Measurements and Calculations

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CHAFTER TWO

MEASUREMENT AND CALCULATIONS

This chapter is not intended to scare anyone. It is, however, a necessary evil.

The tests described below are not hard to do - most are as simple as dipping a

strip of paper in liquid and looking at the color.

We suggest you read through it without trying to absorb all of it, then refer to
it

when the test is called for in the instructions. Temperature affects the test

results. The standard temperature is 60 degrees F., but room temperature is

close enough. pH is a measure of acidity of alkalinity on a scale of 0 to 14.
The

lower the pH number, the more acid the substance. The higher the pH, the more

alkaline the solution. pH is measured by dipping a strip of pH paper into the

liquid, then comparing the color with a standard color chart supplied with the

paper. Sugar content can be read on paper strips similar to pH paper, or tested

with tablets available at wine supply shops. In both tests, the color is matched
to

a standard and the concentration read. .Tes Tape and other strips like .Clinistix.

for detecting glucose in urine are available at any drug store. Since it only
reads

up to 2% glucose, a 1 to 10 dilution should be made of the mash before using the

low range paper. A one to ten dilution is made by mixing one drop of mash with 9

drops of water in a dry container and shaking. The strip is dipped, and the
sugar

concentration reading multiplied by 10 to get the concentration in your mash.

Starch can be detected with iodine. When starch is present, a drop of iodine

added to the solution will turn it blue. This test solution should always be

discarded after the iodine is added. If no starch is present, the solution will
be

reddish-brown. This test will show whether or not there are big clumps of starch

still present during cooking, and after liquefaction, if all the starch has been

changed to sugar. Ordinary tincture of iodine from the drug store works for this

test. A sample of the mash should be diluted for the test, and the sample

containing iodine should not be returned to the mash.

Alcohol proof is measured with a Proof and Tralle hydrometer, a glass device

with a long calibrated stem. The hydrometer floats at different levels in
liquid,

depending on the liquids specific gravity (weight relative to water). The more

alcohol is mixed with the water, the less the specific gravity will be. The
alcohol

proof is read on the marked stem where it emerges from the liquid.

Alcohol potential is read on a triple scale wine hydrometer that reads specific

gravity, sugar content by weight on the Balling or Brix scale, and potential
alcohol

by volume. To determine alcohol content of fermented mash, a reading must be

made on the alcohol scale before fermentation and after fermentation. The

second reading is subtracted from the first to give the alcohol content of the

fermented mash.

Proof test - Alcohol begins to burn at 100 proof. If a little alcohol in a spoon

burns when a lighted match is passed across it, it is at least 100 proof.
Caution:



take the sample away from the still before lighting the match. The blue flame is

hard to see in a well lighted area.

Most of the equipment mentioned can be purchased at our website or at

winemaking supply shops or ordered from a laboratory supply house. Your local

hospital, clinic, or any type of laboratory can put you in touch with a
laboratory

supply company.

Enzyme Calculations

The amount of enzyme needed may be calculated on a dry starch basis (DSB)

according to the concentration recommended by the manufacturer. One bushel

of corn (56 lbs) containing 60% starch would contain 33.6 lbs starch. If the

enzyme is needed in the concentration of .1%ofDSB, multiply.001 x 33.6 to

get.0336 lbs of enzyme. If the enzyme weighs 10 lbs/gallon, divide .0336 by 10
to

get .00336 gallons of enzyme. There are 128 ounces in a gallon. So .00336 x

128 gives .43 ounces, or just less than ½ ounce per bushel of corn.

Enzymes will have different brand names, depending on the manufacturer, and

may used at different concentrations and temperatures. The enzyme supplier

will furnish recommendations for the amount of enzyme needed and its

temperature requirements. See appendix for a list of enzyme suppliers. Some

farm alcohol makers use two to three times as much enzyme as recommended

by the supplier. Use the tests at the end of each step to see if the desired
results

have been obtained. If not, the enzyme concentrations may need to be

increased. There are other enzymes available to refine the process or for
special

cases. After you become familiar with the batching, consult your enzyme

supplier about any special applications or problems. The following information

shows enzyme concentration, sample costs per bushel, and yield of alcohol and

by products.

Yeast dosage 2 pounds per 1000 gallons of mash.

1 Bushel of grain equals 56 pounds of grain.

1 Bushel of grain equals 2.8 gallons of alcohol

1 Bushel of grain equals 17 pounds of feed stock