Brewing beer for 10 years now. Moved into distilling - Just learning all of the rules now.
I have a mash that looks like it is stalled around 1.035 (sugar wash - reading from tilt). If it goes no further can I still distill with that residual sugar in it. I may have tried to get too much alcohol out of it - it is sat at 13% now so plenty in there already. I did DAP, aerate with an oxygen wand and control temp. Fermenting with Red Star Dady.
If it doesn't move any further how do I proceed.
Here are my readings. I originally fermented at 75F and have moved it up to 85F today to see if we will give me any movment.
Yup, you were probably pushing that one a bit far. The pH would tell you if it was an acid crash or if you just hit the limit of what the yeast will take.
What's your rig like? Residual sugar may scorch on an internal element so dialing it back, even for heat=up would be appropriate.
It probably won't taste good as the yeast is likely stressed, but if you can make it work in your rig it'll be good to run for the experience (and to clean if it's the first run in that still.)
Wow, that tilt is pretty fancy.
I've never done a sugar wash, but the sugar wash pros here will need to know what ph it's at now to help you out. It sounds like you may have led yourself into a ph crash.
Most folks here try to stay no higher than around 1.080ish to start(unless it's molasses), and buffer with oyster shells and such to prevent the ph from going too low.
As for running it with the residual sugars that high, I will again let the sugar wash pros chime in. Propane or electric heat?
“Awards are merely the badges of mediocrity.”
― Charles Ives
I would guess if you have previously done some reading on high gravity beers, you know how perfect the conditions have to be to get a healthy fermentation, and typically you are left with lots of residual sugar anyway. Most folks will be going for flavor, and trying to create a fermentation that's balanced and healthy to support that outcome. If you are distilling for fuel, there are ways to maximize alcohol and still get a complete fermentation, but for drink it's far better to prioritize the flavor profile over just alcohol.
To answer your question directly - sure. You can distill it any time. But you will need to heat it slowly and pay attention to prevent scorching, certainly. Maybe dilute it a bit (how's that for ironic).
I recommend before you move on with the next batch, spend some time reading, figure out what your goals are and nail down the details before you commit cash to the next batch. There are some really excellent recipes in the Tried and True section of the forum which have been certified to produce excellent, predictable results. Once you get the handle on cause and effect relationships, you can branch out and start applying your knowledge to new things.
Thanks - I will check my PH with my PH reader. I did not check the PH going into the fermenter as I normally only check when mashing grains for 5.2 in the mash. What kind of PH should the sugar wash be going into the fermenter. It was mixture of table sugar and molasses and in came in higher than i was trying for 14/15% as the volumes I was getting of 6/7% was disappointing. I have an internal electric element on a PID that normally starts producing at around 170F head temp. I would be looking at doing stripping runs on a simpler pot still set up prior to distilling on a reflux setup (same still).
Took a manual hydrometer reading just in case and it was around 1.030 so pretty close and maybe after temp adjustment the same. The PH is 4.2.
The tilt screen is some free to use software that sits on a raspberry pi and controls the temps in the fridge and constantly reads and logs temp and gravity from the tilt. https://www.fermentrack.com/ - I just use it nothing to do with me.
I did not know that molasses has lots of non sugars that did not convert - It currently tastes like a port or sherry in some way. I saw the barley and hops videos and assumed the PID was the way every one did it ?- It is nice once it's running to maintain the flow.
Yeast is normally pretty productive/active above a pH of 4, so it's probably being suppressed by the alcohol content you've created. The starting pH doesn't seem to matter a lot, sugar washes seem to be able to crash over a wide range of starting pH levels, which is why many add a buffer, but again, I don't think that's your problem.
Now, about that PID... You have two problems. With residual sugar you will want to warm up slowly but a PID wants to go full-blast until it gets close to temp, then it'll start backing off in an effort to not overshoot your preferred temp.
Your second problem is a PID has a target temperature but you're distilling a mixture and as alcohol boils off the boiling temperature of that mixture changes, so it'll either stall or you'll be adjusting the temperature to make it keep running. A better method is to control the amount of energy you're putting into the system with an SSR or SSVR. Again, give it a whirl with your PID, but have an open mind when it doesn't go as advertised.
Hope that helps. There's a lot of good info coated in snark and smart-assery headed your way, don't let it get you down. Lots to learn in this hobby and lots of ways to learn it, experience being one of the best!
I did a gravity on a all mollases and it fermented dry at 1.065.
So how does your wash taste, is it dry or sweet?
The rest of the stuffs been said, or will be said
" you can pick your nose and you can pick your friends; but you can't always wipe your friends off on your saddle" sage advice from Kinky Friedman
If you think it's stalled because of the ETOH percent in there and the yeast can't get it any further it's not lost. Before you distil it just split into 2 vessels, add approx 25% more water and perhaps more yeast and nutrient, and it should go to finish.
If it's bottomed out at 1035 due to the molasses, that's a lot of unfermentables!
