[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Looks like a healthy fermentation! The white foamy head is called a krausen – I’d just hook up a blow off tube and let it ferment. I also recommend fermenting in a dark place or putting a dark tshirt or plastic bag over the glass carboy

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

It will settle down after a while- but you need to keep that airlock clean and open the easiest way to do that when it is blowing off is to add a blow off tube.

You can easily add a blow-off-tube now- just take off the cap to the airlock and attach an 1/2 inch inside diameter hose to it. Put the other end of the hose into a jar of water. You can find the hose at any local homebrew shop or online.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/1-2-id-siphon-hose.html

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

I would make another yeast starter with bread yeast and pitch it in.

http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/11824025-bourbon-whiskey-vodka-and-moonshine-how-much-yeast

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Usually I ferment down to 1.000 or below– but if it is at 1.010 or below you can be done. If you take a reading 2-3 days in a row and it has not changed you are definitely done.

What does your say?

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

For sure- that should kill most if not all wild bacteria/yeast.

Make sure to clean and sanitize everything as well- that is very important.

always pitch a good amount of healthy yeast

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

You need to take a hydrometer reading. It is the only way to tell if the mash is done fermenting.

Do you have one? If not they are only a few bucks.

You want to get a brewing hydrometer.

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Right on- keep us posted on your progress. Once I have some time this sounds like it would be fun to play with.

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

What did you run your tails down to?

Are you going to age it on oak?

What do you think of the flavor?

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

You can do this one of two ways:
The easiest way is to make a sugar wash and use the hearts from that- then add raspberries to a few jars and add the hearts to to those jars. I usually leave my fruit for a few weeks/months just depending on the fruit. I would taste after a week- and continue to taste weekly until you are happy with the flavor- then strain and drink.

The other options would be to actually mash with the fruit- if you go that way- I’d just follow what they do in their fruit tutorial- but sub raspberries for the strawberries- https://americanhomedistillers.com/how-to-make-strawberry-moonshine/
z
you can see here–> http://www.fruitsmart.com/PDFs/TechnicalForms/SSBrixChart.pdf that they have a similar sugar content. The raisins are just added for some added nutrient for the yeast.

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Copper will remove sulfides from the final product- that is the main benefit from a copper still.

The more copper that comes in contact with the wash during the distillation- the more sulfides will be removed. If you are running a stainless still I always recommend packing the column with as much copper as possible. Copper scrubbers work really, really well at helping if you are running stainless. The other option would be to run a stainless pot and a copper column- packing the column as well

Kyle over at clawhammer wrote an article on packing his columns-
http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/7486102-distillation-column-packing-for-higher-proof

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

waterski,

I don’t think it will hurt anything to bring liquid up to a boil after sparging- (if you boil for a while it is possible it could change the flavor a bit)

If you are using flaked maize as they are you don’t need to boil the corn- it has already been processed and is ready to be mashed.

I personally don’t bring my distilling mashes up to a boil as I always clean and sterilize all of my brewing/fermenting equipment extremely well. I also always pitch a good amount of healthy yeast.

It also shaves quite a bit of time of the brew day if you don’t boil- you don’t have to wait for a boil and then cool it back down to pitching temps. I also came from the brewing world and at first it was strange not to boil- but now I don’t even think about it. I have been having really good results without boiling- you have to remember that is going to be distilled and not bottled/kegged.

Hope that helps

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

After each run remove the packing material. I use 8 copper scrubbers in my Clawhammer Still- After I am done running for the day I tap the scrubbers out of my column. I toss them into a bowl of white vinegar for 10-20 minutes and then rinse them really well with clean water. I then reuse them until they fall apart- I get quite a few runs out of them before I need to replace them.

[Richard Coleman, Jr]

Soonershine-

If you are using 50 pounds of sugar and 25 gallons of water your starting gravity should be around 1.092 which should yield around 11-12% ABV
If you use 50 pounds of sugar and 21 gallons of water- (which will give you 25 gallons total mash) the starting gravity should be around 1.109 giving you a starting ABV around 14%

I like to use 1/2 teaspoon per 5 gallons of mash. So with 25 gallons of mash I would add 2 1/2 teaspoons of bread yeast. If you are using bread yeast packets use 10 packets. I like to ferment my sugar wash with bread yeast in the mid 70’s- it seems to work really well there. I usually don’t push bread yeast past 10% abv-

Your wash is a bit higher than 10%- you might want to add an extra 1/2 teaspoon or another 2 packets of yeast. I would create a yeast starer first and take specific gravity readings if you have a hydrometer.

Create a simple yeast starter for 25 gallons of mash
Add 3 cups of 110 degree water to a sanitized jar.
Add 10 teaspoons of sugar to the water and mix thoroughly.
Add 12 packets of yeast or 3 teaspoons
Swirl the glass to mix in the yeast with the sugar water.
Let the glass sit for 20 minutes and it will double in size.
Aerate your wash while you are waiting for the yeast to double in size
Once your starter has doubled in size add it to your mash.

[Author]

Posts