Very low final gravity reading

[LED_ZEP]

I've just checked the FG on a sugar wash I've had on for a couple of weeks to find the lowest reading I've ever had 0.986
I didn't think that was even possible, I've had a wine go as low as 0.992 but norm is 0.994 - 0.996. I was so surprised that I checked the hydrometer in water to make sure the calibration wasn't out but it was fine (I even went back and checked again to make sure I hadn't misread). What makes this even more surprising is it's 23l sat on 3kg of cracked corn kernels with no amylase added so would have expected some unfermented starch in there (unless the yeast compound used had some amylase in it?).

What's the lowest FG anyone has had?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

When i had a good few batches of supermarket juice wine going and used to let them ferment for a few weeks i was getting to .990 most of the time.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

When i had a good few batches of supermarket juice wine going and used to let them ferment for a few weeks i was getting to .990 most of the time.

Jah me too and mines mainly juice wine or tinned fruit wine

 

[Wynott]

I had a blackberry that went from 1.114 to 0.986. It had 4lb blackberries and 3lb sugar. It's 'conditioning'

 

[Frogbrew]

What's a sugar wash

 

[Chippy_Tea]

What's a sugar wash

According to Google a sugar wash is usually used in distilling, please bear in mind distilling discussion is not allowed in the forums as it is illegal to distil here without a licence.

 

[lupinehorror]

What's a sugar wash

kilju is also a 'sugar wash'

 

[LED_ZEP]

What's a sugar wash

As Chippy said not that I would dream of doing that with it.
It's a basic wine made from sugar and water and nutrient normally fermented to a higher abv (up to 18%) and can be used as a base to add flavourings to.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

You can get Turbo Yeast that will give you 23% not sure why you would want it though.

Alcotec 23% High Alcohol Spirit Turbo Yeast

Makes 25 litres of 23% alcohol
Prepared with Liquid Carbon Technology

The new Alcotec yeast will produce 23% alcohol, using 10.5kgs of brewing sugar (dextrose monohydrate).
You can NOT use regular sugar.
Alcotec 23% High Alcohol Spirit Turbo Yeast is a new type of recipe with added carbon, unique yeast strains and a different kind of trace minerals; we are now able to make more alcohol from a fermentation than ever before
Use together with Alcotec 24 TurboKlar.
With the new Alcotec 23% turbo pure, it is now possible to break the magical 20% alcohol barrier by fermentation alone.
This High Alcohol Spirit Turbo Yeast ferments using a temperature range between 17C - 24C.
Using higher temperatures may result in the yeast producing a lower ABV.
Included with the yeast are sachets of nutrient to assist the yeast & activated carbon for a bright, clean finish.
Fermentation is generally around 7-10 days with another two days for clearing.

 

[LED_ZEP]

You can get Turbo Yeast that will give you 23% -

I wouldn't recommend it, it tastes foul and smells even worse. Just use EC1118 and go for 18% for a clean neutral taste.

 

[Gerryjo]

A sugar wash mainly used in illegal brewing is also used for Hard Seltzer's though the ABV is notably lower and flavouring is added.The new hipster low carb refreshing alcopop which I'm thinking of giving it a go.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I wouldn't recommend it, it tastes foul and smells even worse. Just use EC1118 and go for 18% for a clean neutral taste.

I seem to remember someone saying its not good stuff and if you get it wrong it can make you ill, i think it might have been @Slid

 

[LED_ZEP]

I seem to remember someone saying its not good stuff

Unless it's changed, I'm led to believe it's a yeast strain cultivated to ferment to a high alcohol tolerance for uses such as fuel and other industrial processes, so off flavours and odors wasn't a consideration.

 

[Slid]

I seem to remember someone saying its not good stuff and if you get it wrong it can make you ill, i think it might have been @Slid

Quite possibly me. There are some fundamental truisms here, first is "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".

More specifically, the brewing process can involve the production of "by-products". These are usually just broken down by the yeast over time, so for a HB'er who uses viable yeast in sufficient quantity and leaves his low-ish alcohol beer in a fermenter for 14 -21 days, all is likely to go well.

Risk increases if the yeast is stressed, the temperatures involved are higher and if the time scales are shortened.

The higher the alcohol content, the more concentrated the said "by-products" are likely to be.

I don't know about the legality exactly, but unless you understand the processes involved and take some sensible, informed precautions, you may be exposing yourself to some unnecessary risk.

That's it really.

 

[johncrobinson]

I do wish folks would not use these turbo yeast packages to make sugar liquor that is to be drunk directly rather than "You know what"

The packs are totally overdosed with nutrient.(This excess is got rid of by You know what.)
The yeast itself is prone to fusel oil production.Again this is got rid of by You know what.!!!!!!

The resulting brew tastes awful.

You are much better off using something like ec-1118 and modest additions of nutrient.Its lower abv but much more pleasant to drink.

 

[Drunkula]

I used to brew sugar wash from the recipe in the 90s style site below. Somebody called it "Ultimate booze" because it never caused a hangover. Used to go for around 11% and brew it in 5 litre water bottles.

https://www.yobrew.co.uk/students_brew.php
Skeeter Pee isn't that much different.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

So like, wine with no flavour? What’s it for?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

So like, wine with no flavour? What’s it for?

The clue is in post #15.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

The clue is in post #15.

Ha!

 

[Wynott]

What's the lowest FG anyone has had?

I just checked an Aperitif (Seville/Orange) wine (started a month ago) and it's down to 0.988. Looks like it has nearly stopped fermenting, and DJ completely full, so I racked it, which left enough room to top up. I have added 2oz sugar, but am cautious about overdoing it, as the first time I made this last year I kept feeding it back up, and it was stronger than I wanted.
The recipe advises pouring boiling water onto the sugar and juices, so not possible to know the O.G. I'm not keen to use artificial sweetener, or tbh to use stabiliser, but I guess I may have to. I'm assuming you can't stop a wine just by using Campden tablets?