SUGAR MASH QUESTIONS
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jmerc
SUGAR MASH QUESTIONS
Im about ready to make my first sugar mash and just wanted to be sure before I started. First off Im using #48 turbo super yeast, instructions say to add 5 1/2 gal of water and 8 kgs of sugar, thats 17 pounds of sugar, sounds like a lot is this correct? Second question it doesnt say to add tomatoe paste, should I ? and last but not least it says not to use an airlock so any suggestions on covering the container or just leave it open? Thanks, j
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CooterLane
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Arnie_sla
- Novice
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 2:22 pm
- Location: Australia
turbo 48
Turbo 48 has all the neutriants already in it. It is not just yeast in the pack you have. So you do not need to add tomato paste.
The sugar amount is correct 8 Kgs will give you about a 20% ABV wash after a week or so. I actually leave mine down 2 weeks as it lets the wash clear quite a bit in the second week before I put it in the boiler.
As for the airlock, this question has been raised before and many people have many different opinions. So there is mine.
The fact is that it really depends on the shape of the top of your fermentation barrel and the pressure build up.
If it is narrow like a carboy bottle then dont use an airlock as there will be too much pressure over a small area and the wash will overflow through the airlock. The airlock will cause the wash to become more foamy and it will build up extra pressure. Eventually the foam will push up through the airlock and explode every where. This always happens in the middle of the night or when you are at work so you come home or wake up to a great mess. LOL
If you have a wide top fermentation barrel like a bucket, then you can use the airlock as the pressure is spread over a larger area and it is less likely to overflow through the airlock. But it can still happen if the pressure is to great. So watch this one as well.
The other thing is you should not leave the wash uncovered totally this will let bad things in, and also there will be extra oxygen available that the yeast will eat instead of acting on the sugar in the wash and converting it to ethanol. What will happen in this case is you get lots and lots of yeast cells reproducing themselves using the free oxygen, and they want act on the sugar.
But you could leave the airlock out of its little hole if you like. The amount of CO2 which is produced at the start of a turbo wash will be flowing out so fast through the little hole that there is no way air can get in. After a couple of days you should put the airlock in, if the bubbles are such that they dont push all the water out the airlock then leave it in until the wash is totally finished. If all the water is pushed out of the airlock leave it out for a bit longer and then try putting it in again after another 24 hours. What you are trying to do is not let any "baddies" in as the wash slows down.
Sorry it got a bit long winded but there is a lot to learn when you are first starting out. This is a great place to learn as most of us have tried various methods with varing amounts of success. What the old saying you learn by making mistakes. Well if you can learn by other's mistakes thats even better.
I Hope this helps and you get some good product.
The sugar amount is correct 8 Kgs will give you about a 20% ABV wash after a week or so. I actually leave mine down 2 weeks as it lets the wash clear quite a bit in the second week before I put it in the boiler.
As for the airlock, this question has been raised before and many people have many different opinions. So there is mine.
The fact is that it really depends on the shape of the top of your fermentation barrel and the pressure build up.
If it is narrow like a carboy bottle then dont use an airlock as there will be too much pressure over a small area and the wash will overflow through the airlock. The airlock will cause the wash to become more foamy and it will build up extra pressure. Eventually the foam will push up through the airlock and explode every where. This always happens in the middle of the night or when you are at work so you come home or wake up to a great mess. LOL
If you have a wide top fermentation barrel like a bucket, then you can use the airlock as the pressure is spread over a larger area and it is less likely to overflow through the airlock. But it can still happen if the pressure is to great. So watch this one as well.
The other thing is you should not leave the wash uncovered totally this will let bad things in, and also there will be extra oxygen available that the yeast will eat instead of acting on the sugar in the wash and converting it to ethanol. What will happen in this case is you get lots and lots of yeast cells reproducing themselves using the free oxygen, and they want act on the sugar.
But you could leave the airlock out of its little hole if you like. The amount of CO2 which is produced at the start of a turbo wash will be flowing out so fast through the little hole that there is no way air can get in. After a couple of days you should put the airlock in, if the bubbles are such that they dont push all the water out the airlock then leave it in until the wash is totally finished. If all the water is pushed out of the airlock leave it out for a bit longer and then try putting it in again after another 24 hours. What you are trying to do is not let any "baddies" in as the wash slows down.
Sorry it got a bit long winded but there is a lot to learn when you are first starting out. This is a great place to learn as most of us have tried various methods with varing amounts of success. What the old saying you learn by making mistakes. Well if you can learn by other's mistakes thats even better.
I Hope this helps and you get some good product.
An Ozzie Drinker. OOPs drank too much again!!! better lay down and rest for a while.
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knuklehead
- Rumrunner
- Posts: 641
- Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:52 pm
- Location: Canada
I use 20 liter pails form a restaurant as fermenters. I cut a round hole in the lid to fit the bung for the airlock and I always use it with 48 hour turbo's. After snapping the lid on I do a few rounds of duct tape around the joint to help seal it and hold it in place. I put on the airlock everytime because I don't find that sugar washes foam to much, at least for me. I had a molasses wash foam up throught the airlock once but it was very minor and it didn't make a mess. Once the wash takes off the trap inside the airlock will not sit down. The off gassing will be so intense that it will just be firing bubbles and as arnie said water will splash out of the holes in the airlock cap. I just make sure that there is always enough water in it and have never had a problem using an airlock.
... I say God bless you, I don't say bless you ... I am not the Lord, I can't do that ...
Dane Cook
Dane Cook