StillSmart

Since I have learnt new techniques from this forum, I now do a stripping run followed by a spirit run and I take cuts.

I have only made neutral and used essences so far.

Using the knowledge I've gained from here, I think the neutral comes out so clean that I don't need to filter anymore.

I was wondering what others do and what you are using to distill and what you are distilling. So I thought I'd create my first poll!

Oh, I do admire someone with cajones!

You have asked that question, and may receive many conflicting responses.

This is a personal taste thing, there is no absolute answer.

For myself, even though I can now distil neutral at a higher ABV, with a much cleaner product, I find that polishing through some carbon improves it.

As I said or at least implied, Taste. Time and effort. My neutral wash is pretty damn neutral anyway.
Pot stilled or through the new reflux type thing.
But if carbon improves on that then I am happy.


This is where some may pile in with the fact their neutral wash is SO good, or their still SO good that they do not need to carbon filter, as I said, personal taste.

And there are always more ways than one to skin a cat/rabbit/skunk(?)/moose/meercat.

Robert.

I've hit the "depends" button...I did a lot when I started off down the road on my new hobby...but now I trust my taste buds and nose.

ED said it's all down to what you want...last night I took a French oak domino out of a liter of GS rum and it's bang on for me...job done.

Agreed.

If you have moved on from turbo's it becomes a personal taste option.

I rarely carbon filter now.

You are so right Mash. Those Turbo yeasts
do leave an after taste. If you are using
bakers and cut carefully you dont really
need to carbon.
Nearest I use to a turbo now is Vodka
Star(is it or is it not) for a fast ferment
when in a rush.

Emphatic NO!
Use decent ingredients and you have no need for it......seems simple to me. (Plus I'm even reading where 'conventional' washes thru airstill are coming up with results that seemed unheard of not too long ago ).

When after base spirit (neutral) which is by far the thing I run the most, I don't filter, haven't for years.
If you run slow enough, the middle cut can be alcoholic water. I run a bit faster than that as it's still very good and is a trade off on your time.
When redistilled into gin running fast, any hotness, if there is any is gone. I'm happy.

All that said, I have found myself building a filter recently. Like most things in this hobby you might change your mind over time - will filtering make my home made any better? I don't know, but I'm going to try it in the near future.
I don't plan on filtering anything that wouldn't have made the cut before, I just want to see what difference it will make.

Yes, a
Ways. I have an AirStilll. Everything gets filtered, through an Essencia. Worth its weight in charcoal, at least.

My process may change as and when I build/acquire a column. Until then, charcoal is king!

Make a good clean wash, rather than a toxic pool, distill it properly with decent equipment and you will be able to make a decent product that does not require, or demand, filtering.

Your equipment and wash must be of an acceptable quality. Use a toy still and you will get an inferior product.

Good alcohol is easy to make. Bad alcohol is even easier to make.

I am going to agree with RJ's comment-
"Good alcohol is easy to make. Bad alcohol is even easier to make."
I would add the caveat that good neutral is generally harder than flavoured spirits.

But for me, the prize for most salient point on this topic so far in my opinion goes to Capt.C.

"I don't plan on filtering anything that wouldn't have made the cut before, I just want to see what difference it will make."

For me, carbon filtering neutral is not trying to clean up a shite neutral, but to polish a decent product.
You cannot polish a turd.

I am surprised that my new fancy very high ABV neutral seems to benefit from carbon filtering.I am still playing with that,and may yet go back to pot stilled neutral carbon filtered,as for me it is MUCH faster.
And I am struggling to favour the taste of one over another,once filtered.
Live and learn.

Robert.

Easydrinker wrote:
.... carbon filtering neutral is not trying to clean up a shite neutral, but to polish a decent product.
You cannot polish a turd.....

Robert.

As this is a voting topic, I will vote for this comment. Spot on.

You cannot polish a turd.

I second ( or perhaps 3rd) that emotion.
I only filter the neutral used for Limoncello, a hot commodity with SWMBO. All else is left wonderfully feral.
Especially Panela rum .

Keeping a SWMBO happy is very important.
Whatever it takes,it will make life more pleasant/easier.

Robert.

I will try filtering and not filtering...my taste buds will tell me the path to follow.

I just voted yes everything, but only for neutral, I also agree with the point above about using it to polish good spirit rather than clean up bad product.