Home Distiller

Hi guys,
Do any of you use clearing agents such as turbo clear before you run a batch?
Could they add off flavours or have any other negative effects?

I think you will find that most Gents here prefer to stay away from all things turbo.

I keep ferments going frequently and rack to the fridge. My washes clear very nicely in a day or so.

Keep your cash for all things not turbo.

i use a couple of lightly whisked egg whites(not too much, you'll end up with merangue sitting on top of your wash ), wait 12 hours and add a small pack of bentonite(available for pennies from brew shops, it's basically a powdered type of clay). usually clears nice and quick, no chemicals used.

i used to use alcotec turbo klar, and found the results were very good with my sugar washes, usually clearing in less than a day. but, it couldn't handle a plum mash. someone suggested the egg white/bentonite idea, and the mash cleared in days instead of the usual month.

Yeah, I know that turbo yeasts and stills are considered the devil around these parts - I didn't know whether this extended to turbo clears. Thanks for the info.

The Turbo line was originaly designed for fuel production. Taste was not a factor.
I havent made too many straight sugar washes, but if you use a good recipe, clearing agents shouldn't be needed. A day or two in the fridge, after racking, is usually enough for the ones in the Tried and True section.

I think you will find turbo clear is essential for turbo yeasts. Non-turbo yeasts and good stillin don't need turbo clear or carbon filtering.

The turbo stillers I know have it easier and they are happy with the results. They have no desire to go above the 'goodenough' which aint too bad anyway. My mistakes with non-turbos may be worse but I have achieved a superior product on occasion and I am driven to learn how to get it consistently with a wide range of recipes.

To me turbos are false economy, but if you have a small capacity still and follow the turbo path there is some good drinkin to be had all the same.

I dumped turbo yeast pretty quick (mainly because the result tasted like methanol and fire). I'll give the egg whites a go on my next run. Putting the wash in the fridge isn't really an option, so long as I want to eat

I do whiskys and brandys. Just letting it sit for a few days after fermentation stops is all I do to clear my washes. A fridge just makes it a little quicker, but isn't necessary.

Same here.

I do rum and vodka, and all I do is let the ferment sit for 2-3 days after the bubbling has completely stopped. Then rack it off into another container and let it sit for another 2-3 days. Then rack it off into the still.

If you want them ultra clear, just let it sit for several days the second time.

I know this is a really old thread but does anyone know WHAT Turbo Clear actually is? I mean what is actually in it? Watching the video it looked like a big package of mixed up gelatin. I have a lot of gelatin for homebrewing (I mean a TON.. like 25lb) and figure if this is somewhere I can use it I may as well. I used it in the amount suggested for beer in my first whiskey wash but that took a few days to clear (no big deal to wait that long) at the same time the video shows a sugar wash clearing in 24 hours after adding the turbo clear. That being said I'm wondering if I just whip up a larger amount of gelatin if it would just take 24 hours to clear or if it'd produce any negative side effects. Any input with this would be appreciated, thanks!

Again, I know patience is a virtue and I don't mind waiting a few days for a wash to clear and I haven't even made my first sugar wash yet, but if I can find somewhere to use this gelatin (aside from dumping it into a swimming pool) that would be great, thanks!

RD,

Turbo clear usually consists of two "agents". And they are needed for turbo washes, because - contrary to the washes presented in the tried & true recipees department - they do not clear very easy. The first "agent" is a signaling product that tells the yeast cells to start growing hair. They do that in hostile environments to stick together, get down on the bottom and in doing so shelter the inner yeast cells so that when the environment becomes less hostile reproduction can restart. The second "agent" is put in 1 or 2 hours later. Basically, it consists of long molecules. Giving the already "hairy" yeast cells someting to get entangled in and so speeding the process of them becoming heavier and sinking to the bottom.

About the things you want to use, I do not know.

Odin.

Odin wrote:RD,

Turbo clear usually consists of two "agents". And they are needed for turbo washes, because - contrary to the washes presented in the tried & true recipees department - they do not clear very easy. The first "agent" is a signaling product that tells the yeast cells to start growing hair. They do that in hostile environments to stick together, get down on the bottom and in doing so shelter the inner yeast cells so that when the environment becomes less hostile reproduction can restart. The second "agent" is put in 1 or 2 hours later. Basically, it consists of long molecules. Giving the already "hairy" yeast cells someting to get entangled in and so speeding the process of them becoming heavier and sinking to the bottom.

About the things you want to use, I do not know.

Odin.

I'm hairy enough I don't need my wash to be. The gelatin has worked well with the beer and wash I've used it in so far, I'll continue that process. Thanks for the info!

Don't listen to the Anti-Turbo demagogs. Turbo yeast is fantastic. It is a great learning help. Everybody should either experiment with Turbo or go back to the beginners and do it all over again. The very off taste is what is useful. It helps to avoid smearing, determine the right distillate volume and makes it easier to get more alcohole to work with. In the beginning one need to dillute jars and examine your palette and nose.
.Sometimes it can be very useful to know your still and the different strength from various mashes and number of distills. It is great for people who wanna clean the pot still, to see the importance of cleaning your equipment, the impact of yeast and stuff like settled mashes or cleared mashes( turbo clean for instance). It is also good when experimenting with coal filtering.

Then when ypu understand all of than and a bit more it os time to move in to the finer saloons and use beer yeast nd grainmashes instead of sugar.

Odin wrote:RD,

Turbo clear usually consists of two "agents". And they are needed for turbo washes, because - contrary to the washes presented in the tried & true recipees department - they do not clear very easy. The first "agent" is a signaling product that tells the yeast cells to start growing hair. They do that in hostile environments to stick together, get down on the bottom and in doing so shelter the inner yeast cells so that when the environment becomes less hostile reproduction can restart. The second "agent" is put in 1 or 2 hours later. Basically, it consists of long molecules. Giving the already "hairy" yeast cells someting to get entangled in and so speeding the process of them becoming heavier and sinking to the bottom.

About the things you want to use, I do not know.

Odin.

Thanks. I like your post .

SherrodBrown wrote:Don't listen to the Anti-Turbo demagogs. Turbo yeast is fantastic.

SherrodBrown, I'll never dismiss another person's way, method, or product without having been there myself.
I was The Turbo Yeast King in the Land of Awful for 6 months and could not tame it like you have. Almost quit this hobby over it.
I admire your success.

SherrodBrown wrote:Don't listen to the Anti-Turbo demagogs. Turbo yeast is fantastic. It is a great learning help. Everybody should either experiment with Turbo or go back to the beginners and do it all over again. The very off taste is what is useful. It helps to avoid smearing, determine the right distillate volume and makes it easier to get more alcohole to work with. In the beginning one need to dillute jars and examine your palette and nose.
.Sometimes it can be very useful to know your still and the different strength from various mashes and number of distills. It is great for people who wanna clean the pot still, to see the importance of cleaning your equipment, the impact of yeast and stuff like settled mashes or cleared mashes( turbo clean for instance). It is also good when experimenting with coal filtering.

Then when ypu understand all of than and a bit more it os time to move in to the finer saloons and use beer yeast nd grainmashes instead of sugar.

I strongly disagree I used turbos for 2 years and learnt diddly squat except how to stir.

I think I understand what you're trying to say but you can learn how to do cuts from a tried and trusted sugar wash while learning how yeast and nutrients co exist and are more prepared to move onto all grain. How can the off taste help with cuts when it carries through to the hearts.

It would be a boring world if we all thought the same

Off tastes help because they make cuts more defined is like saying ya hit yourself on the head with a hammer because it feels so good when you stop . Sorry bud but they is no hidden agenda here, most folks post about bad experiences with turbo here because that was their experience and they would like to share that. Is the stuff useless? No is there much better alternatives? You better ya left dumpling there is but that's not to say if you dick around with it you can't get a reasonable end result particularly if you are prepared to cock around with turbo clear carbon filters, larger ferments than the yeast packet stipulated etc.

Odin wrote:The first "agent" is a signaling product that tells the yeast cells to start growing hair.

This is by far the most crazy thing of all the crazy things I have read here about anything with the term "turbo" on it.
Do you really believe Turbo clear contains something like a hormone from a crazy nerds laboratory?

Or another question: What do you think caused the growth of the feathers?

Just to be clear my post was prompted by those talking up turbo yeast and related to that not turbo clear. The main active agent of turbo clear is extracted from tiny krill like crustaceans and these types of clearing agents are used by many wineries for this purpose. A lot of cheaper cask/box wine will say contains egg and fish products and this is a dead give away clearing agents were used which is actually no big deal. There is nothing actually wrong with clearing your wash per say but in most cases it will settle enough for this to be a wast of money, that is it will not affect the end product. With that in mind I have had some think fruit washes where suspended crap simply would not settle and gelatine only worked to a point. At one point my still blocked and it could have easily turned to disaster. The risk may well have been greatly reduced by using a clearing agent like the one discussed here, I'm talking fig wash here but there are other gelatinous fermentables out there that are also the devil to clear.