Air stones for airing spirits

[Mash]

Would the odd shake not provide the same effect?

Do you mean for fruit infusion or cleaning up?

[Duffer26]

The latter

[Mash]

I guess leaving it open for a few days with a shake from time to time.. probably.

This is just such an easy thing and the results are clear to see (well taste).

While waiting for this to arrive I ran an AS strip [sugar wash] no cuts and no spirit run. No carbon filter. Got what I expected - bit rough. Air pumped it for 2 hours - tested 1/2 hourly -
tails smell was MUCH reduced and the it was drinkable. I am not suggesting this as an alternative, but I do think I have found another tool for the box.

Currently recycling some ullage - now thats a test.

[Easydrinker]

I am going to have to dig out the air stones and play, I feel that I am streets behind.

Robert.

[Mash]

After a few trials now convinced this is a tool for polishing. The rougher the subject the more obvious the improvement.

Next up some premium kale (non filtered).

It would be good for someone could compare against carbon filtered spirits...

Same base - just air.
Same base - carbon filtered.
Same base - carbon filtered and then air.

I think it might still prove worthy.

[Pyro]

Just tried my Plum Brandy liqueur after 4 hrs on the air stone, it has removed some of the fruity sweetness and made it more like a commercial product.

In my experiments I have aerated for between 4 and 24 Hrs, I try to keep things simple and easy to do.

Our remit on this site should be to keep the new start to distilling interested in the hobby. I suspect that a lot of newcomers get an AS thinking that it will easily produce loads of good quality alcohol and are subsequently sadly disappointed with the booze that it produces.

My view is, keep it simple, get them on to using Vodka Star only in their wash, then clearing it, run it through the still, then give it 4Hrs of aeration. Once they have confidence in their skills they will automatically drift in to the more advanced stuff, where we can advise them.

[Robbo12]

Well said as I'm a newbie i skipped the airstill and bought a t500 I've already gone from the turbo clear 8 onto a kale wash to see the difference, I've got my list on how to do cuts and once I've mastered it i will be making my own column and condenser which I've got the parts to make one up to fit my t500 .

[Mash]

My view is, keep it simple, get them on to using Vodka Star only in their wash, then clearing it, run it through the still, then give it 4Hrs of aeration. Once they have confidence in their skills they will automatically drift in to the more advanced stuff, where we can advise them.

Just once. No spirit run ?

[Pyro]

The ethos is "keep it simple", help them to produce good drinkable alcohol, then go onto the slightly more advanced stuff such as stripping and spirit runs.

Learn and be happy with the simple stuff and the more advanced will be a piece of cake.

[Mash]

I agree in principle.
But how will it work...

"This is how you do it"
and once you have done it
"this is the better way to do it"?

Given there are a number of ways already, when I answer a post I give the best advice I can.

We see posts all the time that make you wonder... But that's what the forum is for.

I like what you are saying but does it potentially make it more complicated.

[Pyro]

More like,"this is an easy way to produce good drinkable booze" then " this is a slightly more complicated method which will produce slightly better booze".The idea is to help people succeed, as a failure will probably result in the AS getting assigned to the back of a cupboard or Ebay.

Remember the AS is also known as the EasyStill, lets make it so.

[Easydrinker]

After a few trials now convinced this is a tool for polishing. The rougher the subject the more obvious the improvement.

Next up some premium kale (non filtered).

It would be good for someone could compare against carbon filtered spirits...

Same base - just air.
Same base - carbon filtered.
Same base - carbon filtered and then air.

I think it might still prove worthy.

If no one beats me to it, I will give this a go next week with my Tamarind brew.

I have not tried aerating strip, so cannot comment on it's quality.
I will add a fourth class to the above test,aerated strip.
I remain sceptical.
Equally if you can strip a brew, it is not much more work to spirit run and make cuts.
I await next weeks efforts with interest.
I will call on the tasting expertise of a friend, who seldom drinks but can blind taste and identify any number of Malt whiskey's.

Robert.

[Pyro]

Don't really carbon filter any more.

[Mash]

Don't really carbon filter any more.

Absolutely. That's my problem.

Nice one Robert.

[Mash]

I have now trialled this side by side. One pumped for 30mins. One shaking hourly all day and then leaving it open overnight.

Quite honestly you wonder if it's the same stuff in both bottles.

So no, IMO you cannot get the same result by shaking.