 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/10/2012(UTC)
Posts: 42
Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)
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"Ha! I have to laugh at myself for thinking I had it figured out.
The nights get quite cold here at this time of the year so I built myself an insulated box for my fermentation. I included an indoor/outdoor thermometer so the temperature lead went inside the box and showed the air temp. as opposed to the temp. of the fermentation.
I started with a simple sugar wash;
10 # sugar dissolved in 2 gals. distilled water
1- 6oz. can tomato past
11/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Dash of Epsom salt
Dumped that into the 25L fermenter jug and cooled to 83° and pitched the 3 packets of active bakers yeast, (3/4 oz.), then I installed the airlock.
It started bubbling within 20 mins. and continued for 14 days as I plugged in or unplugged the cord for the 60 watt light bulb inside the box so as to try and maintain a temp. of 68° without opening the front cover.
When the airlock stopped, (after 14 days), I took off the front cover and found that while the temp. probe showed an inside air temp. of 71° the actual temp. of the fermenter, (with the aquarium type thermometer stuck to the side) was actually 98°.
I assumed, (there"s that word again), that I may have killed the yeast so I checked the SG and although I started with 1.075 I now had 1.020. So, since I had the room, I put in another 1 pound of sugar dissolved in distilled water, waited for the temp. to drop to about 83° and put in another 2 packets, (1/2 oz.) of yeast. The airlock started bubbling within 20 mins. but had quit within 24 hours.
I just now finished cooking 13L of the wash and I threw away 50ml and I now have the first pint that shows 54% abv, the second shows 47% and the third shows 38%. Although I haven"t tried the taste, I really can"t stand the smell of any of it.
I wish I could explain the scent but the best I can say is that it smells the same from start to finish although in the beginning it was worse and it eased up as I continued to collect. All 3 pints are crystal clear."
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 Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/17/2008(UTC)
Posts: 424
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Can't drink the strip. You have only completed half the task. If you have a reflux column then hook it up & rerun the strip (add the same amount of water). If you only have a pot still then keep on distilling. Why do you think high dollar vodkas always claim 5 - 7 distillations? Takes that much work in a pot to clean it up.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/10/2012(UTC)
Posts: 42
Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)
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"Thanks ratflinger, that's the input I need, wasn't sure if I made a major mistake and I think I remember hearing if we're using a pot to rerun it a few times.
I'll just continue to save my collections and run them through again. I appreciate your advice."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/24/2013(UTC)
Posts: 74
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Originally Posted by: Short Shot  Ha! I have to laugh at myself for thinking I had it figured out.
The nights get quite cold here at this time of the year so I built myself an insulated box for my fermentation. I included an indoor/outdoor thermometer so the temperature lead went inside the box and showed the air temp. as opposed to the temp. of the fermentation.
I started with a simple sugar wash;
10 # sugar dissolved in 2 gals. distilled water
1- 6oz. can tomato past
11/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Dash of Epsom salt
Dumped that into the 25L fermenter jug and cooled to 83° and pitched the 3 packets of active bakers yeast, (3/4 oz.), then I installed the airlock.
It started bubbling within 20 mins. and continued for 14 days as I plugged in or unplugged the cord for the 60 watt light bulb inside the box so as to try and maintain a temp. of 68° without opening the front cover.
When the airlock stopped, (after 14 days), I took off the front cover and found that while the temp. probe showed an inside air temp. of 71° the actual temp. of the fermenter, (with the aquarium type thermometer stuck to the side) was actually 98°.
I assumed, (there's that word again), that I may have killed the yeast so I checked the SG and although I started with 1.075 I now had 1.020. So, since I had the room, I put in another 1 pound of sugar dissolved in distilled water, waited for the temp. to drop to about 83° and put in another 2 packets, (1/2 oz.) of yeast. The airlock started bubbling within 20 mins. but had quit within 24 hours.
I just now finished cooking 13L of the wash and I threw away 50ml and I now have the first pint that shows 54% abv, the second shows 47% and the third shows 38%. Although I haven't tried the taste, I really can't stand the smell of any of it.
I wish I could explain the scent but the best I can say is that it smells the same from start to finish although in the beginning it was worse and it eased up as I continued to collect. All 3 pints are crystal clear. OK...I'm new to the forum, but, here is my interpretation of this: 1- Use spring water or filtered water - distilled water is counter productive to distilling - it has been heated to the point of vapor condinsation removing some of the micro biological nutriants in the H2O 2 - Fermintation temp is WAY to high for your yeastie boys - they prefer a nice cool temp - check the yeast mfg website for best ferment temps (68f is a good one but some will like it cooler/warmer...it depends) 3 - Over kill on the amount of yeast - they multiply in the ri ght inviroment so if you put in say 1 tbspn of distillers yeast in the proper inviroment that is all the yeast you will need (and can also reuse the feints) 4 - Smell - it should and does start to have a alcohol smell to it, thats when you know that it is fermenting (yeasties producing by product=alcohol) but if it smells bad and taste good (not sweet) run it - who knows you may have a great sour mash. Hope this helps and if anyone has an opinion on this - pls post as I'm new to this also 
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/10/2012(UTC)
Posts: 42
Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)
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"Thanks chooch,
I appreciate your pointers, as for the smell and taste I have to admit the taste was sweet but I ran it anyway. I plan to run another batch or two and then re-run all of it in a final distill.
Oh, and I didn't know that about distilled water, I might just start using tap water even though it is pretty hard around here."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/24/2013(UTC)
Posts: 74
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Originally Posted by: Short Shot Thanks chooch,
I appreciate your pointers, as for the smell and taste I have to admit the taste was sweet but I ran it anyway. I plan to run another batch or two and then re-run all of it in a final distill.
Oh, and I didn't know that about distilled water, I might just start using tap water even though it is pretty hard around here. Some hardness is good for the yeasties - that's why some people, myself included, put a small amount of gypsum in some washes to give a little hardness. If you are using city tap water that will have chlorine in it and that's bad for yesties. If you can collect rain water that is really the best but if not try to get some bottled spring water - but you have to watch that also as some have preservative's in them for shelf life. PH is yet another thing to watch between 4-5 is ideal - yeasties tolerate a higher acidic environment then they do alkaline so that's where citric acid comes in. Hope this helps
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/17/2008(UTC)
Posts: 424
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Start every one of my washes
95* & use bakers yeast. Most yeast like the higher start temp, but it cools to room temp for the rest of the ferment. Go visit a brewery & see what their ferment temps are.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/24/2013(UTC)
Posts: 74
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Originally Posted by: ratflinger Start every one of my washes
95* & use bakers yeast. Most yeast like the higher start temp, but it cools to room temp for the rest of the ferment. Go visit a brewery & see what their ferment temps are. That's cool if that's what works for you! I assume you like fast take offs and quick finishes ? Yep, brewery's do pitch at a higher temp only because they have used the same yeast for x amount of years and probably have influenced the strain to like the higher temps. I like to pitch at a lower temp and ferment also at a lower temp to keep the furfurals to a minimum...but hey...its our hobby and we can do as we like - that's the beauty - if we had to do the same batch every single time then it no longer is fun - its routine. Stay thirsty my friend 
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