How long can you wait to distill fruit mash?

[Slivovitz]

It looks like my apricot and peach must / wash is done fermenting in next 24 hours.

How soon do I need to distill it?

I am working until Sunday so its gonna be 5 hot days until then.

In 32 gallon garbage can and 55 gallon drum with tight but not air tight lids.

Thanks!

[still_stirrin]

Well, what answer do you want?

You are not available for 6 days...so, that HAS to be OK. If it’s not, what else can you do? Dump it down the drain when you get home?

Crap, what kind of answer do you expect....assurance that it’ll be OK until you’re available? Then, sure....go for that!

Day....yumm!
ss

[8Ball]

As long as the vinegar bug doesn’t get into it, you have a good chance of being ok. I had to wait a few days after ferment stopped on a mango wash last year. Ran it anyway, and was able to salvage about 20% of the abv, the rest the infection ate. Maybe you can prolong the ferment by adding more fruit & sugar?? Good luck.

[Slivovitz]

If it is almost certainly going to be a disaster to wait, I could do small runs before work each day.

The problem is that I know that's going to result in lower-quality as a whole ( much more difficult cuts to blend for a new guy.)

What I could do is possibly separate it into 3 to 5 gallon runs and do it before work. I work nights but I can't dedicate 8 to 10 hours or whatever it takes to run 10 gallon pots at a time


Honestly I was hoping for a suggestion of how to buy myself time.

[jonnys_spirit]

Try strippin runs to about 30%ABV then combine the strips for a spirit run. I know you want to do a one and done so it's a suggestion and they can be done fast because in a strip you do want to smear all the flavors.

Cheers!
-jonny

[Slivovitz]

Thanks Johnny I can't tell if I smell wine or vinegar. I'm going to have to stick my pregnant wife's nose over the Farrell because she can smell a cupcake from a mile away I'm sure she can tell vinegar from wine. 24 days in and I think it is still bubbling a bit through the wet cap.

[Slivovitz]

I got out my hydrometer and as soon as it cools I will test it.

I used myself as a guinea pig and tasted it no vinegar taste at all but still smells fruity in a bit sweet so either my yeast stalled out or I've got some time to go.

It's been really hot here so it could have killed the ec1118 yeast.

[Irishgnome]

I doubt that you’ll get vinegar before Sunday, but that’s my experience.
I ferment in my basement (air tight containers), especially with the 1118. The 1118 should be used in a cooler climate to get the benefits of the yeast. The longer it sits on the lees, the more fruit esters develop.
Just about how hot do you think your batch has been at?
I’d spend some money on a inkbird with wifi. Helps keep track of where you batch has been.
Good luck brother!
Cheers
Irish

[Slivovitz]

When I pulled my 250ml sample with soup spoon it was 78 to 80 degrees+/- in both barrels.

I put plastic wrap over the tops then the lids today.

On the yeast specifications it says it is ok to 85 degrees.

I dont mind letting it sit, but we have a terrible heat wave here of up to 110f.

I will see if my wife allows me to bring it in the house.

[Slivovitz]

Apricot at 65 degrees (hydrometer calibrated for 60)

[Slivovitz]

At 62 degrees my SG is .990 on both samples, so until I can dial the temperature in perfectly that's as accurate of a reading as I can get.

I had to take off to work so it's in the fridge I'll check it again tonight

Here's the reading on the peach must day 24.

[Tabucowboy]

Cover fermentor with plastic wrap to keep the CO2 in and the bugs out. Should be no problem for a week and it will also let it settle out any bits of fruit.

[Slivovitz]

Thanks Tabucowboy. I did cover in plastic. I'm going to taste it tonight and retest my samples after work.

[NZChris]

Thanks Tabucowboy. I did cover in plastic. I'm going to taste it tonight and retest my samples after work.

if you want to leave it sitting, stop taking the lid off and letting air into it. If you must take the lid off to satisfy your curiosity, chuck a handful of sugar in it to create some CO2 to displace the O2 you let in when you fiddled with it.

[Irishgnome]

Thanks Tabucowboy. I did cover in plastic. I'm going to taste it tonight and retest my samples after work.

if you want to leave it sitting, stop taking the lid off and letting air into it. If you must take the lid off to satisfy your curiosity, chuck a handful of sugar in it to create some CO2 to displace the O2 you let in when you fiddled with it.

+1 NZ
My favorite Raki sits on the lees for at least a month, then I siphon the wine into large glass containers. This sits for a year before I run it.
I have read that Cranky lets some of his brandy sit for an exceedingly long time before running through the still.
Quality control is the focus here!
Cheers

[cranky]

Don't worry about it, it will be fine but stop messing with it, leave it be.

I've run some pretty funky stuff with no issues, in fact last years apple cider got so infected with 3 different things I was worried but I think it came out better than most years. I've run off stuff that sat so long in poorly sealed conditions that it had 2 to 3 inches of mother on top and was a fine vinegar but also produced a fine brandy and I've run off plum that most people would have taken one look at and tossed and it produced a very good drink.

Get to it when you can, even if it's infected it will be fine.

[Slivovitz]

Thank you all for the replies. I sampled 250ml from both barrels yesterday.

Good news! Specific gravity is .990 and I believe it will drop a bit more between now and sunday.

I drank both samples and can report a nice buzz with no side effects! Slightly fruity nose with a nice flavor. Seems stronger ( guessing abv by taste) than my 6.8% cider but not as strong as 14% Napa wine.

I didn't test SG before I added yeast so I don't have solid way to calculate abv%.

I'm trying to locate something ASAP I can test the ABV% in these barrels before I cook them Sunday.

I really don't want to guess my starting ABV

[stillanoob]

If you don't know what the starting gravity was then it is very difficult to measure the current ABV without expensive equipment. Why does your starting ABV matter anyway? Just run it and you get what you get.

[Slivovitz]

I dropped some sugar in the 8 oz sample I didnt drink yesterday and its bubbling. I think I will sprinkle a bit in both barrels tonight and keep them shut tight till cook time.

Great idea about the sugar!

[Slivovitz]

If you don't know what the starting gravity was then it is very difficult to measure the current ABV without expensive equipment. Why does your starting ABV matter anyway? Just run it and you get what you get.

For science and consistency!

[StillerBoy]

I didn't test SG before I added yeast so I don't have solid way to calculate abv%.

There's a meter called a Vinometer, used in wine making to determine the alcohol content in a wine batch.. very useful tool to have around..


Mars

[cranky]

Opening the lids and constantly taking samples and messing with it is the worst thing you can do. Put the lid on, seal it the best you can and don't worry about it. Even if you left it sit completely open and exposed to the fruit flies it wouldn't get infected enough to be a problem in 4 days. Just leave it alone.

I have read that Cranky lets some of his brandy sit for an exceedingly long time before running through the still.

I almost never distill a ferment that hasn't sat for less than 3 months and often go as long as a year. I've even gone close to 2 without problems.

[StillerBoy]

I think I will sprinkle a bit in both barrels tonight

Not a good idea to sprinkle raw sugar in a ferment, yeast do like that..

Put the lid on, seal it the best you can and don't worry about it. Just leave it alone.

He's like a young one on his first outing.. can stop thinking about what he will do or what will happen..
He's young at the game..

Mars

[stillanoob]

SB, I had never heard of the vinometer! How well do they really work? From a quick look it seems that they are (of course) spoofed by residual sweetness, fragile and not too easy to read.

[StillerBoy]

I had never heard of the vinometer! How well do they really work?

I've had one for many yrs now.. broken one during that time..

They are very good at reading a finished must, wash or even a mash and their accuracy is very good.. the main issue with the meter is that the simple to be used for testing, has to be very clean.. meaning no sediment, clear liquid, otherwise the small inner orifice will plug.. but good maintain, washing it after usage, they last a long time.. the one I'm presently using has to be over 5 yrs..

Mars

[stillanoob]

Welp, ya learn something every day. Thanks for the lesson, I'll order one to play with. Make that two.

[Slivovitz]

I didn't test SG before I added yeast so I don't have solid way to calculate abv%.

There's a meter called a Vinometer, used in wine making to determine the alcohol content in a wine batch.. very useful tool to have around..


Mars

Thank you i will grab one tomorrow!

[Slivovitz]

Ok, yes I am excited and open to check the must too often. I will not add more sugar. I will leave it wrapped in plastic with a lid on.

Drinking a glass from each barrel was enough to know there is some alcohol in them. I will test with vinometer Sunday morning before cooking.

It is my first time, and cooking 10 gallons at a time will be a long slow process.

I have 32 mason jars that should be able to hold 3.5 gallons of whatever comes out.

I just realized that I have a 10 gallon pot and roughly 25 gallons of must!

Its gonna be a long weekend watching copper pipe dribble......

[Deplorable]

Ok, yes I am excited and open to check the must too often. I will not add more sugar. I will leave it wrapped in plastic with a lid on.

Drinking a glass from each barrel was enough to know there is some alcohol in them. I will test with vinometer Sunday morning before cooking.

It is my first time, and cooking 10 gallons at a time will be a long slow process.

I have 32 mason jars that should be able to hold 3.5 gallons of whatever comes out.

I just realized that I have a 10 gallon pot and roughly 25 gallons of must!

Its gonna be a long weekend watching copper pipe dribble......

It shouldn't be as long as you might think, if you're doing two strips, and a spirit run. I have the same quantity to run this weekend, and plan on two stripping runs of 10 gallons each on Saturday, and a 1.5 Spirit run on Sunday with the resulting low wines and remainder of the fresh wash. I'm anticipating 8 hours both days.

[jonnys_spirit]

Have fun Slivi! Thinking you can strip all that in three-four runs maybe four? Because you’ll want adequate headspace.

Cheers,
-jonny