How to Make Alcohol - Discussion

Would you like to exchange your experiences with other schnapps distillers? Everything in this forum revolves around distilling spirits at home - how to make alcohol. Please observe our forum rules (see Helpful tips for use).
Back to overview

Mash is still very thick

peter am 30.09.2019 13:23:52 | Region: USA 
My mash has been brewing away in my pails for 6 months now. I stir it every week. The mash is still very thick and I am not sure how to run it in the still being so thick. It smells like there is plenty of alcohol when I stir it. Should I add water to it and let it sit longer? I am not sure how thick it should be before I run it in the still.

RE: Mash is still very thick

John am 30.09.2019 13:27:26 | Region: UK
I had a similar problem with rowan berries. I distilled it unchanged, without adding water or adding alcohol. The taste and smell of the distillate was outstanding, but the yield was very poor. I don’t think the mash is still fermenting, so it doesn’t make sense to add pectinase now. Pectinase helps if you add it at the beginning of the fermentation or one or two weeks after fermentation started.

 What can you do now?The best would be to add tasteless alcohol (not water!) which has the same alcohol content as the mash itself. The alcohol can be self-made or diluted spirit from the store.
 
What can you do to prevent this issue in future?Add water (and pectinase) to the fruit pulp before you add the yeast. About one third of the volume of the fruit pulp. The mixture of water and pulp is the base for the calculation of the needed amount of sugar. Of course it’s also
possible to add a sugar solution while the mash is still fermenting.
Back to overview
We reserve the right to delete posts at any time at our discretion.