Serious Distilling with Brewcraft, Still Spirits & Grainfather - How to Make Invert Sugar
Author: Whats4Chow
Recipe type: Brewing and Distilling
Today we're going to look at a refinement that can be implemented to ensure a good strong fermentation that will consistently and will yield above average results, and higher alcohol volumes. Yeast feeds on sugar to stay alive, multiply and produce alcohol. If the yeast has a supercharged food, it goes without saying that it will produce the alcohol faster, and more of it. The food I am talking about is invert sugar.
Ingredients
- White sugar (regular household sugar)
- 2.5ml Citric acid per Kilogram of sugar
- Water
Instructions
- Hi and welcome to episode 529 with Whats4Chow.com, and the next episode in our epic series on serious distilling with Brewcraft, Still Spirits and Grainfather.
- Today we're going to look at a refinement that can be implemented to ensure a good strong fermentation that will consistently yield above average results, and higher alcohol volumes.
- Yeast feeds on sugar to stay alive, multiply, and produce alcohol. If the yeast has a supercharged food, it goes without saying that it will produce the alcohol faster, and more of it.
- The food I am talking about is invert sugar.
- Invert sugar is a combination of glucose and sucrose and is manufactured by splitting the disaccharide sugar (regular white sugar) into these two components. This makes the invert sugar more readily available to the yeast resulting in a more reliable, efficient and complete fermentation. Think of it as rocket fuel for your fermenter.
- This amazing substance can be made quite easily at home, and works brilliantly with any of the Still Spirits yeast varieties.
- To start, add the white sugar and citric acid to a medium size pot. Citric acid is available off the shelf at any store in the baking section. You can also use tartaric acid, however this is more difficult to find. Cream of tartar is not recommended, as you will only achieve a partial conversion to invert sugar.
- Pour in enough water to cover the sugar.
- Place the pot over medium high heat and stir this until all of the sugar has dissolved.
- Our target temperature is 130c or 266f.
- As the temperature climbs, the process will stall at 110c or 230f until all of the excess water has been evaporated. If you poured in too much water, don't panic, the process will simply take a little longer.
- When the excess water has evaporated, the temperature will start to climb again.
- While you wait for the target temperature, fill a small jug with water at room temperature. It is important that the syrup does not spike over 135c or 275f or the process is ruined. Adding small amounts of water will keep the temperature in check.
- Once the syrup has reached the target temperature, turn the heat down to medium. We need to boil the mixture for 20 minutes for the process to complete.
- Keep a keen eye on the temperature and add about 50ml of the cold water every time it spikes towards 135c. This will bring the temperature back into line.
- You will have to add water 4 or 5 times over the 20 minute period. Make sure to stir the water in as you add it.
- Also, be aware that the water will give of a puff of steam as it goes into the hot syrup, so make sure your hands are away from the top of the pot.
- At the 20 minute mark, turn off the heat and your invert sugar is ready.
- I am going use this homemade rocket fuel to ferment a batch of sugar wash using the Still Spirits Classic 8 Turbo Yeast.
- The batch pack calls for 8kg of sugar. I have used 2kg of this to make the invert sugar.
- Add the remaining 6kg of sugar to your fermentation bucket and fill this to 2 thirds with hot water. Pour in the 2kg batch of invert sugar and stir everything thoroughly until all of the sugar has dissolved.
- Top the fermenter up with cooler water to attain a target temperature of between 38 and 40c.
- Add the Still Spirits yeast pack and stir this in.
- Add the Still Spirits Turbo Carbon and stir this. Put the lid on and allow the fermentation to complete over the following 2 to 4 days.
- Use the Still Spirits Turbo Clearing pack to clear the fermented wash and it is ready.
- Stay tuned for next serious distilling episode where we're going to distill this batch through the Still Spirits Turbo 500 Reflux Distiller.
