mash process

[Bigcreekboy76]

I am just getting started, I have made a couple runs but I am losing some of it. I need to find out the best way to determine when my mash is ready to run with losing alcohol from it…thanks in advance..

[Bigcreekboy76]

I was using a hydrometer to find the spefic gravity but it is not working on this batch…what am I doing wrong

[BeverageCommander]

Can you explain your current process?

what is the recipe you are making?
how did you make it?
How are you using the hydrometer?

Give us some more information and we can help you

[Bigcreekboy76]

I started by putting my rye seed in first then my water then my sugar then my yeast and nutrient’ I took a gravity reading of 1.040 it is at 1.000 a day later and holding there….I usually run it when it gets to 1.000..but this time it is still bubbling a bunch and tastes very sweet…I want someway to know for sure it is ready to run

[Bigcreekboy76]

I got a sample in a test tube to check with the hydrometer

[BeverageCommander]

Are you using malted rye? or flaked rye?
How much are you using?
How much water?
How much sugar?

You should take a gravity reading before you pitch the yeast- it should not hurt anything as you took it right after you pitched it, but it is best to take a reading before you pitch it.

What yeast did you pitch? Some yeast will ferment below 1.000 – I’ve use whiskey yeast with added nutrients and it went below 1.000. It it is still bubbling let it continue to ferment- take another reading tomorrow, and one the day after that. If the gravity does not change 3 days in a row it is finished. Can you take a picture of the hydrometer in the test jar?

[Bigcreekboy76]

I use 50pds of rye grain, 45gals of water 50pds of sugar 1/2 pound of distillers yeast

[BeverageCommander]

Is the rye grain malted or unmalted?

what is your process? Do you just add all the ingredients to a 55 gallon drum and then add the water?

[Bigcreekboy76]

unmalted…yes then I stir it very well…it has worked for me before…but something goin wrong this time

[BeverageCommander]

The barley is not going to give you any sugar- just flavor.
50 pounds of sugar and 45 gallons of water will yield around 1.044 or so.
It sounds like your starting gravity is about right.

I would just wait another day or two and take another reading. It is very possible with the amount of yeas that you pitched that it is already down to 1.000.

were you expecting a higher starting gravity? I am not sure what the issue is?

[Bigcreekboy76]

well I thought it was ready to run, so I ran my first run and it only made 70 proof, it usually makes 100 proof or better

[Bigcreekboy76]

what would be the best recipe for me to use to get the best result…better then what I am using now

[BeverageCommander]

If you took a reading at the beginning and it was 1.040 and it fermented down to 1.000- you are looking at 5.16% ABV. This is a pretty low ABV which would explain the low starting proof. I like to start between 8-11% ABV to start- some like to go higher but I have found the best flavor comes though around 8-11%.

I’d just up the sugar to around 80 pounds and add enough water to top it off- it should take around 40 or so with the rye.

What kind of still and size are you running?

[Bigcreekboy76]

I just built the still myself out of a stainless steel 15 gals pot,and a 2in column 18ins tall, with a 0 ft worm coming off of it…it works good when I have my mixture right

[Bigcreekboy76]

I also made it electric so I would not have to buy propane

[BeverageCommander]

Nice! I’m all about the electric!

running one 5500 watt element?
Have any pictures?

[Bigcreekboy76]

not sure how to load them

[Bigcreekboy76]

thanks a lot for the info and help

[Bigcreekboy76]

when I made it before I let it go to far and I lost a lot of my alcohol before I started running it that is my problem…I am trying to catch it right when it is done so I don’t lose it…using the hydrometer helped me the last time…but not helping this time

[BeverageCommander]

You won’t lose alcohol by letting it sit. I usually let my mash sit for a few days after fermentation is done- this lets the yeast settle towards the bottom. I then use an auto-siphon to transfer it into my still- leaving behind all the grain and yeast.

[Bigcreekboy76]

ok thanks again

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Keep us posted on the next batch!

[Author]

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