First alcotec brew

[Cupid_Stunt]

Ojivar - is there any chance the wash could have been contaminated or become infected. :hmm:

I'm just asking because I've just had a peak in my brew bucket for the first time during this brew and it actually spells quite nice, with no strange aromas.

Did you sanitize everything?

 

[ojivar]

I did sterilise everthing but it's always possible I messed up somewhere. Mind you I have drunk a fair bit of it and haven't become ill yet!! :sick:

The chap in he homebrew shop seemed to think using the yeast I used is why it is not so nice!

Do you think I should stop drinking it? :? Like I say the ones mixed with essences are okay but it's no good for anything else, I always imagined an infected brew would smell/look different but I'm no expert!

 

[Cupid_Stunt]

Do you think I should stop drinking it? :?

I guess only you would know if you should stop drinking it but maybe you could put some to one side and come back to it in a few weeks or months, to see if it improves with age; just a suggestion.

I'm certain everyone gets a disappointing brew sooner or later and I'm no expert that’s for sure.
I'll be the first to admit this type of home-brew has been a learning curve for me but that’s the way I like it.

Jack of all trades, master of none; that’s me. :electric:

 

[ojivar]

That's a good idea, I think I will keep the bottles I haven't flavoured yet away somewhere for a few months and see what happens.

The ones I flavoured using skittles and haribo sweets have actually started to lose a bit of the nasty aftertaste, keeping them in the fridge and it being about a month since I made them has probably helped so fingers crossed the rest will improve with time!

I think if the moonshine was stronger I'd be more tempted to try again but I prefer either full strength vodka for shots or a nice glass of beer/wine, this inbetween stage doesn't have as much use in my life lol

Oh by the way, gave my neighbour a bottle mixed with Werther originals which I couldn't drink due to the nasty aftertaste.....he loved it!!! So it might just be me :?

 

[Tyronnster]

Literally just put my first Brew of this on an doesn't look appetising

 

[mm707]

it is far from appetising, it stinks :)

Make sure it's finished fermenting, drain off into another vessel and clear it then filter it well and it will be fine :drink:

 

[Cupid_Stunt]

At last (after nearly 3 weeks) it’s racked ready for the Turbo Klar.

Moley - Can I ask a "hypothetical" question about freezing :wha:

 

[Moley]

Moley - Can I ask a "hypothetical" question about freezing :wha:

No :nono:

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

Moley - Can I ask a "hypothetical" question about freezing :wha:

No :nono:

Discussion of distillation of alcohol is not permitted on this forum for legal reasons, unfortunately (link to forum rules). This includes the production of freeze-distilled beverages like ice beer and applejack.

I don't know whether or not eiswein is included in that - the process does involve a form of freeze-distillation, but since the alcohol isn't produced until afterwards it isn't subject to the usual distillation licensing restrictions behind the ban on discussing distillation here. In any case, the production of eiswein is sufficiently different that the methods used aren't transferable.

 

[Moley]

Eiswein is a completely different matter because the grapes used in its production aren't picked until after the first frosts. It is still fermented in the usual way and there is no other process employed later.

Freeze distillation is both illegal in this country and dangerous because it concentrates all of the nastier components of your brew rather than just the alcohol itself. In accordance with forum rules, no further discussion of the subject will be allowed here.

 

[Cupid_Stunt]

Ok Moley, no problems just thought I’d clear it with you first. :sulk:

 

[Cupid_Stunt]

OK some feedback from today’s first filtering and the essential taste test.

It took longer than expected to both set up the filter in a way I was happy with and to flush the filter through with a few litres of cold water, to get rid of the very fine particles of carbon.
In fact the next time I load the filter with fresh granules I'll rinse them first so I can agitate them to help remove the very fine powder.
Regarding the filter it works great but I decided to incorporate the bucket lids. (see picture)




Both drilled to avoid any vacuum effect and to help stop anything getting into the finished product, as it was going to be sat there for quite a while.

Well I put a gallon through, just the once (for now) and was very surprised how clear and odourless the result was.
Couldn't resist trying the Ouzo essence on 750ml which has bags of flavour but I think the “mouth feel” is a bit thin.
However it’s very pleasant when used as a mixer with lemonade, in fact I'll shut the f*%k up and have another. :drink:

 

[mm707]

That filter looks really good.

three filters and it makes a difference :)

Goes through a bit quicker after the first one

 

[davelerave]

hey guys/gals

couple of questions

whats the best way to cover the fermenting vessel?

cling film with a hole in it or lid with 2 airlocks??


and i have plenty of 2 inch waste pipe laying about

how would i sanitize the inside of it

thanks in advance

 

[Cupid_Stunt]

Cheers mm707 - couldn't have done it without you. :thumb:

Hi davelerave - I'm not saying it’s the best way but I just used a standard air lock, I just didn't get any vigorous fermentation on my 25 litre brew.

As for sterilizing the pipe I used the method suggested by mm707 and ran a weak solution through filter, then rinsed with a few litres of cold water.
I did the same thing afterwards as well and it's still slowly dripping into a bowl nearly a week later.
Not sure if it's a good idea to keep it this way long term. :hmm:

 

[davelerave]

cool thanks

 

[davelerave]

5 litres takes about 15 minutes ( ish ) and you have to filter each batch 3 times.

I usually end up with about 23 - 24 litres from a 25 litre wash.

I let it ferment for 10 days then syphon the wash away from the fermenting bucket into another. Then add youngs finings which clears it in a day. Then syphon the wash from this bucket back to the first.

It's now ready to triple filter.

I used to use a 2 metre length of pipe half full of carbon and just pour a litre at a time in, now that was time consuming. Now I use a small food grade bucket with a lid on. I'll put a photo on here in a day or two

do you mind me asking why you siphon the fermented wash into another bucket?

and then siphon the cleared wash back again into another bucket?


and finally how is the wash transferred into the filter?


thanks for any help

 

[Cupid_Stunt]

Well nothing is written in stone and there does seem to be different methods knocking about but I found it better to siphon the brew off the yeast cells that form a layer at the bottom of the first bucket, once fermentation is complete.

:hmm: Not sure if these are all dead cells at this stage, maybe someone could throw some light on this?

However this will leave your batch ready to have the fine suspended sediment removed to the bottom of this second bucket with the use of fining's.

Now my second bucket has a tap on it and if I had the space/height I would simply open it just enough so it would all run through the filter but I don’t; so I used “mm707’s” method of attaching a third smaller bucket to the top of the filter and ran through 5 litres.
This last transfer was done by a sterilized glass jug, beggars can’t be choosers.

I intend to run the remaining 20 litres through the filter this weekend and I have to say I feel there is a lot of “processing” of the liquid but it works.

 

[davelerave]

great stuff

thanks for that


do you just siphon off with a piece of plastic tubing? :thumb:

and will any finings work on the turbo yeast?


and does all the sugar go in at the start or is it added a bit at a time-i'm a bit confused on that one? :mrgreen:


thanks again

 

[Cupid_Stunt]

This was my first High Alcohol Brew and it turned out very well indeed but I only used Alcotec products.
That’s not to say other products won’t work, I just don’t have any experience in using any; so can’t really comment.

I did just siphon off with a length of plastic tubing and I started with all the sugar in one go but chose to invert it, which was personal preference.