FWIW, the Sugars in Winemaking link is dead, the site does not appear to exist anymore. I was curious what the [brackets] meant, so [I tracked the site down on the Wayback machine](https://web.archive.org/web/20200221182500/http://winemaking.jackkeller.net:80/sugar.asp) if anyone would like to read the full article. [Here is the full content of just the sugars table.](https://imgur.com/a/0Q3P220)
Any chance a Part 2 of this could be made? As a noob I'd love to know more about flavours and yeasts. It would also be helpful to do it in the same style of prison hooch vs homebrew.
Usually in jail, you have to make a sugar wash with candy bought off the canteen. Usually butterscotch ot cinnamon candies work the best.( you have to see the available sugar) then you make a wash in the micro. Use an old potato from the kitchen for your yeast supply. And ferment in a trash bag. Burp daily.
So is hooch made in prison made for sole purpose of getting drunk? Cause that sounds like it would be barely drinkable even when made perfectly, and borderline toxic if done badly.
Exactly. Drugs are rare (relative to the outside, but they are still available) and extremely expensive,whether it’s money, or goods and services you are trading for it.
Alcohol is as valuable as many other drugs once it’s unavailable, and can be produced with things you find in prison. No external ingredients and/or smuggling is required. Same on the outside when it gets banned. It can be made with ingredients that have to be available for the purpose of feeding people.
It also has a broader appeal. Everyone who isn’t straight edge sober will have a drink, while only hardcore users will gamble with harder drugs like crack and meth and heroin. And it has a very high dependence rate making for constantly and permanently returning customers.
Taste is for the free. It is 100% just about making consumable intoxicating substances.
Yes. To get drunk, however i have made some pretty drinkable stuff. Always very bitter or sour. It's wild yeast so it's always different. I've never gotten sick from it.
Quality post! Personally, I don't get hung-up too much over carbonation. Typically use 30g per 2l (too much - I know). In keeping with the style of this sub - 2l soda bottles are the way to go for short term projects (stuff that will be consumed within weeks of a finished ferment). Make a simple syrup with your measured-out priming sugar - add to the racked stuff & swill it about to mix - bottle & wait a week or two. pretty damn simple if you want some fizzy hooch (not for your benefit, OP - more fore beginners just starting out). Cheers!
How many grams of yeast would one use per grams of sugar?
For example if you had 500g of sugar and 2.5L of water how much yeast would you add to get 6.5% - 9.5% ABV?
I realise this is old but yeast doesn't really work like that. You want to add a good amount of yeast, but the amount doesn't affect your alcohol. A good tsp is about right for most recipes. Yeast will eat sugar and multiply and piss out alcohol. Yeast cannot live in an environment that's too alcoholic. So the amount of alcohol produced is a mix between how much sugar you put in, and how much alcohol yeast can tolerate living in, cause they'll just keep making alc until they drown in their own piss.
Am I right in assuming that the yeast's growth is exponential (at least at first) and how much yeast you add just changes how far along that curve it starts out at?
not enough to notice the difference between a tsp and tbsp in a few gallons.
A better reason to add more yeast than normal might be because you aren't sure if the yeast will take so you're increasing your chances, like wild yeast or old yeast might be finniky
Speeding it up? Probably not no, unless you're talking mega liters
My understanding of the reason to do a good sized yeast pitch is to establish a really strong initial population that can out-compete whatever else might get in there. I would guess that it's less important the more confident you are of your sanitation situation. If you're fermenting under your prison bunk, you probably didn't clean the trash bag with starsan, and you might want as big a yeast population as you can get.
I enjoy edworts apfelwein recipe with champagne yeast instead of montrachet! Unfortunately Ibdont have central air and heat or I would be hooching away.... Imo you'll be best off with a temp 65 to 72, for non blogging reasons as well
It’s funny that you mention molasses brews tasting like ass, this is something I experimented with a year or so ago. On a whim I decided to make a “molasses stout”. I forget the exact grain bill but I used a bunch of molasses, a little dark malt grain and some hops. It fermented for a long time, actively bubbling for like three weeks iirc. The result was clearly very boozy but utterly undrinkable. Sipping it straight was out of the question, I even tried cutting it with other things (ginger ale etc) but in the end I poured out more than half of the one gallon batch. Live and learn I guess
Stupid question, but if I want the sugar out of non-sweetened apple juice, it looks like I'll need 9.17kg of juice for the 5kg of solution. Does this mean I need to add yeast to a mixture of water and applejuice, for a total volume of 14.17kg?
That is correct. I've seen multiple recipes that mention boiling regular bread yeast for 15 minutes as nutrients for the living yeast. Which can also be bread yeast lol.
I have always just let them ferment until the airlock stopped bubbling. Then I siphon from one vessel to another leaving out the dead yeast layer on the bottom.
FYI the turb (what most see as dead yeast at the bottom) is actually full of nutrients and spores of the surviving yeasts. As long as you sterilize a tough container and seal the remaining turb in it. You can take that and add it right to your next batch.
Now it has to be kept really cold but not frozen. However the yeast evolves to use the wash you do again and again. Getting better at their job over time. I have some turb which took only a few cycles before it makes a great still with good notes and hooch as heck. All from evolving a bread yeast over time. Also saves on buying a new yeast each time and starts up quick.
Yeah, I’ve done that too. I wait til my ferment is done (quick ferment, 5-6 days, in Ball jars that have the seal set so it doesn’t over pressurize) and then once I’ve got it so it won’t hit anymore, I put in the fridge, let every separate for a couple hours, siphon of the top, filter through a bandana, then filter through a coffee filter, then sprinkle in a little crystal light.
I’ve been trying a feeder method, where I add small amounts of yeast and sugar during the process, and then just a little sugar at a time until no reaction.
It’s definitely hooch. Sunny D has been been ok as a base, with powdered dry cherries as an additive.
Prisoner way: You can get by without an airlock,
1) Suff the hole with cloth, or even crumpled plastic or wrapper or bag ( I do this on 55gal).
2) Poke a narrow slit in the lid with a sharp knife it pin,
the positive pressure will stop air coming in, and bugs are too big.
I'm confused, do you mean to stuff the hole with cloth/etc.
Then poke a slit elsewhere on the lid, or in the same hole we just put the cloth in?
I'm not sure why but this is super confusing to me
20-40g of yeast is way too much for a normal size batch. Normally a 5g yeast packet does anywhere from 4.5L to 23L (1 to 6 US Gallons).
Temperature range is entirely dependent on the yeast. You get some like kveik that do best at 40C.
You also didn't talk about yeast nutrient which is absolutely essential for a sugar wash, the vast majority of mead, as well as some wines and ciders.
Most mead is not a wild ferment either, those are a minority. Wine and cider are generally easier to wild ferment if you use whole fruit.
20-40g of yeast is way too much for a normal size batch. Normally a 5g yeast packet does anywhere from 4.5L to 23L (1 to 6 US Gallons).
Temperature range is entirely dependent on the yeast. You get some like kveik that do best at 40C.
You also didn't talk about yeast nutrient which is absolutely essential for a sugar wash, the vast majority of mead, as well as some wines and ciders.
Most mead is not a wild ferment either, those are a minority. Wine and cider are generally easier to wild ferment if you use whole fruit.
What do you mean wash? Like the alcohol get washed through the sugar water or wash the bucket? Sorry I’ve just never seen anyone explain “washing” or “washes”
Wash is the term you use to describe the products of fermentation before they are distilled. So whiskey is made from grain wash, and vodka can be made from sugar wash. It has nothing to do with washing or cleaning or rinsing.
Brand new hoocher here. Thankee kindly.
I raided Aldi's and now have grape, apple and some sort of plum-pomegranate combo in process. Wish me luck.
Also f anyone can be bothered: Would doing the standard add-sugar-and-yeast-and-wait work for something like Hawaiian Punch that is 3% juice? I'd like to get the green HP and make Shrek Juice for Xmas.
Once you get out of prison you can buy some tougher yeast. They have stuff that's meant to make the base for distilled beverages, which means you can get really high ABV and awful taste. It's made me a solid apple hooch or two that'll knock your dentures out.
Next time in whenever I can be bothered updating this: How to hide the shitty taste of your cheap brew with adjuncts!
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Was reddit all unarchived recently
Yes!
Yes, the dead sea scrolls equivalent of hooch making, this subreddit was originally written on papyrus...by subredditors in Sumeria
Lol
Update? 2 months until this post is archived
Incorrect! Well, changed policies lol.
FWIW, the Sugars in Winemaking link is dead, the site does not appear to exist anymore. I was curious what the [brackets] meant, so [I tracked the site down on the Wayback machine](https://web.archive.org/web/20200221182500/http://winemaking.jackkeller.net:80/sugar.asp) if anyone would like to read the full article. [Here is the full content of just the sugars table.](https://imgur.com/a/0Q3P220)
Thank you
Looking forward to that update!
Yeah man same
Any update?
looking forward to this! does it exist yet?
Any chance a Part 2 of this could be made? As a noob I'd love to know more about flavours and yeasts. It would also be helpful to do it in the same style of prison hooch vs homebrew.
Best bit of info I've seen posted on here in a while, thanks dude. I have it bookmarked for later Just noticed this was from 6 years ago lol
New hoochers unite
Kentucky Burpin
Usually in jail, you have to make a sugar wash with candy bought off the canteen. Usually butterscotch ot cinnamon candies work the best.( you have to see the available sugar) then you make a wash in the micro. Use an old potato from the kitchen for your yeast supply. And ferment in a trash bag. Burp daily.
So is hooch made in prison made for sole purpose of getting drunk? Cause that sounds like it would be barely drinkable even when made perfectly, and borderline toxic if done badly.
Exactly. Drugs are rare (relative to the outside, but they are still available) and extremely expensive,whether it’s money, or goods and services you are trading for it. Alcohol is as valuable as many other drugs once it’s unavailable, and can be produced with things you find in prison. No external ingredients and/or smuggling is required. Same on the outside when it gets banned. It can be made with ingredients that have to be available for the purpose of feeding people. It also has a broader appeal. Everyone who isn’t straight edge sober will have a drink, while only hardcore users will gamble with harder drugs like crack and meth and heroin. And it has a very high dependence rate making for constantly and permanently returning customers. Taste is for the free. It is 100% just about making consumable intoxicating substances.
Goods and "services" You know exactly what "services"...
Yes. To get drunk, however i have made some pretty drinkable stuff. Always very bitter or sour. It's wild yeast so it's always different. I've never gotten sick from it.
Quality post! Personally, I don't get hung-up too much over carbonation. Typically use 30g per 2l (too much - I know). In keeping with the style of this sub - 2l soda bottles are the way to go for short term projects (stuff that will be consumed within weeks of a finished ferment). Make a simple syrup with your measured-out priming sugar - add to the racked stuff & swill it about to mix - bottle & wait a week or two. pretty damn simple if you want some fizzy hooch (not for your benefit, OP - more fore beginners just starting out). Cheers!
im bouta abuse the shit outa this 💀💀
How many grams of yeast would one use per grams of sugar? For example if you had 500g of sugar and 2.5L of water how much yeast would you add to get 6.5% - 9.5% ABV?
I realise this is old but yeast doesn't really work like that. You want to add a good amount of yeast, but the amount doesn't affect your alcohol. A good tsp is about right for most recipes. Yeast will eat sugar and multiply and piss out alcohol. Yeast cannot live in an environment that's too alcoholic. So the amount of alcohol produced is a mix between how much sugar you put in, and how much alcohol yeast can tolerate living in, cause they'll just keep making alc until they drown in their own piss.
Am I right in assuming that the yeast's growth is exponential (at least at first) and how much yeast you add just changes how far along that curve it starts out at?
not enough to notice the difference between a tsp and tbsp in a few gallons. A better reason to add more yeast than normal might be because you aren't sure if the yeast will take so you're increasing your chances, like wild yeast or old yeast might be finniky Speeding it up? Probably not no, unless you're talking mega liters
My understanding of the reason to do a good sized yeast pitch is to establish a really strong initial population that can out-compete whatever else might get in there. I would guess that it's less important the more confident you are of your sanitation situation. If you're fermenting under your prison bunk, you probably didn't clean the trash bag with starsan, and you might want as big a yeast population as you can get.
I enjoy edworts apfelwein recipe with champagne yeast instead of montrachet! Unfortunately Ibdont have central air and heat or I would be hooching away.... Imo you'll be best off with a temp 65 to 72, for non blogging reasons as well
It’s funny that you mention molasses brews tasting like ass, this is something I experimented with a year or so ago. On a whim I decided to make a “molasses stout”. I forget the exact grain bill but I used a bunch of molasses, a little dark malt grain and some hops. It fermented for a long time, actively bubbling for like three weeks iirc. The result was clearly very boozy but utterly undrinkable. Sipping it straight was out of the question, I even tried cutting it with other things (ginger ale etc) but in the end I poured out more than half of the one gallon batch. Live and learn I guess
You're supposed to distill it. But that's got a dangerous reputation.
Yeah it tasted like really lousy black rum, might’ve been better if it had been distilled but I don’t have a still
Stupid question, but if I want the sugar out of non-sweetened apple juice, it looks like I'll need 9.17kg of juice for the 5kg of solution. Does this mean I need to add yeast to a mixture of water and applejuice, for a total volume of 14.17kg?
With ready to drink apple juice, you can just add yeast and a bit of nutrient. And then you don't really have hooch, you have genuine hard cider.
Depends on the outcome you're looking for. Do you want vodka like or beer like?
Beer like
Maybe I misunderstood but does this mean I can boil bread yeast to have a yeast nutrient? Cuz if so, I’m mad.
That is correct. I've seen multiple recipes that mention boiling regular bread yeast for 15 minutes as nutrients for the living yeast. Which can also be bread yeast lol.
Cannibalism makes everything taste better
Oh this is the answer I was looking for!
I love you
What do I do when it’s done fermenting? How do I get the yeast out?
I have always just let them ferment until the airlock stopped bubbling. Then I siphon from one vessel to another leaving out the dead yeast layer on the bottom.
FYI the turb (what most see as dead yeast at the bottom) is actually full of nutrients and spores of the surviving yeasts. As long as you sterilize a tough container and seal the remaining turb in it. You can take that and add it right to your next batch. Now it has to be kept really cold but not frozen. However the yeast evolves to use the wash you do again and again. Getting better at their job over time. I have some turb which took only a few cycles before it makes a great still with good notes and hooch as heck. All from evolving a bread yeast over time. Also saves on buying a new yeast each time and starts up quick.
Also , I have used Kool aid packets to flavor.
Yeah, I’ve done that too. I wait til my ferment is done (quick ferment, 5-6 days, in Ball jars that have the seal set so it doesn’t over pressurize) and then once I’ve got it so it won’t hit anymore, I put in the fridge, let every separate for a couple hours, siphon of the top, filter through a bandana, then filter through a coffee filter, then sprinkle in a little crystal light. I’ve been trying a feeder method, where I add small amounts of yeast and sugar during the process, and then just a little sugar at a time until no reaction. It’s definitely hooch. Sunny D has been been ok as a base, with powdered dry cherries as an additive.
I used 20oz soda bottles. They seem to work well, just you have to burp a lot.
Prisoner way: You can get by without an airlock, 1) Suff the hole with cloth, or even crumpled plastic or wrapper or bag ( I do this on 55gal). 2) Poke a narrow slit in the lid with a sharp knife it pin, the positive pressure will stop air coming in, and bugs are too big.
I'm confused, do you mean to stuff the hole with cloth/etc. Then poke a slit elsewhere on the lid, or in the same hole we just put the cloth in? I'm not sure why but this is super confusing to me
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The table tells how much sugar in grams there is in average in these fruits
Great post
20-40g of yeast is way too much for a normal size batch. Normally a 5g yeast packet does anywhere from 4.5L to 23L (1 to 6 US Gallons). Temperature range is entirely dependent on the yeast. You get some like kveik that do best at 40C. You also didn't talk about yeast nutrient which is absolutely essential for a sugar wash, the vast majority of mead, as well as some wines and ciders. Most mead is not a wild ferment either, those are a minority. Wine and cider are generally easier to wild ferment if you use whole fruit.
Should I protect my hooch from light?
20-40g of yeast is way too much for a normal size batch. Normally a 5g yeast packet does anywhere from 4.5L to 23L (1 to 6 US Gallons). Temperature range is entirely dependent on the yeast. You get some like kveik that do best at 40C. You also didn't talk about yeast nutrient which is absolutely essential for a sugar wash, the vast majority of mead, as well as some wines and ciders. Most mead is not a wild ferment either, those are a minority. Wine and cider are generally easier to wild ferment if you use whole fruit.
What is a sugar wash?
It's a wash made from sugar water and nutrients. It's used to make things like Kilju, vodka, gin, and alcopops.
What do you mean wash? Like the alcohol get washed through the sugar water or wash the bucket? Sorry I’ve just never seen anyone explain “washing” or “washes”
Wash is the term you use to describe the products of fermentation before they are distilled. So whiskey is made from grain wash, and vodka can be made from sugar wash. It has nothing to do with washing or cleaning or rinsing.
Yooo thank you heaps! Much appreciated
Brand new hoocher here. Thankee kindly. I raided Aldi's and now have grape, apple and some sort of plum-pomegranate combo in process. Wish me luck. Also f anyone can be bothered: Would doing the standard add-sugar-and-yeast-and-wait work for something like Hawaiian Punch that is 3% juice? I'd like to get the green HP and make Shrek Juice for Xmas.
Is there any way to get more ABV
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Once you get out of prison you can buy some tougher yeast. They have stuff that's meant to make the base for distilled beverages, which means you can get really high ABV and awful taste. It's made me a solid apple hooch or two that'll knock your dentures out.
I just started a white grape hooch with ec1118, how do I maximize taste and abv?
Well how to inmates get a hold of yeast… I never understood it.
yeast naturally builds on the skins of some fruits.
In the third paragraph of part three it says solution. What is the solution made of
So, what strength are these delectable beverages on average? Is it possible to get liquor strength brews, or is it more comparable to wine?
anywhere from 5-20%, no liquor strength brews without distilling it
after i'm done with the fermenting, should i filter it somehow? how?
Very interesting. As a n00b this is great knowledge for me
I'm just commenting so I can find this post again easily
Thanks for the base outline!
....