Yes, as results tend to be better when you stir it before distilling, to make the mash work. Do I strain the mash before putting it into the boiler? Yes indeed. If you allow any solids in your wash, they will settle to the bottom of your cooking pot and burn.

Do you need to clarify before distilling?

Turbo Clear should be used to clear the wash before distillation. ... If yeast cells are not removed they will break open during boiling, releasing off-flavours and aromas into the distillation process and reducing distillate quality. Usually takes less than 24hrs to completely clear the fermentation.

How do you strain moonshine mash?

Either use an immersion chiller to rapidly cool the mash, or simply leave it sit for several hours. Once cool, you'll need to pour the mash through a cheesecloth or a very fine strainer to separate solids from the liquids.

How long should a mash sit before you distill it?

Let the mash sit for 14 days.

If you still see bubbles in the airlock after 14 days let it sit for another few days, or at least until you see no bubbling for at least a minute or two. Once there is no activity in the airlock, the mash is ready to run.

How do I know when my mash is ready to distill?

A good rule of thumb is if the gravity of the wash has not changed over the course of 3 days then the mash is done fermenting. We know you are anxious to distill your mash but you don't want to run it prematurely as you lose out on on precious alcohol.

Beginner's Guide #10 Clearing the Mash

Should you stir your mash while fermenting?

Stirring helps even out the temperature in a mash and mixes the liquids and solids more thoroughly. If you can manage it, you should always stir your mash at least a few times during the saccharification rest.

How much moonshine will 5 gallons of mash make?

A 5 gallon run will yield 1-2 gallons of alcohol. A 8 gallon run will yield 1.5-3 gallons of alcohol. A 10 gallon run will yield 2-4 gallons of alcohol.

What to do with mash after distilling?

1. 4 Responsible Ways Distillers Use Spent Grains. Waste is not the first thing that comes to mind when daydreaming about being a distiller, but it's a reality you do need to consider before launching a distillery. ...
2. Livestock Feed. One of the most popular uses for spent grains is livestock feed. ...
3. Composting. ...
4. Baking. ...
5. Fuel.

How do I get the most out of my mash?

The best practice is to add half your strike water to the mash tun, then add half the grain and stir well. Repeat with the remaining strike water and grain and stir well. It's vital to take the time to stir thoroughly during dough-in (this initial mixing of malt and water).

How long can sugar wash sit before distilling?

It depends on what type of wash you have but as a general rule of thumb, it is best to distil within 2-3 days after fermentation is complete. The wash will keep for up to a month so long as the fermenter is airtight. The period can be extended if the wash is racked off into a clean airtight container.

Is it necessary to clear a sugar wash?

We must say we are talking about a Sugar/Glucose Mix. If the wash fails to clear it is nearly always down to two things. It hasn't been sufficiently degassed or the wash was still slightly fermenting when the finings was added.

What is citric acid used for in moonshine?

Citric acid is used to increase the acidity of mash water for grain washes. Many of the enzymes that break down the starches in a grain wash function at lower PH levels, so using citric acid can help to artificially lower the mash PH level to increase the starch conversion rate.

How do you strain mash?

1. You can then squeeze the cheesecloth to remove any smaller impurities from the mash. ...
2. Repeat this process until you have strained out all the mash. ...
3. Throw away the impurities once you have strained them out of the mash.

How much mash do I put in my still?

The legal minimum for a sour mash is 25%. I do not like to go above 50% in my experience. For the sake of simplicity, let's say you will start with 25% backset. This means that for a 5 gallon mash you will use 1-1/4 gallons of backset and 3-3/4 gallons of water.

How do I make moonshine clear?

Lucky for us, the first solution is a simple one! If you notice your moonshine coming out cloudy, just turn down the heat. Temperature control is very important in order for you still to function properly. The best way to determine the necessary heat is simply to monitor the shine output.

Can you run moonshine mash twice?

In order to reuse your mash this is how it works. You will use your old corn and yeast already present from the previous run, which should also still contain a good lot of beer still left behind. ... Now you can run the mash again.

Can I add more yeast to my moonshine mash?

If specific gravity is high (very little fermentation has taken place) you can try adding more yeast, but there's a chance you'll have to give up on it and start over. It's important to keep an eye on the temperature throughout fermenting.

What is backset in distilling?

Backset is the liquid from the previous distillation and by using it, we are considered a sour mash distillery. The backset acidifies the mash, making an ideal environment for fermentation. The grain is cooked in the kettle and malt is added to convert the complex starches in the grains into simple sugars.

How many pounds of sugar do I need to make 5 gallons of mash?

When making a pure sugar wash- add the sugar first and then add water to reach the desired mash volume. If you are making a 5 gallon sugar mash with 8 pounds of sugar- add the sugar and then you will add around 4.5 gallons of water to reach the 5 gallon mark.

How much Heads do you throw out?

Always discard the foreshots — they make up around 5% or less of the product collected during a run. Throw out the first 30 ml on a 1 gallon run, the first 150 ml on a 5 gallon run, or the first 300 ml on a 10 gallon run. Heads come off of the still directly after the foreshots. Simply put, they taste and smell bad.

How much is a gallon of moonshine worth?

It costs around $8 per gallon for the sugar and wheat to make the moonshine. The selling price is around $25 a gallon if sold in bulk, or $40 for retail price.

How long should moonshine mash ferment?

Fermentation. Store the mash to ferment for 1-2 weeks at room temperature. Temperature is important if it gets too cold the fermentation can stop because the yeast goes dormant.

Should you agitate mash?

Lack of oxygen in the wort to start with – At the start of the fermentation process, you have the best opportunity to vigorously agitate the yeast to get as much oxygen into the wort as possible to give the best results.

How do you speed up the fermentation of moonshine?

So, say you brew 5 gallons of beer day one, aerate and pitch an adequate yeast pitch for that size beer, then put 5 more gallons on top of that 12-24 hours later you will drastically speed up fermentation time. Just be sure to aerate each batch well.