StillSmart

So I did my first strip run with my smartstill, a 3,5h run with around 40-45%.
But the liquid that remains, wow. I opened my smartstill and I almost died of the smell.

Is this normal

Depends on your recipe, but my wheat washes smell pretty bad after I've stripped them. Incidentally, I'd suggest you can probably strip down to about 30% (usually around 1.5 litres of low wines with most standard washes) - you may well be missing out on some product by stopping early!

Check the AirStill best practice guide - it's worth it's weight in yeast!

I did, I stoped at 20% like they say. Which made 1 till 1.2 liters @ 42-43% (measuring tomorrow).
This was my first wash, it's not good.
- Didn't cleaned my bucket
- Sugar was not completely solved
- Wash stayed too long in my bucket (1 week)

I hope my wodka won't taste like the smell

The left over liquid in the boiler from the turbo yeast washes I do always smells disgusting but it just goes down the drain or on my mum's garden as fertiliser anyway. .

After a run I immediately want to do another run. But yeah, what with the remaining hot and bad smelling liquid.. I have poured it into the sink in the garage, my whole garage was hell. And I don't want my neighbors to smell it. I want no complaints.

I'm going to dream about a solution.

That bad smell of what is left is one of the reasons to do a stripping run.

With an Air Still/Smart Still:
After a stripping run and a diluted to <30% spirit run you will have a decent product.
After carbon filtering you will have a fairly good "neutral".

Robert.

Dynamic wrote:- Wash stayed too long in my bucket (1 week)

How is this a bad thing?

And what yeast are you using?

My washes (using Vodka Star or baker's yeast) always have 2 weeks in the bucket or a screw topped fermenter, and are then racked to a carboy where they have another 1-2 weeks to clear, according to which finings I am using.


The residue after a stripping run still pongs a bit.

Dynamic wrote: .. Wash stayed too long in my bucket (1 week)

You beat me to it GtF... I was going to say the exact same thing.

My last sugar wash took well over 3 weeks....I posted on the forum about it..but it all came out ok in the end.

Yes you will have a big stink at the end of a run...I always smell a "sharp vinegar" tang to what's left in the boiler.

Dynamic wrote:This was my first wash, it's not good.
- Didn't cleaned my bucket
- Sugar was not completely solved
- Wash stayed too long in my bucket (1 week)

I don't think any of these points are an issue. Unless I have missed you point somehow.

I'm in trouble if they are Mash! I've got a wash that's been in a bucket nearly a month, it's well racked & cleared like but I heard mead gets better with age so I'm testing!

Before it is distilled it is wine. And that lasts for years.......

That's why my wash smelled like wine...

I just hate washes that take a long time to ferment out.
I am a short time here and a long time gone.
Future-proofing looks less needed every day!

Robert.