How to Know when Fermentation Has Finished - Advanced (outdated)

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Outdated. Click here to read our updated article on advanced fermentation monitoring.
Portrait of Emmet Leahy

Emmet Leahy is the Chief Operating Officer and lead product developer at Clawhammer Supply, a small scale distillation and brewing equipment company. He loves the process of developing new equipment for making beer at home just as much as he does using it to brew his own beer. He's also passionate about teaching people how to use distillation equipment to produce distilled water, essential oils, and with the proper permits, fuel alcohol and distilled spirits.

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22 Comments

  • Z
    Comment Author: Zack

    I just prepared a gallon of sugar wash as it’s my first time, and I wanted to keep it simple. I followed your guide on making sugar wash, but when it came to how much ingredients I needed for just 1 gallon, I scaled it back according to the guide. Because I just used needed 1 gallon, and the packet of yeast made 5, (was wine yeast) I used 1/5 of the bag. Should I of added more?

  • T
    Comment Author: Tom

    All the recipes I have read say it takes 2 weeks for fermentation to complete. It’s taking my stuff like 4 weeks to complete. What am I doing wrong, if anything?

  • K
    Comment Author: Kevin

    Can your wash go bad after a couple of months even though it’s under anaerobic conditions? It’s been sitting there (hopefully fermenting) for almost 3 months. Sealed and air locked. Should I dump it?

  • SS
    Comment Author: s stone

    What percentage of corn sugar yeast for 5 gallons

  • R
    Comment Author: Rick

    Hey Kyle I’ve bought two stills from you, a five and a ten. My question is when making corn mash, and fermentation is done, do you dump every thing in the still or syphon off only the liquid? Tanks Rick