Baking Soda

[Froggy]

I have about 12L of 40% cloudy spirit which I'm going to cook off again. I've been reading on here about mixing bicarbonate soda in with the spirit for a week or so before running through the still.
A few of the more in depth threads on here had many posts for and against the idea.

So my question is how many on here use this method and do you notice any real improvements?

[BW Redneck]

Bicarb works great. It dissociates into NaOH ions and they chew up a lot of various esters and aldehydes and clears up a bunch of funky flavors. Mix about 1 tablespoon per quart.

Only recommend it for neutral spirits. Can turn a malty whiskey into flavorless hootch.

[Froggy]

Thanks mate.

One quart is roughly one litre isn't it?

[BW Redneck]

Right. I wanted to say litre, but I thought it'd seem odd that I used US and metric to refer one quantity to another.

[Froggy]

No worries mate.

[Bsnapshot]

Do you add the baking soda during the stripping run or the spirit run? Do you add it the same day or days before the run?

Does the baking soda do the same as adding salt like I seen in some other post

[HookLine]

Do you add the baking soda during the stripping run or the spirit run?

No, after the stripping (low wines) run, before the spirit run

Do you add it the same day or days before the run?

Add it straight after the stripping run, and let it sit for a week or so, stir it up at least once a day.

Does the baking soda do the same as adding salt like I seen in some other post

Explanation here.

[mikeac]

Right. I wanted to say litre, but I thought it'd seem odd that I used US and metric to refer one quantity to another.

You'd be from Canada if you did... tablespoons and liters are directions I can understand

[Bsnapshot]

I read the explanation on the parent sight but still a little confused.
So the baking soda and the salt do two different things and both should be added? the salt highers the boiling temp for the water and helps with separation and the baking soda helps with removing off flavors and nasties? Or am I wrong on this?

[HookLine]

Sounds about right. I am pretty sure that most do not use salt, but most do use bicarb (or sodium carbonate, at 1 tsp per litre).

This is for neutral spirits, of course, not flavoured spirits.

[oakie]

Personally I never use salt. I do how ever use baking soda. I add baking soda and freshly charred toasted wood to my low wines (for neutral spirits) and let sit for a couple of weeks. (shaking it once a day) I then run my spirit run. The spirit is a lot smoother and I end up with a little more when I use this method then when I don't.

[stoker]

... It dissociates into NaOH ions ..

that's not correct, but the results will be simular, though bicarb is not as strong as NaOH, it might not react with the esters, but will react with acids, but I doubt how much acid is present in low wines. therefore, I think the bicarb has most of its influence during the run, more then before. at higher temperatures.
does anyone want to make experments of a good quality? NaOH, bicarb, before, after run, ... would be interesting.