StillSmart

Most people do try these, in the beginning, but quickly move away as others are cleaner.

Vodka Star is a good option in an all-in-one pack. Despite the labeling on the sachets it isn't a 'Turbo' in the normal sense and does not require 'liquid carbon' in the wash

Alternatively you could just try a simple recipe like the Lentil Wash. Cheap and cheerful and makes very clean neutral spirit

AidanMac

Sorry about all the newbie questions..
So if I do a Lentil Wash like the instuctions state using bread yeast I can understand with my years of experience brewing beers... But after fermentation do I use finings? Isinglass as I do before kegging to corny or gelatin that I used years ago?

What'does the carbon do

Nearly there, thx to you lads.

John

John,
The carbon is in that wash,with the intention of making it more neutral.
I never used the packet of that yeast/carbon that came with my smart still years ago,so am not qualified to comment upon it's efficacy.

If you try the lentil wash,or any other "neutral" washes out there,to add finings or not may depend upon your haste to distill.
Racking off,and leaving to settle somewhere cool usually works in a week or two,and you can then rack to the still or a storage container.

You are taking me back with talk of Isinglass and Gelatine,I don't know of anyone on here that uses those;here talk is of Sparkoloid and Turbo Clear for those in a hurry.
HTH

Robert.

Got some stuff today but playing it safe to create a benchmark for future brews!

I hope you will find that to be the low water mark.

chill's comment there did read to me like "tough love",he does mean well!
You have to start somewhere,and until you have,you cannot improve.
Which basically means we both reserve judgement upon your choice.
But we both wish you the best of luck with your wash and distillation.
Have fun doing what you are doing - if it is no fun/learning then what is the point?

Robert

I did not mean that as tough love, just expressing a hope that future washes will produce better results. Both from not using turbo yeasts and from the experience that results from actually starting to distill. That is an OK place to start learning from, but improvements are will within reach.

Now you have the turbo kit John you may as well use it, I did when I started off, but I found them to be messy when you came to clean the fermenter. If you splash it all about like me that is....

Follow the guide on here about the Airstill, run the wash, it'll be a learning curve just like brewing your first brew.

When you've finished the spirit run and you get to drink your first glass of it, you'll then know you've taken the first step, all the best mate.

chill wrote:I did not mean that as tough love, just expressing a hope that future washes will produce better results. Both from not using turbo yeasts and from the experience that results from actually starting to distill. That is an OK place to start learning from, but improvements are will within reach.

No offence taken, just taking the easy route for the first run (I hope easy)

Next time will be a tried and tested wash from on here to compare against because at the moment I've nothing to compare against unlike I have with my 30+ years of brewing ales.

First potential wash is bubbling away nicely as I type.

Wife whinging about the smell......

John....if she likes the odd Vodka & Coke, see if she minds you making it in the future....

Yep once she gets a taste of the finished product the complaints about the smell will end .

Unless, like my wife, she does not drink.

+1....or (for point-of-difference) like MY wife...
whom likes neutral/vodka-based drinks BUT always used to complain about the skanky smell of Turbo ferments in the previous times when I ran them....

(& when I stopped using such stuff, she commented on how the spirit was 'nicer nowadays')

Food for thought, that's all, mate

Frank wrote:+1....or (for point-of-difference) like MY wife...
whom likes neutral/vodka-based drinks BUT always used to complain about the skanky smell of Turbo ferments in the previous times when I ran them....

(& when I stopped using such stuff, she commented on how the spirit was 'nicer nowadays')

Food for thought, that's all, mate

Thanks' Frank, all is taken onboard regarding advice..

BB