StillSmart

Sorry Aidan i dont totally agree some turbos i would use some i would not,i've been using Essencia Super 6 for brewing white wine for a couple of years with very good results,Essencia super 6 use a maurivin yeast I believe and use dap for the nitrogen/neutrient just like a lot of wine recipies require. opinions on our forum seem to favour vodka star but imho Essencia super six is by far superior espesially if you only use 5.5 kg of sugar,The only draw back with the essencia yeast is its price £4.20/5.18 euro per 100 grm packet.I make wineos wash for neutral purly and simpley because of the price.Vodka Star yeast is also promoted for making wash to be flavoured with essance so it must be safe to drink in its wine form.Alcotec advise the use of carbon when a wash/wine is made for flavouring

Don't get me wrong Bill, each to his/her own but as you say, there are some you will use and some you won't.

My opinion is intended for beginners who ask questions about turbos and are not sufficiently experienced to distinguish between what's useable and what's not. You can make such decisions and I'm sure there are many pros and cons for various packages available. Based on my experience I offered an opinion on a question asked. In general, when I offer an opinion, that's all it is, my opinion and I will always err on the side of caution and safety.

As a wine and beer maker as well as distiller, it makes perfect sense to me that anything you have to add carbon to while fermenting, that stinks so much you can't keep it in the house or that tastes absolutely vile when the ferment is finished is probably not suitable for drinking without serious distillation to remove the impurities that cause those problems - regardless of the claims of the manufacturers - ever tried Alcotec's 5Lt Spirit Base Kit.

This is what Alcotec say about this product;
"This kit will make 5 litres of up to 20% very pure alcohol by fermentation. The spirit kit contains all you need, except normal sugar and pure water, to produce 5 litres of 20% alcohol which can then be flavoured with any essence you prefer."

Not on your Nellie Alcotec! I made one of these, (highly embarrassed about it too )tried all sorts of flavourings but it was absolutely vile and, I kid you not, it was not fit for human consumption despite the manufacturers outlandish claims. You'd have to be a serious meths drinker to be able to stomach it.

I use Vodka Star for making neutral quickly and the wash is quite clean and while you could drink it I can't think of a single reason why anyone would want to because it's flavourless wine and no matter what flavour you add it will still taste like really cheap wine with something added to try to make it palatable.

AM

Oddly enough AM, Bob at brew online from where I got the cheap vodka star had been trying the undistilled route and wasn't too impressed especially compared to the couple of bottles I sent him as a thank you

AT you are definitely a Good Samaritan - your kindness probably saved that man from the undrinkable!

AM

Apologies - couldn't resist that LOL

Hi. I cant believe the crap that I am hearing here regarding Distilling.Turbo Yeasts Have revolutionised the way we mash and distill,a few years ago we would at best have hoped for 10 to 12 percent return,I have been using turbos and getting over twenty percent for three years now with no problems.Turbo klar clearing agent is great when it works but i find one out of every twenty batches fails,probably due to temperature,I have seen the coagulations rise to the top,I have seen clumps forming on the bottom.Time cures all these problems but dont let any of these master distiller fools tell you that turbos are no good.Works fine at 17 degrees but takes a few weeks,works as well at 30 but only takes a few days.If you know what your doing distilling then the end result is the same.ETHANOL.

MikeyHog wrote: but dont let any of these master distiller fools tell you

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MH

I am glad that you have an opinion and this forum gives you the an excellent oppurtunity to express them.

Others have their opinions too, please allow them the same privilege of expressing their opinions them without calling them fools.

This is a friendly place, it would be so nice to keep it that way.
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MikeyHog wrote:

If you know what your doing distilling then the end result is the same.ETHANOL [/quote]

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The points you do not address in your post are taste, flavour and a product that will not make you ill the following day. It is my honest opinion that the end results are anything but the same.

Absolutely agree with YHB on this.

Different people want different things from distilling and we have had a few members in the past who's main interest is making large amounts of ETHANOL for drinking and quite happy to drink whatever gives them the desired effect or buzz and if that's what floats your boat then I, for one, will defend your right to do just that.

In general, the majority of the membership here are more interested in producing quality rather than quantity when it comes to spirits for drinking but with the cost of fuel these days I expect we are all likely to take a greater interest in the production of high ABV washes in pursuit of producing ETHANOL fuel for our cars, lawnmowers, generators, etc, etc.

So, stick with us MickeyHog, your experience with high strength washes may prove invaluable in the future.

One suggestion, abusing others won't go down well and won't do you any favours.

Other than the above, Welcome aboard

AM

First time brewer here. I've decided to throw caution to the wind and try the 23% turbo yeast as an introduction.

Here's a video of it after 48 hours. http://tinypic.com/r/avrklv/5

Crikey!

Looking forward to trying it with my cheap home made reflux still :