Welcome to Distillique's Distillers Calculator Different calculators and numbering: Each calculator has a descriptive heading and is numbered (i.e. M1, F3, etc) where the first character indicates the category of calculator as follows: M = Mash Cooling calculations (2 x calculators) F = Fermenting calculations (5 x calculators) D = Distilling calculations (5 x calculators) B = Blending calculations (4 x calculators) U = Unit Conversions (12 x calculators) The second number is just a serial number (1,2,3…) to identify the unique Calculator within that category. All calculations are approximate and for craft/home use purposes. It is not meant for laboratory work or precision distilling. Each time you enter a value into a "WHITE BOX", touch or click another area to effect a calculation. We trust this calculator will assist you greatly. "All things distilling for spirited people" www.distillique.co.za
M1: Mash tun - time to bring to boil Mash tun volume Liter Heat input kW Mash start temperature °C Mash Boiling temperature °C Heat losses expected % Time required to bring to boil: minutes Time required to bring to boil: Hours M2: Refrigeration and Cooling reservoir capacity for mash tuns Mash volume L Start temperature of hot mash °C Mash target temperature after cooling °C Time to achieve temperature drop minutes Number of mashes per day per day Operating hours per day for Refrigeration plant hr/day Required kW per operating hour kW Refrigeration plant efficiency % Insulation effectiveness % Safety margin % Minimum kW rating of refrigeration plant: kW Number of coolant tanks tank/s Coolant min. temperature °C Coolant max. temperature in tank °C Minimum coolant tank size per tank: Liter When the tanks are filled with ambient temperature coolant: Ambient coolant temperature. °C Time to bring coolant to min. coolant temperature: hours © Distillique Beverages (Pty) Ltd
F1: Making a fixed volume, fixed %abv sugar wash Target %abv of mash %abv Expected Attenuation (% Sugar to alcohol conversion) % Wash total required volume L Water required: L Sugar required: kg Brix value of wash: °Bx Alcohol Potential: Liter AA F2: Making a fixed volume sugar wash Amount of sugar kg Expected Attenuation (% Sugar to alcohol conversion) % Wash total required volume L Water to add to sugar: L Brix value of wash: °Bx Potential %abv in wash: %abv Alcohol Potential: Liter AA F3: Making a sugar wash with fixed qty of water Amount of sugar kg Water L Expected Attenuation (% Sugar to alcohol conversion) % Overall volume: L Brix value of wash: °Bx Potential %abv in wash: %abv Alcohol Potential: Liter AA F4: Making a fruit and sugar mash Volume of fruit juice L Brix value of fruit juice °Bx Expected Attenuation (% Sugar to alcohol conversion) % Amount of sugar in fruit: kg Max %abv without water: %abv Target %abv potential of mash %abv Sugar to add to fruit juice: kg New mash Brix value: °Bx New mash volume: L F5: Step feeding - recommended steps Required %abv potential of wash %abv Expected Attenuation (% Sugar to alcohol conversion) % Split sugar and nutrients addition into: steps Sugar to add per step: g/L © Distillique Beverages (Pty) Ltd
* All boiling temperatures at altitude of 0m (i.e. at standard atmospheric pressure 101.25kPa). If distilling at other altitudes/pressures, adjust the temperature in "Unit conversion" Tab. * All %abv readings measured at hydrometer calibrated temperature of 20°C. If measuring %abv at other temperatures, adjust the %abv reading in the "unit conversion" tab. D1: Time to bring mash to boil Mash volume to bring to boil L %abv of mash %abv Heat losses (from pot to air) % of input Start temperature of mash °C Estimated boiling temp of mash °C Energy required to bring to boil: kJ Actual Heat input kW minutes hours D2: kW required to bring mash to boil Mash volume to bring to boil L %abv of mash %abv Heat losses (from still to air) % of input Start temperature of mash °C Estimated boiling temp of mash °C Heat required to bring to boil: kJ Target time to bring to boil minutes Required Heat input (element): kW D3: Spirit Condenser water usage Heat input during distillation kW Estimated reflux (using coolant water to create reflux) % Coolant water in temperature °C Coolant water out temperature °C Minimum Water requirement : ml/s Distilling run-time per batch hours Minimum* water usage per batch: liter * The minimum amount of water is used when vapour is just condensed and the distillate still hot. Increasing the waterflow through spirit condensor will further reduce the temperature of distillate. D4: Approximate Distillate production rate Energy/Heat input to still kW Estimated reflux % (0 for potstill, 7% for alembic still, from 10-100 for reflux still) % Distillate %abv (Parrot reading) %abv Approximate distillate production rate: ml/s ml/min. L/hr D5: Alcohol yield during distillation Volume of mash/wash L Enter one value only %abv of mash after fermentation % Brix value drop from start to finish °Bx Alcohol recovery (90-95 for reflux; 80 for potstill, or your own value) % Estimated %abv of spirits produced (average) % Volume of spirits to expect: L Volume of stillage left in boiler: L © Distillique Beverages (Pty) Ltd
B1: Simple alcohol dilution Alcohol (to be diluted) %abv %abv Alcohol (to be diluted) volume L Target % abv %abv Water to add: L Total diluted alcohol volume: L AA* in total volume: L * AA = Absolute Alcohol. The equivalent of 100% pure alcohol B2: Blending a low %abv liquid (A) with a high %abv Liquid (B) (i.e. when fortifying wine with Brandy) Low %abv spirit (Liquid A) %abv Higher %abv spirit (Liquid B) %abv C: Target blend %abv %abv OPTION 1: Use a fixed volume of A Required volume Liquid A to use L Liquid B vol to use: L Total volume: L OPTION 2: Use a fixed Volume of B Required volume Liquid B to use L Liquid A vol to use: L Total volume: L OPTION 3: To make a fixed total volume Target total Volume to make L Liquid A vol to use: L Liquid B vol to use: L B4: To make a specific volume of liqueur Total volume of liquer to make L Base spirits %abv %abv Target %abv of liqueur %abv Target Brix value of liquer °Bx Volume of "non alcoholic" liquid (i.e. essences) ml Required sugar to use *: kg gram Volume base spirit required *: L ml Approximate volume of water to add *: L ml * Using grams and ml will be more accurate © Distillique Beverages (Pty) Ltd
U1: Celcius to Fahrenheit Celcius °C Degree Fahrenheit: °F U2: Boiling point of water at altitude Altitude (above sea level) m Boiling point of water: °C U3: Brix to SG Degree Brix °Bx SG (Specific gravity) U4: Fahrenheit to Celcius Fahrenheit °F Degree Celcius: °C U5: Kelvin to Celcius Kelvin K Degree Celcius: °C U6: SG to Brix SG (specific gravity) Degree Brix: °Bx U7: Standard air pressure at altitude Altitude m Air pressure: kPa U8: Sugar to CO2 (during 100% fermentation/attenuation) Mass of sugar fermented kg Volume of CO2 produced: (in a 100% efficient alcohol fermentation) L U9: Temperature correction for %abv readings %abv reading (on 20°C Calibrated hydrometer) %abv Actual temperature at %abv reading °C Corrected %abv: %abv U10: Temperature correction for %abv to read Standard %abv (i.e what it should be) %abv Temperature at %abv reading °C %abv to read on hydrometer: %abv U11: UK Beer Barrel to Liter UK Beer barrel bl Liter: L U12: US Beer Barrel to Liter US Beer barrel bbl Liter: L © Distillique Beverages (Pty) Ltd
Physical Properties Physical property Water Ethanol Units Density at 25°C 1.000 0.789 kg/L Vapour density at 90°C 0.001 0.0015 kg/L Liquid heat capacity 4184 2845 J/kg/K Latent heat of evaporation / condensation 2260 855 kJ/kg Constants Ethanol Chemical formula C2H6O Ethanol molecular weight 46.0684 g/mol Heat released per liter ethanol produced during respiration 1404 kJ/mol Heat released per liter ethanol produced during fermentation 37 kJ/mol Mol ethanol per liter 17.1521 mol/L Dissolved sugar weight/volume ratio: 0.667 L/kg All figures approximations/rounded © Distillique Beverages (Pty) Ltd