How to Use a Specific Gravity Hydrometer for Moonshine. How do you increase the alcohol content of mash? For the instant gratification seekers in the crowd, heres the short answer: For the researchers, science nerds, alchemists, and truth seekers, heres why:. First, cook the standard corn whiskey mash described above. This is an important tool to start taking your moonshine-making skills to the next level. Youd think if people start a web site that people like me visit , would create or at least answer the people that visit your site so if they did want to make there own fuel for there mower could find the answers they need to now lawn mowers sometimes run better when the fuel smells n tastes better also better gas mileage . I've got a bourbon mash (12lb cracked corn, 4lb 2-row, 1lb rye, final vol 6gal) that started at 1.080 and it looks like it's going to finish fermenting around 1.014 (8.7% abv). This is the most cost effective method as it requires you to add nothing to your mash or shine. Some examples of acetic acid fermentation are apple cider vinegar, wine vinegar and kombucha. This spirit is a palatable moonshine when collected directly out of the still; Collect your run down to your stopping point; Together, the heads and tails are reused as feints; I do not normally go as low as 20%, youll have to find your comfort zone; If you start to get blue or green flecks in your spirit, youve gone too far or run things too hot; The chart below shows how many pounds of sugar are required to reach a particular potential alcohol percentage for a 1, 5, and 10 gallons of finished fermented beer, wine, etc; A couple of notes, this chart assumes that the fermentation will end at 1; Lets pretend that we make 5 gallon batch of what is supposed to be a Double IPA; The ABV for such a style is somewhere north of 7; Assuming you add enough grains to craft a 6; 3% ABV beer, according to the chart, youll need to add at least 1lb of sugar to hit a potential alcohol of 7; A 1 gallon run will yield 3-6 cups of alcohol, A 5 gallon run will yield 1-2 gallons of alcohol, A 8 gallon run will yield 1. But it is also useful useful if you make an all grain mash or a fruit mash and you want to increase potential ABV to a specific amount. many thanks. It can also be used to determine whether or not fermentation is complete. Roll it gently between your hands to remove any air bubbles. Aerate by dumping back and forth between two buckets a few times. 40 commonly asked questions by new moonshiners The ideal PH reading for meads, ciders and wines are 3.4. Heat 5 gallons of mash water up to 165F. While certainly not a step that beginners need to worry themselves with, adjusting the PH of your mash is a helpful additional step to improve the health of your yeast as well as enhance what you can expect to extract from grain. There area few red flags when it comes to sanitation. .. WFW. Advanced distillers should consider adding 2tsp of gypsum (CaSO4) to the mash water and adjusting the pH of mash water to somewhere between 5.8 and 6.0 before adding any ingredients. Do not simply pour it in. Read where the surface of the liquid hits the hydrometer. If the distilling environment isn't this warm, wrap the fermenter in a blanket and use a heating pad if necessary. By spinning the hydrometer, you are ensuring it does not stick to the side of the jar and releases any air bubbles that could interfere with reading the scale. Once temperature is reached, add 6 pounds of cane sugar. This is a tool that is used to determine the potential ABV of your mash. If your reading is 1.000 your mash is ready to distill. If you have trapped carbon dioxide in the liquid it can act as a barrier that stops this process from happening. by whistlewetter Fri Jan 23, 2015 2:24 pm, Post As a rule, for a healthy ferment you want oxygen introduced at the onset of fermentation and not afterwards. 2023 HowtoMoonshine And throw in the highly variable amount of dead cells in your jar/packet/vial of yeast, that is dependent on time since packaging, storage conditions, etc and you really can't say for sure how many cells is in a spoonful. whats the temp, youre only half done, if you trust the reading, it wasnt chunky in a hydrometer was it? You think its good, but late in the ferment will cause your beer to oxidize. Thank you for sharing this! White sugar or raw sugar? As alcohol is thinner than water, the higher the alcohol content, the deeper the float sinks. Why do I collect any thing after the hearts? Its a win-win. I cannot wait to try this out and try some moonshine. You can avoid this stinky fate by removing as much sulfur as you can from your wash. I also always ferment in my basement so if I left an open ferment inside my wife would kill me. The specific gravity hydrometer also called the triple scale distilling hydrometer provides 3 choices of readings in one hydrometer. What should hydrometer read after fermentation? Would you like other ways to use moonshine? 020 or higher, you may want to wait a day or two and then take another reading. Heres how a sugar shine wash is made: Kyle Brown is the owner of Clawhammer Supply, a small scale distillation and brewing equipment company which he founded in 2009. On average, a decent ABV (alcohol by volume) during the fermentation process should be around 10% to 15%. Dump this mixture into a fermenter and add 3 more gallons of water. Remember, while brewing is legal in almost all US states, distilling alcohol is illegal without a federal fuel alcohol or distilled spirit plant permit as well as relevant state permits. However, open air fermentation is another option that many home brewers and even breweries choose. Making Beer | Brewing Supplies | Copper "Moonshine" Stills | Stainless Steel Stills. The term was coined due to the fact that early bootleggers often made their whiskey in the middle of the night, under the light of a full moon out of sight of neighbors and the law. I wouldnt totally agree with this statement. So far my best stuff has come from 6% to 8% ABV ferments. It is always better to keep the production of fusel alcohols to a minimum. This recipe will be a "corn whiskey" or "white lightning" if aged for at least 2 years in white oak barrels that can be new or charred which is not necessary for the aging process. Your first post MUST go here. When you first start making moonshine, you are often preoccupied with getting the basic skills down. Our distillation equipment is designed for legal uses only and the information in this article is for educational purposes only. There is also lactic acid fermentation and acetic acid fermentation. Leave it sit for a few hours or use an immersion chiller to cool the mash to 70 degrees. However, instead of dumping the contents of the still (backset) down the drain it will be added to the next batch of mash. The wash will keep for up to a month so long as the fermenter is airtight. Products such as whisky, Bourbon, gin, vodka, and more are all defined in chapter 4 of the Beverage Alcohol Manual. Add yeastonce final liquid temp is 70 degrees. Refer to our PH section above for how to calculate and adjust the PH of your mash. How Much Percent Of Alcohol Is In A White Claw? A couple of notes, this chart assumes that the fermentation will end at 1.000 specific gravity. I've pasted a quick reference guide for some of the yeasts often used for making moonshine that we sell below: High Spirits Turbo 48 Turbo Yeast: 86-100F High Spirits Turbo 24 Turbo Yeast: 86-100F Prestige 8kg Turbo Yeast: 75-80F More sugar = higher ABV, faster ferments, sweeter smoother taste. If your reading is 1.000 or less it is definitely done. 00 It depends on the additional things in the liquid, suspended solids, unfermentable sugars, etc. How to Use a Hydrometer - Clawhammer Supply How to Make Strawberry Moonshine - American Home Distillers Banana Moonshine - Home Distiller Ive tried to recreate it,but no luck. Oxygen: Yeast needs oxygen to jumpstart fermentation and this is why it is important to aerate your mash before fermentation. Making moonshine requires many different elements. Heat 2 gallons of water (to no more than 120 degrees) and add sugar a few pounds at a time. Using a hydrometer before adding your yeast to get your Original Gravity Reading (OG) and your final gravity reading (FG) after fermentation can help to determine your ABV (alcohol by volume). Place your mash pot on your heat source and turn it on. His passion is teaching people about the many uses of distillation equipment as well as how to make beer at home. Starting out, youll only be able to make a cheaper and weaker type of Moonshine, which can only sale for under $100 a shipment, depending on which flavor you choose to craft. However, feel free to leave a comment or respond to comments made by others! Refractometer How to Use for Specific Gravity in Mash - YouTube Type of Yeast: The type of yeast used will also determine how long fermentation will take. Remove a small amount of liquid from your mash (no solids) and place on the plate. Bentonite will usually clear your mash in about 24-48 hours. If you add less they'll multiply and get up to numbers, if you add a bunch they just go right to work. by rad14701 Sat Sep 08, 2012 5:35 am, Post However, after the final rest period, add 5 gallons of cold water and 6-8 pounds of sugar. Youll need a fair amount of equipment to process the fruit and make the apple moonshine mash. final gravity - Home Distiller If you want to increase the strength of your Moonshine, youre going to need to purchase various ugprades from the Moonshiner Store. The specific gravity you've been reading about probably pertains to all grain mashes. Though other ingredients are sometimes added to provide a distinctive flavor or to increase the proof. Our FREE e-book details how to make your first mash, ferment successfully and even includes three easy to make moonshine recipes! No matter how you choose to aerate, the most important thing is that you do it. Also, it is never advisable to put any non sanitized object into your mash, especially your hands!