StillSmart

Hi Guys.

My first vodka star has finished fermenting.

Starting SG was 1.090, finished after 11 days at 0.984!

I am sure the electrim75 helped that out a lot.

So by my calculations my wash is at 15.3%

I am clearing it now. It smells much nicer than the three triple distilled batches I have done.

Lets see what happens at the still.

I will update with more progress, but preliminary findings are that it kicks triple distilled's bum.

Moz.

Which still will you be using mate?

Air still I am afraid. I plan on double distilling as usual.

Update:

Clearing was horrible.

I degassed (wasn't much to do, but I was thorough), and used Turbo Klar.

There was very little difference after a day. SO I left it for a couple of days more, and still it was cloudy. I degassed again, and used Turbo Klar again.

After part A, it cleared quite well. But to be contentious I folded part B in and it clouded up again (I was careful not to disturb it too much).

So after another couple of days I tried the 'cold crash' method, and left it in the back garden for 24 hours.

This improved it, but it was still nowhere near the clarity of a cleared triple distilled wash.

I used a coffee filter, and decanted the wash into the air still, and ran 4 litres last night.

It took longer to produce alcohol vapour than usual, but when it did it went fine. The smell is definitely less pungent than the triple distilled.

I have another vodkastar finishing at the moment, so I will compare how that clears.

Perhaps it was the lack of turbo carbon? If the carbon binds with the yeast making the finings easier to grab hold of it, that might be why.

If the results are the same I will try a vodkastar in the future with a turbo carbon and see how it clears/tastes.

I will also try less sugar to make my SG 1.80 and see if it effects smell/taste.

First I want to try and make a 118 wash...

Onwards & upwards.

I found vodka star did take a while to clear even with turbo-klar, but was worth the extra time - which is fine if you have the patience and the storage.

Sitting it out in the snow earlier this year did seem to help.

Btw: just noticed your AVB calculation - I've seen loads of different formulas for working this out (don't know if there is a "correct" one) but most I use would come out just shy of 14% with the measuring temps for SG & FG being equal.

CC.

with my method i make it 14.4 1090-984= 106 devide 7.36 = 14.4

Hey,

you may find http://www.brewhaus.com/Calculators-C108.aspx useful.

I use Vodka* in emergencies when I need a quick wash. IMHO it's the cleanest, and nicest of the Turbos weather you use an airstill of something more complicated.

I usually use wine finings from Wilkinsons - pretty much the same as TurboKlar but much cheaper - and I have never had problems with the wash clearing.

I always give it 24 hours and then distil. If I have any doubts I just put a capfull of conditioner in the still.

I have read a lot about problems clearing wash and I wonder if it is to do with temperature?

I am fortunate in so much as I have a room which maintains a constant temperature all year round at about 24/25 degrees. I leave my wash there until it's finished and tehn move it to a relatively cool room where I put the finings in.

I have never had any real problems, at any rate - I have always been able to distil after 24 hours

Thanks lyonacre.

Thanks for the input.

I use an electrim75, so my temperature has been pretty consistent.

My FG on my 2nd vodka star is .986.

I have turned my heater off, and will clear tomorrow.

My first wash never cleared as well as a triple distilled. The wash always looked a cidery colour with slight cloudy tinges.

I put it through the still no problem though, using ceramic bits and conditioning. There was no bubbling to speak of, only it took fifteen minutes longer for the alcohol to start coming out than the triple distilled runs.

The finished product is much nicer than the triple distilled though. I am very happy. My 12 litre beverage jar is half full!