Newbie Experiences = an anti-guide

[Curmudgeon]

Well I have good news and bad news.

The good news is I'm drunk on 1st proper spirit run and it's beautifully clean with no filtering.

The bad news is I only got 1.75 litres final product as in 2 parts distillate to 1 part 1 water from 3 demijohns of wash.

From the 3 demijohns of 0.8kg of sugar per with young's general purpose yeast and young's nutrient (only one teaspoon each). They ran out of nutrient and 2 were rescued with lentils, other with lentils and tomato puree.


Each 1st run was 3 hours 30 as guided. Now maybe the 2nd hand air still is under performing or maybe the wash was under strength

Ended up with 2.5 litres for the spirit run, as in 4L once diluted.

Ran the spirit run for 3.5 hours also. Heads obvious and kept. Absolutely zero tails and I called in someone with a better nose and palate.

Spirit hydrometer ordered and starting on a 20 litre lentil wash next that's ready and had no mishaps on the way through, but confused if low amount of product and lack of tails is down to lower abv wash or under powered air still?

[Mash]

More likely the wash.

The air still Is a very uncomplicated piece of equipment. It has an electrical element in the bottom and a fan on top. That's it, elements & fans either work or not, they don't fade.

[Easydrinker]

If I read your write up correctly, then all is just about as I would expect.
You state that 3 demi johns (circa 15 litres) and 2.4Kg sugar produced 1.75 litres finished product.You don't say at what %, I'll assume 40%.
my usual neutral wash of 23 lits water and 5Kg sugar tends to yield just under 2 litres of spirit @around 67% when run through my silly still and cuts are taken and aired.

Glad that you produced a good product first time around

HTH.

Robert.

[Curmudgeon]

I've just bottled the 23 litre lentil wash and @40% got 3 70cl bottles and some change.

A few days before bottling I added half a bottle of essencia bourbon from local hbs, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons of honey.

I went easy on the bourbon flavouring as I'd read poor reviews with comments including that it was too heavy on the caramel.

Next time I'll try some oak and try and get real vanilla.

[Mash]

Well done.

The essences will become a thing of the past when you start adding your own flavorings and oaking.

[Easydrinker]

Some essences I cannot better, some I can.
Prestige's Mali Bu bu, my name for it, being one I buy, but do halve the recommended sugar.

Robert.

[Curmudgeon]

I'm reasonably pleased for a first attempt.

My palate is pretty knackered but my only real problem is that the flavours are separate as in I am tasting them one at a time while drinking.

A "proper" blend would have me enjoying the overall smell and taste and then my mouth and brain identifying and appreciating the different flavours, I think.

[Easydrinker]

I am kind of with you, on the first part of your statement, I consider life to have jaded, rather than refined my own palate.
I am struggling to understand the rest of your post, but that could be me and the late/early hour

Robert.

[Curmudgeon]

It made no sense to me either in the cold light of morning but having forgotten about it and slept some more, I randomly woke up with glycerin in my mind. I didn't find time to get any today, but I bet that's what I want.

[Mash]

It made no sense to me either in the cold light of morning but having forgotten about it and slept some more, I randomly woke up with glycerin in my mind. I didn't find time to get any today, but I bet that's what I want.

Probably is. It adds a smoothness and a bit of sweetness. BUT threat with care. tsp per gallon is a rough guide to start with. Worth getting a syringe. Often found in the baking aisle at any Morrisbury's

[Easydrinker]

That ole black magic called Glycerine...
Magic mouthfeel in a bottle.
Don't threaten it, it is not needed
Buy it by the litre from the online retailer beginning with A.
Even past it's sell by date it is the DB's.
My old bottle is even Kosher.

Robert.

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks guys. I picked up a little mini bottle in asda for a quid and added like one drop to a bottle and it is the holy grail for me at least

edit : as per Robert's advice, just ordered a litre for £6.89 including postage and apparently I can make gloop for the Boss's e-cigs too.

[Mash]

You sure can. Keep the empty Ecig bottles. You will need to thin the glycerine.

What you can do is divide one bottle of flavour into 3 empties and top up. Also reduces the nicotine. This is the method we used and my wife have up all together.

[inspector gadget]

1) Buy 2nd hand smart/air still off ebay. I did OK on this one. It is the 320 watt model for alcohol and not the 800 watt water purifier. I didn't get a plastic container or idiot instructions.

Mine came with a 4ltr glass jug and is 580 watts, it seems to work fine apart from a bit of thumping and tinkling which i guess maybe caused by the 1p and 2p coins, the rashig rings or the fact that I have lost my bottle of SS conditioner... hopefully finish up the wash strip today and get on to some serious spirit runs tomorrow.

Will be glad when the weather cools down a bit.

[Curmudgeon]

I'll try the e-cig thing at some stage. Too busy having fun with the still

Yeah, I use coins as my still came with nothing and they are noisy, but I do mean to buy ceramic thingies.

I haven't used conditioner and so far so good. I'm getting organised for 1st cachaca run and may use a little olive oil like I do when boiling spaghetti as it's not as clear as the lentil washes.