Maximising Alcotec 48

by **Opus 27** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:08 pm

I\'ve been progressively tweaking my Alcotec 48 wash and have arrived at the optimum for our fermenter. 10 Kilos of sugar 32 Litres water. Start SG 1.097 Finish SG 0.985. Fermentation took 60 hours. Calculates to about 15.1% ABV. and 37.5 Litres of useable wash which I\'ll run in two batches. As I fine for 3 days this gives me a nice 7 day cycle from start of wash to distilled spirit.
Opus 27

by **short2** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 11:04 pm

Opus do you use Vodka star. I hear that is best for Vodka. I have only started my second run. The first was Turbo Classic the second is Triple Distilled. Are the Alcotec better than Still Spirits yeasts. I have tried to buy Dextrose to make Vodka but none of the supermarkets have it. The health food shop are charging an arm and a leg so I have emailed Tait and Lyle to see if I can get it wholesale. Worth a try. Cheers and thx

by **Opus 27** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:24 am

Hi short

No not tried Vodka Star but have tried the Still Spirits yeasts. No particular is really any better than the others. I use Alcotec 48 because it does exactly what I want in the time frame I want it. Assuming your in the Uk your local Home Brew Shop (HBS) would get Dextrose for you. I think it works out about 20% more expensive than sugar at my HBS.
Opus 27

by **short2** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:51 am

Hi, Opus thx for that. Yes I am in the UK.

by **short2** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 4:59 am

Hi, Opus picking your brains again .I want to buy a glass Carboy and Demijohn. I see they are advertised pretty cheaply called pets. The beer guys say the dont pick anything up. How do you think they would be with spirits as I want to store some for quite sometime.Do you think we could get contamination from them.I would ultimately prefer the glass but trasporting them is at your discretion. You could be buying a dud before it leaves the seller. May be I just have a bad mind. My triple yeast is still talking to me its been chattering away now for 7 days. Slowing down a bit tonight and hope it does not keep the grandkids awake tonight as we have them on a sleepover.Cheers and thx

by **Phantom** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 1:15 pm

Short, I suspect that these "pets" you've seen are actually fermenters made from Polyethylene terephthalate a.k.a. PET
If you look around, you'll notice (and find many references) to various plastics being used for fermentation, but fermentation gives you alcohol concentrations < 20% alcohol. Alcohol is an efficient solvent and is only, apparently, stored in such containers as ones made from PET, HDPE and/or similar plastics for a short time. Long term seems to be Oak (brandies, whiskies etc) glass (anything) and/or stainless steel (anything).
Hence there are some wines being sold in plastic i.e. "bag in a box" etc, but spirits is usually sold in glass. So if you want to store it, for ageing etc, then it's probably best if you just keep checking ebay etc for used ones close to you and get them that way - you'll pay as little as Â£1 a piece, whereas wilkos currently have "American style single lug" demi-john type jugs for just over Â£6 new.
Or if you don't mind going a little further afield, then if you can find a Brupaks stockist close to you, you can get carboys in varying sizes (in plastic carrying baskets) up to 54 litre capacity (don't get the 54 litre ones, as when full of liquid, they weigh in at over 50 kilos and are very heavy/awkward to move and quite easy to break, I find that the largest practical size is either 25 or even 34 litres). You can even get some of them with "wide mouths" so that you can use fruit etc and easily get it in and out of them........
Oh and if you go the ebay route, you'll see that most sellers won't post them, you have to collect, because they're bulky and expensive to post (not forgetting breakable), so you know that you've got one that's Ok. So you just need to keep an eye out for a seller near to you....

by **umpa** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 8:25 pm

Phantom is 100% on that Short. I use the glass Demijohns from Wilco\'s. They also do the 2 lug versions which I have. I use a rubber bung to seal the top and do ALL my mixing and ageing in them. I use the still spirits top shelf range and use a full bottle at a time to make 2.25L, I cant be bothered measuring out the essence and demijohns are ideal for this

by **Opus 27** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:28 pm

Agree with all that. I only store in glass. The only plastic that touches my spirit is the carbon filter and the pipe off the condenser.
Opus

by **short2** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 1:30 am

Thx; Phantom, Umpa and Opus. Guys thats a help. Think me crazy or what as I live in the North of Scotland I am up for a fory to some of the bonds and going to see if I cant buy a small reject barrel thats still watertight from someone and fill it with the traditional recipy and leave it in the shed. If I die within the the next three years its left in my will to my grandsons. Its a thought but I will definately get glass for storage and immediate needs.I suposed I am no different from most. Just about to do a second run and I am running away with myself wanting to do the perfect still and thinking of traditional methods and washes. Keep you guys posted my triple distill is still gurgling away after 8 days at the appropriate temp.Thx again