opinion on perceived strength of spirit

[Iain]

Hi everyone,

well done a few runs in my airstill (thanks to this forum !) but have come across a bit of a funny and was wondering if anyone can shed some light please ?

Missus is a vodka drinker (smirnoff red) and tends to have a half inch in a tall glass filled with coke (very little vodka relatively) ...now with the filtered spirit (38% abv) she reckons it is ok but doesn't hit the spot and has to have more spirit in ... though she raided my hearts jar and had half of what she normally does and said it was spot on ....

Filtering is done in a 4" ss funnel through 2" carbon, filter paper and cotton wool. Yes i did purge the water out before collecting

anyone got any ideas as it's really confusing me lol

Iain

[Almanac]

Surprised she can taste anything drowning it in coke but girls will be girls.

Are you double distilling? if so you could try adding a small amount of early tails and try her with that. The hearts can be a little too neutral tasting to be a Vodka substitute.

True Vodka drinkers only get the same enjoyment if the Vodka is made from grain - I know I have one - a true Vodka drinker that is

AM

[Iain]

Yup using the excellent guide on here for air stills

Fingers crossed that the field next to me will have sugar beet in it again this year ... that could be a fun trial

mmm have done all grain beer brews before but I think I would upgrade my still first lol

Iain

[chill]

It could also be the lack of heads which have (to me) a harsh, burning taste. Even unaged, I find that my hearts are much mellower than any purchased alcohol.

Chuck

[John51]

As chill said, it could be the lack of 'noise', purer spirit goes down easier.

[Jimmy]

If you do it right, neutral should be pretty much tasteless and it sounds like you have done - if you give her the double doses, does she fall over twice as quickly? That would be a foolproof testing method!

My guess is that either somehow you've not measured it right, or it's just the lack of flavour that's throwing her - more likely the latter. If you still get a bit of a burn from a swig of pure spirit, it's probably strong enough, it fades off a lot at 30 and below.

There are also vodka essences that supposedly add the character of commercial vodkas - never tried them but if you do, let us know how you get on!

[Iain]

thanks everyone

evidently getting the burn ... so grabbed a vodka essence ... will let you know how I get on

Iain

[Whimpy64]

Hi All I have Been using the SS Flavoured Vodka sachets for my last couple of runs.... and according to my female friends these are definately pretty close to the commercial flavors particully the raspberry and lemon infusions

Just my two pence worth.... being still a relative newbie in this game

Cheers all and stay safe

Whimpy

[Phantom]

A lot of the issue, is that commercial vodka's are grain or potato based and despite the quoted "ATF" (or whatever their successor is called), they used to define vodka as "clear, flavourless spirit".

That covers a pretty wide margin.

We, invariably, use sugar, which has already been "purified" once, so the resultant "vodka" is very pure and flavourless.

The critics are probably getting mixed up with the shite that is churned out in Warrington, or other major brands. Hence if your missus says it needs more spirit, she'd be confusing the "burn" from commercially produced stuff and your own brews.

The "vodka essence" is probably the best bet, just to give it that apparent "roughness" that she's familiar with.

There's a lot of cock talked bought vodka, most of the eastern european countries probably reckon that their version is the best, original, whatever, yet in the 2010 competition in the US, the outright winner was produced in Herefordshire and made from potato.......

Either that, or it's not "right" because you don't pay £15 a bottle and it's not got a pretty red and silver label on the bottle.......

[Almanac]

+1 what P said.

Some people like rubbish and they're entitled to like it. I'll even defend their right to consume commercial crap. Just because we produce a far superior product that doesn't cause major hangovers, the trots, etc., doesn't mean our lady companions, or anyone else, has to like it.

For some people the important thing is, "Never mind the Quality - look and the Price Tag and the Designer Label "

But try this, carefully wash out the labelled bottle, fill it with your Vodka, made with appropriate cuts, and tell her you'll just buy the "good " stuff for her from now on, then watch her swallow your stuff with a smile your Vodka that is...

Once I got my Vodka "right" my wife decided she couldn't stand the commercial stuff anymore because with mine she didn't get the hangover, Camel's Tongue, Sore Head, Dodgy Tummy, etc., the next morning after a right few and she is a veteran of commercial vodka going back to when the Fab Four were on the go

Oh yeah! and I put pretty labels on my bottles too

AM

[Iain]

Well we have a solution

I mix a little of the early tails back in and it seems to hit to the spot nicely !

Think I will try to blend less and less in as she adjusts

[Almanac]

I reckon there's no problem adding Tails, the problems that mainly arise are with the amount of Heads allowed into the finished spirit because that's where the heat and the headaches come from.

AM