A Gift of Moonshine

[isabel]

I got a small bottle of watermelon moonshine from a bud's friend. Assuming most of the sugars are from standard sugar. It smells vaguely fruity mixed with burning. And tastes like burning as well. Lol

I thought I would turn it into more of a fruit liqueur but would like to actually write down a near correct percentage. I do not know the SG when started or after. They don't know what the percentage is now either.

So my question, is there a way to figure out a percentage range of the hooch before I start diluting it? Or should I just not worry about it? Lol

 

[forestbeekeeper]

I got a small bottle of watermelon moonshine from a bud's friend. Assuming most of the sugars are from standard sugar. It smells vaguely fruity mixed with burning. And tastes like burning as well. Lol

Is he running a pot still? Or a reflux still?

Watermelon juice should have around 7% fructose. I have made wine from it myself. It could be distilled without additional sugar.

It sounds like he may have unintentionally 'burnt' it as he was heating the still. As it should not have a burnt smell or taste.

I run a reflux still with scrubbers in the column that are usually able to clean out any off flavors.

I thought I would turn it into more of a fruit liqueur but would like to actually write down a near correct percentage. I do not know the SG when started or after. They don't know what the percentage is now either.

So my question, is there a way to figure out a percentage range of the hooch before I start diluting it? Or should I just not worry about it? Lol

Measure its specific gravity using a hydrometer.

I use a hydrometer calibrated in the Tralle scale to measure proof from 0 to 200.

 

[fluketamer]

welcome to the forum.

i thought watermelon shine or most fruit flavored shines were just shine with added flavor not distilled from watermelon juice or any fruit juice. from all the shine shows i watched they just mostly distill corn mash then add flavor after.

i figured when he said it tastes like burning he just meant its hot like shine not burnt tasting.

just dilute it to taste.

but i dont know that i would trust someone elses shine. how do you know he didnt make wood alcohol?
and you gonna go blind?
just saying.

 

[doug293cz]

Is it a "burnt" taste, or an alcohol burn?

Brew on

 

[doug293cz]

but i dont know that i would trust someone elses shine. how do you know he didnt make wood alcohol?
and you gonna go blind?
just saying.

Ask the distiller how much of it s/he has drunk.

Brew on

 

[isabel]

Is it a "burnt" taste, or an alcohol burn?

Brew on

Alcohol burn

 

[isabel]

welcome to the forum.

i thought watermelon shine or most fruit flavored shines were just shine with added flavor not distilled from watermelon juice or any fruit juice. from all the shine shows i watched they just mostly distill corn mash then add flavor after.

i figured when he said it tastes like burning he just meant its hot like shine not burnt tasting.

just dilute it to taste.

but i dont know that i would trust someone elses shine. how do you know he didnt make wood alcohol?
and you gonna go blind?
just saying.

It has no watermelon taste. My buddy has had it without issue. He gave it to me hoping I could "fix" it lol.

 

[doug293cz]

Alcohol burn

This is something that is inherent in distilled spirits. Most of them are diluted to around 80 - 86 proof (40 - 43% ABV. If yours is higher than this, it will have a lot of alcohol burn.

If the distiller didn't take "cuts" and select only the "hearts" from the distillation run, you may have excess fusel alcohols or other nasty flavor components (that come from early in the distillation ["heads"] or late in the distillation ["tails"]).

If the watermelon was added to the "wash" prior to distillation, then it is not surprising that none of the delicate flavor survived the process. If added after distillation, there may not have been enough added, or the off flavors from not taking proper cuts may just be overwhelming the watermelon.

Brew on

 

[isabel]

This is something that is inherent in distilled spirits. Most of them are diluted to around 80 - 86 proof (40 - 43% ABV. If yours is higher than this, it will have a lot of alcohol burn.

If the distiller didn't take "cuts" and select only the "hearts" from the distillation run, you may have excess fusel alcohols or other nasty flavor components (that come from early in the distillation ["heads"] or late in the distillation ["tails"]).

If the watermelon was added to the "wash" prior to distillation, then it is not surprising that none of the delicate flavor survived the process. If added after distillation, there may not have been enough added, or the off flavors from not taking proper cuts may just be overwhelming the watermelon.

Brew on

Ya, it doesn't taste bad. Just nothing like watermelon either.

Is there no way to find the abv after fact? Boil off alcohol in a small portion and compare to equal portion? It's fine if there isn't a way, I was just wondering.

 

[doug293cz]

Ya, it doesn't taste bad. Just nothing like watermelon either.

Is there no way to find the abv after fact? Boil off alcohol in a small portion and compare to equal portion? It's fine if there isn't a way, I was just wondering.

Alcohol content is measured with a special purpose hydrometer, known as a Tralle hydrometer. These are calibrated to directly read Proof and %ABV. Note that a hydrometer used for beer brewing or wine making will not work, as the SGs involved range from 0.7895 to 1.0000.

Brew on

 

[lumpher]

Incorrect answer given. Deleted.

 

[doug293cz]

Not really, without accessing a lab. That's kinda like trying to find a route someone took from Point A to Point B without knowing where Point A was. How much sugar was fermented out?

Incorrect. A Tralle hydrometer is all you need when dealing with distilled spirits, as no sugar, or other significant dissolved solids, exist in the distillate (it's just an alcohol/water mixture.) If you add sugar, or significant amounts of anything other than ethanol or water, after distilling, then all bets are off.

Brew on

 

[lumpher]

Incorrect. A Tralle hydrometer is all you need when dealing with distilled spirits, as no sugar, or other significant dissolved solids, exist in the distillate (it's just an alcohol/water mixture.) If you add sugar, or significant amounts of anything other than ethanol or water, after distilling, then all bets are off.

Brew on

Interesting. I retract my answer.

 

[isabel]

Alcohol content is measured with a special purpose hydrometer, known as a Tralle hydrometer. These are calibrated to directly read Proof and %ABV. Note that a hydrometer used for beer brewing or wine making will not work, as the SGs involved range from 0.7895 to 1.0000.

Brew on

Thanks.