New DIY reflux still- questions before 1st run

[kierent]

Yeah it was 0.920, got down pretty low.

No I didn’t adjust coolant flow. Might try that next time. Mind you, I did monitor that and the water was coming out cold all times throughout the run when I checked it. The condenser I bought is actually advertised as a FM (flow management) still, so supposedly the coolant flow isn’t supposed to affect the rate of drips coming out. It’s just whether you put in the 0.6mm flow restrictor or the 1.0mm one. According to the how-to video, you just get decent water flow happening and the ethanol condensed on the lower coils usually before even getting to the top ones. The water was always coming out cold so I assume it was working. But next run I’ll try more power from the start and see what sort of equilibrium is achieved.

It’s about 6-7min through this video where he explains how the cooling and coils work : https://youtu.be/pxY8cOYy4Fo

Mate, thanks heaps for getting involved in this, I appreciate your help! Always keen to learn and get my process better

[scythe]

22% is doubtful.
Especially at only 5kg-ish sugar.
You could expect that from a turbo yeast in perfect controlled conditions, not bakers.

Have you checked you hydrometer in water?
Should read 1.000

But hey if it is actually 22% with no off flavours then clue me in to your exact procedure.

[kierent]

Hi Scythe
Yeah, that was actually a concern I had- that it would be too high and produce off flavours. I actually didn't want it that high as I understand the idea with a TPW is lower yield for cleaner product. My hydrometer is all good, I check it in water periodically so I know it's accurate.

My fermenter is temperature controlled, so it's possible that a wash with say 5.5kg sugar (I mentioned I guessed the last kg so may have gone over) that sat at 30deg for 2 weeks could have achieved that attenuation I suppose? My process:

- dissolve tomato paste in hot water
- dissolve sugar in hot water
- add 1/4 tsp citric acid
- top up to 25L @ 30deg C. OG 1.088
- left it to ferment at 30deg for 2 weeks reaching FG of 0.920
- crashed at 3deg C for a week

After this the wash was very clear when transferring to the boiler. The product tastes and smells very clean. Probably my best yet.

Now, having said all that, my actual yield was 2.77L. My brother has my alcometer so I haven't tested the purity once it's blended but I'd guess from readings taken throughout the run it'd be high 80s. So I obviously didn't get close to the full calculated 5L of possible alcohol. But I'm not sure if that's ever possible anyway given that a wash isn't all water and ethanol, there are many forms of alcohol in there.