StillSmart

Re: Water before and after

2016-10-15T07:08:40+00:00

Anavrin wrote:
Hi Icefever

You can compare the results for rum with those two bottles I gave you in the summer the JD bottle was my Cachaca Rum and the fliptop half litre one was the same but having been through the Essencia.

Although running aged spirit through it can leave the Ceramic Filter looking somewhat off colour

I'm going to buy a new ceramic one for my neutral and keep this one for the odd rum that I want to make white after aging.

Anavrin hi...

This does show how well these filters strip out any colour....wow.
I think I may get another ceramic filter just for the times I do vodka...as the one I have has gone mankie...

Statistics: Posted by Icefever — Sat Oct 15, 2016 7:08 am

Re: Water before and after

2016-10-15T06:33:27+00:00

I have one think they do a good
job. Now I refill the filters
cheap to run as well

Statistics: Posted by gaza the instructor — Sat Oct 15, 2016 6:33 am

Re: Water before and after

2016-10-14T21:53:55+00:00

Anavrin wrote:
....all neutral is Filtered through the Essencia

Agreeing with you here, while my latest still produces a very clean spirit, I own the Essencia and it costs peanuts to refill both filters with carbon. and so I use it.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Fri Oct 14, 2016 9:53 pm

Re: Water before and after

2016-10-14T08:04:38+00:00

Hi Icefever

You can compare the results for rum with those two bottles I gave you in the summer the JD bottle was my Cachaca Rum and the fliptop half litre one was the same but having been through the Essencia.

Although running aged spirit through it can leave the Ceramic Filter looking somewhat off colour

I'm going to buy a new ceramic one for my neutral and keep this one for the odd rum that I want to make white after aging.

Statistics: Posted by Anavrin — Fri Oct 14, 2016 8:04 am

Re: Water before and after

2016-10-14T07:59:17+00:00

Like most of us, I too buy the spring water from the supermarket....when I started off I used the tap water..(which is ok)..but for a £1 a gall I go with that.

I did buy an Essencia filter, in the beginning for the vodka, as I now do rum most of the time...that's one drink that does not want to go through a filter.

Statistics: Posted by Icefever — Fri Oct 14, 2016 7:59 am

Re: Water before and after

2016-10-14T07:37:05+00:00

I use Brita water, all spirit I make is watered down to 40%, and all neutral is Filtered through the Essencia.

I know many people like to frown on filtering as if it's only needed if your neutral isn't clean enough, however I disagree, I feel that filtering with the Essencia is a essential part of making a clean tasteless spirit, the carbon also adds a slight flavour which I like and the Ceramic filter removes any smell.

No matter how clean my neutral or how good I make my cuts, it gets filtered as the final phase before becoming fit for consumption, just my opinion and practice.

Statistics: Posted by Anavrin — Fri Oct 14, 2016 7:37 am

Re: Water before and after

2016-10-13T23:16:15+00:00

Seagull wrote:
I also find the empty 5 litre water bottles are great for storing homemade wine. (No good for storing spirit though)

I use glass jars and glasses for collection from still, glass demijohns for the product of stripping runs and 1.5 litre glass vodka bottles for final product, but the plastic water bottles get used for making turbo ciders (different animal with no connection to turbo yeast) and for racking wash into for easy transport from room to room.

My apartment has limited space and limited temperature differences and I'm pretty much past the lifting 25 litres at a time stage of life (I can do it but do not find it fun).

Statistics: Posted by Curmudgeon — Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:16 pm

Re: Water before and after

2016-09-22T05:17:07+00:00

I also find the empty 5 litre water bottles are great for storing homemade wine. (No good for storing spirit though)

Statistics: Posted by Seagull — Thu Sep 22, 2016 5:17 am

Re: Water before and after

2016-09-22T03:29:54+00:00

My washes, wines and ciders are all made with tap water. For dilution after distillation I use bottled water at roughly £1 a gallon from supermarkets and use the bottles as fermentation vessels.

Statistics: Posted by Curmudgeon — Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:29 am

Re: Water before and after

2016-08-18T05:59:32+00:00

Seagull wrote:
I'm no expert at all Chris. The reason I don't usually bother now is down to time, expense and because with good cuts I don't think it really makes any noticeable difference. But that's just my limited experience for what it's worth.

+1 well made unfiltered spirit is imo good enough for me.

As for water... It is about the quality of your tap water. If its good enough to drink and you enjoy in then it is good enough to use... Simples.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Thu Aug 18, 2016 5:59 am

Re: Water before and after

2016-08-18T00:41:55+00:00

OK, JMHO here.
Diluting spirit before filtering? Use any water, tap, spring, garden pond or Angels tears.
After filtering, just about any posh water you can get, RO, bottled known source,I live in Scotland and this has just fallen on my head rain, you get my drift.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:41 am

Re: Water before and after

2016-08-17T19:59:32+00:00

Sounds good enough to me, just didn't know if it would leave its own flavour and if you've got a nice clean spirit from cuts you don't want to make it worse if you know what I mean, il run it through and see what it gives me

Statistics: Posted by Distillingchris — Wed Aug 17, 2016 7:59 pm

Re: Water before and after

2016-08-17T19:36:09+00:00

I'm no expert at all Chris. The reason I don't usually bother now is down to time, expense and because with good cuts I don't think it really makes any noticeable difference. But that's just my limited experience for what it's worth.

Statistics: Posted by Seagull — Wed Aug 17, 2016 7:36 pm

Re: Water before and after

2016-08-17T19:32:13+00:00

Yes have got essencia although the never used that before either but have used the ez before,
So basically choose cuts, dilute down to 45c filter and then top up to 40% afterwards.

When you say you don't need to if you get your cuts right I understand that but am I wrong in saying surely it's better still to filter to clean it up, or does filtering itself impart flavours ? Or is it more because it's time consuming and not much difference can be told.

Thanks

Statistics: Posted by Distillingchris — Wed Aug 17, 2016 7:32 pm

Re: Water before and after

2016-08-17T18:58:41+00:00

I don't usually filter these days. Double distilling with the T500 and making cuts produces an excellent neutral.

When I do decide to filter, I use either the EZ filter or the Essencia and cut back to 45% before filtering.

Having tried both the EZ and the Essencia, the Essencia wins by a country mile if you're considering a filter system if you don't already have one

(I only continue to use the EZ cos I have a few spare cartridges still)

Statistics: Posted by Seagull — Wed Aug 17, 2016 6:58 pm