

MX.. you spent all that time fabricating a beauty of a still... now comes the hard part. Waiting..... followed by patience. 90% of the quality of the sip is directly related to the start (mash/wash...) in fermentation. Mess that up and no beautiful still can bring that back.

Start a ferment.... then get back to the shop and make something!

Patience is something I'm not good at lol but I'm learning. That's exactly what I plan to do next time...start the ferment and then get busy building something so I keep my booger hooks out of it

[MX450248]

Now...the big question. Since there is an absurd amount of DAP in this wash is it going to create a ton of ammonia when I go to distill it and eat up my brand new flute still?

[rad14701]

There is no reason why you can't check the SG and/or pH every couple of days considering how your air lock isn't working... But that's the extent of what you should need to do unless the wash is stalled from low temperature, low pH, or infection (which is rare with sugar washes)... Just keep the fussing with the active ferment to an absolute minimum...

[MX450248]

There is no reason why you can't check the SG and/or pH every couple of days considering how your air lock isn't working... But that's the extent of what you should need to do unless the wash is stalled from low temperature, low pH, or infection (which is rare with sugar washes)... Just keep the fussing with the active ferment to an absolute minimum...

Ok I checked SG and it's down to 1.034...so it's definitely still working. It also had a rolling type action to the surface...almost like water right before it boils. That's all I'll do from now on until complete...thanks rad

[Hound Dog]

I use a trashcan to ferment in. I just drop a hydrometer in each of them and leave them there. This way I can crack the lid every now and then and peak at the hydrometer. If it's all gunked up, I give it a little swirl to clear a spot. Once you get the hang of it you will know what is ready.

[muscashine]

Sugar washes are fun. They're relatively cheap, no fussing about with grinding grains and adding enzymes. I've made a few of them and they come out pretty well. Personally I like doing a brown sugar wash. Dark brown sugar, 2 pounds per gallon. Toss in some yeast (I like kv-1116 or ec-1118) and nutrients per the label, and cover the fermenter with a stretchy pillowcase for a week. Usually just listening to the top I can hear the fizz after a few days. After a week if I need to keep fermenting I'll rack it over to a carboy and let it sit and start to clear, but generally I time it so after about 10-12 days I'm ready to run it really slow. Sometimes I just run it once real slow and keep the best of the hearts, and you can get a good flavor profile from the brown sugar. If I was running white sugar I'd definitely run it twice.

[MX450248]

Sugar washes are fun. They're relatively cheap, no fussing about with grinding grains and adding enzymes. I've made a few of them and they come out pretty well. Personally I like doing a brown sugar wash. Dark brown sugar, 2 pounds per gallon. Toss in some yeast (I like kv-1116 or ec-1118) and nutrients per the label, and cover the fermenter with a stretchy pillowcase for a week. Usually just listening to the top I can hear the fizz after a few days. After a week if I need to keep fermenting I'll rack it over to a carboy and let it sit and start to clear, but generally I time it so after about 10-12 days I'm ready to run it really slow. Sometimes I just run it once real slow and keep the best of the hearts, and you can get a good flavor profile from the brown sugar. If I was running white sugar I'd definitely run it twice.

I've been looking into doing a brown sugar wash. I would def have to remove some plate sections to make it worth it tho? With 4 plates I would just strip all the flavors wouldn't I?

[Bushman]

Good chance, a lot depends on how you run your still. I have a 50" by 4" column full of packing on a CM still and it all depends on how I reflux and how fast I allow it to run (which translates in the abv of run).

[MX450248]

Good chance, a lot depends on how you run your still. I have a 50" by 4" column full of packing on a CM still and it all depends on how I reflux and how fast I allow it to run (which translates in the abv of run).

If I stay at full reflux at the beginning of the run I can concentrate the heads at the top to get a clean heads/hearts cut I would then run the hearts out fast too carry over flavors right? Or run it slower with less plates?

[muscashine]

I've been looking into doing a brown sugar wash. I would def have to remove some plate sections to make it worth it tho? With 4 plates I would just strip all the flavors wouldn't I?

From the way I understand it, the more plates and relax you have going on, the more flavor you strip. I don't have those worries, I use a simple pot still and either a liebig or a worm, no thumper. You can't get much simpler than that.