StillSmart

Not really sure where this belongs, so will park it here.
I said that I would try this, here are my findings.
I took five samples of the same brew, aerated some, filtered some.
Got a good friend, hereafter called 'the nose' to blind taste.
Roped in the noses wife to shuffle the glasses in order that I could also join in.
It may not be the most scientific or exhausting test, but taught me something.
Ranked 1 to 5, 1 being most neutral.

###################### The nose ## Myself #####average of just the two of us
Strip #################### 5 ########## 5 ######### 5
Aerated strip ############## 4 ########## 3 ######### 3.5
Aerated spirit ############## 2 ########## 4 ########## 3
Charcoal filtered spirit ######## 3 ########## 2 ############ 2.5
Filtered and aerated spirit ##### 1 ########## 1 ########### 1

Sorry for the hashtags, this site won't allow me to produce a clear table, and I didn't want to link.

Totally un-fudged and honest ratings.
All tested at the same ABV.
All glassware clean, the carbon filter was too, each use.
Aeration times the same, everything that could be done was done to provide a level playing field.

I would like to say, don't drink strip.
Don't even drink aerated strip, after 6 hours it had not lost a measurable physical volume or alcohol %, if the heads are going nowhere, then neither are the tails.

Decide the rest for yourselves.

HTH someone.

Robert.

That's a lot of work and hope it was a lot if fun too.

I read, Single distilling is not enough to get the best. Even aerating strip is not enough. There is no replacement for a spirit run.

Finishing and polishing your spirit properly makes them better. For me I think aerating is a polishing tool.

A fine bit of work there chaps, it is a finishing tool.

My findings were, aerating was a simple and cheap method of improving finished spirit, and it works wonders on spirit that has been produced using the SS rather questionable recipe. If beginner uses only Vodka Star yeast in their brew (£4 to £5 saved right away) then aerate after stilling, it eliminates the need to purchase an expensive filter and is also cleaner and easier to produce good drinkable spirit.

I am also aerating my stripping, heart and heads and tails, I have a small setup which is next to my desk so it is east to do.

Possibly start an argument, I ask, why hasn’t the trade made this method known, it’s in some of the old books, is it because there is zero profit in it for them.

A fine bit of work there chaps, it is a finishing tool.

My findings were, aerating was a simple and cheap method of improving finished spirit, and it works wonders on spirit that has been produced using the SS rather questionable recipe. If beginner uses only Vodka Star yeast in their brew (£4 to £5 saved right away) then aerate after stilling, it eliminates the need to purchase an expensive filter and is also cleaner and easier to produce good drinkable spirit.

I am also aerating my stripping, heart and heads and tails, I have a small setup which is next to my desk so it is east to do.

Possibly start an argument, I ask, why hasn’t the trade made this method known, it’s in some of the old books, is it because there is zero profit in it for them.

That is a fantastic experiment and very interesting results.

[Air Still User here]..........
This is an excellent thread. I'm just a newbie to this but it makes so much sense , to me at least. Just to back up a bit, i've been very happy with the SS triple turbo carbon jobby. And i'm also happy with cheap whiskey, although i can and do appreciate a good one. I found, as i know have many others that the SS carbon filter as supplied is useless, but it does do something, or rather something happens that does make the spirit nicer. I come to the conclusion that whats actually happening is that the spirit is not getting carbon filtered really, i can't see how it can be. Its either all or nothing. For me it ran through like a slow tap (1 hour) or took 24 hours to go through. Now bear in mind i cleared the wash with carbon, so just what was the "filtering" doing ? Well prior to filtering it smelt of acetone, or as we know it "nail varnish remover", afer an airing through the filter it was better, and acceptable, to me.In my mind at least, what happened was the spirits got "aired".

Double distilling takes it to another level again, even without carbon filtering. Its the difference between a Tesco off the shelf whisky and an Islay Malt. Double distill, air thoroughly and jobs a goodun.

Try a natural kale wash 25l.
Double stilled and cut the first 50ml. Stop at 30%.
Dilute to 40%.
Airate with a pump for 1 hour.
IMO easiest, cleanest & quickest.

Would be interested to hear your thoughts after comparing it.

Thats what i'm on now [kale wash]. Its made a great spirit. Definatley cleaner, easier and cheaper. I'm just struggling with the speed.

When you have a little more experience of the air still and its nuances, you may choose to leave it alone to work, while you do something else,- mow the lawn, watch a movie, have rampant sex with the wife,(Your own or a neighbours). .
Mash does something like that with his Air still, as I do with my stills.
Speed is not everything.
Time is important, Mash has shared some ways of saving it.
To me, the ideal still is one that is easily bought, built and/or managed, that fits with my lifestyle, and produces just enough alcohol to keep me happy.
These days I am only experimenting with washes, because I am kind of lazy.
Maybe soon a new still build.
Maybe i am just kind of lazy?

Robert.

Mickrick wrote:Thats what i'm on now [kale wash]. Its made a great spirit. Definatley cleaner, easier and cheaper. I'm just struggling with the speed.

To still it. Or to ferment?

NightEye wrote:My point being that there is little point in asking for a definitive answer to a contentious question.

Give it a rest for fuck sake Nighteye...this is an easy get along type of forum. There's no need for adding the above to take the urine to most of your posts. If your trolling you'll get short shift here.

Ask a question, just keep it short and to the point. Wait for an answer, then move on.