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I don't know anything about a hydrometer but I thought it would be a good tool to have around. So I bought one about a year ago and it just sat, never got used. Today I found it hiding behind some other useless stuff and decided to give it a try. I put it into my mash and it reads between 1.010 and 1.020... anyone know if that is good? bad? Will the world be beating on my door to find out what my secret mash is made of? Or should I just toss it all out and go buy some Jim Beam?
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Was your mash clear when you tested??-- room temperature????--- fermenting??? Inquiring minds MUST KNOW to give you an accurate answer.
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Originally Posted by: scotty  Was your mash clear when you tested??-- room temperature????--- fermenting??? Inquiring minds MUST KNOW to give you an accurate answer. Ferment is over, mash is a creamy color, temp is 65 degrees.
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Originally Posted by: squerly Ferment is over, mash is a creamy color, temp is 65 degrees. sounds right on. BTW is it a tripple scale hydrometer??
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Had to look at it, but yes it is.
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Originally Posted by: squerly Had to look at it, but yes it is. thats as good as it gets--next you should consider a proof and trailes hydromerer to measure the proof of your finished distilled hooch. JUST A NOTE ON THE TRIPPLE SCALE HYDROMETER-- if you look at it closely, it tells you not the specific gravity reading but also the potential alcohol that the reading corresponds to. --great tool-- wouldnt be without one.
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Hi Squerly,
Are you doing an all-grain (a la beer brewing techniques) or a sugar wash. If it's a sugar wash, you might want to give it a few more days as the gravity is a bit higher than I would expect. If you did an all grain, it could be finished -- you'd have to check your recipe sheets to see what the expected final gravity is supposed to be.
--JB
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Originally Posted by: John Barleycorn Hi Squerly,
Are you doing an all-grain (a la beer brewing techniques) or a sugar wash. If it's a sugar wash, you might want to give it a few more days as the gravity is a bit higher than I would expect. If you did an all grain, it could be finished -- you'd have to check your recipe sheets to see what the expected final gravity is supposed to be.
--JB I don't really have any recipes per-say. I have a 5 gallon insulated water jug and my recipe is to put in 10 lbs of sugar, fill with warm water, stir until sugar dilutes and then toss in my yeastie friends... I wait until yeast are finished with their work and then distill. Today's batch (after distillation) seems to be pretty much normal (as far as alcohol content is concerned) but it has a "less than appealing" smell to it. First time I've had that happen and I'm not sure what caused it unless I used too much Turbo Yeast?
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" Originally Posted by: squerly Ferment is over, mash is a creamy color, temp is 65 degrees. What was your wash? AG or sugar?"
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" Originally Posted by: heeler What was your wash? AG or sugar? I have a 5 gallon insulated water jug and my recipe is to put in 10 lbs of sugar, fill with warm water, stir until sugar dilutes and then toss in my yeastie friends... Don't know what AG is. [ATTACH=CONFIG]618[/ATTACH]"
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"AG = All Grain
That recipe sounds lacking of a few items like nutrients and enzymes or did yo use a turbo yeast? No matter if it works for you then cool."
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Originally Posted by: heeler AG = All Grain
That recipe sounds lacking of a few items like nutrients and enzymes or did yo use a turbo yeast? No matter if it works for you then cool. Yes, I used Turbo yeast, but I only used Turbo yeast because it consistently works. Not because of any other reason whatsoever. I agree my recipe sucks, which is 100% why I am here, groveling around and hoping you all will take mercy on me.
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"HaHaHa...no worries mate all these folks like to help. Was your wash cooled before you added yeast? That might have had a negitive effect on your yeast.
There are some easy recipes in the recipe section just go look for em. Neutrals or added grains and some are really easy. Just what a beginner needs to build confidence. Pick one and then ask some ???? and those that have made it will chime in and give ---their---opinion of it."
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What are you useing for a still??
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You really do need to get a proof hydrometer and a gravity hydrometer and learn to use both. Its just part of the stillin process. Get several fermenters (5 gallon buckets work great)
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Find that little box at the top of this page and type in Good Clean Whiskey. That will take you to a thread that is a easy nuetral likker thats a good starter -- givera looksee.
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" Originally Posted by: heeler What are you useing for a still?? A modified pressure cooker. :) Originally Posted by: heeler You really do need to get a proof hydrometer and a gravity hydrometer and learn to use both. Its just part of the stillin process. Get several fermenters (5 gallon buckets work great) I used 5-gal buckets for the first few brews but I felt the insulated water bucket would be beneficial given it would maintain a positive temp without a lot of additional effort. Easy enough to get some buckets and a couple of heating pads though..."
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Squerly,
You might want take a look at Birdwatcher's sugar wash. Basically, for the amount of sugar and water that you mention you would mix in a 6 oz. can of tomato paste (nutrients), juice from half of a lemon (pH) and a pinch of epsom salt (for Mg). There are several variations of the recipe, but they all address the needs of your yeast. I believe heeler posted his version not too long ago ... and you'll always do well following his advice and suggestions.
I've never used a turbo. I like plain old baker's yeast and I started playing around with EC-1118 not too long ago. In any case, with your recipe and good nutrition for the yeast, I would expect your final gravity to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.994 ... but definitely not as high as 1.010 - 1.020. Since you're using a turbo it's probably stuck. Maybe the turbo is a bit old?
--JB
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" Originally Posted by: heeler Find that little box at the top of this page and type in Good Clean Whiskey. That will take you to a thread that is a easy nuetral likker thats a good starter -- givera looksee.[/QUOTE
Try this too.. go back to the box up top and type....Gerber Neutral with pics..that thread will walk you through the recipe and the ingrediants."
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