StillSmart

I can only smell heads at the very beginning. But the taste... Learning to taste heads made me hate Wild Turkey Bourbon, a drink I used to like. Now it just tastes like bad cuts.

We're doing a spirit run tomorrow so we will try some of your ideas, thankyou. I've priced a refractometer over here and it's $60, that's about 30 pounds, seems a bit pricey. Could you reccommend one ? and also what do they actually do ?

Sue

eBay is probably your best bet. There are two kinds, one that measures sugar content (BRIX) and one that is for ABV. You want the latter. Personally, I go cheap and just use an alcohometer and a test vial. To me, it is just a guide and I let my taste rule. But there are few "single correct answers" in this hobby.

Is this the same in a well made sugar wash?

My experience is that all washes are not equal.

Yes, it is the same in a well made sugar wash.

Mash wrote:Is this the same in a well made sugar wash?

My experience is that all washes are not equal.

If you are intimating that you only get "two fingers" of heads from a "well made" sugar wash,then please don't ask me to sample any of your product.


Robert

This IS the same Mash who seemed to be suggesting that he detected the start of tails at just over 30% ABV: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3868

Either he is making some awesomely clean washes or we have profoundly different senses of taste. I do admit to being very sensitive to the taste of heads.

Robert. That's a shame. I would value your opinion.

There is something to investigate here. I am going to rerun some spirit and retest. Might get in trouble if I try today.
Sorry the answer is I don't know.
My washes are fermented very slowly, does freezing make a difference?

I have read many times that grain and
sugar and sugar (turbo) ferments are different.

Yeast could also make a difference. I will try and get some allinsons yeast somewhere and compare that too.

@ Mash.
As I have told you privately, I do not wish to offend or fall out with you. And now I am telling the same to everyone else. But some of your claims do seem to beggar belief.
Maybe you are making the cleanest washes of anyone on the forum, or maybe your taste buds are nearly as FCUK'D as mine.
Some of your numbers just don't seem to stack up.
I do not doubt your experience in beer and wine making, it makes you a great asset here.
And your design for a Gin basket,sputnik thing,top dollar,hats off to you.

But in my experience you can ferment a brew under a full moon, stirring only in a widder-shins direction, using the finest ingredients, and the very best result that I can manage is to maybe halve the heads and tails equivalent of a lentils wash.

So for every ones delight and delectation here are...

Some of my typical numbers, from a regular lentil wash.
48 litres of wash, OG 1.070 ish
FG .998 to .984
Stripped to maybe 25-20% ABV
Giving 12'ish litres @45% + 6 litres of water.
Spirit run.Pot still.
1700ml of fores and heads,above75%,measured at take off.
1925ml of tails below 52% again measured at take off.
4000ml of hearts with this time a combined /mixed ABV of 67 %.
Real numbers from a regular wash that I run every week or so.
It tastes great having gone through the Essencia, by that I mean it doesn't taste.
I cannot make anything cleaner at anywhere near the price.

I struggle to see how anyone else can.


Robert.

I agree with the respect for Mash and his experience and contributions. Which is why his number puzzle me so. Could it be something in the water where he is?

Those numbers are very close to what I get in terms of fores/heads and hearts. I strip to a higher ABV as I distill in the house my wife HATES HATES HATES the smell of tails. So I also collect a smaller volume of them when doing the spirit run. From memory, your tails collection is close to what I was getting back when I distilled like that.

Quite happy to accept it's my taste buds if that's the case. When I get time this week, I am going to do some re runs.

It is a shame because of the very nature of this forum, we don't/won't/can't do member reviews/swaps. Something I have always found to be a brilliant educator.

Chuck. Smelly tails - This is something else that doesn't appear, or my wife & I don't recognise it when it does? What do they smell of?

Mash wrote:
1.It is a shame because of the very nature of this forum, we don't/won't/can't do member reviews/swaps. Something I have always found to be a brilliant educator.

2.Chuck. Smelly tails - This is something else that doesn't appear, or my wife & I don't recognise it when it does? What do they smell of?

I (Robert) added the numbers above...

Point one, some of us do. Maybe read more, write less? Take in what other users here post?

Point two, if the two of you can't spot tails, then I stick with my post of not wanting to try your product.

I do not believe that your shit does not stink.

Sorry if you find that offensive,it is not intended,maybe you need a little more stilling experience and cuts making experience also?

I do not like making enemies, but I am never afraid to speak my mind.
And you have told me Mash that you and I will clash here, lets make it over something worthwhile.

I consider you a stilling buddy.

Robert.

I don't know what to compare the smell to. Dank, musty, a bit like boiled cardboard might smell. The smell seems to linger. I notice it, but don't find it so offensive.

Another update ...

We tried the teapsoon of spirit with hot water to practice detecting the heads, and it really worked. What also helped was having two other people here sampling with us, it was great to get another opinion. When the hearts came in we ALL noticed it immediately !

We had a very successful weekend and have quite a stash of very nice vodka, so once again thanks for all the help, I was ready to chuck everything in the bin two weeks ago, so glad I didn't lol

Sue

chill wrote:I don't know what to compare the smell to. Dank, musty, a bit like boiled cardboard might smell. The smell seems to linger. I notice it, but don't find it so offensive.

I was looking for something properly repulsive. Yes indeed boiled cardboard. Thank you.

Am I right to assume if you re-distill it shouldn't re-appear?