StillSmart

hi guys degassed today for 10min by hand and added the finnings now after 3 hours i looked at it and found gas bubbles on top of the wash is this ok and what should i do

Nothing you can go but wait. For degassing, I using do 4-6 vigorous stirs (using an electric drill) over two days. It takes a while for the liquid to let go of all of the gas.

Chuck

I must admit I've got pretty lazy lately, I don't really degas much more than one good stir with my big spoon, and today I ran 35 litres of milky white Alcotec 48 sugar wash through on a stripping run.

Saying that, I do normally clear my washes but I'm running short (about half a DJ remaining) of filtered neutral, plus the fact that I want to get a spirit run on to play with my new crystal dragon setup.

As self appointed site bad boy,I have to admit to not waiting for washes to clear before stripping anymore.
The difference it makes? To me,none.
I may have an old and jaded palate.
I wait for the wash to stop throwing up bubbles,and rack it off.
Two days later,I rack it into the still and strip it.
Sometimes there is some "sludge" in the boiler when emptying.
I have tried comparing this practice with totally clear strips,and found no significant taste difference,after a subsequent spirit run.
This works for me,it may not work for you.
Just saying.

Robert.

I try to have enough washes queued up that I can let them clear, either naturally or by degassing them. But I have run them cloudy when need called for it I don't recall noticing much of a taste different but the strip runs seemed smellier.

Chuck

I will concede that what I tip from the boiler may indeed be smellier!

Robert.

So we don't properly clean/sanitise our gear, nor do we clear our washes lol

well running mine though the still will tell you what happens later

"So we don't properly clean/sanitise our gear, nor do we clear our washes lol"




...some might even run stuck ferments through as well when they get bored with a particular experiment.


... and degassing - so yesterday

All of the above points relate to a known safe manner of distilling.
Stray from the true path at your own risk.
Or push the boundaries,with a similar caveat.
There are very few rules,but lots of commonsense is needed.
Have fun,isn't that the reason you are here?

Robert

I agree, for sound advice, do as we say, not as we do

Anavrin wrote:I agree, for sound advice, do as we say, not as we do

Now! In the cold light of the new day, are you sure that's what you mean?

AM

Of note: in his book on making pure corn whiskey, Ian Smiley says to run the wash immediately after the initial fermentation dies down and that waiting longer negatively affects the taste of the result.

Chuck

I was told at the springbank distillery that they run straight after the ferment stops, yeast and all, as the wash produces fruity esters if left longer.

I doubt that it is very much different in commercial Vodka distilleries-[Refraction and leaving the industrial sized plates out of it,(maybe why we can make it possibly better?)] to commercial Malt scotch distilleries.
The wash is run from the mash tun into the strip stills and run.
There is no hanging around waiting for clear washes.
There are many ways to skin a rabbit.
If you have never skinned one,try advice from someone that has.
Don't let it stop you trying other methods.
And then the best one for you is the one that works for you.


Robert.