Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Big J wrote:What do you mean when you say "pitch yeast"?

add yeast to fermenter.

Pitching yeast is the term given to the act of adding yeast to the fermenter. There's a great glossary here that will help you as you read through the forum.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

Well first ferment for the new summer fermenting season of course is a TPW. As usual 10 kg's of sugar inverted into a 60 litre fermenter and one small tub of tomato paste. The SG. measured 1060 which is what I am for and used Lowans baking yeast. It started bubbling about 4 hours after seal up now that was a week and a half ago. Today measured the SG and 1030 so getting there and last night at work got some 4 and 7 ph buffer also some Potassium Chloride which is a good salty liquid ph meters like to sit in when not used and freshly calibrated.

The wash measured 3.7ph which is a tad low so put some baking soda in and got it back to 4.5ph. It's sealed up bubbling away so the ph raise should keep those yeasties happy :laughing-rolling:

G'day guy's,
Well checked the wash yesterday and it's down to 1000 so sealed it back up and tonight she's still bubbling away nicely. So this wash should finish in the low 90's I reckon giving me around a 10% wash :happy-partydance:


With the warmer weather thinking now of getting both 60 litre fermenters going with TPW and setting up a 4" pot still to strip the wash then do a 40% spirit with about 40 litres. That should bring a decent yield and I won't have to do TPW for a while :)) :)) :))

Hah I'm with you on that.

I use 1 x 180L drum every 12 months or so (depending on how much Ii gift), storing it thats the issue for me... starting to use empty kegs I have as storage devices... SWMBO made some round cushions for them... so they are now seats in our yard.

We tell people its full of water so they don't tip over easily :laughing-rolling:

EziTasting wrote:We tell people its full of water so they don't tip over easily :laughing-rolling:

Clever idea... you would want to keep an eye on them though. Wouldnt want anyone tipping out contents to shift their chair. :laughing-rolling:

dans.brew wrote:Clever idea... you would want to keep an eye on them though. Wouldnt want anyone tipping out contents to shift their chair. :laughing-rolling:

Haha, no I am used to lifting heavy things. Apparently, it’s one of the things I’m particularity good at... :D

Thinking of doing a 200L TPW, Have done a couple of 50L in a fridge with temp control at 28 deg. Turned out great.
How do you fellas keep the Olive Drums or Blue Drums at a constant temperature.
What temperature do you aim for. ? :text-thankyoublue:

I do 220L. In summer it's hot enough here to keep itself warm. But in winter I stick a Aquarian heater inside to keep it warm. I aim for 30C using ec 1118 yeast.

I used to use a couple of heat belts connected to a temperature controller. I've just got myself a couple of Eheim thermocontrol aquarium heaters - they come in different sizes to heat different volumes. Haven't tried one yet but I reckon they'll be better than the heat belts. I just need to find a way to secure them inside the fermenter as I don;t think the suction cups that came with them will work.

The eheim heaters I have sink, so I just hang them over the edge and let them float around. Some of the cheaper heaters float so you need to be more careful with them

I have a 200 litre olive drum here and being summer the average temp in my shed is close to 40C everyday. So yes it may be time to think about doing my first 200 litre ferment.

So how much sugar to invert for a 200 litre run ?

I am thinking about that 250 litre copper water heater as an inspiration on moving up but what to do with it is still a question :ugeek:

Bryan1 wrote:I have a 200 litre olive drum here and being summer the average temp in my shed is close to 40C everyday. So yes it may be time to think about doing my first 200 litre ferment.

So how much sugar to invert for a 200 litre run ?

I am thinking about that 250 litre copper water heater as an inspiration on moving up but what to do with it is still a question :ugeek:

I do 50kg of sugar for my 220L washes.

Bryan1 wrote:I have a 200 litre olive drum here and being summer the average temp in my shed is close to 40C everyday. So yes it may be time to think about doing my first 200 litre ferment.

So how much sugar to invert for a 200 litre run ?

I am thinking about that 250 litre copper water heater as an inspiration on moving up but what to do with it is still a question :ugeek:

Is 40 deg too hot for the fermentation.
I know it won't be 40 deg in the fermentor.
I normally do the TPW in a fridge at 28 deg. Bit worried it might give off flavours ?

I will be trying this as my second ever wash made.... my first wash being a sugar wash using turbo products.
i am new to all this.... what temp should the wash/ fermenter be kept at and roughly how long till fermentation is complete? thankyou

the higher the temp the quicker itll ferment out, mine sit in the shed in Central QLD and temps can hit 40 in there. only time i have a problem is in winter when it gets too cold.
in summer they take 7 - 10 days in winter double that.

Doubleuj wrote:the higher the temp the quicker itll ferment out, mine sit in the shed in Central QLD and temps can hit 40 in there. only time i have a problem is in winter when it gets too cold.
in summer they take 7 - 10 days in winter double that.

Thanks for info. I’m up in Darwin... will keep fan on for ventilation but not wanting to turn aircon on for it. I don’t even treat myself that well.

Have got my tpw fermenting atm but just wanting to know if I have done a no no by using a tomato paste that has sodium in it??
Also do I need to “degass “ it before stilling?

ZEROINSTINCT wrote:Have got my tpw fermenting atm but just wanting to know if I have done a no no by using a tomato paste that has sodium in it??
Also do I need to “degass “ it before stilling?

Not sure what you mean by tomato paste with sodium in it.... sodium is a naturally occuring element in most things, although tomatoes are quite low on sodium... If they have added salt, the sodium content will go up. But I dont think it will be a big deal.

No need to degass before stilling... You will find that that the wash will clear itself when it is ready.

Boomgate wrote:

ZEROINSTINCT wrote:Have got my tpw fermenting atm but just wanting to know if I have done a no no by using a tomato paste that has sodium in it??
Also do I need to “degass “ it before stilling?

Not sure what you mean by tomato paste with sodium in it.... sodium is a naturally occuring element in most things, although tomatoes are quite low on sodium... If they have added salt, the sodium content will go up. But I dont think it will be a big deal.

No need to degass before stilling... You will find that that the wash will clear itself when it is ready.

Hey boom gate, thanks for the response. Sorry I meant I used a tomato paste that didn’t say no added salt. So I’m thinking it must be a paste with added salt.
The wash has been fermenting for 8 days now and seems to have stopped bubbling.hydro showing 990.