Start and finish SG

[newbiboozer]

Hi just wondering if there is a general rule that applies to most washes regarding start and finish specific gravity. I've read that 0.990-1.0 is a good finish but what about start. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

[res]

Generally the higher the sg at the start the higher the abv after fermentation, I'm an old softie and like to mollycoddle my yeast with a easy amount of sugar to process. I mostly aim for around 1.075 but it's wide open for debate. 8-}

edit: that's what I use for bourbons, I imagine if your were doing a neutral you could go much higher; but it's not my field. :-B

[Yummyrum]

This is a fairly good indicator . What you are doing is measuring how much sugar has been converted to alcohol .It is the difference that is important not where it starts and finishes .

An SG of 1000 is the standard for 1 liter of water weighs 1Kg

Ethanol weighs less than water so that' why a fully fermented white sugar wash will end up around 990 or less (White sugar is basically pure sugar and nothing else)

Take for example Molasses .This has sugar which is fermentable and about the same weight of other stuff (cellulose salts etc) so your start and end SG will be way higher than if you fermented the same sugar content of white sugar .

There are different formulars for calculating High SG washes such as Molasses verses pure sugar washes

[Andy]

some start up at 1.09 others start at 1.05 its up to you. the higher you go the more alco you will make, eventually it will kill the yeast or the yeast will follow through and shart.

[newbiboozer]

Thanks guys the main reason I asked was I've never had a TPW finish any lower than 1.0 and often 1.1ish have followed the recipe to the t and maintained good temps and left them plenty long enough. Wonder if it is the town water I use. Not sure but I guess I'm not getting the most out of my sugar.

[db1979]

If it makes good booze and plenty of it after brutal cuts then who cares?

[Yummyrum]

bt1 is one of this forums Yeast masters. He should have all the answers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

So you are doing a TPW .That is a basic wash in that you have sugar ,water and yeast , and Tomato paste as a yeast nutrient .There is no extra unfermentables to confuse a SG reading so its a case of keeping the yeast happy .

Yeast need correct temp
correct pH
correct Nutrients to grow

Sounds like you have addressed temp
Ph is difficult to address as different water supplies very .Get a pH kit ad test your water . a wash pH of around 5 or slightly higher is a good start .That's why the citric acid is added

Not all Tomato pastes are equal. Mac recommended Leggo's . Use Leggo's unsalted .i have had less than favorable results with other brand TPs

[Andy]

or if you specific gravity is too high to begin with the yeast could be dying cos its too alcoholic in the wash. if the SG is 1.98 or something like that initially, the wash would be going to 18-20% and the yeast just cant survive.

[Yummyrum]

or if you specific gravity is too high to begin with the yeast could be dying cos its too alcoholic in the wash. if the SG is 1.98 or something like that initially, the wash would be going to 18-20% and the yeast just cant survive.

A turbo might :hand: :hand: :hand:

[Andy]

bakers at like 14%. ec-1118 is 18%. turbos r like 20-25%

[Yummyrum]

or if you specific gravity is too high to begin with the yeast could be dying cos its too alcoholic in the wash. if the SG is 1.98 or something like that initially, the wash would be going to 18-20% and the yeast just cant survive.

Good point but...
Can only hope that someone having issues with a simple wash like TPW would have followed the basic instructions and not tried doubling the sugar suggested and then ask...........why doesn't it work 8-}

[Andy]

haha yeah yummy. but stranger things have happened!

[bt1]

Hello all,

Let's just say you pull your water off the night before to piss off chlorines and then take comfort in the fact that as a potable water, authorities generally deliver a reasonable quality water suited to human use = yeast should be ok...unless it's a dedicated beer style yeast (Whitelabs Lagers spring to mind) requiring specific water qualities and pre start adjustment.

The main issue I found with TPW, is it starts reasonably acidic, progressively gets more acidic and yeast shut down due to pH. Using a buffered pH fixer will prolong ferment period, producing a dryer wash. Dr. Who over at Modern Distiller has a great write up on buffered pH fixers.

Don't get me wrong we want yeast to shutdown go dormant to avoid the extra shite/nasties/Sulphurs associated with true yeast death...but generally due to lack of food.

btw a really dry well fermented TPW can be a sharp one for a whisky base...but that's a personal taste thing really.

btw2 You could choose a better yeast to improve yields and lower FG...EC1118 is a tough bugga, no notable offies, SG up around 1.120, FG on the 1.000 at current Adelaide ambient no heating required.

bt1

[newbiboozer]

Thank you guys that's cleared it up well. Dr Who's buffering technique was interesting. How much is reasonable to pay for citric acid and Sodium bicarbonate and where do you usually buy it.

[Yummyrum]

You can get the n
Both in the cooing section of your supermarket.Sodium bicarbonate is commonly called baking soda or bicarb soda.Not to beconfussed with Baking powder which is a diferent thing

And they are only a few bucks each.

[Sam.]

Have you he checked your hydrometer in water to make sure it reads 1.000?

[newbiboozer]

Have you he checked your hydrometer in water to make sure it reads 1.000?

Yeah mate did test the hydro in water and calibrated the PH meter

[Sam.]

Hmmm the basic recipe should get you to 990 without a heap of rooting around. Is your wash well aerated before pitching your yeast?

[newbiboozer]

Yeah mate been hitting it with a stirring thingy on a drill. Leggos TP and lowland yeast.

[Sam.]

Yeah starting to sound like a water issue.

You can get a water report from your council, does it have a heap of chlorine in it? Maybe try what BT suggests and fill up your fermenter the day before so some of the shit evaporates out.

I take it your leaving your wash to settle for a while? Sometimes that last couple of points takes a little while.