Dry vs Liquid yeast?

[bourboncask]

thanks Dominator, I paroouse this site for a couple hours a day/night. Problem, is, there is so much to look at, and I get easily distracted. I will look over that link and ask any questions after. thanks

[bourboncask]

I've said it before, but Holy $hit! There is more info in this forum than any one man can possibly read and remember. That was a awesome link Dom, I've bookmarked it. My Blue Mountain is a LM type still. If I can figure out how to paste pictures in here of it, I will soon. I'm not that savy when it comes to manupilating media, so I may have to have someone show me how to do it.
I truly appreciate the help guys, espically when it comes to any topics I should be reading. Like I stated when I first joined the forum, I have a limited knowledge of how distilling works. I get the concept, which is like a level 2 of 10. I just need to keep reading and understanding how all the dots conect to each other. I have some dots that are miles apart yet. But everything I read here helps a little more. I had no idea what type of still mine was until just now. A guy could almost teach this at a University or take it as a class for credits. There is so much to learn.
So, after reading that link you posted for me, the section regarding bubblers.... is that what I'm seeing in pictures here where there are site glasses, sometimes multiple, up the colum (such as Backyardbrewer's pic)? Are these types of stills Plated Column/Bubbler stills??

[Dominator]

Yeah the still with sight glases are plated columns. The peepers are so you can monitor the fluid level on your plates.

[bourboncask]

Ok, so I've been reading all the topics in the newbie section, and I have to ask this simple question.... In the topic labled "How long can wash stay was before distilling ?", they talk about using bubblers and plastic garbage bags over your mash container.
Right know, my mash is sitting in a sterilized 20 gal rubbermaid trash can. Lid is sitting on it, but it is by no means snaped on tight. The reason for using a bubbler or the plastic bag is so keep bacteria and other icky's from getting in your wash right, not because being open to the enviroment will make my mash go bad? I left the cover off because people said it's good to airate the mash while the yeast does it's thing, that's why I give it a good stir once or twice a day. Obviously, I'm taking the risk of contaminating my wash (bacteria) being open to the enviroment. My next go around I'll use the garbage bag trick. I'm just second guessing myself know for not drilling a hole in the lid and using a bubbler on it, or a trash bag for that matter... someone put my mind at ease.

[Dominator]

You want a good amount of oxygen in your wash to start off with but after that you want to avoid adding oxygen. Personaly I would not be stiring my wash after the first day or so, unless it stalled and I was trying to get it going again. The idea of a bubbler is to let the co2 out but not let oxygen in. Fresh air carries bacteria, with a airtight seal and a bubbler the co2 will form a protective layer over your wash. How long do you plan on leaving it for untill you distill it? It will be fine for a little while but I would not be leaving it for more than a couple of weeks I wouldnt think.

[bourboncask]

It's been going for a week now, I plan on doing the stripping run sometime next week depending on when I see yeast activity stop. I was thinking middle of next week. Friday at the latest.

[Dominator]

It will be fine while it is still fermenting, I meant I would notbleave it more than a couple of weeks after it had finished fermenting (if it was not sealed with an airlock/bubbler)

[bourboncask]

Oh no, I'm going to let is settle/clear up a couple days before I run it, but it wont be more than a couple days or so after it's done being active. maybe I'll put a bag over it now so it'll be somewhat protected by the time it's done fermenting. Thanks Dominator!

[bourboncask]

Just a follow up on my corn/wheat/barly mash. I transfered it to a different bucket to settle out until Friday. Got lids on em, hopefully things will turn out Friday night once I complete the stripping run. I'll keep you posted how it turns out.

[bourboncask]

anyone ever used gelatin as a clearing agent for mash? And how long would it take to do any good? I'm running my batch in about 20 hours, it's probably to late to add to make any difference huh?

[Sam.]

anyone ever used gelatin as a clearing agent for mash? And how long would it take to do any good? I'm running my batch in about 20 hours, it's probably to late to add to make any difference huh?

Would depend on your ambient temp and what temp your wash is at? And what mash you are running? and depending on what profile you would like from the finished product?

[bourboncask]

as far as ambiant temp, my basement is 68 F right now, I'm assuming my mash is around 65-68 F as I don't have a heater in it at the moment. The yeast is done, it's sitting in a 2nd fermention vessel to help with the clearing. It's McStills Bourbon knock off (grain mash). I'd like to get lots of falvor out of it, as I'm trying to make a bourbon/whiskey.

[Sam.]

Not sure what F is?

Is that a measurement that no one uses anymore?

Sorry, couldn't help myself, I dont think temp is something you should be considering as a deriving factor right now :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[bourboncask]

You asked me what the ambiant temp was :naughty: and yes, us over across the pond still use F!

[bt1]

Hello bourbon,

time clears a wash up real well. never used or seen the need for clearing agents. Just rack it into the boiler avoiding the crap at the bottom.

Focus on a planned, slow start run and gradually build you'll be fine...plenty of small volume cuts to separate it out ....any issues just post...be on through the day.

almost there!

cheers
bt1

[BackyardBrewer]

+1on waiting it out. When the yeast is finished and there's nothing left to eat it will drop out of suspension. Save your money and don't waste it on clearing agents.

If you are organised you could rack your wash off into a cube and let it sit while you pitch another wash in your fermenter. By taking the wash of the yeastcake and putting it in a secondary container you'll drop even more gunk out after a few days to a week.

Time and nature will work better than clearing agents for mine.

[bourboncask]

Got it, thanks. I've had it off the grain and clearing up for 2 days. Probably not as long as it should be, and I would let it sit for sure for another week or so, but I have a reason I wanted today to be the day I run it. Two years ago today, I lost my best friend to suicide.
He was a on-again/off-again drinker, always did everthing to excess. Was in spin dry a couple of times, would get his life back together for a while, then back to the bottle. It probably seems wierd that I would dedicate my first run to an alcoholic, but for all his faults, he was one of the most gentle soles I've ever met. He had a pure heart. And that's how I define Kevin. Not as an alcoholic...
Anyway, sorry if I've gotten off topic and sappy, but tonight (12 hours from now) is going to be a special night. I've waited months to make my first run with this still, and it's finaly here. Thanks again to all who have offered up there knowledge and helped put my mind at ease. There's a lot that goes into getting to this part, I've just been worried that I'd somehow mess up my mash and miss tonight's run.

Drinks up, here's to you buddy

Tony

[bourboncask]

So, I'm doing my cleaning run of vinager/water, should I be running my condenser? I am, but not sure if I should be?

[bt1]

Hello bourbon,

condenser needs same steam clean treatment as still, connect it up but run no coolant...it will belt steam out which is exactly what you want.

cheers
bt1

[bourboncask]

Well, ran the new still last night. Mixed results. To make a long story short, my mash measured at 5% before I started. Which I believe to be a lot of my problem. For a 9 gal batch, I ran it about 5 hours and played with the condenser/heat to see what worked best. This was my Stripping run, so it took way longer than it should have. I only collected about a half gallon before I had to shut the operation down and go to bed.... I'm going to start it up again in a little bit and see if I can squeeze more out of it. The good news is that what I did get, had wonderful flavor. A lot of malt flavor came threw. I used my goose neck for flavor instead of my reflux head.