Alcotec 48 kit what to flavour it with?

[TheCheekyMonkey]

OK, sorry if this is the wrong forum, but it does say for wine, cider and other.

anyways, was buying some odds and ends from ebay and the seller had a packet of this for £4 makes 25 litres of standard alcohol at either 14% or 20%

heres the link

http://www.turbo-yeast.biz/english/alcotec48.htm

anyway, i got one and have just done one in a demi jon, i simply divided everything by to do 5 litres instead of 25, its all in the demijon and bubbling away like a goodun.

I`m just gonna leave it to ferment out and stop bubbling, i chose the 14% version.

now heres a few questions.

has anyone done one of these, what are they like? tips? getting it to clear?

i know i can use the vinland esscences but they are a bit steep really to flavour just 750ml.

can i use my own flavouring? if so what can i use, and will it last? say for instance at the moment its fermenting and it looks just like cloudy lemonade, i wouldnt mind doing a lemon or lime (or both) flavouring , can i use standard cordial? will it last when i bottle it as this wont all be getting drunk quickly, i will store it for months maybe, also whats the best way to store it? crown caps? screw tops? corks? how long would it keep?

can i use standard food essences to flavour them and will these keep, or is there anything on the ingreddients to check for that will keep if you know what i mean.


sorry for all the questions.


incidently, i checked the starting gravity and its at 120, yep 120 not 1.020, the hydrometer was practically bobbing out the top.


i did 4200ml of water to 1.5 kgs sugar and added 27 grams of the yeast (the total yeast weight in the packet was 135grams.


cheers

 

[TheCheekyMonkey]

ok well after 8 days, its still cloudy, i just left it to ferment out, checked the gravity

OG = 1.180 (i know slight typo in orginal post)
FG = 0.984 :shock:


a quick online calculator gives me

Temp Corrected Scale UnCorrected
Original: 1.18 Specific Gravity 1.18
Final: 0.984 Specific Gravity 0.984
Alcohol By Weight: 20.9 %
Alcohol By Volume: 26.1 %


ive had a taste, to be honest, it smells worse than it tastes, however the alchohol is definately present, jesus, nearly blew me head off!.


all i need to do now is sweeten it, clear it and then get someone to drink it lol.



any tips on clearing it, ive racked it tonight, there was a good bed of sediment, but its still just as cloudy (cludy lemonade), i have a packet of wilkinsons beer finnings, would this do? or shall i just leave it?


cheers

 

[tubby_shaw]

Any propitiatory finings will clear it :thumb:
From experience I would filter it through activated charcoal before fining, this will remove all flavours from the yeast and it will accept whatever flavouring you add to it better

 

[falafael]

you can buy those spirit flavourings, brandy, sambucca, whisky etc!!

 

[TheCheekyMonkey]

cheers tubby, use the wilkos finnings i had in the cupboard, and its clearing as we speak, a couple of days and i`ll rack again.

falafael : i know you can buy those, they just seem a little expensive to flavour 750ml.

is there way i can flavour these naturally?


cheers

 

[tubby_shaw]

Flavour it with whatever you like it's your drink :thumb:
Have look down the baking aisle in a supermarket, use peppermint essence and green food colouring and make creme de menthe
I've used Sodastream syrups in the past :thumb:

 

[TheCheekyMonkey]

Flavour it with whatever you like it's your drink :thumb:
Have look down the baking aisle in a supermarket, use peppermint essence and green food colouring and make creme de menthe
I've used Sodastream syrups in the past :thumb:

cheers, sounds good, what can i buy to sweeten it? what type of `off the aisle` sweetener would you recommend?



cheers

 

[tubby_shaw]

As it is such a relatively high alcohol content it is unlikely to start fermenting again, I'd use good old granulated sugar

 

[TheCheekyMonkey]

As it is such a relatively high alcohol content it is unlikely to start fermenting again, I'd use good old granulated sugar

sound, will rack it again, on tuesday methinks, getting very clear now, and will have a look at some flavourings


cheers all

 

[TheCheekyMonkey]

well here it is bottle up

have to admit, it smells very cidery, however it tastes a lot better than it smells, ive had it straight (tastes like slighty watered vodka) with vimto (great) , lemon & Lime cordial (not bad) and fresh orange juice which i think is the best.

its very strong, and if you have it straight it definately warms the cockles, a very warming feeling


so a few hangovers there now


cheers all, will report back when i have had chance to flavour some as per tubbys rec.


P.S. tubby , the finnings worked brilliantly!!

 

Bumping this.....


Sorry with it being my first post....

I'm in the middle of doing something like this, but not sure if food flavourings & colouring, the likes of peppermint/Almonds/Strawberry etc.. could be used? if so... this could be a very cheap alternative to some of the main stream essences used for spirits.

confirmation of this would be nice.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

If you want to sweeten it and flavour it, how about throwing some sweeties in there? I once got a "recipe" which involved nothing more than cheap vodka and a handful of Murray Mints....