StillSmart

I have been Reading a little about off tastes in a distilled

spirit and have been told I need to air the spirit for

48hours to remove these smells from the spirit.

I used triple distilled yeast with correct amount

of suger correct sg and I only collect 3 litres of spirit at 85%

then added correct amount of water and filtered with z filter 5 times and the smell is

still there, I\'m not to sure what the smell is or how to

discribe it, but it\'s making my vodka taste off putting, will airing my spirit

stop this ? Thanks for ur help.

Hi bottleform

what sort of water are you using to cut back,if its water from the tap perhaps this might be causing it,also filtering 5 times aounds a bit ott IMO and im sure ive read somewhere you can over filter with carbon, and if you are using the same batch of carbon for all 5 runs in the Z filter you may be after say 3 passes through be washing some of what the carbon has already taken out back into your spirit,i may be well of the mark mind you,once someone like Phantom has seen your post im sure he can give you a far more accurate answer.

cheers Optic

if you want to air your spirit just leave the top of for a day or two but cover the neck with a bit of cotton. The cotton will stop bugs drowning in your good spirit also prevent evaporation a little.
You can\'t filter your spirit too many times but it should be pretty drinkable filtered after two to three times but the more you do it the better it tastes. As long as your carbon is clean. If your carbon if over-used you can wash the odour back into the spirit. Try smelling your used carbon, you\'ll see what I mean.
I don\'t use a Z filter so I can\'t really comment but if it only have say 50g of caron and filter 3L @ 85% so maybe 5L at 40% several times you prob only get the benefit of maybe two filters, after that change your carbon.
You can clean your carbon but its a PITA easier to cough up the few extra $$.
Maybe try making a pipe filter that will take about 250g of carbon then you can filter your spirit all a few times no probs. Also buying carbon by the Kg works out cheaper.

Thanks for everyone\'s input on this...
I think im going to filter a little less and air my spirit as you have mentioned

above. At the moment I am currently buying SS filter carbon, can anyone give me

a cheaper alternative and their website? thanks again.
BOR

sorry no website, I buy mine from the local homebrew shop, ask them to get you some filtering carbon by the Kg

I think im going to filter a little less and air my spirit as you have mentioned

above. At the moment I am currently buying SS filter carbon, can anyone give me

a cheaper alternative and their website?

bottleform

I use alcotec carbon it costs £5 for a 1.7ltr bag from my local HB shop this is enough to fill the Z filter about two and a half times,if you google alcotec you should come up with stockists.

optic