Alcotec kit: what to expect?

[Manitude]

So I recent found I had a £20 Amazon voucher left over from christmas (yay!) and I'm thinking of buying an alcotec vodka kit, specifically this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Homebrew-Winema ... ds=alcotec

I'm wondering what I can expect from it, I realise it's probably not going to be taste amazing when neat (I plan to mix it with either syrups for cocktails or just coke/lemonade, so if it tastes a little bit off then it should be covered up) and the phrase "up to 20%" alcohol is worrying. I did a bit of reading and it seems that you'll only get that 20% if you keep it at the correct temperature? (IIRC 19 Celsius) Would a degree or two less than this make much difference?

Finally, if I ordered it today (assuming delivery in two to three days) would it be reasonable to expect to be drinking it by this time next month? I know from making cider that the longer you leave it the better, but I'm off to the Lakes with friends on the 7th of June so it'd be nice to have something to share around

Thanks.

 

[Megaross]

I didn't use any fancy heating equipment just placed in a room which stays roughly consistent in temperature probably between 18 and 22 degrees at a guess, and after 10 days mine fermented out to around 21.8% ABV, after a degass and day with turbo klar I racked to get crystal clear stuff, I think as long as you're careful when pitching the yeast to have the right temperature you should be fine.
That was with alcotec 48 but the yeasts are likely to be pretty similar if not the same.

Recent brew (just a dextrose wash with activated carbon) smells a bit funky, tastes a bit funky.
But mixed with lemonade or coke just tastes like you added cheap vodka and wine to it. Perfectly drinkable.

If you were to filter through carbon granules you would get something of much higher quality. Easily you could be drinking within a couple of weeks, this stuff doesn't really get better with age, but it's good cheap alcohol - useful for having buddies round to protect your decent brews.

"No no no, you don't want beer, have some of this stuff mixed with lemonade"

 

[Manitude]

Cheers, I'll place an order on Monday :thumb:

 

[Megaross]

Nice one, let us know how you get on :thumb:

 

[Manitude]

Well I finally got round to getting my package from the post office today and started the process!
Here's a photo from around half way through:

I apologise for the state of the kitchen! The chopsticks were there because I was having trouble retrieving my hydrometer from a batch of cider in an identical bottle.

And here's one from about twenty minutes ago:

My 'airlock' is highly improvised but it does work fairly well. Stops nasties getting in and the gas can vent.

Original gravity 1.140. I think I can expect around 19% percent from that.


It's gone a bit mental and the foam is almost at the top of the bottle. I suspected that it might leak so it's in a plastic bag in a (nearly) watertight ice box with a load of kitchen towel at the bottom.