Hope I'm doing right. Airstill.

[Ebnat]

Hi guys, just 2 things to ask, so far, I followed the instructions re the wash, that came with my kit, but the temp did not drop to 24 as stated,after adding the sugar,(27) so I waited 'till it got to 23.8 then pitched the yeast etc.

Hope I did right.

Second, I had to speak to Richard ( Love brewing)who I bought the kit off,and he assured me that there is no need to DD as long as the kit instructions are followed, I am now a little confused as to who is right.

Have now started my first wash and I need to get all things right.

[Blue_Duck]

Hi,Richard, I'm sure your doing ok with your temps and such for fermenting.as for asking a shop owner for advise, yea sure he's going to tell you follow the destructions, it's in his interest to keep you following Still Spirits practice because your hands will never be out of your pocket, turbo-yeast/liquid carbon/ clear agents/ anti foam/carbon filtering devices, and when you call him back and say its still not right, he's gonna sell you something else to mellow the flavour and the list goes on. Iv'e been there done it a long time ago. listen to the Guys on here there not trying to sell you anything, there only giving good advice.
Sorry if this reads a bit harsh, do a comparison, smell taste and then D/D then smell taste again, you'll be surprised.

cheers B_D

ps. I'm not having a go at any Home Brew Shops after all we all need them for something.

[Anavrin]

I think the main problem with home brew shops is the guys running them are generally experienced with their beer and wine kits etc, but don't have any real experience with distillation, so they just push the brainwashing bullshit they've read or been told by manufacturers of the spirit equipment.

I popped in my local HBS today, the last time I popped in he was looking at getting some T500's in but told me the guy he contacted to supply them wasn't interested in selling him individual T500's without him stocking the entire range of stills, essences, filters etc, so he wasn't gonna bother.

It's all about pushing the whole range to make more cash.

Another thing I noticed is most of his limited selection of essences were in fact vodka!! That alone tells me how little they know, vodka has got to be the most useless essence available, and if you've made something that tastes so bad you think you might need one, you've made piss! lol

My advise is listen to the guys on here, everyone's helpful and most of all experienced at what we do :-)

And don't worry about the temps, if your following instructions, treat them as only a guide in any case, I don't even measure he temp any more, If I'm making a sugar wash, I just throw 6kg of sugar in my bucket, mix it in with 3 kettles of boiling water, (1.8lt per kettle) then top it up to 26 litres with cold tap water and add the yeast.

[Ebnat]

Richard?????

Sorry guys I may have mis-led you. The Richard I'm talking about is the main importer of the Airstill and the T500 and the more expensive still which I can't remember.

ps I have been making AG beers, and my own, and kit wines for to long to be conned by any HB shop owner.

The still I bought was a kit and I will be doing my normal search, after the initial purchase, to find the most cost effective supplier.

ie my AG supplier is Worcester hop shop, anyone who uses grains should check out this site.

[Easydrinker]

Ebnat,you do not state which still you bought,but the title of the post suggests the answer.
If it is a Smart still,you really will benefit from a double distill.
First distillate can be drunk,but compared to second distillate it really is awful.
I believe some members here claim a benefit from double distilling with a T500.
I am a pot stiller,and always double distill.
Anavrin and Blue_Duck make valid points.
Temperatures for brewing seldom seem critical.

Try these links,they will tell you the stuff you need to know

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=765
download/file.php?id=60

[John51]

Blue_Duck (2nd post) is spot on. HBS used to be run by guys that loved brewing plus an easy life. Then corporate got involved. To their credit they have some great equipment available but they now resemble time share salespeople. Why does the Zero Mostel character in 'The Producers' (1967) come to mind?

The Richard you are talking of has a shop that used to be a bank?

I needed an airstill quick as my diy one blew a seal and the airstill seal didn't fit. I got told all kinds of toffee about triple distilled yeast being the absolute best etc. I politely let the guy know that I would be doing my own thing, didn't stop him, just spurred him on. So I agreed, got me out quicker. The filter thingy and the supplied yeast went into the first bin I came across.

I go there for beer kits and equipment, nothing else. Wilkos is a bit cheaper for fermenters and syphon tube but limited choice of beer kits.

[John51]

btw, no need to follow the exact instructions when making the wash. My first sugar washes were with a 24hr Turbo. The early turbos had an ingredient now banned for health reasons. (Cheery thought.)

Empty 6Kg of sugar into the fermenter, add 8L of boiling water (4 kettle fulls in my case) and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Top up with cold water. The middle of the dimpled band at the top of the fermenter is my mark for a wash. When the bottom of the fermenter feels 'not too warm', I pitch the yeast and give it a quick stir.

No advantage to what you've done except that I'm used to it and I'm not getting sugar water on my hands or arms when stirring with a regular kitchen SS spatula.

[packapoo]

[quote="John51"]btw, no need to follow the exact instructions when making the wash. My first sugar washes were with a 24hr Turbo. The early turbos had an ingredient now banned for health reasons. (Cheery thought.)

Empty 6Kg of sugar into the fermenter, add 8L of boiling water (4 kettle fulls in my case) and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Top up with cold water. The middle of the dimpled band at the top of the fermenter is my mark for a wash. When the bottom of the fermenter feels 'not too warm', I pitch the yeast and give it a quick stir.


Following along here John51 (and Anavrin) guess you're both using a turbo yeast, or maybe VS which I understand, like turbos, has nutrients added? I only ask as the base you're both working from is so straightforward compared to most other sugar washes....

[Easydrinker]

I read the same into this,maybe wrongly.
A substitute sugar wash,(not Turbo,or contentious VS) can be as simple as pouring some tomato paste,red lentils,or famously Curly Kale,into the fermenter with the sugar,water and yeast.
I now use bread yeast for all washes,and what may be considered a lot,100g per 23 litres.
OK,they will leave some sludge in the bottom of the fermenter.
Experiment,you will find a wash that works for you.
And I wish you well with it,let us know how it goes.
Robert.

[John51]

To clarify, I was referring to the heat 20 something litres of water to xx'C then add sugar type of instructions that come with many packet yeasts. For a first timer, this can create doubt about how far they can deviate from the instructions. Does it has to be within one degree sort of thing.

It is unnecessary work for packet yeasts ime. (ie. a packet that has yeast and all the needed nutrients for a wash.)

The sugar needs hot water to dissolve. The yeast dies if the water is too warm. If the wash has all the sugar dissolved and the temps are low enough for the yeast to live, then it has been done right, however you got there.

If using a diy wash, eg TPW, then pH can be a factor but with a packet wash, that has already been sorted for you.