Sugar Wash Smells Like Vinegar: Is This Normal?
So your sugar wash smells like vinegar? Well, vinegar can be made from any solution that has a sugar content and alcohol strength of between 5 > 20%.
First, all the sugar must be fully converted into alcohol during fermentation.
Secondly the conversion of this weak alcohol sugar solution to acetic acid by bacterial oxidation.
| CH3CH2 OH | > CH3 COOH | + H2O |
| Diluted Alcohol | > Vinegar (acetic acid) | + Water |
Your sugar wash smells like vinegar? the facts.
Can You Make Vinegar from Pure Alcohol After Distillation
Yes, you can but you must dilute the alcohol to 7% from 10 to 20%. So if the sugar wash smells like vinegar, something must not have been done correctly. Making vinegar is a two-step process as mentioned before.
What Is the Activator in Vinegar?
Acetic acid bacteria that turns alcohol into vinegar from fermenting alcoholic liquids.
Where to from here?
As a distiller, smell and taste are very important to determine how your end product will be. With each new batch and distil, you get the grips of how to make alcohol from sugar wash. If you have any sugar wash distilling problems, please look at this troubleshooting guide.
Now explore, document and see what happens with each new homebrew. We want your experience to be the best. Plus we certainly do not want to observe that your sugar wash smells like vinegar.
Last Updated on Nov 13, 2023 by The Brew Mechanic
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With 35 years of knowledge of being a chemical engineer in alcohol manufacturing plants, my mission is to teach the next generation of home distilling alcohol brewers at a supernatural speed.
My reviews are based on real-life experiences with reflux stills, sugar wash, troubleshooting and mystical chemical reactions.
