StillSmart

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-09T19:25:54+00:00

I get it on both the strip and spirit runs. It is much stronger on the strip as there is more in it to smell. As I cut off my strip early so my wife is angry not furious, there is not a lot from the spirit run. It still gets commented on though.

Statistics: Posted by chill — Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:25 pm

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-10T06:51:59+00:00

As for your neutral, difficult to comment as it will depend on how carefully you cut it, but again as the AirStill tends to smear the boundary between heads, hearts and tails, I'd expect you to get a bit at the end.

Absolutely my thinking. How carefully did I cut it, I thought this could be something else I could look out for.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Wed Mar 09, 2016 6:26 pm

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-09T13:37:20+00:00

Mash wrote:
Questions questions questions

I was thinking of redistilling a clean neutral [that I believe is finished]... should it still give a boiled cardboard smell.

In a normal run would I expect this smell stripping or in the spirit run or both?

I'd expect to pick it up in the spirit run Mash, as that's where cuts happen. The tails are in the stripping run, but so is everything else, so I don't worry about how that smells!

As for your neutral, difficult to comment as it will depend on how carefully you cut it, but again as the AirStill tends to smear the boundary between heads, hearts and tails, I'd expect you to get a bit at the end.

Head above parapet = prepared to be shot at!!

Cheers

Hampk

Statistics: Posted by hampk — Wed Mar 09, 2016 1:37 pm

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-09T07:25:27+00:00

Questions questions questions

I was thinking of redistilling a clean neutral [that I believe is finished]... should it still give a boiled cardboard smell.

In a normal run would I expect this smell stripping or in the spirit run or both?

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:25 am

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-09T01:00:22+00:00

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Mash wrote:
chill wrote:I don'tNot sure what you are asking here?
Not sure what you are re-distilling?X know what to compare the smell to. Dank, musty, a bit like boiled cardboard might smell. The smell seems to linger. I notice it, but don't find it so offensive.

I was looking for something properly repulsive. Yes indeed boiled cardboard. Thank you.

Am I right to assume if you re-distill it shouldn't re-appear?

Not sure what you are asking here?
Not sure what you are re-distilling?

There I was looking for a way to help you,and some other bugger beat me to it.
Rotten lot seem to hang around here.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Wed Mar 09, 2016 1:00 am

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-08T17:32:07+00:00

I am not sure what you are asking about "when you redistill". It is the deeper tails that smell the most. As I don't strip down into them, I get very little smell on the spirit run. I do lose some recoverable alcohol but I get to stay married. It seemed like a reasonable trade. If you collect the tails and re-distill you will get the smell again at the end but not at the beginning. The smells is a result of the higher alcohols and other compounds boiling off at the higher temperature when most of the ethanol has been recovered.

Chuck

Statistics: Posted by chill — Tue Mar 08, 2016 5:32 pm

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-08T13:22:24+00:00

Vodka wrote:
once again thanks for all the help, I was ready to chuck everything in the bin two weeks ago, so glad I didn't lol Sue

Sue...remember the old adage..."patience is a virtue" and the more you do the more you'll learn with this hobby.

Statistics: Posted by Icefever — Tue Mar 08, 2016 1:22 pm

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-08T07:01:05+00:00

chill wrote:
I don't know what to compare the smell to. Dank, musty, a bit like boiled cardboard might smell. The smell seems to linger. I notice it, but don't find it so offensive.

I was looking for something properly repulsive. Yes indeed boiled cardboard. Thank you.

Am I right to assume if you re-distill it shouldn't re-appear?

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Tue Mar 08, 2016 7:01 am

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-08T06:46:54+00:00

Another update ...

We tried the teapsoon of spirit with hot water to practice detecting the heads, and it really worked. What also helped was having two other people here sampling with us, it was great to get another opinion. When the hearts came in we ALL noticed it immediately !

We had a very successful weekend and have quite a stash of very nice vodka, so once again thanks for all the help, I was ready to chuck everything in the bin two weeks ago, so glad I didn't lol

Sue

Statistics: Posted by Vodka — Tue Mar 08, 2016 6:46 am

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-08T01:21:24+00:00

I don't know what to compare the smell to. Dank, musty, a bit like boiled cardboard might smell. The smell seems to linger. I notice it, but don't find it so offensive.

Statistics: Posted by chill — Tue Mar 08, 2016 1:21 am

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-08T00:58:24+00:00

Mash wrote:
1.It is a shame because of the very nature of this forum, we don't/won't/can't do member reviews/swaps. Something I have always found to be a brilliant educator.

2.Chuck. Smelly tails - This is something else that doesn't appear, or my wife & I don't recognise it when it does? What do they smell of?

I (Robert) added the numbers above...

Point one, some of us do. Maybe read more, write less? Take in what other users here post?

Point two, if the two of you can't spot tails, then I stick with my post of not wanting to try your product.

I do not believe that your shit does not stink.

Sorry if you find that offensive,it is not intended,maybe you need a little more stilling experience and cuts making experience also?

I do not like making enemies, but I am never afraid to speak my mind.
And you have told me Mash that you and I will clash here, lets make it over something worthwhile.

I consider you a stilling buddy.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Tue Mar 08, 2016 12:58 am

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-07T07:12:57+00:00

Quite happy to accept it's my taste buds if that's the case. When I get time this week, I am going to do some re runs.

It is a shame because of the very nature of this forum, we don't/won't/can't do member reviews/swaps. Something I have always found to be a brilliant educator.

Chuck. Smelly tails - This is something else that doesn't appear, or my wife & I don't recognise it when it does? What do they smell of?

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:12 am

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-07T01:45:08+00:00

I agree with the respect for Mash and his experience and contributions. Which is why his number puzzle me so. Could it be something in the water where he is?

Those numbers are very close to what I get in terms of fores/heads and hearts. I strip to a higher ABV as I distill in the house my wife HATES HATES HATES the smell of tails. So I also collect a smaller volume of them when doing the spirit run. From memory, your tails collection is close to what I was getting back when I distilled like that.

Statistics: Posted by chill — Mon Mar 07, 2016 1:45 am

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-07T01:09:16+00:00

@ Mash.
As I have told you privately, I do not wish to offend or fall out with you. And now I am telling the same to everyone else. But some of your claims do seem to beggar belief.
Maybe you are making the cleanest washes of anyone on the forum, or maybe your taste buds are nearly as FCUK'D as mine.
Some of your numbers just don't seem to stack up.
I do not doubt your experience in beer and wine making, it makes you a great asset here.
And your design for a Gin basket,sputnik thing,top dollar,hats off to you.

But in my experience you can ferment a brew under a full moon, stirring only in a widder-shins direction, using the finest ingredients, and the very best result that I can manage is to maybe halve the heads and tails equivalent of a lentils wash.

So for every ones delight and delectation here are...

Some of my typical numbers, from a regular lentil wash.
48 litres of wash, OG 1.070 ish
FG .998 to .984
Stripped to maybe 25-20% ABV
Giving 12'ish litres @45% + 6 litres of water.
Spirit run.Pot still.
1700ml of fores and heads,above75%,measured at take off.
1925ml of tails below 52% again measured at take off.
4000ml of hearts with this time a combined /mixed ABV of 67 %.
Real numbers from a regular wash that I run every week or so.
It tastes great having gone through the Essencia, by that I mean it doesn't taste.
I cannot make anything cleaner at anywhere near the price.

I struggle to see how anyone else can.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Mon Mar 07, 2016 1:09 am

Re: Complete Novice !!!

2016-03-06T07:43:08+00:00

Robert. That's a shame. I would value your opinion.

There is something to investigate here. I am going to rerun some spirit and retest. Might get in trouble if I try today.
Sorry the answer is I don't know.
My washes are fermented very slowly, does freezing make a difference?

I have read many times that grain and
sugar and sugar (turbo) ferments are different.

Yeast could also make a difference. I will try and get some allinsons yeast somewhere and compare that too.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Sun Mar 06, 2016 7:43 am