Once it's been filtered, it should be less yeasty but in theory it's perfectly drinkable - I'm wondering why you've got 20% though - are you using a spirit hydrometer? You won't be able to take a proper reading without one. If it truly IS 20% then you've taken too much and you've got a lot of tails in there, which will taste bad and bring down the alcohol level.
If you have any more wine, try this - put 4 litres in, switch it on. After about an hour, it will start coming out. Collect a couple of teaspoons full in an old jar or something, and then switch to your main collector. Take about 800ml (mark it off first by putting 800ml of water in and drawing a line) and then switch to a third container and collect some more, maybe another 800ml.
Once you've switched off, investigate the three containers you have. The first will be heads, with a strong smell of meths and will taste bad (don't drink it, but you can dip a finger in if you're curious). The middle lot should be good, and the last lot should be weak and taste nasty. Then look at what you have left in the still, which will smell like vinegar and be rank. Adjusting the levels you collect is the key to this hobby, but it all depends on what is going in - there's a calculator which you can use (link on the main site under the main alcohol making article) - that might help.
Good luck!Statistics: Posted by Jimmy — Thu Oct 23, 2008 2:46 am
]]>
