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i am using a reflux still, and i have made probably 20 or so batches now...they all seem to have a funny odor and taste....and when you pour it over ice you can see a film or oily substance...i have ask about this a 100 times and have tried everyone suggestions i.e. mash recipe, fermentation period,letting the mash clear, temps when distilling, making several cuts in small mason jars ,the first cut is no different in smell or taste then the middle cuts or the very last cut....it all comes out the same....im getting a very clear spirit at about 93%abv b4 dilluting but i can not get rid of the funny taste....i filter thru a column filled with carbon at a very slow drip....i believe the longer it stays in contact with the carbon the better....but when it drips into my collector, i virtually have the same product as i put in the filter...i am lost as what to do....my thought now is, could i send a sample to one of you pros out there and maybe by tasting my product someone can tell me what i am doing wrong
,is it safe to send a spirit...legally i mean...i dont want my ass to end up in jail , please help...i love this hobby and spend a ton of time with it, but what good is it if you cant enjoy a nice neutral spirit on ice ???
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Just trying to help you eliminate all variables... Have you considered that it may be in your water/ice? I'd try some distilled or bottled water and get some cheap ice trays to freeze that water in for the ice. I've seen my spirit clouded by tap water, but bottled or distilled water stays crystal clear.
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the only water we use is either distilled or lately, we have been using water that has been run thru a britta filter....we use this water for the mash, the dilluting, and the ice...but thanks for the ideal...scott
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Are you using a stainless steel column? If so, try using copper packing. My first SS column, I thought it was some nasty chemical on the SS. Never could clean it off enough. When I used copper, the foul smell and flavors were gone.
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yes i have a ss column and i use copper packing purchased from brewhaus....thanks for the help...any other ideas ????? scott
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As I wrote a few days ago to Jimbull and others who gave me help, I too had a bad taste and smell in the product after filtering with wood carbon. I also use a valved reflux still. I bit the bullet and bought some STONE cabon as Jimbull suggested and it worked. I was very careful to make the cuts and collect the heads, mids, and tails seperately. When it came to filtering, I filtered the mids first, then said to myself, 'what the heck, lets see if it will make the tails taste and smell good since I already had the majority of good stuff saved'. The tails also came out good. Right now I am convinced that the stone carbon made the difference. Follow Gert's directions on boiling it 3 or 4 times, keep it submerged in water until ready to filter the product, then as the water starts to dissappear, pour in the product. It works well.
Chas.
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Chas, Are you just doing a sugar wash? If so, bear this in mind. you only get methonal from a fruit or grain that has pectin in it. There is no, NO meth in a sugar wash. The tails are the iso's and butals. I have stopped collecting seperately once I found this out and just run until the temp gets to 83-85 and will not maintain, just keeps going up with out the heat turned up. Not to brag, but mine turns out great and no waste.....Jimbull
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Make sure everything is CLEAN ans SANITIZED,
Then see what happens.
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[What type of carbon are you using? I've tried them all and stone carbon is the best. Other types yield undrinkable end products,at least to my taste,.]
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