Anyone used Letric Washing Soda for low Wines?

[Zak Griffin]

:text-thankyoublue:

[EziTasting]

Is it really worth the effort if it works? Making good quality spirit at home is just so cheap anyway :D , This just sounds like squeezing the peel and pips to get more orange juice to me :?

:text-+1:

:text-+1:

Guess you'd have to do a large TPW (or equivalent) strip it and divide the strip in half; then run one as per normal and the second half with this powder and compare the yield... but then, if you run them differently ... :teasing-blah:

I did, when I first started get some soda wash (I think) and sprinkled that into our tails collection and once I stirred it up it formed an oily mass at the bottom of the jar. It smelled better but that's as far as I took it... too new! Too much other more important stuff to learn!! Will look T it when I feel like I know stuff! Apparently it works, dunno; yet!

[warramungas]

Ha. You learn something everyday. Didn't realise ethyl ethanoate was just another name for ethyl acetate.
This might be worth a try on a sugar wash but Id probably do cuts, seperate the heads and do them separately in a batch by themselves. Not sure what effect the carbonate is going to have on the other wash components especially with flavoured washes.

[scythe]

Probably best to use it on a feints run rather than a stripped wash, better return on investment/hassle in my eyes.

[warramungas]

Probably best to use it on a feints run rather than a stripped wash, better return on investment/hassle in my eyes.

:text-+1:

[Flowerpot]

Probably best to use it on a feints run rather than a stripped wash, better return on investment/hassle in my eyes.

:text-+1:

Agreed. Might also be a handy weapon to help salvage an old wash air has got to (turned to vinegar) In any case throwing a couple of spoonfuls in after stripping is cheap and not real hard.

[Kenster]

I think we may have slightly misundestood the idea behind adding this stuff... it is neither for a feints run nor stripped run...merely put into the wash before the initial run...that is supposedly how it works.

[Zak Griffin]

I think you have misunderstood mate...

[Kenster]

Zak, you lost me... obviously i dont get it...help please

[Zak Griffin]

Can you point us towards where anyone has ever advocated putting baking soda (etc) into a wash to improve neutral production?

[aussiebrewer]

it needs to be put in the low wines and left for a week, not the wash or you get ammonia. from what i read it changed a boiling point of something in heads to higher than 100 degrees didnt it? so not converting but moving to the tails end of the run????

[Sam.]

it needs to be put in the low wines and left for a week, not the wash or you get ammonia. from what i read it changed a boiling point of something in heads to higher than 100 degrees didnt it? so not converting but moving to the tails end of the run????

~x( if you can make ammonia in your still by using a tried and proven recipe with baking soda added you will be the first person ever.

[scythe]

Maybe this topic has run it's course then...

[wynnum1]

If you put in the wash there are other chemicals and it also changes the pH where as in the low wines most have been removed.

[Stilldrinking]

Thanks for the replies.
I was curious about the actual brand of sodium carbonate. (letric washing soda)
Didnt really feel too comfortable with using an unknown (to me)brand of washing soda in case of additives etc.
Upon further research I did find a few experienced distillers that give it the thumbs up as safe.

I generally distill with as few ingredients as possible.
Actually, besides DAP and Magnsium sulphate (for neutrals sometimes), I never add chemicals or anything of the like.

For those interested
I've used sodium carbonate and bi carb before. - in my tests and experience it does give a cleaner smelling hearts, slightly more yields, and makes cuts either side of hearts very easy to define.
I only use it for neutral when I've got a bit of low wines in stock - ussually just before Christmas time lol.

It's nothing new and there's plenty of info on it out there, do some research if your interested.
There is no substitute for good, safe, distilling methods and good cuts.

For safety:
Never add it to an undistilled wash.
Only ever low wines.
If adding sodium bicarbonate let the low wines rest for a week before distilling again
If adding Sodium carbonate you can distill straight away.
Just keep a very close eye on the ph of low wines when adding it. Esp sodium carbonate, it's strong. Doesn't take much to turn your low wines alkaline. I only add about quarter of what people recommend and just bring the ph up to 7 and get good results

[Kenster]

Still.. whether this thread has run its course or not, your own observations and experience, coupled with the science adds to the wealth of information to this site. I think we can all learn from each other and not blindly criticise processes we have not personally tried. It has generated research and thought.I commend you on the presentation of your findings.If others choose to adopt or not is personal.

[sp0rk]

I never add chemicals or anything of the like.

But you do add lots of chemicals
Because everything (except for energy) is a chemical ;)