Constant Cloudy Washes

by **lyonacre** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:45 pm

Sorry about your problems.

Have to say it is not something I have suffered.

I usually use a straight sugar wash - as detailed elsewhere on the forum - which takes about 4 weeks to brew out in a sealed fermenter with an air lock. I use Wilkinsons wine nutrients with a bit of epsom salts and citric acid and alinsons bread yeast.

I then move the fermenter to a cool room and use Wilkinsons 2 part wine finnings.

24 hours later I rack off and it is nice and clear.

Same results with Alcotec vodka star.

I use tap water without a filter for the whole process.

by **Weebs** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:07 am

I\'ve done a few different tests with and without turbo carbon and with and without turbo clear . My findings have been varied. I did notice just using a clearing agent after fermentation didn\'t always clear completely.I\'ve found that if I use turbo carbon in the ferment then turbo clear before distilling I always get a crystal clear wash.Apparently they are designed to work together.

Here\'s what I do.

: 1 Make up sugar wash as directed on yeast packet(usualy turbo yeast)

: 2 Add turbo carbon to wash and stir vigorously.

: 3 Ferment out then let settle for a day.

: 4 Syphon off into another fermenter with a tap stiring vigorously to de-gas.

: 5 Place a piece of wood about 1 inch thick under the side of the fermenter where the tap is.(this stops the sediment settling above the tap outlet.)

: 6 Add Turbo clear as per instructions and leave for 24 hours.

I then let 50 ml or so out to clear any sediment build up in the tap and throw away.
This always gives me a beutifully clear wash.
Cheers,
Weebs

by **freelancement** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:25 pm

Make sure you put the distiller conditioner into the still with your wash, as you will find that that suspended sediment will rise up through your reflux and plant itself on the reflux contact, tainting every distillation there after. The conditioner acts like an antacid, preventing the excess sugars from foaming as it boils from my understanding
ss turbo clear is much better than alcotec turbo klar or what ever it is call. Alcotec doesnt clear! another method which I sometimes use in conjunction, is cold sediment, throw the fermenter into the fridge or freezer and seperate the layers. The suspended sediment should clot and sink, I do this with my beer prior to racking
It shouldnt freeze completely if you do put it into the freezer, due to the alcohol, note leave it too long and it will turn into a alcoholic slushie ...
In my earlier years of distilling, before I learnt of ss distiller conditioner, I kept getting cloudy alcohol from my reflux. So I would put my glass demijohn in the freezer, fuse the solids to the bottom and decant of the alcohol and redistill. I dont really recommend this after I found my chest freezer was running at -35C. Alcohol volume dropped by 1/3 and went blue, something I will never do again is touch a 5 bottle of alcohol at -35C.

by **freelancement** » Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:28 pm

aidanmac I have play with one for a mate, best combo I found was reduce the sugar content. Which is actually a rule of thumb with most washes, think the still spirits air still pack comes with 2.4kg of dextrose not the turbo sugar (per 10L batch), as if you feed the yeast too much it has other side effects, unfermented sugars is one of them, same with putting too much yeast in the fermenter (as those packs are a blend of yeast and yeast nutrients, too much nutrients will make your wash go green to memory). Note I am unsure of the smartstill, as they are not avaliable in Australia but I know the still spirits verison has a smaller element intentionally to slow the process down and to prevent the burning of the excess suspended sediment. I have looked at the ones online from china they are all like 800W, think the still spirits one is something like 250-300W, would have to check

by **blackmoor** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 12:58 am

Hi Freelancement, I wish I had a reflux still but I\'m using an Airstill. Thats why I have to get my wash crystal clear and use Distiller\'s Conditioner \'cause I\'ve heard some horror stories about the top coming off the Airstill during the boil because of impurities in the wash.

I have been using turbos all the time and stilled the wash right after it has stopped bubbling. Yes, it smells and is very cloudy (grey/yellow). But I have never had any problems with blowing up or something. The solution i think is that I smashed a coffee cup to bits and they are always in the still with wash. They make noise when dripping start. Thats the only drawback with my setup :)
Also the distiiled spirits smells when ready, but i have 1 meter tube filled with carbon. Run through it once->no smells or tastes. Currently been planning a new carbon filter because the constant tube filling is very annoying

by **blackmoor** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:40 pm

I would love that filter but alas In my country it is illegal to distill or own any products related to it. Even brewery shops have disappeared

by **goinbroke2** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 1:47 am

Cut back on sugar to 12% will help fusel oil and bad cogeners production.

But first and foremost....throw away the turbo crap!
Nice clean easy ferment at 12% and run it. Try it even once just to prove it/disprove it to yourself.
You can make an extra bucket of wash if your worried about volume, but bad taste or cloudy wash etc just sucks.