Although every copper moonshine still is different, many distillers start with a basic question like “how much moonshine will my still produce?” or “how much will I get out of my 5 gallon whiskey still?”
While there is no definitive answer – you will have to make 2 or 3 batches with your particular whiskey still to understand how it operates most efficiently – we can give you some general guidelines, so that you can adjust your methods if you aren’t producing moonshine efficiently.
The alcohol proof of your final product will be based on a variety of factors – the strength of the ingredients in your mash, the chemistry of how those ingredients interact, and the efficiency of your distillation run. These factors contribute to the alcohol by volume of the mash and its alcohol wash, which is then distilled into your whiskey or moonshine. Consider how each of the following will help you make the most of each alcohol run.
There is a delicate science to combining the yeast and the sugar in your moonshine mash recipe so that the maximum amount of sugar is fermented into alcohol. Generally, more sugar is better, but too much is waste. In addition to finding the right proportion of yeast to sugar in your whiskey mash recipe, you will want to use a distiller’s yeast instead of regular bread yeast. Distiller’s yeast has been bred to withstand higher alcohol concentrations, and so can ferment more sugar in any moonshine mash recipe.
Fermentable sugar is exactly what it sounds like – the amount of sugar available to be eaten by yeast that can later be turned into alcohol. If there isnt very much sugar then there wont be much alcohol. However, too much sugar is wasteful. The amount of sugar needed depends on the recipe, the size of the batch, and the potential alcohol production by the yeast. Though, in general, the more fermentable sugar there is in the mash, the higher the potential starting alcohol and the higher the yield.
Starting alcohol can vary significantly, having a big impact on the final yield. Starting alcohol is generally expressed as “alcohol by volume” or ABV. Its simply the percentage of alcohol in a solution of alcohol wash. For example a 10 gallon wash that contains 1 gallon of pure alcohol will have an ABV of 10%. The higher the starting alcohol, the higher the potential yield.
One final note is that all of the alcohol produced during fermentation will not be collected during the run. Generally only about 85 or 90% is collected because it takes too much time and energy to get the last little bit…and it isnt the good stuff anyway. For example, if there is 1 gallon of pure alcohol in a wash and it is distilled with a collection efficiency of 85%, then .85 gallons will be collected.
The type of yeast used is very important as well. Bread yeast (the kind that can be purchased at a grocery store) will produce starting alcohol in the 10% range, whereas a strong distillers yeast may produce starting alcohol as high as 20%. This is due to two factors. First, distillers yeast has been bred to withstand higher concentrations of ambient alcohol. Where a bread yeast might die off once starting alcohol has reached 10 or 12%, a distillers yeast will still thrive, and will do so until ambient alcohol has increased to a much higher level (20% or so). Second, some distillers yeasts are packaged with loads of yeast nutrients i.e. Turbo 24, 48, etc. This can actually be a bad thing, as the excess nutrients contained in turbo yeasts can cause off flavors in the final product. Checkout our article “Bourbon, Whiskey, Vodka and Moonshine – How Much Yeast?” for more information on yeast.
Final proof can also have a significant impact on yield. If 10 gallons (with a starting alcohol of 10%) is distilled, the amount of pure alcohol collected will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 gallon. However, the collected spirit wont be 100% pure (200 proof). It usually gets proofed down to somewhere around 100 proof, or 50% pure alcohol. While the total amount of alcohol collected remains the same, there is now twice as much “product” and the “yield” is doubled. The higher the final proof, the lower the final yield, the lower the final proof, the higher the final yield.
There are many clues that tell you when to end your whiskey run, but you can also guess at the end of a run based on the approximate quantity of moonshine you’ve collected. Most runs will still leave some wash at the “bottom of the barrel,” so don’t worry if you have distilled every last drop. It’s typically not worth running your copper still higher than 212 degrees Fahrenheit on your run, so that is a good indication. Generally, a distillation run might only remove 85-90% of the alcohol from the wash, but that is good enough for most moonshiners.
Although every copper moonshine still is different, many distillers start with a basic question like “how much moonshine will my still produce?” or “how much will I get out of my 5 gallon whiskey still?”
Each distillation run on a copper whiskey still will result in a different amount of moonshine. While there is no exact formula to accurately predict exactly how much you will get out of any run, if you are not reaching numbers close to these, consider how changing some of the factors of your distillation process will allow you to get more product out of your copper moonshine still.
There is a delicate science to combining the yeast and the sugar in your moonshine mash recipe so that the maximum amount of sugar is fermented into alcohol. Generally, more sugar is better, but too much is waste. In addition to finding the right proportion of yeast to sugar in your whiskey mash recipe, you will want to use a distiller’s yeast instead of regular bread yeast. Distiller’s yeast has been bred to withstand higher alcohol concentrations, and so can ferment more sugar in any moonshine mash recipe.
You can generally assume that your alcohol still will produce a final batch that is about 20% of the size of your copper still’s pot. For example, the average run in a 5 gallon still can be expected to produce about a gallon or a gallon and a half of moonshine. Of course, the quality of the different batches of moonshine will vary depending on many factors – you may only get ¾ of a gallon in one batch, but with a very high proof and excellent quality. Or, you may run up a batch that ends with more than a gallon, but with more “feints” that will make their way into future runs.
How much moonshine will it make?
FAQ
How much liquor will 5 gallons of mash make?
How much alcohol do you throw away when distilling?
How many pounds of sugar do I need for 5 gallons of mash?
How long does it take to run a 5 gallon mash?
How many gallons of moonshine do you need to make MASH?
To make this mash, you’ll need 10 lbs of grain (I prefer corn, but you can use rye or wheat), 5 gallons of water, 1 package of yeast, and 1 cup of sugar. There are a few things you need to know before we get started. First, this is a 5-gallon moonshine mash recipe, which means it will produce approximately 5 gallons of moonshine.
How much bourbon is in a 5 gallon mash?
On average, a 5 gallon batch of bourbon mash can yield around 4-5 bottles of bourbon, with an alcohol content ranging from 40-60%. To add a twist to the traditional recipe, consider using different types of wood for smoking, or try adding fruit during fermentation.
What is a 5 gallon moonshine mash?
Moonshine is a type of liquor that has been around for centuries. It is typically made from corn mash and can be distilled to increase its potency. While moonshine can be made in many ways, this 5-gallon moonshine mash recipe is one of the easiest methods.
How many gallons of yeast do you need for Mash?
A package of dry yeast is usually enough for 5 gallons of mash. Let the mash sit for at least 24 hours before starting fermentation. This will give the yeast a chance to get started. Keep the fermentation vessel in a warm place. 70-80 degrees is ideal. Don’t let the mash get too hot during fermentation.