VodkaStar and the amount of suger

[Luckyshot]

I have been trying to find some info on the amount of sugar to use with VS. At the moment I use 6k of sugar, but some folks use 5k.

Whats the advantages using 5k over 6k? I have looked on this forum but cant seem to find it, point me in the right direction somebody!


Regards Lucky.

[YHB]

And some use 4kg and some use only half the Vodka Star per wash and some..............

The theory goes like this.

The package that the VS comes in contains a particular strain of yeast that is tolerant to high levels of Alcohol and nutrients that will support the yeast while they are breathing the large amounts of sugar that it takes to make lots of alcohol.

So you can use lots of sugar and get lots of alcohol, but you also get tastes and the higher the amount of alcohol the more undesirable tastes there are. People often refer to this as "stressing the yeast" I do not know if the yeast actually get stressed but it seems a good analogy. When we get stressed we sweat get upset stomachs and smell bad, so why should yeast be different.

So to avoid the yeasts having to work so hard and getting stressed out, people reduce the amount of sugar, if you reduce the amount of sugar then you don't need as much nutrients.

It's your call and your process, if you distil twice and run the finished spirits through a carbon filter then you will get away with higher sugar and nutrient levels.

What works for some may not work for you, try it and see.

Personally I use the lower levels of sugar that you quote and with VS I find that a lower temperature ferment is the best way of avoiding the off tastes that we are talking about.

[Luckyshot]

Thanks Brian,I think I will try 5k,if iam not mistaken Alcotec used to recommend 5.5k of sugar then upped it to 6k for some reason?

Regards Lucky.

[John51]

I much prefer lower temperature ferments. I keep meaning to get a good stock of product so I can avoid doing washes during the summer but it never happens.

[Easydrinker]

Nice post Brian.
You said it all,I think.
I'll move along.
Robert.