Proofing

[Wise Men Distillery]

We just made a run of moonshine (corn whiskey)

we have a recipe for Apple pie moonshine that involves Apple juice concentrate, we did a 50/50 mix of concentrate and for round numbers say 150 proof moonshine. I cannot get my hydrometer or my Anton Paar to read an alcohol content. Is there a different tool for proofing something like that or do I need to do something different? Not sure 

[bluefish_dist]

you need to determine the % solids and finished proof to determine the correct method to get the true proof.  I don't remember the exact numbers now, but if the proof is 80 or above you can determine the solids and adjust proof using an oven.  If the proof is lower than 80 you have to redistill in a lab still to get the true proof.  The ttb has a video on how to do this.  

[Glenlyon]

Assuming your apple juice has sugar in it, which it probably does. you'll need to use the 'proofing by obfuscation' strategy. Try the TTB website for how to videos on this subject.

[Tom Lenerz]

49 minutes ago, Glenlyon said:

Assuming your apple juice has sugar in it, which it probably does. you'll need to use the 'proofing by obfuscation' strategy. Try the TTB website for how to videos on this subject.

See video part 3. https://www.ttb.gov/spirits/proofing.shtml

Also, read the gauging manual https://www.ttb.gov/foia/gauging_manual_toc.shtml.

[Wise Men Distillery]

Thanks for the pointers!  We will look into this.

[meerkat]

There are two separate aspects to this problem. The first is "how do you determine the proof of the blend you have made".  This is what the TTB Manual and videos address.  The second aspect is how to determine what you must add to the blend if you are aiming for a specific proof or sugar content.  The calculations can be done manually as described by Dehner or using software like my AlcoDens LQ.

[daveflintstone]

AlcoDens LQ is amazing.

[Still_Holler]

I was wondering about this the other day. If you are unsure of the sugar content, would a TDS meter work for determining what method you need to determine proof by?

(a) General. Proof obscuration of spirits containing more than 400 but not more than 600 milligrams of solids per 100 milliliters shall be determined by one of the following methods. The evaporation method may be used only for spirits in the range of 80–100 degrees at gauge proof. 

If 1 ppm = 1mg/l that would be 4,000-6,000 ppm TDS reading.

[CalwiseSpirits]

On 3/29/2018 at 11:39 AM, Still_Holler said:

I was wondering about this the other day. If you are unsure of the sugar content, would a TDS meter work for determining what method you need to determine proof by?

(a) General. Proof obscuration of spirits containing more than 400 but not more than 600 milligrams of solids per 100 milliliters shall be determined by one of the following methods. The evaporation method may be used only for spirits in the range of 80–100 degrees at gauge proof. 

If 1 ppm = 1mg/l that would be 4,000-6,000 ppm TDS reading.

I'm curious to know this too... bump

[meerkat]

From the Wikipedia entry on TDS meters:

"Dissolved organic solids, such as sugar, and microscopic solid particles, such as colloids, do not significantly affect the conductivity of a solution, and are not taken into account." (My emphasis)

[indyspirits]

On 3/29/2018 at 11:52 AM, meerkat said:

or using software like my AlcoDens LQ.

It would be nice to have something I can run on linux or a SaaS / subscription solution.

 

 

 

[jbdavenport1]

Thanks guys.....confused as ever.....?

[indyspirits]

What I would do to get very close is buy a copy of AlcoDens from @meerkat, find out how much sugar is in your AJ, and then just consider the AJ a simple dextrose solution and run the proofing calcs in AlcoDens.