threestrongs

With a refractometer.

I used superstart from White Labs on this batch. It says to pitch at 90 degrees, but I can certainly try 100 degrees, less cooling time for me. I am going to scale down the size just for testing.

Thanks fldme, Really appreciate the help. I have not used flour before and am just trying to figure it out. Best, Steve

I am having trouble getting fermentation to finish. Strike water is 160F, 5.5 PH. Add 60% Rye flour and 40% Distillers Malt flour. Conversion seems to happen pretty fast, but I hold at 155 for 1 hour anyway. Then crash cool mash to 90F. I start at about 18 brix. Then pitch distillers yeast. Everything starts out great, in about 24 hours I get to 11 brix (I know that isn't totally accurate with the alcohol in the mash, but easiest way to quickly measure with grain in). Then fermentation pretty much halts. I was thinking maybe the mash was too hot and killing the yeast, so I added more yeast when temps cooled, but still no more fermentation. Clearly I am doing something wrong. Please help. Thanks.

I have been talking with several insurance companies and rates are coming back really high. 3K for an annual premium. I have tried to explain the process, but they still seem to be concerned with explosions. Does anyone have an insurance company you are working with that you might suggest? Thanks, Steve