From clear to hazy to clear

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Hudster2001
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From clear to hazy to clear

Post by Hudster2001 »

I was diluting my latest run, I used good Scottish tap water, and as a test I took a sample from all 22 jars I had.
When I diluted them to 40% every single one went hazy.
Then when I filtered them through a carbon filter, each and every one went clear again.

Could it be minerals in my water that is causing the haze?

I used to think it was tails causing it, so I went back and got a bottle that had hazed over, and when I filtered it through a carbon filter it went clear.

I'm at a loss as to what's happening.
Does anyone have any ideas?
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still_stirrin
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Re: From clear to hazy to clear

Post by still_stirrin »

Hudster2001 wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 12:39 pm I was diluting my latest run, I used good Scottish tap water, and as a test I took a sample from all 22 jars I had.
When I diluted them to 40% every single one went hazy.
Then when I filtered them through a carbon filter, each and every one went clear again.

Could it be minerals in my water that is causing the haze?<— It could be the water. But more likely it’s the spirit. Since adding water to water doesn’t cause a haze, it probably isn’t the problem. But, it very well could be the spirit. Oils from grains can cause a haze. Also, oils in a rum can cause a haze. What did you make?

I used to think it was tails causing it, so I went back and got a bottle that had hazed over, and when I filtered it through a carbon filter it went clear.

I'm at a loss as to what's happening.
Does anyone have any ideas? <— Yes, learn to use the search tools. You can learn a lot.
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: From clear to hazy to clear

Post by Saltbush Bill »

still_stirrin wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 2:23 pm I filtered it through a carbon filter it went clear.
If you were trying for a flavoured spirit you've just filtered a lot of your flavour out as well.
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Ben
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Re: From clear to hazy to clear

Post by Ben »

Any time you drop below 46% you are risking cloudiness on a grain based spirit. Most distilleries use chill filtering to remedy this. I prefer to just bottle at a higher proof, unless your bottling for sale dropping all the way to 40 seems to lose a lot from the spirit. You might try playing with your proof a bit before you water everything down, its real easy to add water or ice in the glass, lot of work to take that water out. Different proof levels will have different flavor profiles.
:)
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