If you run your mash too early, you run the risk of getting a lower yield of alcohol as the fermentable sugars are not fully converted into ethanol.
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.
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.
If you absolutely cannot wait, distill the fermentation as is. The heat will pretty quickly stop the fermentation. Some side effects may be foaming or burning on base of still- due to the presence of excess sugars not fermented.
When the hydrometer falls take the reading. If your reading is 1.000 your mash is ready to distill. If the reading is 1.020 or above, you still need to ferment for a day or two. If your reading is above 1.020 but has not changed in the last three days, your fermentation is complete.
If you run your mash too early, you run the risk of getting a lower yield of alcohol as the fermentable sugars are not fully converted into ethanol.
Stirring May Introduce Oxygen Into the Mash
Stirring mash after adding yeast may allow oxygen to enter the mash or wort, especially when stirring from the top. This is something you don't want to happen. Fermentation is an anaerobic process, which means it needs to be free of oxygen to proceed without disruption.
NEVER distill the distillation flask to dryness as there is a risk of explosion and fire. The most common methods of distillation are simple distillation and fractional distillation. Simple distillation can be used when the liquids to be separated have boiling points that are quite different.
Fermentation rates can be accelerated in several ways. Both the lag phase and the active fermentation phase can be shortened by increasing the yeast pitching rate. The initial fermentation temperature can be increased, as can the temperature of the active fermentation.
To stop your run during distillation, press the mode selection button or switch the unit off at the wall. Before restarting your distillation run, ensure that your boiler has cooled down, then aerate your wash.
The mash must have fermented out completely before clearing. If the mash is cloudy, it produces more “off” tastes when the cloudiness is heated in contact with the high temperature near the heather. To avoid this, rack your mash before distilling.
A 60 minute mash is regularly considered to not only be the standard approach but also part of the brewing process that shouldn't be deviated from too much.
No, mashed potatoes should be discarded if they are left out longer than two hours.
Mash too much lower than that and you'll end up with poor starch conversion and a really thin, “watery” beer. You'll also start breaking down precious proteins needed for head retention. On the other hand, if you mash too high (168-170F), you'll run the risk of permanently killing the conversion process.
Re: Speeding up fermentation
Adding more yeast should ferment faster. The risk is not so much off flavors but a lack of fermentation flavors - esters, etc. You might be able to pick a yeast that finished faster. Probably better to think of the whole process.
They see that the airlock is not longer bubbling and figure this is when the fermentation is done. In reality, the fact that the bubbling stopped is only an indication that the fermentation may be done, but is is not an absolute indicator.
Burping is essentially just opening your bottles ever so slightly during the second fermentation process to release air or “excess pressure” in the bottle. Many brewers recommend burping bottles every day, or every other day while your bottles are fermenting at room temperature.
A little sugar (or syrup) makes the yeast ferment faster and more effectively than when no sugar is added. The carbon dioxide makes the dough raise and the bread porous.
Depending on what you wish to do, and what you're making, you can stop collecting the distillate once the ABV drops to 10% or below, although some stop it even higher.
#1 – Use Distilled and Not Tap Water
It's no secret that tap water contains a plethora of chemicals, some of which includes chlorine, chlorate, bromate and fluoride. Using tap water in your still will result in some of these potentially harmful and taste-changing chemicals to transfer over to the moonshine.
Double distillation of you neutral spirit is the most important method you can use to improve the quality and quantity of your finished alcohol. 1. Distil your wash as normal, you do not have to discard anything as you will do it on the second distillation anyway.
If you over-pitch, or dump in too much yeast, your squadron of cells might over-accomplish its mission, thereby fermenting too fast and stripping the beer of much of its desired character. If you're aiming for esters and other complexities that arise during fermentation, you might not get them.
This is the reason why you would feed the sugar to the fermentation as it progresses beyond 14%. So in the end I guess the answer to the question: “can I add sugar during fermentation?”, is yes you can.
No, you do not need an airlock, but you need some way of releasing the CO2 as the mash is fermenting. The airlock has a cap with little pinholes, the carbon dioxide escapes and prevents bugs from entering the airlock.