StillSmart

I have to say that I thought it was high but what should it be?

It's 23% according to the refractometer.......I checked the refractometer with my shop bought whisky at 40%

A bit strange

Robert is bang on.

Reason: you cannot use the refractometer at the "just fermented stage" - remember the conv about "done"


This is the running order..
1. Brix scale Refractometer works on sugar content (pre ferment)
2. Hydrometer to measure when ferment is "done" *
3. Alc scale Refractometer works on spirit content (post spirit run)


* it is impossible to get the alc content of wine (which is what you have at step2) by just using a refractometer. These is to much crud for the alcohol reading to be accurate.
There is a method that uses both Refractometer & Hydrometer readings and a formula. I found this to be a PITA.

Aha....that makes sense then
~blush~

No worries, we are all learning.

I rely upon a wash hydrometer, and various spirit hydrometers.
Maybe not the best way, but good enough for me to get consistent results.
Getting there is what matters, how you do it is more personal and variable.
You have to have fun along the way.

Robert.

I think someone once said. There is no one way

I like the ease of use with a refractometer.

Still learning here, so still asking.

Why do I need to take care when racking off my finished kale wash.? I.e. Why do I need to avoid bubbles and any air gap? Can I not just siphon off into bucket then simply pour into the T500 and fire the beast up?

Also what can I expect to get out in terms of volume ?

It's a 25 litre wash with 4kg of sugar

Mash wrote:I think someone once said. There is no one way

I like the ease of use with a refractometer.

Just sent a refractometer back to Amazon,it was reading way low compared to my hydrometer.78% was reading in the 60,s !!
i must have had a duff ,double checked the calibration with distilled water .
the lower the spirit the nearer the readings became..
if it worked would have been great for getting instant readings from the still.

H12rpo wrote:Still learning here, so still asking.

Why do I need to take care when racking off my finished kale wash.? I.e. Why do I need to avoid bubbles and any air gap? Can I not just siphon off into bucket then simply pour into the T500 and fire the beast up?

Also what can I expect to get out in terms of volume ?

It's a 25 litre wash with 4kg of sugar

Who told you that? Sounds like boloney to me.
I rack to a bucket, leave a few days and then rack to the still boiler
How long is a piece of string,and isn't yellow a shitty colour?

Robert.

Ye gads that's a terrible colour. Almost unreadable. Have you just bought some new crayons

Mash wrote:Have you dropped a hydrometer in it?

If you rack it off. Be sure to to treat it like wine. No splashing and no air gap.

For me I wouldn't panic. Leave it a bit longer in primary. Undisturbed it will retain a co2 blanket to keep it safe.

@easydrinker ..............It was Mash who said it

@ Aitch one two -

Can't savvy that no air gap/splashing bit in this situation....

Yellow is a shitty colour....Karitane yellow or otherwise (you may have to work a bit on that reference ).
Does help tho' if you run the delete highlight over it - tip of the day there.....

'Nother tip..you can even save time by racking directly, careful now, from fermenter to still.

I just opened the tap on the fermenting barrel and poured it straight into the T500. The tap being a couple of inches up from the bottom ensured that the sludgy stuff was left behind. What came out though wasn't clear......was it meant to be?
It was still bubbling and definately should've been left a few more days
My second kale wash was started a few days ago so more waiting !!!
In the meantime I can play with nuking the spirit collected with some oak chips etc and see what happens and also start another wash tomorrow
Great fun

I often rack direct to still when pushed for time, or alcohol, or speeding up some other process.
Not understanding this "air-gap and splashing" reference, that is the way that I usually de-gass.
If you can rack off clear wash, that will help with the neutral taste, but often a slightly cloudy strip is just as good.

Robert.

H12rpo wrote:

Mash wrote:
If you rack it off. Be sure to to treat it like wine. No splashing and no air gap.

Sure did. After fermentation and before running it is wine.

If you are racking it off you should not have excessive splashing, this induces air which is not a good thing. It elevates the risk of infection and/or oxidisation. When you have finished racking there should not be an air gap (or minimal) at the top of the bottle /DJ/bucket, unless you are running it the next day.

Leaving it on primary is good but not for more than a few weeks.

Racking into the boiler of course works, when your next step is to switch it on.

Different options for different things.

I suppose my point is just 'cos it has finished fermenting, you shouldn't just leave it. It still needs looking after.