 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/2/2007(UTC)
Posts: 27
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"Made up my first 25L wash with 17lbs of sugar and Turbo 48. Been fermenting for 6 days now at a steady 68 degrees.
My question is how long do I wait to distill this? Should I wait till all bubbling has stopped and liquid becomes clear? If so how long should this take? I'm very excited and anxious to distill with my reflux unit but I don't want to screw it up by doing it too soon.
Thanks"
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: john01  Made up my first 25L wash with 17lbs of sugar and Turbo 48. Been fermenting for 6 days now at a steady 68 degrees.
My question is how long do I wait to distill this? Should I wait till all bubbling has stopped and liquid becomes clear? If so how long should this take? I'm very excited and anxious to distill with my reflux unit but I don't want to screw it up by doing it too soon.
Thanks Hello John01, It is very easy to get discouraged with your first distillation, as it can come out horrible. Like you, I was ready for distillation as soon as bubbles stopped, and it was dry. Distilled per instructions, and it was horrible.Makes good sales for carbon though. I learned. Either wait till all solids settle and wash is very clear, or add sparkaloid or others to clarify and settle more quickly. Set outside if cold, or put into refrigeration for a day. Then let heat up to settle works also. Then, run fairly fast through your still, and set aside till you have done several runs like this. Add a tbs. of baking soda per gal. of distillate, or low wines as it is then called, until you have enough for a spirit run. Run slow, and make good cuts, and you should produce something that will inspire you. Important to water down and let age, mature for a week or more. Changes the bite and smoothness a lot. I know, almost impossible to do on the first run, but as you practice this hobby, you will see a vast difference in patience."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/2/2007(UTC)
Posts: 27
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It's been almost 2 weeks now, I still get a bubble or two from the airlock every now & then. The liquid kind of looks like a skim or watered down milk color. Am I supposed to wait until it is CLEAR in color?
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: john01 It's been almost 2 weeks now, I still get a bubble or two from the airlock every now & then. The liquid kind of looks like a skim or watered down milk color. Am I supposed to wait until it is CLEAR in color? Unlike wine, and beers, you do not have to wait for the secondary fermentation. Sounds like that is what you have. Use your vinometer or tast and see how it stands. If not sweet tasteing, or TG below 1000, its done enough. Since its a sugar wash, add something like sparkaloid (what I use) and it will be ready in 24 hours, or in winter i set it outside overnight. Some yeasts like bakers yeasts don't settle very well and need a little boost. Eventually they will if you aren't in a rush. I always am. Next time consider a lower ABV wash. You then can do 3 batches in the same amount of time, and a much cleaner and better tasting end product. 12 to 15% tops. If you are going to do a stripping run, and just want to get going, go ahead and distill, then do a spirit run. This works, and many do this, but is not the optimum for final outcome. That said, I still do that now and then."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/2/2007(UTC)
Posts: 27
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"I'm now distilling this wash in my reflux still, boy o boy this is cool.
I put my alcometer in the first 250ml I collected at 77.8 to 78 deg C and it sinks straight to the bottom, I presume this means its way over 60%?"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/10/2007(UTC)
Posts: 10
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"You know,
I usually run my sugar washes as soon as the bubbling has stopped.I run it kinda slow,but usually am done with 2, 5 gal batches in about 4-5 hours...I drink it as is and like the taste as does my wife.I cut it to about 35% and mix it with fruit juice or coke...we have been doing this for years and she really complains if for some reason we have to drink store bought rum...go by your taste..BTW I usually don't make much neutral...I just like what comes out of the still..
Brewzz"
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 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/4/2008(UTC)
Posts: 5
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"A Little MicroBio......
All forms of yeast come from a fungus (yup) called Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
S. cere has two forms of fermentation, aerobic and anaerobic (or with oxygen and without oxygen).
During aerobic fermentation (breath oxygen, exhale CO2), 70%ish of the the sugars convert to ETOH. To extract the last 30%ish of ETOH you have to kick the fungus into anaerobic fermentation. For this reason you switch from an open fermentation vessel. Hence the airlock.
Primary takes about a week and the end point is recognized by the end of bubbling.
At that point - decant to secondary vessels, air-lock and continue until clearing (sedimentation) occurs and the batch is done (can be 2 weeks). All the sugars that strain of yeast can convert have been converted.
Various yeast strains will tolerate higher levels of ETOH than others. Hence the Turbo and Distiller types. But the same rules apply, air mode = 70%, no air mode =30%.
The bottom line is this ... if you have 10% ETOH and run a still that gives 60% and you start with a 10 L run (of wash) then you will end up with .6 L.
If you use 20% tol yeast, your run will produce about 14% wash without having the wait the extra time for the secondary fermentation.
Of course there are a thousand things that can foul a fermentation, hence the use if a hydrometer. When it sez yer done, yer done."
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