StillSmart

Posted: **Sun Jul 08, 2018 4:54 am**

Hi!

Just godt my first kit. And i am about to run it the first time. Reflux model with the possibility to use gin basket. I was going for a sugar wash, but i got 18 liters og cheap commercial vodka. I guess that could be used, right?

Anything to consinder when distilling commercial spirits?

Best Regards
Jakob
Denmark

Posted: **Sun Jul 08, 2018 6:49 pm**

Personally I wouldn't put it through the still, I would clean it up by purging it with air. Stick a metal air stone in it over night and you will be pleasantly surprised at the difference.

Posted: **Sun Jul 08, 2018 7:59 pm**

I did wonder why?

Posted: **Sun Jul 08, 2018 10:55 pm**

Firstly welcome JBR.
That is a considered time from joining us here to posting for the first time.
I can only assume that you are a person that has done much research.

Pyro's idea of using an air bubbler is good, and I would expect it to remove some heads.
I don't see it helping with any tails in a commercial vodka.

To get a really clean vodka, diluting to sub 30% and re-distilling would do it, if you get the cuts right.

Equally, and I believe this to be Mashes point, if you make cuts on the Gin, how clean does your base spirit need to be?

I hope some of that helps you.

Robert.

Posted: **Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:26 pm**

Thanks for the inputs! I ended up diluting 6 liters of commercial vodka down to 15%(15liters in the still). Then made a run where i cut the first 250ml. Maybe a bit to much, but my first time you know . I could taste the difference after 100ml but took a bit more to be safe. Put in botanicals in the basket after the cut. It came out 89% a tastet fine, very happy! Think i need to work a bit on the botanicals, but that is expected.

One thing. When i received the Cooper still head, i put it half vinegar and half water and added salt, an hour later i washed it. (It should be clean according to my instructions). After making the run, the water in the still was like The in colour!? Brownish, but still clear. Is it copper? (Still was not clean?) or maybe botanical-juice going down into the pot?

Best regards
Jakob

Posted: **Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:30 pm**

JBR wrote:Thanks for the inputs! I ended up diluting 6 liters of commercial vodka down to 15%(15liters in the still). Then made a run where i cut the first 250ml. Maybe a bit to much, but my first time you know . I could taste the difference after 100ml but took a bit more to be safe. Put in botanicals in the basket after the cut. It came out 89% a tastet fine, very happy! Think i need to work a bit on the botanicals, but that is expected.
I am glad that that worked for you.

One thing. When i received the Cooper still head, i put it half vinegar and half water and added salt, an hour later i washed it. (It should be clean according to my instructions). After making the run, the water in the still was like The in colour!? Brownish, but still clear. Is it copper? (Still was not clean?) or maybe botanical-juice going down into the pot?
Don't worry about the colour of wash left in the boiler.
And copper tends to come through to the spirit, greeney/blue

Best regards
Jakob

Regards to you.

Robert.

StillSmart

Wash on commercial vodka

Wash on commercial vodka

Re: Wash on commercial vodka

Re: Wash on commercial vodka

Re: Wash on commercial vodka

Re: Wash on commercial vodka

Re: Wash on commercial vodka