we had a epic failure today with this recipe -
1. Tim Smiths recipe, the best that I could understand it, 80% corn, 10% barley and 10% rye. so heres what we did

35 LBS sugar
16 Gal water
2.5 lbs flaked rye
2.5 lbs flaked barley
10 lbs flaked maize
2 2/3rds packs of prestige distillers yeast with AG
stirred all up and will ferment for 13-15 days

when I got home yesterday (friday) it was still fermenting pretty hard, it had been 12 days, the SG was 1.080 and potenial alcohol was 12%, I knew it was not ready but I ran it today anyway - all I got was bad distilled water, I guess I learned my lesson, I guess you MUST let it finish fermenting and clear completely or this may happen?? any input from you experts like Heeler would be appreciated :-)

I have never had a failure so I am kinda confused

Heeler, I was thinking with 35lbs sugar and 3 packs yeast I would at least get likker, but NOT. I put the sugar in the Brute can, I put 7 gallons hot water and dissolved the sugar, then added all grains and stirred real good, added the rest of cold water, stirred and then then added yeast, let it sit then stirred real good again, I just re-made this exact recipe and will try again, it seems good- I screwed up, work gets in my way

Hey Heeler, Thanks, I will let her finish this time and clear, the water was not too hot when I added the yeast, it was very cool to the touch, so I think I am good. But I got 2 questions.

1. I normally stir it once a day - is that ok?
2. exactly what am I looking for on the SG alcohol meter? less then 1.0 like .090?? I bought the kit from here BH

also I bought 2 bottles of the yeast nutrients from here BH it should be in Monday, I plan to add some - what you think about that? good/bad -thats new to me.

Thanks -Cajun

Thank you Hokey for your input, I think I will leave her alone, I'll keep ya'll posted

Cajun, for whatever it's worth, I never stir my ferments after the yeast is stirred in. Never once in 10 years of distilling. I don't know if this is bad advice or good advice, but it does prove that you can ferment out just fine without ever stirring. I've done this with 5, 10, 20, and 30 gallon ferments. Providing the yeast pitch rate, viability, and temp are correct for your batch size, you will get good fermentation without the daily stirring and have less chance of infection. Also, anything close to 1.000 on your Fg is fine to run (+.010 is ok, -.010 is great).

Good luck!

Cajun, AFTER the airlock stops working do this....put your beer and wine hydrometer (not the alcohol meter) in the wash and see where it settles, if there is a red zone on your's and that's where it lands then you are ready to make hooch, if it dosen't have a red zone then 1.000-.999 is great. That would mean that the yeast has eaten up the sugar and burped out co2 and etoh and your ready to cook, but no worries, after 15days it should be done and ready.

"

Ahhhh, I didn't remembe that but no worries, just LEAVE IT ALONE (remember the timespan up to 15 days) and you really dont need to get gravity readings because by then it should be done. ---- Your almost there....."