Seashells Make Better Spirits
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ธ.ค. 2024
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Often the pH of a fermentation doesn't need to be interfered with, especially if it's grain or molasses-based. Sometimes things do go sideways and an adjustment is needed.
Other recipes like sugar washes and generational based spirits tend to be a little bit more of a problem.
Either way, it turns out seashells can be a HUGE help in buffering the pH of our fermentations. Happy yeast, happy distiller!
Pretty much any shell is going to work. Even eggshells!
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#Skillshare #distilling #shells
A roundup of a few helpful comments (thanks for all the input!):
Rimrock53
The nature of buffering is that the more acidic (lower ph) the solution becomes, the faster the reaction that dissolves the shell occurs, raising the ph. Conversely as the ph raises, the reaction slows.
Keith Powers
If you live near a farm supply store, they sell crushed oyster shell (for chickens/poultry) in 50 pound bags.
Dan Chaplin
For future reference, yeast makes things more acidic because it's producing Co2 as a by product which we all know, Co2 is combining with the water to make carbonic acid, and that acid lowers the ph. That's why mashes will lower in ph over time. I never go below a ph of 4.5.
Jesse Marques
not only CO2, but it produces a lot of organic acids too. I've already got a molasses ferment going under pH 4
Kim Immel
Learning to use Calcium Carbonate powder(sledge Hammer) , did throw an issue my way. Too much CalCarb turned the heads green coming off the still. THis cleared up for the most part by the time i reached the hearts. I ended up rerunning the entire batch. To preempt any questions, this was after an entire tear down and cleaning of the still, so this was not caused by puking or a dirty condenser. If you are going to use CalCarb powder, use a little at a time.
Glad you stressed how not everyone needs to do this! Usually TH-camrs are all "you NEED this!" but I appreciate your honesty and desire to keep barriers low for beginners to get involved.
Haha, to true man.
Jesse is one of the best at providing information with context and without hype.
If anyone's wondering where to get their sea shells: she sells sea shells on the sea shore
You know Sally?
Ishee whatshh havesshh yoush donshe hesshee
No way, ive been looking everywhere for them..
Easy for you to say!
Fellow father of twins here. Beautiful family, glad you include them in your work! Great content as always. I'm a chemist by training and love content that raises the geek factor.
Ah awesome man! 3x the work 4x the fun 👍
Cool! Im assuming I didnt say anything too stupid otherwise you would let me know then haha.
If you live near a farm supply store, they sell crushed oyster shell (for chickens/poultry) in 50 pound bags.
Great content, Jesse! You are blessed, your little ones are a treasure. Thank you for including them.
Yeah they are awesome. Im a very lucky guy.
Amen, Brother!
I've been watching you since pretty much the beginning Jesse. Yes the vids are and have been getting better since then. My skills have gotten miles better with your vids.
Thanks man. Gotta keep learning or whats the fun eh?
Use a muslin bag with a float attached for anything you may want to remove part way through fermentation, if you want to seal the fermenter.
Nice
As always, thankyou for the useful and honest helpful hint(s) on better fermentation and distilling.
Also, on a 1-10 scale of cuteness those 3 kids of yours score a solid 30!
They radiate joy and their smiles made our day.
Stay safe and well.
The nature of buffering is that the more acidic (lower ph) the solution becomes, the faster the reaction that dissolves the shell occurs, raising the ph. Conversely as the ph raises, the reaction slows.
Yeah I guess I did a bad job of spelling that out huh? Thanks man!
I love that laugh! So much joy in it!
Right Jesse's laugh is infectious
@@rayfox212 I've got a buddy in I think Christchurch, and his laugh is identical!
I’m not a video expert, but I’d say these are nearly perfect. Perfect for a wide viewer base, I think.
Thanks mate. There is always something to improve on. Il keep working on em!
@@StillIt just kidding. I have a degree in video production. It’s great content. PLEASE keep it up.
Beautiful family. Kids love helping.
Really glad you brought this to people’s attention. I use oyster shells. And much less stress to know they are there if needed. Rather than keep testing and adjusting if fermentation not going to plan.
Thanks bud. My favourite video each week and I have quite a diverse list of interests.
Ah man that means a lot! Yeah Im a youtube junky too haha
Learning to use Calcium Carbonate powder(sledge Hammer) , did throw an issue my way. Too much CalCarb turned the heads green coming off the still. THis cleared up for the most part by the time i reached the hearts. I ended up rerunning the entire batch. To preempt any questions, this was after an entire tear down and cleaning of the still, so this was not caused by puking or a dirty condenser. If you are going to use CalCarb powder, use a little at a time.
Yep. An overdose over carbonate in your still will react with any copper it comes across to form copper I I carbonate, a bluish green salt and this will show up until all the carbonate is used up. Be careful indeed.
Yeah dam good point man!
For those who have access in the right geography...some well selected and washed 3/4" limestone gravel works too.
This!
Was worried he was going to explain the science of "the three seashells" in the bathroom.
😂😂😂
I would like to know after all these years it’s still a mystery
I never did figure out those dam shells
This is the Gandalf of spirits
Il take it 👍😂😂
Good video! I think you covered all the bases.
Cute kids - they must take after their mamma.
Yeah mate, they dont get it from me haha
"Sledgehammer" is a good description, first time I used powder I couldn't believe how little it took and how fast it reacted. I've been wondering how brewers go about using shells, thanks for the tips. I also thought about using gypsum since I have access to gypsum stone but wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. Going to look into that further too.
There are two stages to pH raising. The first is to get it up ( If low). That is where a bicarbonate salt is best ideally potassium or 2nd choice sodium aka baking soda. Sodium however is less kind on yeast. The second factor is keeping pH up which is where the calcium carbonate does it’s thing as required.
For egg shells, best treatment is to zap them in the microwave for a couple of minutes to cook that membrane on the inside. They can then be used or stored till required. Suspension in the wash is better than dropping to the bottom.
If you're using a crushed media (eggshell, seashell, whathaveyou) you can also use a stainless tea bell 😉
Good point. I even have some of those already!
Or hop basket if you a beer brewer.
hi Still it, big fan of here, i think you should try Pottery aging (adding few pieces of Pottery with the oak) to get the earthy flavors from thenatural clay.
in India they age oil perfumes with Pottery to add more complexity to the aroma
I have more questions about this, it sounds awesome! So does the clay actually add to the flavours? Or is it used as a vessel to age instead of the wood flavours? Does any pottery work?
Ive always found your videos to be informative, but quality of the presentation and video/audio has improved noticably. If I wasn't so broke I'd consider becoming a patreon because this is quality content.
Informative as ever. You asked if the presentation were getting better, you bet! Real polished presentation which I can see is improving. I bet the effort needed takes some time too, but the results are great.
Thanks man. Yeah its definitely more effort. But it also makes it a lot more fun.
For my water I use a cheap inline filter on my garden hose to remove the chlorine from the water it works great for me. The likker always tastes great
I use my well water!
Makes great shine and coffee!
Bro, your production has stepped up heaps, awesome improvement. Love following your channel. As an avid distiller straight across the ditch from you in Australia, I have the beach in my backyard. Like you I'm also blessed(?) to have three wonderful kids that love the beach. Guess who's going seashell hunting today once the smoker and still have finished their runs? Legend, appreciate everything you do on your channel. Keep up the mad work. Hohou i te rongo. 🤙🤙🤙
Are any allergies introduced using shellfish?
Hmmmmm you know what thats a good point. I really dont know. Would be interested to see what the actual thing in shell fish is that people are allergic too. Then if that is able to make it through distillation.
Interesting Q . . . . I dont know!
Hi, Jesse! I use egg shells. But if pH is about 1,8 then we need much egg shells (I use 4 egg shells, but that was not enough). Now I am experimenting with Baking Soda. I do like that: take 1L of water and put inside some tea spoons with BS until all is dissolved and some cloudiness is presented. I leave it for 2 days. After that time all not dissolved parts go to the bottom. I use 4 tablespoons to the 8L of wine. It is first year, I do that way. I will give you an answer about that. Fruit wine is acidic and pH is under 2.
Yup I hear you. Dude, that is a super acidic fermentation though!
@@StillIt :)
@@StillItSome update. I check every day taste and pH of my fruit wine. You know, there is new taste - taste of candy. It means, there original taste go bye, but the taste of sweet candy comes... It is taste of women's beer. Sweet and candy... pH of Baking Soda is 7. It means we push our 1,8wine pH to 7, but we add Sodium in the wine which is not good. It gives this artificial taste. Maybe to use NaOH? It is pH14 in "normal state of molecules". Something like that.
@@Ansis99 sodium hydroxide is definitely a sledgehammer, 1 percent addition is the maximum recermended dose.
@@thebeaglebeat3615 Yes. I understand risk, but I will taste it after 1 week and I will give feedback here how it taste after fermentation. :)
A general comment however. As acetic acid also a by product of the fermentation it has actually been suggested to me that the addition of some lime (small amount) Calcium Hydroxide will neutralize the acetic acid carry over. However some rums actually require the acetic acid to add to the flavor profile.
pH does matter. While you'll be in the ballpark most of the time, it is worth checking the pH. If you don't you will get the occasional stuck or even ruined fermentation.
99% of the time you want to be in the sweet spot of 4.5 - 5.5 pH. On the lower end of this for something like rum or if you are using an enzyme like Ultraferm (gamma-amylase). And the higher end of this for whiskey.
I'm not distilling yet, but I am a mead brewer. One I have the space and a few more bucks to buy distilling equipment I'll be getting to it.
I have watched many of your videos already and am feeling as confident as I can get (With only watching videos that is) to distill.
I watched Tech Ingredients and he also referenced you as great learning videos
Awesome man, your going to love this hobby. Im still honored to be mentioned by tech ingredients. Dam fine channel and human.
Nice one! I already have a bucket of seashells ready to go!
(And I’ve never said _that_ before…)
Drill a hole through them and you can tie them together. Easy to wire to the side of a loosely covered ferment.
wish i could share video on here, my wash stalled, turned out ph was close to 3 (yes, 3! )
So i divided it to 30 liter fermenter - added baking soda to one of them and... the volcano! lol
Adding water to a stalled wash can get it restarted sometimes .
@@Suzukidave I made a mistake by using RO water and too much tomato paste and citric acid. My water is hard, should have used that instead )
@@dimash244 a low cost PH meter takes the guess work out of your starting PH that I personally like of between 5.2 and 5.4 . If your starting ph is below 5 I just put in small amounts of baking soda till it gets within range .
I have made that error before and made quite the mess 😳
Here in South Mississippi we have very soft water so we have to adjust our water chemistry for different beers that we brew. While making an oyster stout I would circulate the hot wort after mashing but prior to chilling because the hot wort reacts upon the calcium carbonate in the shells much more effectively when the molecules are excited(hot). There’s also a rumor/theory that adding slacking lime(calcium hydroxide) can make detecting cuts in spirit easier.
What I presume you is your oldest was so excited to go to the beach it was so cute to see
Drill a small hole in the shell, thread shells on to copper wire, lower shells into fermentation vessel, thin copper wire dosen't interfere to significantly wither the air lock but is still strong enough to handle the weight of the shell. And if the wire for any reason brakes the shell are tied together and won't get suck down the drain pipes
Really informative video. Great stuff. Thanks
Cheers mate :)
Love the b roll with the kiddos never thought of shells.
They are awesome kids. Im a lucky guy. Thanks man.
thanks for the great info Cheers!!
Cheers mate :)
I ha e been having issues with my rum stalling this may be somthing I need to try
Get a pH meter to easily test it mate. If it IS the problem its a easy fix.
Do test the pH (meter or water test strips). Another reason rum ferments stall is low temperature. Some insulation or a heating pad to keep the temp up a bit makes for more dependable rum runs.
On the Amazon pH meters: just order them directly from China. Saves you half the price for exact the same one. They're great: they run on 2 LR44 button batteries and come with 3 calibration sachets. You only need to buy the batteries and some distilled water.
I forgot to mention a minor detail: in the manual it says to make sure not to reverse the polarity of the batteries. Fun fact: there weren't any polarity signs on either casing or battery holder. I contacted the supplier about it and they answered me on the dot. They sent me a couple of pics with Cyrillic indications lol
The usual suspects in China sell ph meters for less than $10 including shipping. Sometimes they include batteries and sometimes not. These are cheaply made but they work well enough. Delivery is slow, 2 - 6 weeks typical.
Cheap LR44 batteries can be found at places like Harbor Freight or Princess Auto. Or your local dollar store.
@@mikewilson9315 i got mine within 12 days. That's the Netherlands though.
Regularly use shells, maybe more than I need to based on what you said, but seems to have no ill effect. I put them the open mesh bag that onions come in (US).
If a wash takes "too long" then take it's temperature and use the drop on the end of the thermometer to spot onto pH paper, I've added tiny amounts (1/4 tsp measure) sodium bicarbonate to bring pH back into proper range.
Suggestion for small batch fermentation (less than 20 L) drill s small hole in 1 or 2 shells and suspend it with a small rope from the fermenter bucket top.
I was running crushed oyster shells in my last few sugar washes and it's honestly quite surprising how much can be consumed. Probably went through a kilo in like 6-8 50L sugar washes. Had it in a sock and just slowly got lighter after each wash.
I don't know much about shells, honestly. My water has always been a bit alkaline, and I got it down to 5.2 PH by adding lemon or orange juice. Lemon juice for subtle flavors, orange juice for still subtle, but noticeable.
Done it before, saved a wash. Always keep them around now
First all grain almost finished fermenting for whisky 5kg micronized corn , 5kg high diastatic barley, 1kg chocolate barley , 1kg local wheat and 1kg of marris barley.
Gin wash 2.5 kg micronized corn 2.5 kg wheat and 1kg roasted barley cooked plus enzymes.
Vodka 2.5kg micronized corn , 2.5kg local wheat and 7kg blend of sugars cooked .
I definitely messed up on a few things but I was brave enough to try it .
Any suggestions would be helpful. I Don't think I extracted enough starch / sugar from my grains
Love the content keep going
Damn!
Now I'll have to go make some sugar washes to experiment with!
😆 😆 😆 and then drink them for testing purposes only, of course.
Great video! Fun and informative!
Thank you!
haha or sure
You live just up the road from where I Grew up, Otaki- Levin. Damn
Tid bit if you do mead. Ive noticed if your start is at least 4-5 things cook well. If its down to sp.gr. 1.01-1.02 and its around 3.5 to my 4, let it be. Give it time and it will possibly finish further. If you bottle it, could get accidental fizzy drink which so far good. Though that was at sp.gr. 1.0 gravity.
Although I am curious what would happen if at start you put in a small shell? I might do a basic mead in open top so I can test ph every few days. I work in grams, so soon ill find a number in grams that is just about right. If I remember, ill update this.
My preference is I try to get about a ph of 5 and leave it be.
Your kids are adorable
A bit of cleanup of the info here.
For mash pH, calcium combines with phosphorous naturally occuring in malted products to form phytic acid to drop the pH. The various other metals and salts then work to buffet the pH depending on the water makeup and availability.
For fermentation, it is not carbonic acid that drops the pH initially, but the active uptake and release of hydrogen from yeast cells.
For a cell to take on glucose molecules it produces invertase to breakdown any complex sugars to glucose. Once the sugar is in the simple form there are 4 ways for the cell to take in the glucose - from memory the invertase will help, by natural absorption, one I forget and the main and largest for it to grip a hydrogen ion for transport thru the cell wall.
But, with all the glucose and nutrient in the cell once the fermentation pathway starts the cells cannot hold onto the hydrogen cells and releases them, hence dropping the pH.
The yeast has an affinity for simple glucose (due to effort) other other carbohydrate and will attack it first and fast. But like me at KFC and the nugs. With a sugar wash there are no complex sugars to break down and pad out the process, hence a sudden rush into the cell of glucose and a drop which then causes the yeast to whig out and stop. Obvious is the next buffering steps from the carbonate to kick in and work against the lowering pH.
Anyways, hope that helps.
Great video, dude:-)
Cheers my bro
8:50 [TL;DR] Check pH of your generational washes!! Rum wash crashed, had to act & counterbalance acidity.
Did 2nd gen rum wash. pH crashed on me as a freaking Hindenburg at Lakehurst!! BUT I didn't paid attention & didn't checked it, before/
after inoculation. Had no visible fermentation signs, so I checked SG & pH few weeks later 😉.
That damn thing dropped to 3.5 ish😵 and not even one drop in SG.
No shells around, so I diluted in 2nd bucket with tap water (pH @ 8 ish), dropped some baking soda and CaCO3 (bicarb is crucial). Lifted it to above pH 5.5, added 750 g cane sugar, then that poor yeast started to ferment again. Wheeewww 🤣.
*EDIT NOTE WARNING* Add your other than shells stuff very slowllllyyy. Just imagine Coke & Mentos experiment!! (Don't ask how I learned about it 🤣😆). There's still bit of dissolved CO2 in the wash 🤣😆.
Or just maybe, I'd have used lactobacillus instead 🤔🤣🤣.
Jesse, here's food for thought for ya. 100% Lacto fermented wash 😆 (aren't it that corn washes actually?).
AHH? Once again the "Feed Store" is a blessing to the Craft!
Grains and Oster Shells are Chicken Scratch!
what about setting the shells on a wire stand like you find in a NuWave Oven, with the shells in a basket with a handle, that will fit in the pot/still? can fully close it. can easily grab shells. or make basket with a handle that is up above the top of the mixture but below the lid?
Still Ghost Pepper Spirits? Or Carolina Reaper Whiskey? Sweet Hot Pepper stuff?
Can you use sodium bicarbonate isntead?
I bet drilling a hole in the shells and running a bit of monofilament or braided stainless to make like a necklace would be a pretty slick way to use shells, no bag to clean
Will this affect people wish shell fish allergies ?
Does PH affect the production of ethyl acetate?
What acids are involved in fermentation? I know tartaric acid is a byproduct of winemaking.
Literally just stalled a inverted sugar wash. Think I put to much citric acid in. Didn't have any shells. So used baking powder instead. Then read the label, not the right stuff. 🤣
you can buy crushed oyster shells from your chicken feed store.
have you ever made oyster shell gin mate,cheers
Those cute children🥰
Here's an idea.
Try using a piece of bone (calcium phosphate) as a pH buffer agent.
Look at it as a ujssm spareribs recipe 🤪. It's the same idea. As the bone dissolve it neutralize the acid in the mash/wort/wash and adds phosphate to the little buggers as in DAP.
I assume the shells can be reused from batch to batch?
If they have not totally disolved 👍
Nice video again my friend
Thanks dude :)
You’re in NZ. Doesn’t everyone live close to the coast as compared to some orher countries? Relativity ;-)
For sure. We are lucky here.
Remember the big audience in USA who live inland
Nice video
Thanks mate
Great video, thank you sir! Now I can paste your link in comments rather than explaining it over and over. :D
Cool kids, Jess!
Is there a link to the nz home distiller group your referenced for the egg shells, as I thought it had closed down
It's a Facebook group New Zealander Home Distillers
Is it just a lighting/camera trick or is the sand on your beach quite dark?
Nice family!
Yeah I got lucky dude.
Cool vid! Great kids! 🧡
Thanks man Im lucky :)
What about using tums?
pH isn't really from 0 to 14. You'll almost never find something outside those bounds, because the scale is logarithmic, but sufficiently concentrated lye solutions can get up to pH 15 or even a bit above, and concentrated sulfuric acid can have its pH go a bit negative.
The most acidic substance on the planet is Fluoroantimonic acid. It is over a quintillion times more acidic than sulfuric acid and is -31.3 PH so you are spot on with this.
You should try an oyster shell gin
Gah, this is the most wholesome vid! Yes!!!
Didn’t Bearded or Maybe George do something where adding a tablespoon of calcium carbonate to his wash gave him more hearts?
No No No No No.. Sorry but you dont get it.. its obvious youve not really trialled them properly and just read a few comments in the forums . The shells regulate the PH, You need a good handful or two per 25l wash. They wont prevent an initial drop that may need adjusting in some washes but it helps keep the PH from crashing and stalling after that.. It wont raise the PH much above 4 either and the idea of keeping them in a bag is so they can be re-used.. Egg shells do work but are so thin you need much more.. Crushed oyster shells are readily available from farm supplies or garden centres here in bulk...
Cute tribe you got Jesse but you gotta bring them to Australia 🇦🇺 to show them a real beach 🏝
Shulls and iggs!
i'm using Marble stones in a Mesh Bag
Is NZHD back???
What happens if you age a spirit in activated carbon instead of chard Oak strips?
Better as a filter I like to run my goods through it before aging it think jack daniels and the maple charcoal drip through process it will take flavor away and not for aging but can clean up some off cuts ...
Can I do a single run with a pot still and a thumper?
I would imagine that depends on what you're distilling and what your desired effect is.
For a flavorful corn whiskey, you definitely can. If you're going for a more neutral or flavorless spirit a column still with reflux would treat you much better.
Exploitation of kids labor is not fair, but I enjoyed so much their joy at it, beauty and energy. Thanks for sharing your father's side of the craft man.
Since we are on the topic, a kettlesour and even Lambic fermentation mash to find the effects of low ph on distilled spirits. Video idea? Or just a free comment? Either way :)
Damn jessie ..your short monsters aren't all that short anymore ...what are u feeding them? ..
Dude, tell me about it! Apparently spent grain and trube cakes are a super food??
Sea shells? From the beach? That used to have some muscle or sea creature living in it?
Should have watched longer before asking..
You flying FPV my man ? If so very nice
It seems like you've been trying to make your video production more interesting recently, which is great. But, watch your use of autofocus. When it's not needed it can get in the way. When focus phases back and forth between your face and the keg in the foreground it's distracting. But, it's great to see you trying to take your channel to the next level.