How To Use Hydrometer For Moonshine?

What should my hydrometer read for moonshine mash?

Hydrometer Wisdom: Monitoring Fermentation As with all matters of life, there are two ways of monitoring the fermentation of your mash: the easy way and the complicated way. If you’re a K.I.S.S. fan – not the band, but the „Keep It Simple, Stupid” philosophy – you’ll prepare the mash and just let it be.

A day or two after adding the yeast, you’ll see the airlock bubble – and know the stuff’s doing its fermenting business. After 14 days, it should be about done. If it still bubbles, let it sit for another few days, or until you see no bubbling for at least a minute or two. Once there is no activity in the airlock, your mash is ready to run.

This is a non-scientific method but pretty reliable in judging when fermentation is completed. The scientific method isn’t actually that complicated either, and it will let you know that the mash has completely finished fermentation and determine its potential alcohol.

What you’ll need is a beer or wine hydrometer. The hydrometer indicates the density, or specific gravity – SG – of a liquid, compared to water. As alcohol is thinner than water, the higher the alcohol content, the deeper the float sinks. Pure water has a specific gravity of 1.000 on the hydrometer scale.

Temperature is a key factor when measuring the specific gravity of a liquid – the hydrometer should indicate the temperature it’s calibrated to, and also include an adjustment table. A standard measuring temperature is 20°C or 70 °F. Original Gravity – OG Measure the gravity of your mash before fermentation – and before adding the yeast.

The reading will be higher than 1.000, because of the sugars present in the mash. During fermentation, these sugars will be consumed by yeast causing the density and therefore specific gravity to lower. The number will be the lowest at the end of fermentation. Fill your hydrometer tube about 2/3 of an inch from the top with the wash/mash you wish to test.

Insert the hydrometer slowly not allowing it to drop. Give the hydrometer a light spin, to remove the air bubbles that may have formed.

• Read where the surface of the liquid cuts the scale of the hydrometer.
• You can also predict the potential alcohol of your mash from the original gravity.
• Original Gravity – Potential Alcohol

• 062 → 7.875%
• 064 → 8.125%
• 066 → 8.375%
• 068 → 8.625
• 070 → 8.875%
• 072 → 9.125%
• 074 → 9.375%
• 076 → 9.75%
• 078 → 10%
• 080 → 10.25%
• 082 → 10.5%
• 084 → 10.75%
• 086 → 11%
• 088 → 11.25%
• 090 → 11.5%
• 092 → 11.75%
• 094 → 12.125%
• 096 → 12.375%
• 098 → 12.75%
• 100 → 13%
• 102 → 13.25%
• 104 → 13.5%
• 106 → 13.875%
• 108 → 14.125%

Final Gravity – FG Measure the specific gravity of the mash after the airlock slows down and you’re not getting much activity. If the reading is at 1.000 or less, it is definitely done. If it’s 1.020 or higher, you may want to wait a day or two and then take another reading. Keep taking readings, if needed, until the gravity stops dropping – which means the fermentation is complete.

1. A good rule of thumb: if the gravity hasn’t changed over the course of three days, then the mash is done fermenting.
2. Final Gravity – Potential Alcohol
3. Using the chart above and some math, you can calculate the alcohol content of your mash after fermentation is complete.
4. ABV = (OG – FG) x 131

For instance, if the OG reading is 1.092 and the FG is 0.99, the math goes like this: (1.092-.99) x 131 = 13.36% ABV Remember, this is a rough estimate, as many factors are at play. But the science will at least keep you busy until you’re ready to get your whiskey still running. Posted by Jason Stone on June 01, 2015 : Hydrometer Wisdom: Monitoring Fermentation

What is a good starting gravity for moonshine?

How to Use a Hydrometer – A Hydrometer is used to determine the density or specific gravity (SG) of a liquid in comparison to water. This works because alcohol is thinner than water so the higher the volume of alcohol, the lower the float will sink. Alcohol has a starting gravity (SG) of 1.000 on the hydrometer scale.

When should I take my hydrometer readings?

How To Use a Hydrometer – A hydrometer is one instrument used to measure specific gravity (a refractometer and sacchorometer can also be used). In simple terms, a hydrometer floats in liquid and where the surface of the liquid touches the hydrometer’s scale will determine the specific gravity.

1. Gravity readings are typically taken before pitching the yeast and after visible signs of fermentation have ceased.
2. It is generally not recommended to take more samples than necessary because each time the fermenter is opened to draw out wort, you are introducing the risk for contamination.
3. To pull a sample, use a wine thief, siphon or turkey baster and take extra care with sanitation.

Place the wort sample in a vessel big enough to allow the hydrometer to freely float without hitting the bottom or sides of the container. Some homebrewers buy a test tube, or you can sometimes use your wine thief or the container the hydrometer came in.

1. Once the liquid is in the container, place the hydrometer in the sample and give it a gentle spin.
2. The hydrometer will eventually settle and you can take your reading.
3. Sometimes the hydrometer will stick to the side of your vessel, so make sure it is floating freely before you take the reading.
4. After you are finished, do not return your sample to the fermenter, as it could cause contamination.

Instead, taste the sample to get an idea of what to expect from the final product.

Is 100 proof moonshine strong?

It is common knowledge that moonshine is a strong type of alcohol. But what proof is moonshine, and why should you care? As moonshine distillers, we at Tennessee Shine Co. take proofing moonshine very seriously. We understand how important it is to know how much alcohol you are consuming so you can safely enjoy your drinks.

1. This article will tell you everything you need to know about proof moonshine and how to ensure you are getting the best quality moonshine available.
2. Moonshine Alcohol Percentage (AKA, Moonshine Proof) In terms of alcohol content, the word “proof” means alcohol percentage.
3. The more alcohol in a beverage, the stronger the drink and the higher the proof.

Before getting to the question of what proof is moonshine, though, let’s talk a little more about where the concept of proof came from in the first place. Why do we call it “proof?” Here is a fun story about why we use the word “proof” to mean moonshine alcohol content.

• It goes back to Renaissance England, around the 16th century.
• Back then, drinks that contained alcohol were taxed based on how much alcohol was in them.
• Unfortunately, they didn’t have the fancy equipment we have today to measure alcohol content accurately, so they resorted to the next best thing – setting the drinks on fire.

Yep, you read that right. Tax collectors in England would try lighting beverages on fire to see if they really were alcoholic. If the drink caught on fire, that was “proof” that it contained liquor. It was considered “under-proof” and taxed differently if it didn’t.

The trial-by-fire method of measuring alcohol percentage was abandoned about 100 years later. In the 17th century, the government started using more scientific methods to determine whether or not a drink contained alcohol. They tested the density of the drink and compared it with the density of water to figure out what the alcohol content was.

If the drink had 12/13 of the gravity of water at the same temperature, it was considered 100 proof, equivalent to 57.15% ABV by today’s standards (which is a pretty strong drink). The U.S. developed its own method of testing proof in the 1840s by measuring the percentage of alcohol in a drink.

For example, if a drink was 50% alcohol by volume, it was determined to be 100 proof. What determines moonshine proof? While moonshine is generally considered to be a type of whiskey, moonshine taste and proof can vary from one batch to another for a few reasons. The first is the ingredients used to make the moonshine.

In general, moonshine can be made from grain or fruit. That is why there are so many different flavors and combinations available! The ingredients used to make moonshine will significantly affect the taste. So, make sure you are drinking moonshine made from stuff you like – you will be able to taste it.

Moonshine proof is determined by the alcohol content or concentration in the final product, typically measured using a hydrometer, which measures the specific gravity of the liquid. The higher the alcohol content, the higher the proof and the more the liquid will deviate from the specific gravity of water.

The most common measurement used to determine the proof of alcohol is the alcohol by volume (ABV) percentage, which is usually expressed as a number on a scale that ranges from 0 to 100, with 100 being 100% alcohol. Image Source: Brent Hofacker /Shutterstock Is moonshine 100% alcohol? No. That would be insane, and we don’t recommend trying to drink anything that is 100% alcohol. It is unsafe for consumption and could lead to serious health issues. If someone is bragging that they made 100% alcohol moonshine, knock the bottle out of their hands and into the trash.

• What is moonshine made from? As we said earlier, moonshine can be made from nearly any grain or fruit.
• However, some work better than others.
• Our favorite moonshine ingredients include strawberries, cherries, peaches, blackberries, and apples,
• Can You Buy Moonshine? Absolutely! We highly recommend buying moonshine from a qualified distiller (like us!) to make sure your moonshine has been distilled the right way.

Time to Have a Moonshine Adventure Ready to get your hands on some delicious, professionally distilled moonshine? Then come down to Tennessee Shine Co. to try all our tasty flavors. If you can’t see us all the way, you can find our products at several outlets nationwide.

How far do you fill a hydrometer?

How do I use the Hydrometer? – A lot of people prefer to use a hydrometer with a trial jar. The trial jar is 200mm long and has a diameter approximately 35mm. It is made of clear plastic and allows you to fill this with the liquid you are about to test.

1. Fill the jar to about 35mm from the top and simply drop the hydrometer into the liquid.
2. As illustrated to the right, you should take the reading from the lower of the two levels you see when looking at the side of the test jar.
3. This reading is quite simply the Specific Gravity (SG).
4. Be careful that the hydrometer does not stick to the side of the trial jar, its best to give it a gentle spin to prevent this.

Always stand the jar on a flat surface and expect that some liquid might overflow. If the wine is still bubbling then the reading will only be a guide (as there will be bubbles in the liquid) and if froth (in the case of beer) is present then gently blow this away.

What does 1.000 mean on a hydrometer?

Hydrometer Scales – In addition to reading specific gravity values, scales on a hydrometer can be calibrated to Baume, Brix, alcohol, API (American Petroleum Institute Index) and other scales for specific chemicals:

• Brix-scale hydrometers are calibrated to measure percent of pure sucrose (sugar) by weight.
• Baume-scale hydrometers are calibrated to read degrees of Baume, which is a pair of scales: one for liquids heavier than water and one for liquids lighter than water.
• Alcohol-scale hydrometers are used to measure specific gravity of a liquid before and after it ferments. The difference of the two specific gravity readings can be used to determine alcohol percentage by weight
• API-scale hydrometers measure of how light or heavy a petroleum-based liquid is compared to water. It was designed to allow a comparison between densities of petroleum liquids.
• Sodium-chloride-scale hydrometers and salt-brine-scale hydrometers measure the percentage of salt in a solution.

What kind of hydrometer do I need for moonshine?

The Hydrometer – A hydrometer is an instrument that measures the density of a liquid compared to the density of water. It consists essentially of a weighted, sealed, long-necked glass bulb that is immersed in the liquid being measured. The depth of flotation gives an indication of liquid density, which provides you the information of potential alcohol content or actual alcohol content.

A brewing hydrometer measures alcohol content or potential alcohol content by taking a specific gravity reading. (Mash, Beer, Wine, Mead, Cider, etc) A proofing hydrometer measures final alcohol content of distilled alcohol that does not contain any sugar. (Moonshine, Whiskey, Vodka, etc)

The difference between the two hydrometers is the scale on which they are able to measure. The brewing hydrometer (used during the mash process) measures a potential alcohol up to 20% ABV. A proofing hydrometer can measure up to 200-proof or 100% ABV. Our proofing hydrometer is a 0-200 Proof and Tralle tester that will work ideally for your moonshine.

What is a good starting gravity for moonshine mash?

Home Distiller New to distillation, or simply new to the HD forums. ** Your first post MUST go here. Introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your interest in distilling. Any posts asking distilling questions will be deleted. ** Moderator: Bootlegger Posts: Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:20 pm by » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:55 pm Hi there, I am new here and new to distilling out here in the great north west, that would be Washinton not Oregon !!,

What a great site to learn and get help !!! I do have a question maybe someone can answer about specific gravity. so far what I have read says to shoot for 1.050 in your mash/wash. My first 6 gallon batch I had to add about 1 pound of sugar to get that using a malted barley. but if more sugar will raise your SG why not get you SG up to 1.90 0r 1.10 which will raise your % of alcohol and yeild more distillent out of your run ??? or not ! note: my first run produced little over 1 quart of 160 proof from the middle of the run with my reflux still I built, ( thought I would get more ! ) through in some oak chips for a few days cut it to 80 proof and wow not bad !!,

any way does any one know what that will do to raise your SG before fermenting ? good idea or bad Idea ?? Thanks for any input on this topic, WFW Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:00 am Location: MO USA by » Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:36 am You can go as high as 1.100 and get closer to 15% ABV in the wash.

The problem is that this is more of a challenging environment for yeast and you tend to have more stalling and more production of nasty esters that come through in the liquor. If you use proper nutrients when necessary, and watch fermentation temps, and use a yeast that can survive the high ABV environment, then you can make a higher ABV wash.

I personally would stick to something under 1.080, thats got a much better chance of going smoothly and making a good product. after all, if you just do a few more stripping runs you’ll still be able to do a nice full spirit run. So the difference between 1.100 and 1.050 is juts an extra stripping run and those are supposed to go quicker.

1. Retired Posts: Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm Location: New York, USA by » Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:51 am Greetings, wfw52, and welcome to the HD forums.
2. As for your SG question, not sure where you got the 1.050 figure from but there are reasons for keeping the SG down.
3. While many strains of yeast can tolerate a higher SG not all can.

And when you consider that SG can be correlated to %ABV you have another issue. Higher SG’s can cause the yeast colony to suffer osmotic stress which can slow, stall, mutate, cause autolysis, cause off tastes and/or smells, or a multitude of other problems.

1. And as the wash ferments the higher %ABV can also cause most of these same problems.
2. For that reason we have, through practical experience, determined that a potential %ABV of 14%, or a starting SG of ~1.092 to ~1.100 to be the practical maximum.
3. Going higher just adds stress to the yeast colony.

Some folks stay well below that level, especially when doing all grain mashes. The unfermentable solids of the AG mash are the main reason for keeping the SG lower as they tend to keep the SG higher throughout the ferment, especially when fermenting on the grain.

So, sugar washes at higher SG and potential %ABV are more forgiving for sugar washes than all gran mashes. Hope this helps. Good luck and enjoy the journey. Distiller Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:40 pm Location: New England by » Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:54 am The specific gravity you’ve been reading about probably pertains to all grain mashes.

You can get a higher SG with all-grain than 1.05 but it gets more difficult since the more grain you use, the more it becomes a big pile of mush. Sugar heads you can shoot between 12-14% with no adverse effects. EDIT: posted same time as Rad. “It’s hard to argue with the government.

Remember, they run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, so they must know a thing or two about satisfying women.” – Scott Adams Bootlegger Posts: Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:20 pm by » Fri Sep 07, 2012 6:33 am Thank you Tom, Rad and Washashore for your response !!! you guys gave me what I was looking for !!!! perfect thank you !!!! This is a fun hobby look forward to getting better at it thanks to you guys !!!.WFW Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 10:53 am by » Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:06 am The urban legend about bakers yeast is that it dies at around 6%.

That has been debunked by many here who have been using the stuff for years and can go to 10% without any problem. But a lot of people, including experienced homebrewers, still accept the myth as fact. Snake Oil Whiskey And Miracle Elixir – It’ll cure ya or kill ya.

Distiller Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:40 pm Location: New England by » Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:43 pm A buddy of mine screwed up his math on scaling down birdwatchers and fermented 21% with bakers yeast “It’s hard to argue with the government. Remember, they run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, so they must know a thing or two about satisfying women.” – Scott Adams retired Posts: Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:42 am Location: Somewhere in the Ozarks by » Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:47 pm RevSpaminator wrote: The urban legend about bakers yeast is that it dies at around 6%.

That has been debunked by many here who have been using the stuff for years and can go to 10% without any problem. But a lot of people, including experienced homebrewers, still accept the myth as fact. The myth came from a time when bakers yeast wasn’t as hardy as it is now.

Back when you didn’t know if it would even make your bread rise. Distiller Posts: Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:40 pm Location: New England by » Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:12 am And yet the brew shops still push turbo yeasts Their profit margin must be ginormous on that stuff. “It’s hard to argue with the government.

Remember, they run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, so they must know a thing or two about satisfying women.” – Scott Adams Bootlegger Posts: Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:20 pm by » Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:34 am Since were talking about yeast I have a question, Is there a rule of thumb on how much yeast to use per gallon of wash your making? I can guess what happens if you under yeast, but what happens if you over yeast your batch ??,

WFW Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:00 am Location: MO USA by » Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:16 am Over-yeasting is really not much of a problem. About the worst thing you could expect would be a very rapid ferment and possibly more of a temperature rise than you might want. Some high temp ferments result in more fusels and esters.

retired Posts: Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:42 am Location: Somewhere in the Ozarks by » Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:32 am tom sawyer wrote: Over-yeasting is really not much of a problem. About the worst thing you could expect would be a very rapid ferment and possibly more of a temperature rise than you might want.

Some high temp ferments result in more fusels and esters. This can be a debate. As some beleave over pitching can lead to off flavors. And some beleave it doesn’t. I beleave that most find a comfort zone that they like to stay in. They find something that works good for them. And they tend to stick with it.

It may be influenced by things they have read. Like the over pitching thing. Or it mite just come from experimenting. Either way if it works for you go for it. Over pitching is a waste of good yeast though. retired Posts: Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm Location: New York, USA by » Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:45 am When it comes to pitching yeast you need to consider the optimal size of the yeast colony required to adequately ferment a given wash.

1. If you under-pitch you will end up having a longer lag time between the aerobic and anaerobic phases.
2. If you over-pitch you can end up with too large of a healthy yeast colony that will consume all of your nutrients before fermentation is complete and the colony will either revert to autolysis (cannibalism) or it will stall while it waits for nutrients to be added.

Right-sizing the pitch rate becomes a key factor which must be balanced between lag time while the colony attains proper cell count and ending up with too large of a colony. And every yeast strain can have different performance parameters. If you’ve ever seen how much yeast beer breweries and spirit distilleries pitch you might be amazed.

Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:00 am Location: MO USA by » Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:27 am I guess my answer is mostly based on brewing beer, and barley malt generally has a generous nutrient content. I’ve never had a beer stall out when I over-pitched. Under-pitching is the worse sin when it comes to brewing beer.

With winemaking I almost never repitch yeast so I’m using a new packet and pitching the right amount, and I use nutrients and feed them at the end of lag and at 1/3 depletion. I do know that a generous pitch that starts shoing activity within 8hr of pitching, is quite comforting. Posts: Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:21 am by » Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:31 pm Still on yeast.because I just ran across this. Following the 1 tbspn per gallon.why does UJSM only call for 1 tablespoon but 5 gallons? Then the sweetfeed version calls for calls for 8 tablespoons for 6 gal.

1. Quite the spread there Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 7:00 am Location: MO USA by » Tue Sep 11, 2012 4:09 am I think you can take that as being the kind of range in yeast cell cont that will work.
2. If you add less they’ll multiply and get up to numbers, if you add a bunch they just go right to work.

And throw in the highly variable amount of dead cells in your jar/packet/vial of yeast, that is dependent on time since packaging, storage conditions, etc and you really can’t say for sure how many cells is in a spoonful. So some people recommend a spoon of fresh stuff, another recommends 6 spoons of what might have been in the fridge for awhile.

What is a good starting gravity for moonshine?

How to Use a Hydrometer – A Hydrometer is used to determine the density or specific gravity (SG) of a liquid in comparison to water. This works because alcohol is thinner than water so the higher the volume of alcohol, the lower the float will sink. Alcohol has a starting gravity (SG) of 1.000 on the hydrometer scale.

How do you know when moonshine mash is ready?

FINAL GRAVITY – Once you have noticed the activity in your airlock is slowing down, you can take a final gravity reading to determine if your mash is ready for fermentation. If your reading is 1.000 or less it is definitely done. If your reading is 1.020 or higher, you should wait a few days.