StillSmart

MrHodge wrote:Great forum guys - thanks for the welcome and great advice. I think I am going to start with the Air Still and see how I get on.

#1.. One further question - when doing a stripping run the best practice suggests running until the ABV is down to 20% -

#2.. how can you tell this? Do you catch it in small 100mm jars with an alcometer to read it?

#3...Presumably you can note the time it takes to get down to 20% then do it by time for subsequent runs of the same batch of wash?

#1..This is an emotive question here Mr H...some guys go down lower...some say it's not worth the time & money to go lower. Myself I aim for 10/15%

#2..This is one way...I've made a parrot that I use.

#3..I've never tried this..thinking about it if you go by the clock you may short change yourself...there's no guarantee your wash will be an exact copy of the one before??? someone may know better than me.

If you make a standard 5 gallon-ish wash then you will be doing 6 stripping runs through the airstill, probably over a period of a few days. Assuming the start temperature is similar in each case then once you've timed the first run, the results are all predictable. Glass demijohns are ideal for storing your Low Wines until you are ready for a spirit run.

I generally make my washes to between 13 and 14% abv and then from room temperature I run the still for 3 hrs 45 mins on a plug-in timer (de-gassing the wash thoroughly and using ceramic saddles, copper offcuts and distiller's conditioner to avoid the surge boils you may have read about). Don't forget to put a 1.5 litre (or larger) glass jug under the spout.

@Mash: What is your definition of a neutral?

Icefever wrote:

Mash wrote:

You say Vodka & Gin are your tipples...to make a good neutral (Vodka & Gin) you will need a reflux still.

Sorry Ice. You know I disagree with that statement.
To make any spirit you need a good wash. To use a well worn please.. Crap in crap out. Fermenting a good wash will produce a good almost neutral spirit in an AS.

That's ok mate..perhaps that was a wee bit of a wide general statement..because when I started off with an A/S I did do a passable neutral..As we've said early last week..crap in crap out

I will not disagree that a reflux produces a better neutral.. But how neutral does it need to be of you are adding more flavour.
It's about balance. Cost/quality/time. And getting the best bang for you buck.

I'm after the best neutral I can get...for me I don't add flavouring, and if it costs a couple of quid more C'est la vie

And on that last one 'time' I thoroughly, utterly and absolutely believe that time "you spent on it " is much greater once you add water to the cooling process. The end to end process will be quicker but you have got to be in attendance.

Balance.

Very true Mash when I do run the still I enjoy the whole time spent..no matter how long.

passable
passable
passable
passable
passable
passable !

I did it and it worked!

I bought an Airstill and saved my too-much-sugar-wash by following the excellent guidance on this site and the PDF by Almanac. I did a stripping run followed by a spirit run catching the 50ml fores, 250ml heads, then 800ml hearts followed by 6 jars of 100ml each. I could smell the heads had a chemical type smell but I couldn’t work out where the tails started. I let it air overnight and tried smelling and tasting each one but apart from being different strength, I couldn’t tell where the tails started. They all had a bit of a wet cardboard after taste and aroma – even the first 800ml. Anyway, in the end I followed the PDF and took the first 1200ml and watered down to 40%. (I bought a refractometer – so easy!).

I then ran some through the filter that comes with the Airstill. 24 hours later (and after another visit to this site) I ordered an Essencia filter system! After filtering, all the dodgy odours had gone and the end result smelt and tasted fantastic. I mixed some with a Top Shelf vodka flavour and some with the Gin Essence that came with the kit. Last night I had my first proper test of the Gin and Vodka – VERY pleased with the result.

I’ve already got my next wash on (the Turbo yeast kit that came with the Airstill (Kale wash will be next)) and I have obtained a SS colander of the right size to make a sputnik – can’t wait to try making some real Gin following the recipe from Mash.

Anyway, I just wanted to thanks everyone who contributes to this site – it has not only helped me save a wash that I was on the verge of throwing away but it has also given me a new hobby – Thank You!

The only thing that I’m not happy with is my ability to detect the tails – maybe my too-sweet-wash produced off-tastes that overpowered the tails taste? Or maybe I need to reduce my hearts to 500ml before switching to 100ml samples. I will try it with the next wash…

Pleased for you.

Don't worry about tails. It will come.
Spirit run. After a couple of hours start tasting single drips with a teaspoon. There is a distinct dirty flavour.

Great to see another sputnik hatching into life. And you are right... kale wash is a super base for gin, even if you are not 100 % with the tails... . And you might find you don't need the filter (oh no did I say that out loud)

Apple vodka next then.

Thanks Mash - if I get good enough not to need the filter I will be delighted!

I am going to start a Kale wash - I found Googe's recipe:

25L wash
100g kale, blended with water
5kg white sugar
90g bakers yeast

Should I use anything else in the fermentation? Eg. Camden tablets? Carbon? Turbo clear finings? Anything else? I guess I will need to run it through a sieve and/or wine filter to remove the solids.

MrHodge wrote:Thanks Mash - if I get good enough not to need the filter I will be delighted!

I am going to start a Kale wash - I found Googe's recipe:

25L wash
100g kale, blended with water
5kg white sugar
90g bakers yeast

Should I use anything else in the fermentation? Eg. Camden tablets? Carbon? Turbo clear finings? Anything else? I guess I will need to run it through a sieve and/or wine filter to remove the solids.

Don't do it. There is an easier one... try this..


KALE WASH

This is Googe's Kale Wash (modified by my findings)

This is the easiest kale wash. In a nutshell do not blitz the kale

Ingredients
25 L wash
100 g kale blended with water
5 kg white sugar
50 g bakers yeast


Method
100g kale 500ml water. Simmer for 5 mins with lid on.
Strain and use just the liquid. Wring it all out.
-->If like me, Kale comes 200 g packs. Do all of it in 1 litre of water & freeze half for next wash.

Dissolve the sugar into 10l of warm water. Top up with cold until to get 20c*
Add Kale juice
50g yeast sprinkle at 20c*
Ferment to dry, etc etc

***** *20c ****
This is MY ferment temp - use yours !
1. Don't pitch the yeast and let the temp DROP. You are better to pitch cooler and let the temp rise to your normal ferment temp.
2. Maintain a steady ferment temp.
These two steps will stop the yeast producing off flavours cause by temp stress. No stress no off flavours.

Now a PDF in recipe section.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3874

That looks good Mash - I'll try it. I'm also going to try your Apple Vodka idea too. Do these fruity spirits last or do they go off after a while?

Hmm. Not sure. They are quite easy drinking.