Purity?

[Opus 27]

I read a lot on the forum about double distilling, stripping runs and so on. I assume that the ultimate aim is for purity of finished spirit and for a lot of us that will end up being used with flavouring so we want the good stuff ie \"Ethanol\" with no taste..

I do a single run which I collect when the column is running between 78 and 82 degrees C this being the temperature for ethanol ie after the methanol etc. and before the propanol (rubbing alcohol). My alcohol is coming out at 92% ABV. As soon as ABV starts to tail off usually in the mid 81 C degree area I stop collecting.

I calulate from this that I have no more than 8% impurity in this, some of which wil be water. I would add that I am aware of the temperature differences relating to sea levels but where I am my temperature range is close enough.

My question then is \"What benefit would a second distilation give\"?
Opus 27

[hoppinmad]

My question then is "What benefit would a second distilation give"?

hi opus,

not a lot in my opinion, i am currently using an ss air still through which i only distill once and carbon filter once and the alcohol i produce is clean tasting with no smell (vodka star wash) and friends and family agree with me that it is VERY drinkable and difficult to tell from professionally produced stuff, especially the whisky. the stuff that you are producing will be much better than mine so i too am baffled by \'stripping\', \'redistilling\' and multi filtering. that said, it depends on the quality of the wash you produce. i really cant fault vodka star though i am currently experimenting with the bread yeast wash (mainly because its cheap to produce and supposed to be very clean)
hoppin

[Bottleofrum]

Yeah I agree, I have a super reflux and I find the spirit

great after one distill, Also I dont have all the time in the world to

conduct a stripping run aswell as a spirit run with a baby on the scene lol.
I say though, Put good a wash in get good out really,

I have distilled my allision baker yeast wash (mavericks)

and got 2 litres(Had to catch a flight so had to stop there, could of carried on)

at 85% really good spirit at a fraction of the price.
BOR

[hoppinmad]

Hi BOR, I\'m really impressed with the bread yeast wash so far, its bubbling about half the rate of the vodka star at the side of it but cost less than £3 for 25lt whereas the vodka star cost £6.30 ish. I will be posting the final cost per litre of spirit once distilled as I forgot to take start sg, d\'oh.

[Andy]

I have just ordered some Vodka Star to try.

For this weekends wash I have just bought some SS Triple Distilled yeast.

I just cant bring myself to try doing a tomato was yet.

[marc83]

Hi guys, i am very interested in trying the tomato paste wash,ive only made 3 batches all with the same ingredients(7kg dextrose,SS turbo classic,SS turbo clear)I am looking into varying my wash ingredients eg swapping dextrose for plain sugar,SS yeast for essencia super 6.What are others using and having good results with??cheers

[hoppinmad]

Hi marc83,

vodka star by alcotec is popular with most on here and is the best I\'ve used so far. Opus27 uses alcotec 48 with good results and I\'m going to have a go with that next to compare, there is a post somewhere on here saying one alcotec 48 will do two 25lt washes. I\'m also currently experimenting with maverick50s bread yeast wash, will post results when done.
Cheers, hoppin

[marc83]

I have seen a bit of talk with the Alcotec on here,my local HB stocks Still spirits,and Essencia super 6 although i havent seen it on the shelf,maybe on request,my see if he can get Alcotec also.cheers.

[Opus 27]

Hi everyone

I think we may be wandering of thread a little. Started this thread in distillation subjects to get some thoughts on purity of finished spirit. Posts seem to be more wash related for which there is a seperate subject group.
Opus 27

[Phantom]

Well I tend to double distill i.e. the first \"stripping\" run is done without anything in the reflux chamber and it tends to get up to about 91 degree\'s C with the distillate at about 50 or so %ABV.
Once I\'ve got enough of that, about 3 gallons or so, I\'ll then let it down to 40% and re-run it and that gives me 85 ot 90% ABV, using copper mesh in the reflux chamber instead of the saddles or rashig rings.
The same applies to double distilling with the table top still i.e. I get the usual 60% from it first run and then when it\'s let down to 40 and redistilled, I can get it in the 80 to 85% bracket the second time.
The idea being that to achieve the highest % of purity, the less likely I am to have anything in the distillate that will affect the taste of it when it\'s been let down to 40% for mixing with a flavouring.....
but also, it handy to keep it at the highest % possible as it then means that it will keep longer and just needs to be let down to mix it with whichever flavouring I\'m after.....