Question on clearing

[Robbo12]

Hi i have a question about cleaning now my fermentation is done on its clearing how long can you leave it before you put it through the still?

[Myles]

Good question and it depends on what you are making.

If you are making whisky the recommendation is to run it as fast as you can after primary fermentation - even if it has not finished fermenting. The reason given is that the secondary fermentation introduces some esters that you might not want.

By contrast fruit based products are often left to clear completely, and for the secondary fermentation to finish.

I have some rum washes that are still in sealed containers a few years after fermentation - excessive but I just never got around to running them. I have no idea if they are any good.

I will often leave fruit fermentation's a few weeks before I run it because I want it properly clear before it goes in my boiler.

[Robbo12]

Basically it's a 5kg sugar, kale wash i will be airing it too but am going away from tomorrow till Friday and don't want to rush it it will be used for a base .

[Mash]

Pop in somewhere cool for a few days. Distill it when you get back.

[Robbo12]

Ok it's in the shed outside.

[Mash]

Sound.

[Maker]

I decant mine in to another bucket a few days after they finish so most of the muck is on the bottom of the bucket and the wash is coloured but not thick, I then leave in the workshop next to an open window to chill and after a couple of days it's really clear and can be syphened straight in to the boiler so you only lose a little bit in the bottom of the bucket, I tried chilling in 5L water bottles but you waste more and as you try to pour them in the boiler I think more muck gets in.

I bought some turbo clear to try but now I know more I can't see it ever getting used, I think time and gravity do a pretty good job for free.

[Mash]

Clearing products and racking are both unnecessary with a wash imo. It's different from beer or wine.

A fermentation is safe on its gross lees for easily 4-6 weeks.
Ferment / chill / still and that leaves 2 weeks to spare.

Better ferment and freeze

I would only rack it if cleaning up to store. Then it also wants to be in a vessel that has no airgap at the top.

[Myles]

With electric heating I like to try and get it clear, but I know some folks that don't.

I have been told on another forum to pass it through landscape fabric, and by another that with gas heating you don't need to clear at all PROVIDED your flames do not touch the boiler.

I think it is more of an issue with immersion heaters. You can get around it by warming up slowly but I still feel you have a good risk of burning a cloudy wash with an immersion element.

[Mash]

Thats a good point about immersion heaters Myles.

I have to say you had me guessing there for a minute about "landscape fabric' - I got to weed matting in the end

[Myles]

Close enough. Landscape fabric is a quite thick synthetic stuff they put under gravel to stop it sinking into the ground. Fine if you have some spare lying around to use as a filter.

It is a pain trying to filter right down to a clear wash. I used to do it with fruit but just let gravity do the work.

I don`t intend to do it again as I am switching to steam injection for my strip pot still instead.

[Easydrinker]

My whisky washes are run cloudy.
My sugar heads, these days, are run a little cloudier than when I started.
My boiler, having concealed heating elements tends not to burn washes.
I don't seem to notice a difference between fully cleared and semi-cloudy washes.
Filtering at that stage makes no difference, the medium used to filter is so small in pore size that not bothering and allowing to settle saves effort and takes no more time.

Robert.

[Mash]

Not sure I think filtering through that is worth it or a good idea.

And guessing it's not made from the best grade of plastic either.