Distilling old brew.

This area is for topics only related to home brew shop products for distilling, a place for the novice to use as a safe haven from the anti brew shop brigade.

Distilling old brew.

Postby Sandman » Thu Dec 12, 2019 8:22 pm

I put down a brew using raw sugar, molasses and turbo yeast. This was about 8-9mths ago. I had intended using an old 5 lt still that I hadn’t used for near 20yrs. But the element was burnt out, so the brew has been sitting in the fermenter since then.
I recently bought a T500 still, so I ran it through to see how it went. Made 3 1/2 lts @ 91% ABV. I ran it through carbon filter.
It has yeasty smell and kinda sweet taste. Not a nice clean smelling spirit. Not sure if it because it’s been sitting so long, or after reading what people say about turbo yeasts, maybe that? Or both?
Would it be worth running through still again? And maybe taking off more heads again?

I also recently put in a brew of 6kg white sugar and turbo yeast. It seemed to be going ok for 3days, then stopped. Left it for a couple more days, but no more activity. Checked with hydrometer and it was 1.22SG. The ambient temps have been pretty hot, so it has been brewing between 30 - 36C. Could that be the problem? Is there anything I can do to get it going again?

TIA
Sandman
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:31 pm
equipment: Homemade reflux still

Re: Distilling old brew.

Postby Nathan02 » Thu Dec 12, 2019 8:37 pm

What you have made is rum with a poor choice of yeast. Even the best reflux still will have trouble stripping rum flavour.. from rum..
Nathan02
 
Posts: 419
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 7:36 pm
equipment: 6" 4 plate bubbler with optional packed section.

Re: Distilling old brew.

Postby The Stig » Thu Dec 12, 2019 8:43 pm

I’ll agree with Nathan.
Plus, the molasses makes one hell of a mess if your packing
The Stig
Site Nerd
 
Posts: 18192
Images: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:37 am
equipment: Only the Best will Do.
Mac4 SSG Bubbles of Joy

Re: Distilling old brew.

Postby bluc » Thu Dec 12, 2019 8:45 pm

Put it on oak for a light rum :handgestures-thumbupleft: clean packing :shock:
bluc
Site Donor
 
Posts: 8967
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 5:47 pm
Location: sunshine coast
equipment: 2" pot with 2" shotty 400mm long 5x 1/2" on a t500 boiler.
50l keg boiler 4" still mount 4" sight glass 1" drain..
4 plate 4" bubbler, 600mm packed section

Re: Distilling old brew.

Postby RC Al » Thu Dec 12, 2019 8:56 pm

RC Al
Mentor
 
Posts: 1568
Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2017 4:58 pm
Location: Sunshine Coast Area
equipment: 3 plate 4" glasser
2" Potty

Re: Distilling old brew.

Postby Sandman » Thu Dec 12, 2019 9:39 pm

So, perhaps if I just put it on a light oak, and make it all into rum, it might be ok???
Sandman
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:31 pm
equipment: Homemade reflux still

Re: Distilling old brew.

Postby db1979 » Fri Dec 13, 2019 5:46 am

Sandman wrote:So, perhaps if I just put it on a light oak, and make it all into rum, it might be ok???

If you did cuts, it might be. Be patient too. Oaking can take months. What were you intending to make? Neutral or rum?
db1979
 
Posts: 1760
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:47 pm
Location: South of the big smoke in banana bender land.
equipment: Eve - 4" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (sieve plates), 330 mm packed section on a keg boiler with 2 x 2000 W elements.
Currently having a makeover: 2" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (1" bubble caps, no sight glasses...maybe not for much longer!) on a bain-marie boiler.

Re: Distilling old brew.

Postby Sandman » Fri Dec 13, 2019 7:37 am

Was going to make rum, but it got forgotten about when the old 5lt still died.
Sandman
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:31 pm
equipment: Homemade reflux still

Re: Distilling old brew.

Postby JayTee » Tue Dec 17, 2019 12:28 am

I used SS turbo yeast a few times (in the early days when I was learning), and I never had a distillation coming through "yeasty". I'm thinking that may be caused by how long you left the ferment. I would run it through the still again to see if the flavour improves
JayTee
 
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:09 am
equipment: 4 plate bubbler


Return to Distillation for beginners using HBS products



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests

x