StillSmart

Re: Missing Member

2011-07-20T10:21:16+00:00

As a norm I use a sugar wash and a long fermentation - about 4 weeks - but I keep a few Vodka Stars around for emergencies!

I started using VS when I began with my airstill and found it was the only high yield yeast that gave a sweet spirit - no nasty tastes and a much, much better smell. Then I was using the silly carbon thing that came with the airstill so not a lot of carbon cleaning!

I just did a VS wash which completed in 5 days, gave a 14.1 wash, put it through the T500 and got just under 4L of 95% spirit. Cut it back to 40%(ish) and ran it through the Essencia.

Result? About 9L of sweet vodka.

No hesitation in recommending VS.

The only reason I stopped using it as my "norm" was that if time is not critical a simple sugar wash with bread yeast costs about £2.50-£3.50 per wash less and every penny counts

Statistics: Posted by lyonacre — Wed Jul 20, 2011 10:21 am

Re: Missing Member

2011-07-19T23:36:58+00:00

I tried most of the turbos when I started and settled on the VS.
This is what I wrote on another forum:

In my short time in this hobby I have tried a number of these turbo yeast's, my thoughts below.
All this is using the SS Turbo 500 (T500) still.
Still Spirits Classic - 5 day ferment, smelly ferment, smelly distillate, needs carbon filtering.
Still Spirits Express Turbo - 2 days ferment, rest as above.
Still Spirits Triple Distilled - 5 days ferment, clean ferment (slight smell), cleanest distillate of the SS range (carbon filter recommended but could get away without)
.
Alcotec 48 hour - Doesnt do what it says, smelly ferment and distillate, needs carbon filtering.
Alcotec 24 hour - All I will say is STAY AWAY its just that bad.
Alcotec Vodka Star - This is by far the best (IMO) "turbo", 7-9 day ferment, clean smelling during ferment and clean distillate, no need for carbon filtering (best result was 6kg sugar)
.
All the above were tried using 6, 7 and 8 kg sugar and 8 kg dextrose (my personal learning curve) during the summer months.

Statistics: Posted by Andy — Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:36 pm

Re: Missing Member

2011-07-19T19:17:16+00:00

I don't use turbos (any more) but have used VS with good results. Mine always finished in 6 days.

If you filter your spirit the hearts produce a very neutral result, I have found you can just about get away without filtering if you only use 5Kg of sugar rather than the 6Kg on the directions, you obviously forfeit quantity, but there are definitely less off tastes and slightly wider hearts, I guess it's down to not pushing the yeasties too hard. Worth putting 2 lots down to make up for the loss in product IMO.

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:17 pm