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  • edited October 2017

    Have you ever thought of using something like this

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  • edited October 2017

    @flidget said: Any information on water flow controllers would be gratefully received. Just hobby level, to try and get some measurements / metrics going. The next step up from measuring jug and iPhone timer.

    There's solid credibility in direct measurement (timed volumetrics).

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • edited October 2017

    @zymurgybob said: Another nice approach.

    DIGITEN 1/4 Quick Connect 0.3-10L/min Water Hall Effect Flow Sensor Meter @ Amazon

    Jaycar electronics here in Australia have something similar. They also have this

    Electronic Flow Rate Meter with LCD @ Jaycar Electronics

    Don't forget fleabay

  • I am just curious as to how many guys here recycle backset. All the books say you should do it but how many people do. I dont have anywhere to store it right now so I have to dump it. Should I keep it and recycle it ??

  • I use about 10-15% in future batches.

    We put a stainless drum on a scale that is located under the spout of the molasses container, add filtered water that went through the product condenser and came out at at 165, then add molasses, both by weight... We seal the drum(s), roll them off the scale and set them near the still. As soon as a stripping run stops, we pump 212 backset into the drum and whirlpool and settle for 24-72 hours. you have to have a regular schedule, but heat and water usage are reduced significantly...

    we also cool a container to add to the dunder pit...

    I should get @FloridaCracker to come get my remaining backset for fertilizer for his blueberries ;-) ....

  • As little as 5% makes a positive impact in my book.

    If you are going into a cereal mash where you are getting near boiling and holding there, don’t be too worried about holding your backset for a week or two. Think of it like dunder.

  • I'm using 20% backset, maybe a bit heavyhanded but the product seems ok

  • I'd like to use backset but my fermentation schedule is too varied to keep the stuff or use the heat to mix in new sugar. It'd have to keep for a couple months to be of any use to me right now. So down the drain it goes and I have to start fresh every time.

  • You could cube it while it's hot and store like wort that is no chilled. Won't be hot when you use it but it will still be sterile.

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  • @punkin said: You could cube it while it's hot and store like wort that is no chilled. Won't be hot when you use it but it will still be sterile.

    Minimum Temps for that trick?

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  • edited November 2017

    Just off the boil, i think it has to be osomewhere in the 70'sC for food pasteurization temperature but i'm not sure. The backset is boiling when you turn the boiler off, so that is when i'd do it if i wanted to save it long term.

    This is what it looks like with beer, just for anyone who's not sure what i mean by a 'cube'. Each cube holds about 22 litres or so if full. You fill it as full as you can and squeeze the air out by pushing against it with your knee and then doing the cap up. This not only gives you less chance of infection it also gives an indication that something is not right if the cube bloats or loses the vacuum.

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  • I follow @Punkins suggestions on cubing backset. It's easy and it works. I've had zero problems and use quite a bit of backset stored for months.

  • @punkin Great idea mate. I just dumped another 150 litres of that stuff wondering there has to be a better way. Now I know. Thanks mate.

  • No worries mate, i used to think the same and didn't know about no chill till i started all grain beer in a bigger way. Knocking out 170 litres for myself in a morning it was my best way forward as i don't have a cool room for fermenting.

    Yet.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • Dammit. I never thought of that. I'll have to see if I can get a few cubes tomorrow with good seals and stash some away for future use!!

    Great idea!!

  • Any have any idea what the nutrient content of typical sugar wash backset would be?

  • If you distilled with yeast, it’s very high.

  • edited November 2017

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  • edited November 2017

    Going based off wine research, minimum YAN for successful fermentation (up to 1.09sg/22brix) is about 140mg/l. This is the low end, or cleaner fermentations it's suggested to go closer to 250mg/l. Top end is about 400mg/l.

    Given this is measured Kjeldahl, you can assume this is all assimilable nitrogen.

    So, at 20% stillage, YAN would be roughly 140mg/l, which would at least meet minimum nitrogen requirements in the next batch, but only half the nutrient requirements of a clean ferment.

    I would not use straight DAP in conjunction with backset in this case, but a higher quality yeast nutrient focused on micronutrients, sterols, etc. While these are typically much more expensive than DAP, dosage required is typically very low when you are starting from a 140mg/l baseline.

  • edited November 2017

    So, I'd supplement 20% backset with something like 12.5g/hL of Fermaid-K, which would add another 125 mg N/l, bringing the total to around 265mg N/l (this is based on ideal fermentation conditions, if you are fermenting in stressful conditions you need to increase the total mgN/l). This is half the recommended dose of Fermaid-K, so you can see how backset can cut your nutrient cost down significantly. Also factoring in the cost of acids necessary to acidify your mash during fermentation (which is significantly reduced/eliminated with backset), if you do 1000g a week, you could probably save something like $750-$1000 a year.

    This savings doesn't consider a 20% reduction in water usage, and sewerage/waste costs - which could be material depending on your location. At 1000g a week, you are talking about reducing water usage and waste by 10,000 gallons annually.

    Likewise using near-boiling stillage to dissolve your next batch immediately will result in significant reduction of energy usage for water heating, especially during cooler seasons). A ratio of 2:8 at 190F for the stillage and 60F for the rest of the water/liquid will result in an 86F blend, real world probably lower (cold tanks, etc) - but nearly perfect for pitch temp. My napkin math might be wrong, but at the same 52000 gal annual processing, this is saving 8 million btu a year. If you are electric, at $0.18/kwh this is like $400 a year in energy savings.

    The magic of backset.

    Beginner heads explode...

  • Hello people I'm new hear just chasing some info . I've just got my self a 100l column still with 6 plates. I ran 4 plates first off all good . Then tried 6 plates with 80l of tomato wash first 3 plates seemed a bit foggy. I changes boiler temps and water cooling temp still no change .Do I have to change bubble size on some of the plates could any one please help Cheers

  • edited April 2019

    @Bulle said: Hello people I'm new hear just chasing some info . I've just got my self a 100l column still with 6 plates. I ran 4 plates first off all good . Then tried 6 plates with 80l of tomato wash first 3 plates seemed a bit foggy. I changes boiler temps and water cooling temp still no change .Do I have to change bubble size on some of the plates could any one please help Cheers

    Welcome to our community and please feel free to start a new discussion with a meaningful title for your specific issues, which makes it more likely that you receive qualified feedback and also ensures better oversight for specific discussions.

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  • Welcome Bulle.

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