Smell of Distillation Process

[shady849]

Hello friends! I have a question regarding distillation. I am currently in the process of designing my first still, based off a simple 5 gallon SS stock pot. My question is regarding the smell of the distillation process. Is there an overbearing smell being produced from the still during a run? Thanks in advance for all your help.

[Daznz]

No , unless my nose is blocked

[FullySilenced]

There is some in both steps femintation and also distilling... others can elaborate ...

Now from where Rad is sitting he prolly couldn't smell either...

[DAD300]

If you're worried about bad smells in your house, there is only one. Let a ferment vessel go sour/bad after by not cleaning it and you'll swear someone crapped in your hallway.

If you're worried about the neighbors getting on to your new hobby, fear not. In the amounts we do as a hobby there are no real strong odors to give you away. My ferments mostly smell of baking bread, the first odor off the still may smell of apples for a few minutes. All good to me.

[shady849]

Ah, okay. I was mostly concerned with the smells offending some neighbors. Baked bread and apples, yum. Two smells I associate with my grandmother's house from when she would bake her own bread and make apple butter. I could get used to those smells for sure! Thank you all for the help!

[TOAD]

Rums are going to have smells. And whiskey. Birdwatchers.. not so much. Ferments over 10gal are going to make your house/apartment have a brewery oder. Smells good to me but 15gal+ is going to be noticable without ventilation. Actual distilling causes very pleasant smells. Just my experience.

[Prairiepiss]

Contrary to what many say. The whole process gives off very distinctive smells. Although most of us like those smells. Others may not. And may be more prone to smelling it. Coming into the situation fresh.
Example. My wife knows when I'm running the still in the basement. When she gets on the front porch. Since she was away and came in while I was running. She was not use to the smell as I was being right in it. Same goes for fermenting. Usually the second day of fermentation in my larger fermenters. You can smell it at the front porch. All it would take is one nosey neighbor ringing the doorbell. And I mite get a visit. But most of them know I make beer and wine. I tried to make sure of that. So it would be less of a question on their minds.

Just saying not everyone responds to the smells the same. And yes there could be a potential problem. So keep all the bases covered.

[drinkingdog]

Ah, okay. I was mostly concerned with the smells offending some neighbors. Baked bread and apples, yum. Two smells I associate with my grandmother's house from when she would bake her own bread and make apple butter. I could get used to those smells for sure! Thank you all for the help!

Sounds like we are going over the mountains and through the woods because off to our grandmothers house we shall go. Here all those years I thought grandma was baking. It's all starting to come together why she was always smiling and happywith a glass in her hand.

[Truckinbutch]

I've got a 12 yr old grandson that can smell a rabbit fart when he is hunting . He is here every other day and figured out what 'Pappy' is starting to do . He's absorbed all of Moonshiners on tv and informed Nona that when I started doing that EVERYBODY would know because of the smell that would fill the whole holler , he'd seed it to happen on the tv so it had to be true .
Picked him up off the school bus one evening and asked him if he smelled anything . "No". Got to the house and asked the same question . Same answer . Took him to the basement and asked . Same , same .
Lifted the lid on a 30 gallon ferment and then he could smell it at the barrel .
I have a passive vent in an unused chimney that vents odors . Positive ventilation through same when I have burner running for co . No odors in my house or the community .

[Jimbo]

There's some smell from fermentation, not bad. Not really anything from distllation, all vapors are condensed back into liquid. But afterwards, a steaming pot of backset DEFINITELY fills a room with some funk.

[shady849]

Interesting. It seems like I don't have much to worry about as long as I keep everything out of sight and smell. I've had some experience making wine and beer, so the smell of fermentation is nothing new to me. I have two 5 gallon batches of Birdwatcher's recipe fermenting right now, so I will have some fun in the coming days with my first actual runs. I will keep everything updated on how it turns out!

[jholmz]

i know my ferments smell like bread rising because i only use bakers yeast. as far as when running my brother-in-law paid a visit and didnt notice anything, however i was shitting bricks cause hes a county sherrifs deputy. asked the wife when she got home and she said she couldnt smell anything

[mtnshiner85]

Fermenting a grain mash in my open top oak barrel you can defently smell, and when i cook it off i can smell the sweetness when it gets up to boiling not real strong but its there trust me and once smelled you know it.

[emptyglass]

I use a poly pipe hose that attaches to my fermenter air lock and plumbs the smell outside.

Most sugar heads don't stink too much, but all grain is noticable and plum brandy is way strong. Its a delcious smell, but would create suspicion.

Plum brandy is one of the most delicious smelling things to run, fills the distilling room with wonderful aroma's, but its unique smell could be a give away.

And turbo yeasts stink real bad.

[shadylane]

Fermentation smells like yeast. Distillation, especially during stripping runs stink.
I'm editing this post.
The spent mash that is drained from the pot stinks.
The smell gets in your clothes and hangs around for a couple of days.
My 50-80 yr old friends can smell it.

[shady849]

It seems like there are quite a few variables when it comes to the smell of the distillation process. From what I have gathered from this post is that the smell of the distillation depends a lot on the specific type of mash you are charging into the boiler, proper ventilation is a must, and try to avoid unwanted company while you are practicing the hobby.

[Dnderhead]

" try to avoid unwanted company while you are practicing the hobby."
unwanted company? id say any company..Id say this is something you should be doing by yourself,for your self,keeping it to yourself..especially to day,, seems some are "looking"........

[rad14701]

" try to avoid unwanted company while you are practicing the hobby."
unwanted company? id say any company..Id say this is something you should be doing by yourself,for your self,keeping it to yourself..especially to day,, seems some are "looking"........

I'm not big on company to begin with, let alone unexpected company... I had my first unexpected visitor last weekend... I saw the truck stop and went out to see who it was... I wasn't doing anything still related but even so I managed to keep the visitors, who are only casual acquaintances and related to the former owner, away from the doors and windows... Our conversation took place in the middle of the yard with me positioned between them and the house... I'm just a very private person that way and had no intentions of inviting them inside... If I am stilling I would be in lock down, out of sight, and would not answer the door...

[Jimbo]

I think a dilemma many of us have to deal with isint necessarily the unwelcomed type of company. Unless you drink in secret and never tip a homemade with your friends, there are folk out there who know your dirty little secret. And they told 2 friends and they told 2 friends and so on. I had a drink with a friend who said he was gonna bring another friend over whos coming in from Nashville and a big whiskey fan. I yelled at him, before I caught my tongue, "this isint fucking Jim Beam with distillery tours for christs sake". Corene mentioned in another thread on here she had to tell her friends she sold her still and lay low for a month cause they were all showing up and sponging a drop. Its a tricky one, not quite sure how to deal with it except include only a select few and hold them to secrecy. And for everyone else, pour my bourbon in a Makers Mark bottle and keep my trap shut otherwise. "mmmm.... this makers mark is tasting better than I remember"

[Ayay]

Our local crime prevenion depends on informers, so they give a list of suspicious signals to be snitched annonomusly...Unusual smells, vents running constantly, and water running constantly. These three (out of many others) are symtoms of illegal activities that snitchers may confuse with stillin. Take care.

[Gaztops]

The smell of backset from a sugar and tomato paste wash is really vile and recomend pouring it out in an outside drain rather than the kitchen sink. The smell lingers for quite a while.

[Pyewacket]

The smell of backset from a sugar and tomato paste wash is really vile and recomend pouring it out in an outside drain rather than the kitchen sink. The smell lingers for quite a while.

I do mostly tomato paste sugar washes...and you are right...it is acrid. But, I think he is worried about the neighbors so I would suggest you bite-the-bullet and dump it in your sink. I think it smells worse because the stuff looks like someone just ate 30 bowls of tomato soup and a vomited it up in your sink...warm and all lol.

I have done Rads Gerber recipe several times...and it is better...like 80lbs of warm baby vomit!

[Richard7]

I have done Rads Gerber recipe several times...and it is better...like 80lbs of warm baby vomit!

Any with kids knows what that is like!

[shady849]

Right now I have two 5 gallon Birdwatcher's washes prepared and ready to go. I have some land around where I live that I can easily dump the backset afterwards, but I've been worried about stinking up my garage or basement to the point where it would be noticeable. And to be clear, I don't plan on having anybody around while I'm distilling. I don't trust anyone enough around me to know what I'm up to!

[midcarolina]

I made a 15 gal. cereal ferment a while back in my temperature controlled cabinet in my garage......... had to go out of town for a few day's for work, when I returned and opened the shop door the CO2 smell was very very strong...... after that I vented the blow off tubes outside.....
point is I think your senses get acustomed to smells and you dont really notice them........ kinda why most peeps don't think their poop stinks But let the dear wife stroll into the bathroom after you fumigated it and you sure hear about it..........

[Username]

Rather than start a new thread I'm resurrecting this one.

I'm city based, so many close neighbours.
I brew already, pro by trade but also at home, this is legal, so fermentation smells aren't a concern.

I would be well hidden from sight and using extractor fan, between buildings.

I would be concerned about some of my neighbours minding my business instead of their own, will the smells be enough to alert them?

[zapata]

Not unless they are very familiar with the smell already. I can smell a whiskey mash vs a beer fermentation vs a running still. If I try. Not sure I'd notice and recognize the smell from a hobby sized still anywhere I didnt expect it. Too many other stimuli, and its not like Im gonna be walking by your house/apartment and be navigating by smell. But if I came over, asked what you were doing, and you looked guilty and acted wierd then I could probably tell. Bob and Sally Jones might het a wiff of something but have no idea what it was. Bob and Sally probably have no idea that beer isnt distilled or that distillation is illegal for that matter. Hide it visually and you'll be safe olfactorily.

[Pikey]

I don't smell a thing - unless I have a vapour leak and that is teh first thing I notice - so off goes the pot until it is fixed. However I just asked the missus - "When I'm doing a run and you stick your head through the garage door - can you smell it ? "
"yes she says - smells a bit - like booze "

So apparently you can !

[CatCrap]

My opinion:

I run 2-3 25L Fermenters at a time, i can usually smell them outside my door or in the hallway, and definitely once i step in the door. The aroma depends on the ferment for nuance, but generally smells like yeast, baking bread, brewing beer etc. I don't think 99% of people could pick out a wash for distilling vs a beer wash. So, that smell can easily be explained as brewing beer. That's definitely my go to excuse for anyone asking questions.

As the still is running, i don't usually detect much of a strong odor. While i'm standing next to it, maybe a small whiff of alcohol off the collection jar, but certainly nothing significant or anything to worry about.

LOL... i did notice, that when i was airing my last spirit run, 27 pint jars of rum, when i walked in the door from outside i was hit by a strong liquor smell. Like someone smashed a bottle of booze in the house.

Backset, is BY FAR the strongest smelling part of the whole operation. Usually neutral, WPOSW, BW, etc, the backset smells terrible. Like vomit. Rum from Molly has a very strong aroma, not always pleasant. Panella rum has a slightly less pungent aroma, i actually love the smell and taste of panella wash and backset. Like sweet and sour. UJSM/Corn/Grain backset has a strong aroma, but fairly pleasant. So, i've run into the dilemma.. dump the 'Set down the bathtub.. or in the street.. I opted for the tub ONCE.. probably won't do that again. Dumping it gets the small aromatized up into the air, and it makes it even more prevalent. Even after flushing with extra water the smell lingers. So, i prefer to just dump the set into a 22qt Cambro (Plastic Bucket), very carefully run it out to the street, and dump it in a sewer grate. I'd rather take a chance for 3 minutes, then have them smell linger for hours. Once it's outside, it will be carried away by the wind, and it's in the street or a sewer anyways, less likely to draw any attention. If anyone asked, i'd say it was a batch of beer that went awry.

However, i thought someone brought up a very very good point. I showed a picture of my pot still to a friend, and with the hosing, reservoir, etc, her reaction was "Wow, very methy". most people don't know anything about distilling, and don't know anything about cooking meth(not that i do either). So, most of us have seen breaking bad, or seen a meth lab bust on the (sensationalized) news. I guess my point is, that some nosy neighbor could mistake the funny smells and strange looking equipment, or loading in of materials for some sort of drug manufacture. So, just my 2 cents, that a nosy neighbor may not dime you out for stilling, but may mistake your gear for a different type of manufacture and bring some heat on.

Be safe, don't SELL, don't tell. Enjoy, have fun, and most of all... be SMART!!!!

[Appalachian spirits]

The smell can get pretty loud when running sour mash but unless someone knows what it smells like they'll just wonder what it is. Just hope they arent overly curious or nosey. Gaztops is correct about backset, it gets FUNKY. If you have good ventilation you can greatly reduce smells by not allowing it to build in concentration and considering the explosive nature of alcohol vapor ventilation is pretty much required when the still is in operation.