StillSmart

I am a very new beginner. Have completed one still sprits triple with carbon, and a Vodka star without carbon. The VS turned out purer than the SS. I have no issues with purity on either.

The alcotec site, suggests that 5.5kg of sugar will result in a purer still wash (lower alcohol), and another poster here used 6kg, and up to 28ltrs on the water - with a fermeted out reading of less than .990

Have other experimented with water/sugar? If so what are your preferences?

The few VS that i have done i used 6kg per 30Lt wash
these days i mainly use bakers yeast for my rum and for making sweet feed washes and sugar washes if i need some neutral,adding carbon to your wash is just making your self more work trying to get the damm stuff to clear
Alan

I use Vodka Star for neutral all the time. I always use 6kg and 23lt water. This will make a final volume of 26lt. If you're using an Airstill and allow 2lt lost with the lees you'll have 24lt clean and clear to rack & run in 6 X 4lt batches - sweet

AM

+1 what Alan said about the Carbon - that stuff just ain't worth the hastle and mess.

I always use 7kg in about 21 litres water then top up to just over 25 litres after dissolving the sugar
That gives me about a 16% wash very clean and easy to clear

Sorry to bump this,

My local HBS has the VS but the only thing they have available to clear is the SS stuff, is it ok to mix manufacturers?

I still have a SS turbo to use, but was considering using the VS next time.

It won't matter, either will do.

AM

So ok sorry for being dim...if I use VS I don't need to use that horrible black sludge I get all over the place every time I use it just for the wife to moan abut the mess I'm making????

There was talk of using Bakers yeast instead of a pre made commercial version.....how much would I use in 6kg of suger and 25lt of water???

How do you grow the stuff?? Ok ok I know you don't grow it but it's a bacteria and sure there has to be a way that I don't have to keep buying more of the stuff and cultivate it instead???

Back to the VS if I'm right I also read somewhere that once the ferment is complete you can just leave it to clear itself but that it may take a few weeks???

I think that's all for now

Regards
Alex

Yes - just Vodka Star and and Sugar, clean and simple.

Yes, given enough time most things will clear on there own, de-gassing when the the ferment has finished will help speed things up and you can use other not so messy and less expensive types of finings available in HBS's.

With bakers Bakers Yeast I use Allisons Bakers Yeast its £0.64p a tin and I use half for a 22/25 litre wash. At £0.32 a wash I do not bother cultivating it, but it is a nice thought to get it for free.

Nutrients are the thing that make the prepacked Turbo's work they way the do. You will need to add your own to Bakers yeast. You could try, either a Tomato Paste Wash or a Yeast Bomb.

Here are a couple of links but there are lot more posts around.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1148&p=9337&hilit=tpw#p9315

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=663&p=8977&hilit=yeast+bomb#p5737

There are many options and combinations available, every one develops there own methods and techniques.

Brian

So further questions spring to mind I could use a Vodka Star.....no black crap

Once it finishes fermenting I can just degass it a few times the leave it to settle for a few weeks no need to use finnings

If I used bakers yeast and a Tomato wash I could treat the resulted ferment in the same way???

Where do you get your tins of bakers yeast by the way??? Or is it sachets???

You should be able to get tins of Bakers Yeast in your local supermarket in the Baking section.

AM

Thanks guys for the help....but just incase my local asa don't do it what's the supermarket you get the yeast from???

probably a dumb question but what would be the ratios to do a vodka star wash in two 10 litre fermenting pails? or could I do a 25L run in a 40 litre brew barrel (not two much air space on top) hope that makes sense I just haven't invested in a 30 litre as off yet.

Savor1970 wrote:Thanks guys for the help....but just incase my local asa don't do it what's the supermarket you get the yeast from???

Dont panic - I can get it from Asda, Sainsbry's or Morrisons.

molly wrote:probably a dumb question but what would be the ratios to do a vodka star wash in two 10 litre fermenting pails? or could I do a 25L run in a 40 litre brew barrel (not two much air space on top) hope that makes sense I just haven't invested in a 30 litre as off yet.

I am assuming that you are coming from the Wine / Brewing direction where you are encouraged to keep headroom to a minimum. With the vigourous ferments used here, it does not seem so much of an issue, there is so much CO2 produced it will form a blanket over the wash and keep it insultaed from the Air.

Given the two options I would chose the 40 litre.

Oh cool we'll get the old brew barrel out and give it a whirl