Low ABV using triple distilled ?

[Distillingchris]

My fermentation is complete, my start reading on the hydrometer was 1.100 and finished about 1.000, this works out to about 14% is this right ? i thought using the triple distilled yeast gets it to 20% to start ? thanks in advance

[Capt-Cudellez]

How much sugar were you using, even if it worked down to 0.990 which is about as dry as it will go (almost) it would only be about 16% with a 1.100 Sg.

The yeast can only convert the sugar you put in to start with, less sugar = less alcohol. Or were both readings done at the same temp (what temp?)


I have never had success with high ABV washes the quality is never as good IMHO.

[Distillingchris]

temperature was about the same as far as i know and i used 6kg of normal sugar, once ive cleared it, i can then put it in airstill and collect first 700ml after ive thrown the first 50ml away?

[Capt-Cudellez]

The ABV is about right for the amount of sugar you used, the gravity should go a little lower than 1.000 but I doubt you'll run in to any issues running it.

I don't have any airstill experience so will let someone else answer your questions on that.


CC

[chill]

Read this and other posts in the AirStill section: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1216

I personally would not drink what you are suggesting to do. The tradeoffs are
quantity vs quality
fast, easy, poor quality vs slower, more work, much better quality


Chuck

[Almanac]

+1 what Chuck said and I'd add this, drink what you're suggesting and it may make you sick.

Based on your gravity readings your wash has 12.9% alcohol which is ok even though it's not what you were expecting - shouldn't believe what the manufacturers tell you.

Every one of those Super Duper Turbo Yeast thingy's are absolute rubbish in terms of producing drinkable alcohol.

If you intend drinking what comes out of your still and even if you could get 18-20%ABV in a wash, you really don't want to go there.

The only use for Turbo Yeast packs is if you're making ethanol fuel where you want the highest quantity of alcohol in the finished wash. This can then be distilled and treated to remove all the water and produce fuel for a car or generator.

Lastly, to get safe, drinkable spirit from an Airstill you should always double distill until you have enough experience to be able to make the precise cuts required to get drinkable spirits on a single run which requires considerable experience and skill.

You asked "i can then put it in airstill and collect first 700ml after ive thrown the first 50ml away?" The short answer is No. Forget everything the manufacturers claim, forget what the HBS told you. Follow the link Chuck posted, read everything there and you'll be fine.

AM

[Distillingchris]

so your telling me this 24l wash is rubbish and i should throw away ? i am sure if i double distill what i have and triple filter this is drinkable and safe ? otherwise they wouldnt sell it ? i do obviously want the cleanest wash and spirit i can get but would be a shame to of lost a week and half and 25l of wash ? what yeast should you use then to get the cleanest wash if not using triple distilled ? and do you then have to add anything, as with the triple you add carbon ?, thanks

[John51]

Following the 'as sold' instructions for an airstill gives gutrot spirit that has an odour and taste that must be filtered.

There are other options though...

Favourite seems to be the double distilling but mine is a diy converted water still and I'm not comfortable having 70+%vol spirit coming out of it. So I do one run only but wind the power down to 175w. I've tried various turbos and they all give the dreaded 'homebrew' taste and odour but I've found that Vodka Star is about the best for a clean wash. (It isn't a turbo even though it is labelled as such.) A slower ferment gives better quality if you've the patience.

A light dimmer rated to 500w will be an ok power controller for your airstill. There are some cute 300w ones on the bay but they're on the edge of capacity for an airstill. .

[chill]

It is not the best wash you can make, but I would not throw it away. Follow the double distill procedure, collect in small jars at the start and end and make proper cuts. Then filter it. Your body and your mouth will thank you.

Chuck

[Almanac]

so your telling me this 24l wash is rubbish and i should throw away ? i am sure if i double distill what i have and triple filter this is drinkable and safe ? otherwise they wouldnt sell it ? i do obviously want the cleanest wash and spirit i can get but would be a shame to of lost a week and half and 25l of wash ? what yeast should you use then to get the cleanest wash if not using triple distilled ? and do you then have to add anything, as with the triple you add carbon ?, thanks

I didn't say throw it away, something can be salvaged from it especially as it didn't reach high strength which is where the problems really start. When I use the word 'safe', like most experienced distillers here, I'm referring to avoidance of anything that may do you harm including causing vomiting, headaches, trots, general un-wellness, etc. Badly produced alcohol product will do this.

Double distilling is a must for this type of wash/still but the triple filtering shouldn't be necessary depending on the seriousness of your filter system. If your spirit has long enough contact with the right grade of activated carbon a single pass will remove the impurities and off smells. If the spirit still smells 'chemical' after filtering then the filter is not effective and, in my experience, multiple passes through an ineffective filter may get rid of the smell but not the more serious impurities.

There are many opinions on the question of what yeast/pack you should use to get the cleanest wash. In a ready made, all-in-one pack it has to be Vodka Star and you don't need to add anything once you prepare your water to pH5.5, dissolve the sugar completely, pitch the VS at the correct temp, aerate the wash, seal it up and keep it somewhere where the temperature won't keep going up and down between day and night.

One other thing will help you avoid unpalatable and undesirable results is to avoid anything that needs dirty black carbon in the wash. Homebrew shops make a fortune from selling you a Turbo Yeast Pack + Bag of Liquid Carbon + Turbo Clear when all you really need is a pack of Vodka Star - end of.

You said, "otherwise they wouldnt sell it" if only that were true! All the manufacturers in this industry are prepared to say almost anything and make all sorts of outlandish claims about how great their products are. After all, they know none of us are likely to report them to the local Trading Standards Office - are we?

The more you read here the more you'll be able to avoid the pitfalls because many of us here have been-there-done-that and posted our embarrassment so that others won't make the same mistakes.

For clean washes you should aim for around 12%ABV and I know there are many here who have found the sweet-spot, in terms of ideal wash strength, to be around 10%. It's a lesson we all learn, one way or another.

AM

[Distillingchris]

thanks for the help, has anyone tried the still spirit vodka/whiskey/rum yeast aswell ? and have just put my first wash on following the guide, am i right in saying i collect everything until the container im collecting in goes down to 20% or do i just want to keep 50% or does it not matter. On the double distill it says to collect 1000ml hearts then decide on the tails, does the first stripping run make the spirit safer ? as from the manufacturer it says to only collect 700 from the first run, i know you say dont listen to them i just want to make sure its obviously safe etc.

[Almanac]

Different yeasts can be bought for different types of spirits but the only difference is the enzymes that are included. Those yeasts are generally more expensive and there's no point using them unless you're making that particular spirit from the correct ingredients. i.e Whiskey made from grain or Rum made from Molasses, etc.

On the stripping run you collect distillate from the still until your alcometer shows the output has just dipped below 20% alcohol. In the example in the Guide a total of 1.35lt or 35% of the 4lt wash in the still was collected and the rest, 65% of what went into the still in the first place, was general waste to be disposed of. While this gets rid of the bulk of what you don't want it doesn't produce clean alcohol or make the distillate collected safe..

The distillate collected on the stripping run is generally called 'low wines' and contains volatile substances that can be very harmful if consumed, substances like Ethyl Acetate, Acetone, in some cases, Methanol and other non-desireables. These substances will be separated off and discarded on the spirit run.

What makes the spirit safe on the second distillation is the removal and discarding of the Foreshots - 50ml from each 4lt batch, no less.

After that, making good quality spirit requires;
(1) the separate collection of the Heads - (this will be recycled later)
(2) separate collection and airing of the Heart of the spirit.
(3) separate collection of the Tails (this will be added to your next wash for stripping)

If you followed the manufacturers instructions you would end up drinking 250ml of the spirit Heads, the side effects of which can be quite unpleasant but not dangerous in itself.

The Guide gives general instructions to get you to cleaner, safer spirit production and once you've mastered the general principles you should read the Guide to Spirit Cuts for Beginners where you will learn how to more accurately identify the end of the Heads, the Hearts and the onset of the Tails.

AM

[Distillingchris]

yes ive read the guide just wanted to double check, just checking im doing this right as i have now collected 1.5l and its still about 33%, i just keep going till 20% right ?

[Distillingchris]

and i presume if im collecting till 20% i just skip the adding water part and pour 4l of 20% for my spirit run into the still.

[Distillingchris]

have collected 2 1/2 litres at about 22%, opened the lid and am left with light green coloured water, is this normal ? will let it cool down then do another batch before i sleep, it took about 6 hours to get 2 1/2 litres, is that why in the guide they collect 1350ml then water down, is there any difference in any of these ways.