Vodka star

[Mickrick]

Got some bubbling away, never used it before. Temps here are great at the minute so its bubbling away like a volcano !!! Whats the concensus on clearing / using finnings with it ?

[gaza the instructor]

When its finished, cold crash it, or rack into another
fermenter and stand somewhere cool for a couple of days
should clear on its own mate.
VS is good stuff but bread yeast just as good and cheaper.

[Mickrick]

Thanks Gaza, i'll do just that. Although i got a succesfull result with the bread yeast it needs to much heat for me, so they where all long ferments. Of course i should be doing bread yeats now as the temps are great. The Vodka Star works out at £3 (roughly) for a 25 litre wash, Kale is £1 and bread yeast is £1.. so yes cheaper but only marginally. I'm ok with the smallextra cost given the speed of the ferment... (hopefully).

I suppose the reason for my question was i've read people just run the VS wash as is, and i've also seen mention of carbon filtering which i don't do and have no intention of doing. SOme wine makers don't like using finings as they claim it strips flavour out, in my case that would be fine as i want a neutral..... i suppose that was my question really.

[Robbo12]

Hi i think you've just answered your own question their , experiment with different washes my go to is the tomato paste wash ferments in about 5 days.

[Easydrinker]

Whatever wash you use, if it ferments out, and you rack and let it settle, strip and spirit run, make good cuts, it should be really neutral.
There are many ways to mess that up, but no real way to make it easier.
Experience and trial and error are most folks goto's.


Robert.

[Mash]

Thanks Gaza, i'll do just that. Although i got a succesfull result with the bread yeast it needs to much heat for me....
.....

What temp are you running it at?

[Mickrick]

Mash i was just running them at room temp in my kitchen. The Kale wash took me 8 weeks, and the Lentil one took about 4 weeks.

[Mash]

I asked because they all need a bit of heat [belt/pad/leccy blanket etc]

And heat=speed. A cold running VS will take longer than a on temp or hot one.

Its easy to get caught out by seasonal changes and blame the yeast - in our house there is a massive temp swing DAILY and SEASONALLY - that will make a difference to any yeast.

I think many will agree you need to consider temp control first, before recipes. Alternatively make hay sorry booze while the sun shines. I only make wine once a year and this is why.

Also yeast do NOT like going cold at night - they shock and then recover the next day - slowing the whole job down. Accurate temp control and insulation will make for happy yeasties and that makes happy (and sweeter) booze.

[hampk]

I've been experimenting with VS for a few weeks; we moved house a while back so stocks ran out and I needed something quick! I've settled on VS with 5kg sugar as my current recipe - less hassle than kale and it finishes reliably in five days. I had persistent issues with slow kale I use a blanket for insulation and a tank heater to keep it at about 25 degrees C.

I don't bother with carbon, but have played with wine finings. Seems to me though a couple of days will see most of the muck at the bottom.

I run it through my AS per the bible and the results are fine.

Cheers

Hampk

[Easydrinker]

I kind of dig that hampk.
I remain happy with lentil neutral washes, with aquarium heaters to cover the times when the sun don't shine.
There are many ways to skin a rabbit...

Robert

[Thunderbird]

First VS wash at this time of year for me. Usually use aquarium type heater in winter months but no need at the moment. Started a wash on Monday and its very happy with the brew bubbling away and the thermometer on the bucket reading 27º-28º C. I started another 25 litre wash today as well. Of course cold crashing it will be impossible for me so I use 24 Turbo Klar. It seems to work for me and using only 5kgs of sugar, I don't seem to get any off flavours.

[Brewhunter]

I never go over 5kgs of sugar these days with any yeast despite what the packet might say.

I was quite surprised to see how quickly my washes have been clearing naturally despite the heat (around 10 days) okay it's not turboklar speeds but I can live with that.

[gaza the instructor]

I think natural has got to be better BH.

[captainfog]

I'm a big fan of VS. I have it bubbling away in my downstairs toilet ha! Never needed heat pads, my WC seems to be the perfect temperature all year round for fermentation! I've tried Kale washes with bakers yeast and I just couldn't get on with them (almost certainly user error, but there you go). VC works great for me though - stripping run, spirit run and then filtering provides a completely neutral base spirit.

I know most people on this forum just de-gass and leave it to settle in a cool space for a few days, but I use turbo clear. I've experimented with not using it, and I just prefer the results when I do.

What I have noticed is when I use turbo clear I don't have to use conditioner in the still during the stripping run.

[Thunderbird]

With you all the way Captain !