New starter needing some guidance please

[Almanac]

It's a number of years since I wrote the book on getting the best from the Airstill or Smartstill but perhaps it's worth reposting the reason I wrote it in the first place.

The Airstill/Smartstill is a good beginners still, a learning still, if you like. It is very capable of producing high quality spirits if used correctly and that mean's NOT in accordance with the manufacturers instructions

No matter what your wash is made from the first runnings from this type of still, even by my methodology, are NOT fit for human consumption. I'm not saying those low wines are dangerous but drinking them can give you serious belly ache and runny bum syndrome

The distillate you get following the manufacturers instructions contains too many impurities that can only be removed by a second, slower, distillation.

In short, you can drink the product of a first run but I wouldn't recommend it as being beneficial to your long term health. Remember, in it's purest form, what we make is very capable of killing you so a little care isn't unreasonable!

Having said all that, everyone to their own

[packapoo]

Hi Paulf



I still use turbos, I've got a vodkastar ready to strip today, in fact :-)

Says it all really.......

(Not having a shot Anavrin. Highlighted merely for the non believers {or even true believers if that's your POV})

Mine happens to be same as yours....It's A Turbo.
So, therefore I wouldn't touch it, as highlighted by an earlier comment in this thread, Turbo=Filtering. Use decent yeast and you've no need to waste your time.

[Myles]

I suppose it is worth reminding folks that there are in fact different types of turbo yeast - developed for different purposes.

A lot depends on which one you pick and how you use it.

There are a lot of different yeast strains out there.

[Spirits4BB]

Is it really that simple, I decided to try and read a little about it and have now got words such as heads, hearts, tails, stripping runs, carbon filters etc. going through my head and I am now confused, it all sounds like a massive science project.

Hi Paul, Welcome to the forum.
I was asking the same as you around 2 months ago... (stripping runs, foreshots, heads, hearts, tails)... It's enough to blow your mind and that's coming from a regular brewer of 30+ years running a 15 gallon brewery using an HERMS..
But trust me on this.. Dunno how when or why but it all drops into place eventually and with the patience and help from the guys on here my first spirit run was a great success that enabled me to make lemon voddy, standard voddy, whisky, gin and a very nice cherry bourbon..

My first wash was with a turbo yeast that was acceptable but as most/all told me before I made it you'll get "skunky" smells and I did..
Second wash I followed the "Lentil" route and it was loads better, took longer to ferment at around 3 weeks but is loads better..
So my advice would be to try a Still Spirits Triple distilled yeast and liquid carbon like I did to get you going quick then do a lentil or wheat wash then you'll know what people mean when they explain various smells.
Also AM's Airstill brief was a big help.... Print it out and read it over and over again until it sinks in.

Do you go on any beer brewing forums?

S4BB

[Phantom]

Meh! I've never had any rumbly guts issues from day one.

The base instructions will help to produce a baseline neutral spirit.

I did a good few of those with no problems at all. Just by following the instructions verbatim.

Equally, with others ideas and suggestions (and a fair amount of reading, both here and other places) I've learned of the different ways and methods, so that I can now make a much better neutral, using my smart still and some of the "big boys kit".

I'm happy doing this, because there's little smell or other telltale evidence. It's nice and discreet etc........

[Anavrin]

I'm not trying to defend the indefensible here but turbo's do have their place, I don't use them often but they are easy and almost guaranteed to ferment dry.

I only use them if times get hard and I desperately need to stock up neutral spirit for a party etc, and I have very little time, I have a good filter in the essencia system and if you make clean cuts, you can make a perfectly good neutral spirit.

I think many guys start with a turbo wash, don't get the clean results they expected and then move straight on to lentil, TPW or similar, at this early stage, a new member to this hobby won't have much experiance with making cuts and may have got bad results with any type of wash.

That said, I have no more packs of turbo and don't plan on buying anymore, my plan is to be a bit more pro-active and build up a stock of lentil strip, maybe try and strip 100lt a month, once I build my new keg boiler, my old ones going to become a full time potstill stripper.

[Easydrinker]

I feel compelled to post that this is probably the most helpful thread that I have yet seen posted on this forum and while posters are possibly coming at it from their own viewpoints,it is all valid,and so name checks are not needed,I am in agreement with most,if not all viewpoints,and that is not sitting on any fences.
We are all here (I think) to improve our own practices and share results,for the good of all,but we will all tread our own path,and that is all good.
Enough philosophy,time to check other threads.

Robert.

[packapoo]

Not being picky BUT, having regard to poster shortly above, what does one do with all the alcohol one produces in such a scenario?

Hell, I like a drink and am active in producing beer, wine and spirits; spirits coming a long third.

Beer is mine (and drop-by friends) wine for the wife and I (and the same drop-by friends) and spirits ours, so not generally a major.

I always have a wash in production but I can't envisage ramping up production at cost to our livers....so back to my original....

Anyone??

I know it is an attractive trader but chose not to go there.

[chill]

If you make something other than Vodka, years of aging can improve it. So you need to produce more than you can drink. Or, you can produce a lot a few months of the year and do something else the other months. I strip 100L a month when I am in full swing, that is only one 24L fermentor a week). And between drinking, spillage, experiments gone wrong, friends dropping by and storage, I am farm from overwhelmed. My liver may tell a different story...

[Anavrin]

Just when I think I've got enough Vodka, SWMBO usually gets a taste for it, especially when I'm fermenting something else, my plan was to start filling a cornie keg with any left over vodka each time I made a new batch, then when the cornies full, run it all again for some super clean stuff, although I haven't quite managed it yet

[Mash]

Packapoo

I always do 5l gin recipes so if I like it when its done...I have made a have a few bottles to enjoy.

I also use A LOT for cleaning and vessel storage. To make my beer and wine making much much easier.

.and friends

[Easydrinker]

I'm with Chill here,I seldom produce more drinkable stuff than I can dispose of.
The excess heads and fores goes for firelighting.
Any tails that don't get recycled seem to slow the weeds growth,when used around paths etc.

Robert.

[packapoo]

Thanks for your responses guys - I recognise all your points completely.

Asked the question cos I thought, heck it seems like a lot of spirit to have sitting around and then after posing the question realised I shouldn't have asked....

[Mash]

Always ask.

if nothing else, it makes us think!