stupid wash....

riff42 · Post by **riff42** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:02 am

I just don't get it anymore....my brandy wash seemed to finish at 1.030. That was the 18th. I added more yeast and energizer. It bubbles once a minute now.
it's STILL at 1.030
Shouldn't it have raised even a little bit in 2 weeks?

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:56 am

what was the OG? Have you tasted it? Is it still sweet? What I am getting at is that it may be done. If you wash has a lot of solids in it it won't get back down to 1.000

riff42 · Post by **riff42** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:00 pm

knuklehead wrote:what was the OG? Have you tasted it? Is it still sweet? What I am getting at is that it may be done. If you wash has a lot of solids in it it won't get back down to 1.000

OG was 1.110.
It is almost sweeet.

I'm just going to run it tonight, no point in keeping it around doing nothing anymore.

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:34 pm

You have a little over 10% wash. You should get a fair amount out of that.

riff42 · Post by **riff42** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 3:58 am

knuklehead wrote:You have a little over 10% wash. You should get a fair amount out of that.

Almost 2L of heads., body, and a bit of tails. I guess. Never did a brandy before, but I noticed a very off taste nearing 48%abv, so I stopped about there.
I also noticed the distillate was a blueish colour, almost like a light moonstone. not really cloudy perse, but just blueish. i looked on the parent site, and they only say it was possible acidic. But, what can I DO about it? It wasn't due to tails, since it was from start to finish.
Hmm....more reading i guess, and I'll find an answer if I'm lucky.

now.....water down to 45% and oak?

stoker · Post by **stoker** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:33 am

I also noticed the distillate was a blueish colour, almost like a light moonstone. not really cloudy perse, but just blueish. i looked on the parent site, and they only say it was possible acidic. But, what can I DO about it? It wasn't due to tails, since it was from start to finish.
Hmm....more reading i guess, and I'll find an answer if I'm lucky.

do you use a copper still, or copper in your still? blue color is often caused by cupper salts. was your still clean?

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:54 am

That is kind of what I was thinking, copper salts. Was it a purple grape wash? Did your still boil over? Your wash may have foamed a lot because of the incomplete ferment and the foam my have entired the condenser giving the distillant the colour. You would have notice if this was the case when you open the still up. You can see how high the foam scum is up the wall of the boiler. I've had molasses boil over giving my distillant a brownish hue but it was a strip run anyhow. What ever you do I'd figure out why it's blue before cutting and aging it so you don't waste your time.

riff42 · Post by **riff42** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 4:05 am

knuklehead wrote:That is kind of what I was thinking, copper salts. Was it a purple grape wash? Did your still boil over? Your wash may have foamed a lot because of the incomplete ferment and the foam my have entired the condenser giving the distillant the colour. You would have notice if this was the case when you open the still up. You can see how high the foam scum is up the wall of the boiler. I've had molasses boil over giving my distillant a brownish hue but it was a strip run anyhow. What ever you do I'd figure out why it's blue before cutting and aging it so you don't waste your time.

It's a SS boiler with Cu everything else. It should have been clean, but it was sitting around for a month or 2 without use....might have oxidized(er....corroded?) a bit.
I had no boil over, and nothing entered into the condensor.

I cut some to 90proof, and it turned cloudy. Still not much help on the website. It tasted fine though? SHould I be more worried about bad chemicals though?

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 8:40 am

If the distillant came out with any sort of colour I wouldn't drink it. At very least I'd distill it again.

riff42 · Post by **riff42** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:26 am

knuklehead wrote:If the distillant came out with any sort of colour I wouldn't drink it. At very least I'd distill it again.

Ran it again down to about 45%, figuring adding some tails would give it some flavor, since I had to run again. Only a VERY slight haze is left, if you hold it up to the light a certain way.
When I water it down, it doesn't cloud up now, so I think it is ok. Tastes fine....but has a slight "home brewed" taste....almost like the smell of the stuff left in the still after a run!!

Good enough for me I think.

3mtnclimbers · Post by **3mtnclimbers** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 3:58 am

I just had a run that is 88% clear, no foul smell, taste ok but turns cloudy when mixed 50% with distilled water. What causes this? I've had other runs that come out 85% and mix completley clear. Thanks

trthskr4 · Post by **trthskr4** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:05 am

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =15&t=6293

Try this post guys.

Home Distiller

stupid wash....

stupid wash....

Re: stupid wash....

Re: stupid wash....