StillSmart

Just realised that my full bottle of conditioner is out of date by nearly 12 months. Will I be able to do my first stripping runs without it as I have the ceramic saddles. If not, do you think it would be safe to use or should I leave the wash until I order another bottle.

Cheers.

Personally I'd use it, I don't care much for dates on things like that, it might be worth using double the amount as the active ingredient might be less effective after the date has passed.

Although I must admit I've never bought or used proper distillers conditioner, I just add a little Crisp N Dry, it's rapeseed oil with an added anti foaming agent.

Crisp n dry ?. Now thats a new one on me.

Does it do the same thing.

It does indeed.
Some use a lump of butter instead.
Never used either myself,don't fancy greasing up the innards of my still,though I am sure those that do would claim no problems.

Robert.

The Distillers Conditioner, at least the one that I use, does not leave a greasy residue. I've tried butter and cooking oil and they did. The conditioner also works on a different principal, I think.

SS distillers conditioner is 'gripe water' I am led to believe

It does work better than butter on my all grain washes IMHO

@Stillbrewing: I have never used a conditioner. Chuck it away and get on with it.

Why use ceramic saddles in a stripping run? No advantage what so ever.

@RumJohn

The sadles are in the bottom of the boiler to help stop it surging, not in the column.

Assuming we are talking Airstill. Since I started using bits of copper & 1&2p's the boiler settled down and I did not need to get involved with distillers conditioner.

@Still brewing:
in answer to your q....it should not effect the efficacy of your shop purchased conditioner by being out of date, it will work regardless.....
more the point, make sure your ferments have reached FG and that you are careful when filling your boiler with said wash PRIOR to stipping in your still.

For info, most mass-produced distilling conditioners have a variant of silicone surfactant(food-grade.... presumably ) as their agent......
and you can achieve the same result regarding your defoaming requirements through many other ways, including the use of vegetable oils, animal fats and even just by diluted, slow strip runs......

And by NOT overfilling. Been there too.

Sorry for the late reply gents, have been having a hell of a week with the usual back problems.

I'm going to start my first stripping run this evening. Think I ended up throwing the out of date conditioner last week as I can't find it anywhere. I do have a large tub of copper coins, so how many would you advise I use.

Cheers

half a tumbler. Test them. ... the magnetic ones are not copper