My first ever wash :)

[Jonc26uk]

Hi people
Firstly,how happy am I that this forum exists!! Lots of info which has finally made my mind up to purchase a smart still I'm going to travel to leyland on Saturday to purchase such plus accessories. But I have got a 25litre brewing barrel with a airlock already (long term borrowed from my dad )
Now I have just purchased some alcoted vodka star turbo yeast off eBay, which I hope will turn up before the weekend so I can get a wash brewing in perpetration. So my question is what else will I need to get going apart from 6kg of sugar? I'm thinking I need a hydrometer and thermometer and some sterilising stuff from my lbs, is this enough to get going? Do I need to add anything else to the barrel?
Thanks in advance, and I'm sorry if anyone has asked these simple questions before
Jc

[Almanac]

Basic equipment list required;
2 X 33lt fermenting buckets - 33lt ones allow headroom for foaming wash and the second bucket required for racking when fermentation ends.
Hydrometer - for checking ferment is finished
Alcometer - for measuring alcohol content in the output from your new Airstill.
Trial Jar - for taking Hydrometer/Alcometer readings
Thermometer - digital preferably capable of reading 0.1oC
Measuring Jug - glass or Stainless Steel
Funnel - Stainless Steel if you can get it
Siphon - Auto Siphon works great
Wash Paddle - for stirring the wash
Airlocks - get a few of these.
Homebrew Steriliser - your HBS will give you a good one
Collection Vessels/Jam Jars - for collecting spirit in small amounts of second distillation.
2 X Demijons (minimum) - to store the stripped wash as you collect it and keep it clean for the Spirit Run.
Proper Carbon Filter System - don't let your HBS convince you the filter with the Airstill is adequate - it's not. The Airstill is a great starting point for you but spirits from the Airstill definitely have to be properly filtered.
Bottles - for your lovely spirits - you lucky person.
Spare Bungs for the buckets - they do go missing
I think that should get you started but if I've missed anything someone else might chip in but remember no plastics with spirits over 20%ABV.

Anyway - good luck, be safe and welcome to the best damn hobby in the world.

AM

[Jimmy]

Aidan is correct, that's all the stuff you'll need moving forward - just an aside though, you want to get that wash on ASAP because if you buy a still and have nothing to run through it for a couple of weeks it'll drive you mad!

To that end, you could make do by using a little household bleach to sterilise the fermenter and airlock (rinse very well and use cold water not hot) - then if you put the sugar into the barrel and pour on about three kettles of almost boiling water and the rest cold from the tap you'll probably find the temperature is about right - it shouldn't feel hot to the touch on the outside because you want it under 30 and obviously your body heat is usually higher than that so it should be pleasantly warmish but definitely not hot. If in doubt, leave it until it's just lukewarm to the touch, you won't ruin it by it being a bit too cool but you will if it's too hot.

A hydrometer would be great to have but you're following a specific set of instructions so you know basically that you have enough sugar at the beginning, you're going to need it more at the end to check it's finished - in other words, you'll be OK to pick one up at the weekend and you don't need to wait to get one before you begin.

So with what you have, you should be able to get it off and running and then pick up the proper stuff at the weekend/as soon as you're able. Despite what you might read on the packet, you're probably going to be looking at something like two weeks all in when you factor in fermenting, racking, clearing, etc. That's why you might want to get cracking!

[Capt-Cudellez]

All good advice you have gotten there, +1 on getting ahead with the ferments.

Also Jimmy's post got me thinking. Even if you do have all the gear, its good to be able to do it old school too. I'm forever breaking and misplacing stuff, so when you have a hydrometer on hand also give the wash a little taste before you pitch the yeast, same with the temp, dip a finger in so you know what "right" taste and feels like.

With my standard neutral or a rum wash I can pretty much do it without any props these days. I can also tell when the output is down to quitting time on the pot still by taste without using the parrot too. (it makes you feel like a old time moon shiner :-))

[Jonc26uk]

Thanks boys for the advice, as soon as I get that yeast im getting the wash going, will get some steriliser from wilko's, and while I'm waiting for my wash to ferment I will play with the still and make some distilled water!
Im reading loads on here but might still ask some stupid questions I'm sure

I really can't wait to try my first brew...

[Admiral Toad]

That's all I use my kit for just luuuuv distilled water. >:D

[Jonc26uk]

Wash on!!!

Some questions, I got some sterilising powder so did everything first, how critical is this? Ie when I'm sticking my arm in to stir the sugar in is a wash of my arm enough?
Also this is just sat on the side in the kitchen, with no heat pad, what happens if it drops below 20oC?
Just been into kitchen and it's bubbling already? Is this right after 10mins?

[Jimmy]

Sterilising - in theory, quite critical but in my experience... less so. Put it this way, my arm has never caused a problem in my wash, your results may vary! I sterilise as much as I think is reasonable but I'm doing it in the kitchen so it isn't a clean room and as I said, never any issues so far.

If the temp drops too low, it'll become dormant and stop doing a lot but it'll pick up again once the temp rises above about 17. Yeast likes it to be fairly constant so if you can find somewhere fairly warm and draft free that'd be best but you should be OK.

Bubbling after 10 mins is fine, you'll have a few days of that and then a few more days of less obvious bubbling and then you'll be done.

[Jonc26uk]

First wash syphoned off, hydro showed 0.97 for a couple of days so thought it was time.

This brought up a couple of questions again lol, the wash has a slightly pinky colour to it, is this correct? Also when syponing I have a syphon with a sediment trap on it, do I just shove this straight to the bottom of the barrel? What I did was slowly moved it down but it was hard to see when the sediment was there! What would happen if I did syphon up some sediment?
Also once in the other barrel I used a electric stick blender to degas,I just moved it round in the barrel but always kept the whisk but under the surface, is this correct?
I have added the turbo clear as the instructions, now I'm on nights for 2 nights will it be ok to leave before distilling?
Thanks in advance
Jon

[Jimmy]

Often it's better to leave the Turbo Klar for a couple of days to settle, you won't spoil anything!

No idea why it's pink, tomato washes can do that but probably nothing to worry about.

When siphoning, it's best to hold it about halfway down the fermenter at first, then slowly move it downwards as the level lowers. As you start to get within a couple of inches of the bottom, gently tip the fermenter so the liquid builds up on the nearest side, you can then get more before the sediment creeps towards the cup.

If in doubt, stop - it won't ruin anything if you get sediment in there, but too much and your still might boil over and besides you spent time and effort getting it clear, you don't want to have to do it again. That's the worst case scenario - if you suck up a lot of sediment, just leave it a few days and it should fall clear again, then you can re-rack.

Never used a stick blender to degas but I'd guess there's only so far in you can shove it before you electrocute yourself so that's probably about right!