StillSmart

Never used a still conditioner, I have used turbo clar.
I would not use a clearing agent again though.
I wait for most of the sludge,not all, to settle and rack and run it.
This practice has evolved with time.
I am sure that many members of this site, and possibly a few visitors, come here, find some advice, maybe just an opinion, learn something, and never return.
If folk leave with more knowledge than they arrived with, then the visit was worthwhile.

Robert.

Meh! I routinely use Vodka Star.

I just mix the water(hot tap temperature) and sugar, then blitz the hell out of it with a balloon whisk (electric), then leave it to cool.

Next day I just dump the yeast in and then give it about 5 minutes with the balloon whisk again to aerate, then just seal up the bucket with an air lock and leave it all running at room temp.

Takes between 5 and 7 days for the ferment to complete. I leave it for an extra week so the majority of the solids drop out, then I run it.......

I usually double distill, then let it all down to 40% or so (always over, never under) and then carbon filter it.

Gives me a nice, clean tasting neutral........

Ha! that reminds me, I'd better email Ellie-Claire to see how much I have to buy for free shipping.............

I do like a straight talking man.
Especially one with a bit of experience.
It should give some of the rhubarb and custard users a pause for thought.

Robert.

I stretch a VS a little, I make a 40litre wash with 8KG sugar, sill ferments dry in less than a week.

Also I don’t bother with finings, I normally just transfer it to the boiler the day before or take it out the fermenting cupboard over night, then run it, 40 litres in a 50 litre boiler, never had any trouble with it.

Hang on lads, I'll be back in a minute, just heard a truck reversing in to my yard, must be the VS lorry, I hope he's bought a pallet truck...

So yes I'm a fan, I love the fact you can pay little to no attention regarding temperature and it still ferments out with no fuss, in this hot weather it rips along though..!

I think it tastes and smells very neutral without carbon filtering so I dont bother, I susspect this is because I dont have a carbon filter... I tried pathfinder TY00 and was quite impressed also, not quite as quick but still very good and the backset was far less stinky.

Something I fear will regret asking but will ask anyway... is the trub from a VS wash worth recycling in to another wash?

I have no experience, but suspect the answer to be NO!

Robert.

I had 2x25 litre VS washes on the go this past week. They've fermented out in around 5 days. I used Turbo Klar 24 to clear the first one yesterday and have just run it through the T500. I got 3.25 litres @ 91.3% abv on the strip running it for speed between 63º - 65ºC. I tasted it during the run diluting it 50/50 to make 2 teaspoons full. Yes, it was a bit raw but, I'm not kidding, there don't appear to be any funky tastes or anything nasty coming through.

I'll run the second wash on Thurs/Friday when it's cleared and then do a spirit run with the whole lot. I have been using the SS carbon filter system but I'm seriously tempted not to bother filtering with this one coz it tastes fine. I am really impressed with Vodka Star and I'm guessing the great results are probably due to it a) not being a true turbo, and b) not overloading it with sugar?

I bought 10 more packs as I'm that impressed and I'm almost tempted to do a 6kg sacrificial sugar wash just to see what happens and find out what the resulting neutral is like, but I probably won't do that until autumn when it's a bit cooler. Then again, I'm a bit tight so when something works why screw around with it!

Maker wrote:
Something I fear will regret asking but will ask anyway... is the trub from a VS wash worth recycling in to another wash?

Yes you can harvest yeast. It is a living thing.

No it won't do the same as the original pack, because the pack contains its nutrients as well. Which you would need to add.

I was a big fan of VS and still am. But I found these on ebay and gave them a try: TURBO YEAST SW20 48. Worked well and a bit cheaper. Happy with result.

Found what exactly

Think the link fell out in the post.

I didnt attached link. Just try to search: TURBO YEAST SW20 48 in ebay and you will find it. Its sold in different quantities. Sorry for gramma. No auto correct on phone

I didnt attached link. Just try to search: TURBO YEAST SW20 48 in ebay and you will find it. Its sold in different quantities. Sorry for gramma. No auto correct on phone

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... 8&_sacat=0

This should take you there.

Even with short arms and long pockets, I would not choose to re-use VS yeasties from trub.
But whatever floats your boat..

Robert.

I don't expect the trub to add any of the excellerated properties of VS, I was just asking rather than tipping it down the drain is there a use for it?

ED, have to agree. But as long as you don't expect the same performance. IMO it would perform to the same as a natural wash.

Dead yeast cells are good nutrition, so yes there is a use for then.

But there's no need, if your pitching another pack of VS.

If you are a gardener they are great for the soil and the compost heap.

If you have a septic tank, they are brilliant for that.