StillSmart

Posted: **Wed Feb 07, 2018 7:39 pm**

I was not too impressed with this idea for the forced airation of wort/wash but for airing spirits.. WOW

Brew builder do these, but my inner Yorkshireman insisted I bought it from China.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253295543198 this one fits normal syphon hose. The weight keeps it down.

My quest has always been to make a good neutral to use in recipes.

In addition to that I have trialled a few gins (and failed) but I could never get them properly clean without a column. A carbon filter wasn't enough.

30 - 60 mins makes a real difference. Smells go first and if you run it for another 60 mins the flavour is more rounded too. Neutrals are cleaner. Mistakes become drinkable. Trial Gins 'almost' cleanup.

You don't seem to lose a lot of volume. Well I say that you do lose quite a lot making sure it is working? I recommend sampling every 10mins

Posted: **Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:26 pm**

Bonkers

Posted: **Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:30 pm**

What do you us3 for a pump?

Posted: **Wed Feb 07, 2018 11:38 pm**

Mash wrote:I was not too impressed with this idea for the forced airation of wort/wash but for airing spirits.. WOW

Brew builder do these, but my inner Yorkshireman insisted I bought it from China.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253295543198 this one fits normal syphon hose. The weight keeps it down.

My quest has always been to make a good neutral to use in recipes.

In addition to that I have trialled a few gins (and failed) but I could never get them properly clean without a column. A carbon filter wasn't enough.

30 - 60 mins makes a real difference. Smells go first and if you run it for another 60 mins the flavour is more rounded too. Neutrals are cleaner. Mistakes become drinkable. Trial Gins 'almost' cleanup.

You don't seem to lose a lot of volume. Well I say that you do lose quite a lot making sure it is working? I recommend sampling every 10mins

OK, Mash have you finally cracked, before I did?
This reads like total non-sense.
You don't run a column, but an Airstill.
You have previously stated that you don't carbon filter.
Either someone has hijacked your ID or you have lost the plot.

Wake up in the morning and tell me that all is tickety-boo.
Or that you have been talking bollocks for some time.
Either/or will do.
I just like to know where I have been placing trust.
Even if it was misguided.

And I now always airate brews before pitching, had not considered airaiting for airing spirits.
Something that I will consider.

Robert.

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:35 am**

Lol. You are right.

Airation in beer I find it easier & quicker with an balloon whisk.

I don't airate sugar washes as there should be enough dissolved oxygen (DO) already.

I don't carbon filter 'cos my kale neutral IMO doesn't need it. And probably won't airate.

Airation & micro oxygenation are hot topics in winemaking.

This started for cleaning up (failed) gins recipes,
when redistill & carbon filtering failed to get them clean.

It also corrects smearing (heads and tails) - you can smell the stuff coming out of the dj during the process.

I think it is a useful addition to the distillers toolbox.

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:50 am**

I use a very cheep aquarium air pump which cost under £10. At first I used the air stone that came with it, but it disintegrated after 24Hrs of use. I then lashed out and got this stainless jobo https://www.brewbuilder.co.uk/air-stone-wand.html which works perfectly. Also sinking an open end of the air tube in the spirit will give the same effect.

I have tried this method on spirit that was produced using the instructions provided with the Airstill, like most of the long term distillers on this site I feel that this spirit is pretty basic and leaves a lot to be desired. But by running air through this spirit it becomes much improved and a very acceptable drink.

To me this method when used with the Airstill lifts our hobby to a higher level.

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:14 am**

The brewbuilder wand is nice. That was a good find.

Have you done a kale wash yet! I must start another to see if there is a gain.

Waiting for the Ebay delivery have me plenty of time to run setup since bad taste trails.

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:18 am**

Pyro,

Heres a thought... Would it help fruit infusion recipes? Would the fruit flavour get "in" quicker or just stale the flavour.

I feel some more fiddling coming on...

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 8:39 am**

I have never thought of running air through the infusions that I make, but I will give it a try on one of the bottles left over from Christmas.

Having limited space I only run sugar washes, so I will leave Kale to others. I have tried aeration on the 3 types of distillation that I do, strait SS run, stripping run and spirit run, and find that it does make an improvement to all. It makes the strait SS run very drinkable.

I have also aerated a jar of infused type gin that I got in kit form from ebay, it was horrible stuff, so I put it aside swearing never to try this method again. After aeration it was very acceptable and the jar was drunk that night. I have got the necessary botanicals from e bay and will be doing further Gin infusions.

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 8:46 am**

What yeast are you using then?

Kale is just a nutrient for a sugar wash. IMO better than sugar & turbo.

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 8:47 am**

Pyro wrote:I have never thought of running air through the infusions that I make, but I will give it a try on one of the bottles left over from Christmas.

Was thinking at the time of making - bubbling the fruit to try and get a better extraction.

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:18 am**

Air stone now running in a half bottle of Plum Brandy Liqueur.

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:30 am**

Just finished a grappa - stunning in 2 hours it different product.

It seems smoother and reduces nah removes off smells.

I think this thread should have been called "forced maturing"

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:32 am**

Brewhunter wrote:Bonkers

No ...that would be using a workshop compressor.

Posted: **Thu Feb 08, 2018 9:53 am**

Would the odd shake not provide the same effect?

StillSmart

Air stones for airing spirits

Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits

Re: Air stones for airing spirits