TPW

[billybob]

Hi all, I've only made spirits twice before so l'm way new to this. Seems to be so much great info here. So if l use a tpw wash, does that mean l don't have to use turbo clear and the like? Do l needed to filter the end product?
Cheers

[emptyglass]

Nahh, you won't need turbo clear, you probably didn't anyway, just leave it for a few days after it stops, it should all settle out well.

[BackyardBrewer]

No and no and no:-)

The TPW can be done in 7-10 days. Let it sit for 24-36 hours (more if you like, I don't) and run it in a reflux just once for a thin clean neutral or do a strip and then a spirit run in a pot still.

I don't add anything other than yeast, tomato paste, a pinch of citric acid and sugar. I use a heat belt to keep it at 30° for at least 7 days and run it within 14 days of pitching.

[JayD]

Hi all, I've only made spirits twice before so l'm way new to this. Seems to be so much great info here. So if l use a tpw wash, does that mean l don't have to use turbo clear and the like? Do l needed to filter the end product?
Cheers

Welcome to the enlightenment of Aussie Distillers, turbo clear and other commercially available products becomes obsolete once you fully read through the our newbies section, Newbies and have a read through this forum
sugar washes.

J

[SBB]

You wont have to filter if you get your cuts right, Check out the following link, it can be confusing to begin with but its probably one of the single most important things you need to learn to make good clean spirits.

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=2859

a pinch of citric acid and sugar.

It works better with more sugar ;-)

[Phil]

Hi Billybob, I find TPW clears when it's done, usually 4-6 days. Best tip I ever had was to do strip runs and save everything up for a 35-40% sprit run. You may already be doing this but thought I would mention it. I find once run TPW to have flavor, twice run is a true pure spirit. I believe some even distill 3 times! I reckon the filter stuff is a bit of bit of a money spinner, never needed it although never tried it.

[BackyardBrewer]

Congratulations, you just learned how to pump out 2+ litres of 95% neutral for about $5-$7.

So you're looking at maybe 5 litres of 40% vodka at maybe $3 a litre after water and power.

In the shop it's 10 times that.

[BackyardBrewer]

You wont have to filter if you get your cuts right, Check out the following link, it can be confusing to begin with but its probably one of the single most important things you need to learn to make good clean spirits.

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=2859

a pinch of citric acid and sugar.

It works better with more sugar ;-)

Cheeky bugger - I didn't mean a *pinch* of sugar - I use 6kg as its easier to just add more yeast and open 3 x 2kg bags.

[billybob]

Thanks hey, will get some supplies when next in civilisation. Want to stay away from the chemicals and save money.
And no haven't done much with cuts etc so thanks, hope to learn

[gad]

Hi Billybob, I find TPW clears when it's done, usually 4-6 days. Best tip I ever had was to do strip runs and save everything up for a 35-40% sprit run. You may already be doing this but thought I would mention it. I find once run TPW to have flavor, twice run is a true pure spirit. I believe some even distill 3 times! I reckon the filter stuff is a bit of bit of a money spinner, never needed it although never tried it.

Only new at this myself & have read most of the newbie stuff (unfortunately a little inebriated at those times & forgotten most of what I read :)) ).
I have just done my first TPW, 5kg sugar, 80g Lowans Bakers yeast, 200g Leggo's Tomato paste & 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid. Left it in the fermenter for 10 days. Start SG was 1092 & final SG was 920. I have a reflux Still from http://www.countrybrewer.com.au/categories/Distilling/Starter-Kits/ Country Brewer.
Once run through the Still I ended up with 1.28L @ 78% = 2.5L @ 40%. Does that sound right?
I'm curious about the posts that one can get 5L out of one run. How is this done? Do I run it again ie just turn the still on again tomorrow? 8-}

Also on the filtering, this Still kit includes a Candle Carbon filter set up that they say should be used with every batch & renewed after 50l (of less than 50% alcohol) has been filtered to remove the impurities. The new filters about $35 then there P&H as I live in Canberra. Does the TPW not produce these same "impurities"?

Many thanks.

[Phil]

I guess this was around a 20L run as 5kg of sugar brought the SG up to 1.092, not sure about your final SG maybe need to check this? Mine usually finishes around 1. Either way if it fermented dry then you didn't output much. And 78% ABV output is low on a reflux so something going on.

What did you do during the run? Time, temp, ABV, cuts etc... need more info so the helpful people here can help.

[SBB]

Also on the filtering, this Still kit includes a Candle Carbon filter set up that they say should be used with every batch & renewed after 50l (of less than 50% alcohol) has been filtered to remove the impurities. The new filters about $35 then there P&H as I live in Canberra. Does the TPW not produce these same "impurities"?

All washes and any fermentation process for that matter produces things you dont want. No matter what still you use some of these undesirable substances will come through in the final product. Personally I don't care weather you choose to use a filter or not. If you have a look at the following link you will have a better understanding of what happens when you make a wash and then run it , Cuts are the way to go and are the best way to produce a clean product.
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=2859
I must have read this 10 times as a newbie before I really understood it.
So glad I did.

[BackyardBrewer]

Also on the filtering, this Still kit includes a Candle Carbon filter set up that they say should be used with every batch & renewed after 50l (of less than 50% alcohol) has been filtered to remove the impurities. The new filters about $35 then there P&H as I live in Canberra. Does the TPW not produce these same "impurities"?
Many thanks.

HUGE waste of money. Do harsh cuts and keep only hearts and air them for 24-48 hours and you will never spend money on a filter again. This is one of the easy cash money makers for a home brew shop that's something you need to do if running harsh turbo yeasts and doing no cuts.

Once you swap to TPW and do harsh cuts you will be saving enough cash to do dozens more runs so you don't need to be greedy and don't need to keep anything other than hearts. I re run all my heads and tails in a separate run to recapture all that effort but no... If you're running a good batch and cutting well you do not need to filter. Spend that on sugars and yeast mate:-)

[Phil]

cash-cow.jpg

[kingy]

some good links and great information in this thread, that link to cuts just opened my eyes up and put everything into perspective. Cant wait for the arrival my still now.. :-D

[gad]

I guess this was around a 20L run as 5kg of sugar brought the SG up to 1.092, not sure about your final SG maybe need to check this? Mine usually finishes around 1. Either way if it fermented dry then you didn't output much. And 78% ABV output is low on a reflux so something going on.

What did you do during the run? Time, temp, ABV, cuts etc... need more info so the helpful people here can help.

I was with the run right through, maintained the temp at around 79 deg most of the time (varied up to 80 & down to 76 ish as I adjusted the water flow). It was 24-25L wash & I'm sure the Final SG is/was correct. I turned the still (electric) on at 9:20am & discarded the first 75ml at 10:45 (takes about 1.5 hours). I turned the power off at 12:40 when no more alcohol was being extracted (no more anything actually) .

Previous outputs using 8kg dextrose, turbo yeast & usually a pretty dissapointing output is what brought me to this forum.

The first time I used this still it was a 21L wash using 6kg of dextrose, Samuel Willards original 48 temp tolerant turbo yeast & ended up with 3.5L @ 80% which to me then was fantastic.
Second run was 21L, 7kg Dex, Stillspirits Turbo yeast classic & got 3L @ 79%. Third was a 25L wash, 8kg Dex & Alcotec 48 Turbo Superfast yeast & got 4.4L @ 86% (Yahoo).
I had similar results for the first 5 or so washes but pretty much most since then have been very dissapointing. They were back in late 2007 & early 2008 but all I've ever done was follow the instruction that came with the Still so like I said I'm pretty new at this as I really know nothing even though I have been running the Still for years lol.

I had come to the conclusion that it had to be the yeast (now I'm wondering if it's not the still it's self) & when I found this sight & read about the TPW I was very excited.
I have Kiwistiller's "Novice Guide to Cuts and Fractions" pdf on my hdd & have read it (twice).

I have had a lot of 8kg washes (dextrose & turbo yeast) of late which have only resulted in app 1.5L - 1.9L of 75% - 80% & am becoming very frustrated. Considering the time being put in & the results being achieved I often wonder if I'd be better off just buying some cheap Vodka & adding some essence lol.

Has me stumped, I'll keep reading.

Many thanks.

[Linny]

TPW cant handle 8Kg in a 25L wash ,,,, its not designed to pull big numbers like turbo washes .. but TPW is a cleaner product which means less polishing with carbon , and greater cuts

25L should only be maxxed out to 6KG

try the wash calculator here :
xcalcs.html

i use it all the time , its pretty close

Good luck :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[invisigoth]

i think the whole point behind almost any wash, and those for neutrals in particular is to provide an environment which isn't going to stress the yeasts to the point where they start producing off flavours. dump too much sugar in at the start and they are stressed by osmotic pressure and don't do so well. and at the other end when the alcohol content heads towards the yeasts tolerance again stress resulting in off flavours. as near as i can tell it seems to be best practice across the board regardless of whether you are doing fruits, vegies, "sugars" or grains, final ethanol conc'n should be less than 10-12% abv. if you are hung up on producing larger volumes, better to get a bigger boiler and do larger batches. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[SBB]

Gad using Turbo yeasts, Not doing cuts and making high abv washes are not good starting points if you want to make a good product.
Ive just had a look at your still here http://www.countrybrewer.com.au/categor ... rter-Kits/.
Does anyone here know if these are capable of stripping, Im guessing they are if you ran them as fast as possible without overwhelming the thing.
If it can be used to strip, I would suggest that you strip at least two TPW's, then run the resulting low wines using the still as you have done so far. At the same time collect in smallish jars and work your cuts......it might take a bit longer but I think you will find you end up with a much better product.

[cuz]

Some good info here, I'd better study up on my cuts...

Just a quick question tho: Does it matter what type of sugar is used in a TPW? White,raw, etc...
I will be running it thru a boka, so will this take out all flavours anyway?

Thanks