Alcohol by volume and the mash

[@charleybrown1912]

HI George sorry i put the cart in front of the horse i really like your patients and how you put in so much effort into what you do for us i guess when you click your fingers and say wake up i know now what you mean thanks

[@thefattymcgee5801]

I swear to God I scour the internet when George or Jesse or clips of Moonshiners will always have the answers and ideas i need.

[@TheElDavo]

I love me some education! Great presentation, going to watch them all.

[@chrigamble969]

George what does it mean when my hydrometer sinks like a rock down to the bottom

[@ianthorp5761]

Thank you for the extremely enjoyable and instructive video!

[@ryanc5865]

Thank you for these helpful videos! Your awesome man!!!

[@philiptruitt]

Thank you George!!

[@curtisrobbins3460]

George.. I'm starting my first rum wash from molasses and your video talks about keeping it around 69 deg. The rum turbo yeast from Yall and it says 75 to 95 deg so where is the best temp to use ? Thanks George

[@rickhaigwood1079]

I have been trying to source sugars through restaurant supply companies and they do not carry corn sugar...but they do carry corn syrup as well as backstrap molasses for rum wash...Will corn syrup work in the place of sugar and is there a substitute calculation?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Yes. It is equal. Look up Dextrose on line. That is pure corn sugar.

[@rickhaigwood1079]

@@BarleyandHopsBrewing Thanks George...I'm starting to get into the hobby.... My principal business is running a plant that utilizes a vacuum distillation process for ethylene glycol recycling... I can drink that... LMAO

[@charleybrown1912]

hi George please tell me why if i used dadys yeast if its the best why do we need to use yeast nutrient

[@blakehensley7646]

I have had pretty good results with bread yeast as well.

[@danielmcdaniel355]

George just letting you know in this video (alcohol by volume and the mash) you said 1lb of sugar to 1 gal of water is 32 gravity points but in another video I watched this morning something about the hydrometer you said it was 39 gravity unless I'm missing something. Loving the videos brother keep them coming. Daniel

[@chrislnflorida5192]

Well if u multiply .032 x 5=16, not 32? Now if u multiply .032 x 10=32, Thats 10lbs sugar to 5 gal water???

[@conhos238]

i still didn't get ratio of yeast to sugar ?? lb sugar to gal water so how much yeast ?? please

[@MrWillyfred]

Hey George! I’ve always fermented my grain mash for distilling in a barrel with a lid on it, mainly because I’ve always been told that every few days I need to agitate it to oxygenate it. My next batch of mash I’m going to put in a carboy with a bubble lock on it. Is it really necessary to oxygenate the mash? If so, how when it’s in a carboy? Thanks!

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Oxygen is your friend prior to pitching yeast and fermenting; it becomes an enemy after that. I normally pour between two buckets 2 or 3 times (a high pour) to oxygenate. Then you could transfer to a carboy. You could also use an oxygen pump but that is a little pricey. An aquarium pump works well with a aeration stone on the end of the tube and that is inexpensive (a few dollars for a small pump). This process takes about 10-15 minutes to adequately oxygenate. I really would not try to oxygenate every few days. After the yeast go through their anaerobic phase oxygen is no longer needed. Hop this helps George

[@MrWillyfred]

Thanks!

[@scott86296]

Thank you for the heads up on the septic tank, I will be more carful

[@buickapollo455]

Fructose? Fruits of use in mash, how does it effect ABV READINGS, ??

[@sethadkins7706]

How much sugar do I need for a run in a t500 batch??

[@nenerx3]

So if i understand this right if i have an 8 gal pot i will need 40lbs of brown sugar to get around a 20% ABV (.032*5=.16) so 8*5=40lbs) Is this right. Please let me know i just made my first batch and i though i added too much sugar but now im not sure...

[@chrislnflorida5192]

I'm 100% with U, the formula doesn't work out for me, unless im missing something. I came up with the same # as you .032 x 5 = 16- 1lb sugar to 5 gal. Now .032 x 10 = 32- 2lbs sugar to 5 gal????????

[@dancampbell9005]

George i would have to say my bread yeast goes up to 16% fermentation and the other yeasts are rubbish to my experience i havent tried the distllers yeast yet

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Very well. Keep using it, if you get that kind of results there is no reason to switchto anything else for just a few more % points. George

[@rick43pen]

George: Is most of the alcohol trapped in the top of the mash? ( I make sugar shine )I never seem to get much out of the bottom part. ( i brew 5 gallons but only have a 2 gallon distiller.) thank you

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

No not necessarily. The blend of alcohol and water is an azeotropic blend (way too complicated). This is a mixture that changes the boiling point of the the entire volume based on the % of ethanol to water. It changes as this volume changes and does so over time. That's why adjusting the temp is necessary through the run. If you left it at 173 (or so) the vapors would rise until the azeotropic blend reaches a balance and then the vapors would stop. They will remain stagnant until the temp is increased past the vaporization point of the new blend. So, you are not getting more ethanol in the top of your mash as opposed to the bottom. The mash does not separate like oil and water does. Hope this helps.

[@rick43pen]

thank you. very helpful.

[@AndrewSmith_1984]

So I’m assuming if you have 5 gallons of water 10 lbs of sugar and you add 7 lbs of corn and a malted grain it’s going to raise your abv even more right??

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Exactly.

[@angrypastabrewing]

Is there a way to cultivate yeast? If so, how can I do it?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Yeast cultivation should be left to the professionals in the lab.

[@angrypastabrewing]

@@BarleyandHopsBrewingand may I ask why since this is a channel devoted to brewing spirits, wine, and beer? is it dangerous?

[@davidhowick3665]

Yes, most organically grown fruits have yeast in the skins, you can easily culture these,by fermenting slowly,sometimes with sugar to speed up, once fermenting you can add to your brew, this will give a range of yeasts and increase the range of %anv available, …just like our pioneers did

[@closertothetruth9209]

interesting, im thinking not all bread yeasts are the same, here in Australia i experimented with Lowans instant dried yeast and it made atleast 12 to 15% alcohol, however i didnt use a recipe i was slap happy as ive never done any brewing, man yeast was foaming out everywhere obviously i may have used too much but it did settle down after a few vigorous shakes and days later we taste tested it , it was like a strong wine no kidding.

[@ObsequiousV4]

With the bank analogy, you could say the yeast is money and the sugar is credit. One bank will give you more potential money than another (AKA different amounts of sugar) and different amounts of money will effect the potential credit the bank will give you.

[@Workmills23]

Seen ya with Bearded🎉

[@MrWillyfred]

Hey George. Quick question. I understand converting the starches into sugars helps get you a few extra points, but for the amount of work it takes to do this, why do it instead of just adding more sugar? Is there any other benefits? Thanks!

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Just a demonstration and a part of this science project. You could always just add sugar.

[@themacpac4426]

So what's the best yeast for moonshine????

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Regular distillers yeast works best for me.

[@themacpac4426]

@@BarleyandHopsBrewing thank u I watch u all the time i love your knowledge

[@johnsteger8326]

Great information and video. Thank you. Ya see, .... I"m the "Mad scientist "of the sausage making world. I try all kinds of "alternative" sweeteners, starches and controlled environment to achieve consistent quality outcomes for my products. Seems only natural and logical that pursuing THIS fine art become my next passion. I see Dextrose mentioned as an option available. I use a lot of it, as well as pure potato starch in the process of making (dry curing) salamis, pepperoni, sausages etc. etc. My question is has anyone played with the somewhat new to the scene .... a "super sugar" called Trehalose and how it might effect outcomes? . And what your thoughts on a wash consisting of : 2 gal water, 6 lbs. assorted sugars including brown, white, Trehalose and dextrose, some molasses, spices, (how about add 1 Tbl. pure potato starch) and 6 grm. dady yeast? i appreciate any and all guidance, questions or comments.Thanks again!!

[@Jeffrich308]

I love your videos!! These type really get the wheels turning. Here's a question..... How much sugar can a gallon of water take? If 1lb sugar/Gal returns an approx ABV of .032, will 5lb sugar/Gal return .160? Will it dissolve in the water?? If it doesn't and settles to the bottom, will the yeast use it after converting the sugar that is dissolved in the water? I never studied chemistry, but this make me wish I had... Thanks!

[@SharkRangler]

Sugar can be added until the solution is known as a simple syrup. I think you can add a one to one (one pound of sugar to one pound of water) and it will still be liquid though very viscous. In the culinary world, sugar is considered a liquid. So at some point it will be to thick to be any good for distilling.

[@Jeffrich308]

Thanks!

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Absolutely. Thanks for adding this explanation. George

[@BeerWineandShine]

good video, but I do have a question... out of curiosity... So I understand that yeast eats sugar, and if you have too much sugar, your yeast wont eat it all, and it is ok to have slightly too much yeast because the yeast will eat all the sugar. I also understand that using distillers yeast you can get 18-20 percent acl/vol if you start out with 18-20 percent sugar... but here is my question...What would happen if you just kept adding sugar? (with of course the appropriate amount of yeast) if you made your mash closer to 40 percent wouldn't your yeast still eat all of it? or not? but if it worked, wouldn't you get closer to 2 gallons from a 5 gallon run? or would the yeast just stop working all together at 18-20 percent and you just end up with some super sweet moonshine? Hope you actually understood all that. lol.

[@chrislnflorida5192]

What i understood U can't get above 20%ABV. Above that it kills the yeast????

[@tomkehl9632]

Sugar= .032 or .039 ABV?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

.039

[@chrislnflorida5192]

The formula still doesnt add up, unless im missing something. If U multiply .032 x 5 = .16 Now if u multiply .032 x 10 = .32 Thats 10 lbs sugar to 5 gal water????

[@MrBurty5]

Hey George I have no knowledge of brewing but watching you I became interested I watched another person making wine from cheap jam and apple juice I got the gravity to 11%potential abv I didn't have citric acid to lower the PH so I added ascorbic acid to get the ph down to 5.2 ish My question is will ascorbic acid work in place of citric acid my brew seems to bubbling ok Cheers Karl

[@Richdudevids]

so if useing bakers yeast , it well not matter how much sugar you use you can not get any more then 3% or so alcohol from the wash is that right,?

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Not necessarily. Bakers yeast is not reliable and is not cultured for high alcohol production therefore 3% is expected and little more. In the right environment and with a a fresh batch there is always the potential for higher ABV but unreliable.

[@Richdudevids]

ty for the info,

[@thastinger345]

I don't see the need for much of the fancy yeast on the market when you're trying to stick around the 8% ABV concentration to go in the still anyway.

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Of course the choice is yours. I would always recommend a yeast cultured for a specific purpose. George

[@thastinger345]

Sure, I use the DADY yeast I bought from you...I just don't think you need anything more "exotic" if you're shooting for a beginning SG of 1.08(ish)

[@Workmills23]

bread yeast, with nutrient, can get you 15/20%

[@themusiccovenant]

God of alcohol

[@erwinbosma7021]

my brother of 16 is making this shit