What is your opinion on clearing a wash before distilling?

[TEC]

I'm kind of interested to hear how people prepare their wash's before distilling.

[Swag]

I chose the last answer because it's what I do with all my washes and mashes now. I don't include any solids, but I don't wait for it to clear either.

[Uncle Remus]

It really depends on the wash. A sugar wash I will siphon off into carboys when it's close to being finished. Then when I'm ready to run it I will syphon it out of the carboys into the boiler.

A grain wash if I ferment on the grain I will rack maybe twice, once to strain out the grain and then maybe once more before running it.

I tried clearing agent once and it really stuck in the carboys and was hard to clean out so I stay away from them now.

[hillbilly_john]

Well I voted for the first one since that's what I always do...the one time I did it.

I'm interested in answers though I'm guessing responses like UR will be common since there doesn't seem to be a one-size-fits-all answer.

cheers.
johnboy

[Tater]

counts on wash.

[junkyard dawg]

I ran a turbo wash once that was not clear and it came out foul...

I distill whiskey on the grain for the stripping run.

[Swag]

I have a filter on the spigots coming from both my fermenters. The spigots are also an inch or two above the bottom of the fermenter which prevents all the solids and most of the yeast carcasses from getting into the boiler.
Works pretty good so far.

[Bujapat]

It depends of the wash... and the time I have!

Generally, I do stripin' runs with grain washes, after having separeted liquid from grain; but sometimes I let it stay for a while, only because I've no time to run it immediately.
For fruits, I siphon once, let stay for a day or two, and then distill.
I generally don't wait for sugar washes.

[TEC]

Now as for myself, I have been impatient and ran a turbo sugar wash as soon as it was done fermenting, what a stench. I didn't notice anything different in the final product, but it sure did smell when I dumped the boiler afterward.

EDIT: The tails smelled really bad also.

Now I try to let a turbo sugar wash sit for a week after ferment to settle a bit.

On a Rum wash, I rack it to a secondary two weeks after it is done fermenting and let it settle for another two weeks. I don't know if it is necessary, but I know the results taste good.

[crackher]

I'm with Remus on this one. I siphon a couple of times then run it through the still

[Swag]

One thing I don't take into account is solids burning on an electric element. I use propane so I don't have that problem.
You electric guys might want to figure that in.

[pothead]

One thing I don't take into account is solids burning on an electric element. I use propane so I don't have that problem.
You electric guys might want to figure that in.

My grape wash, I will pour it though a strainer into my boiler as soon as it's done fermenting. I used to run it a little pulpy when I used to use a hotplate, but now I use internal element. Tastes the same. For my rum, I run it a few days after it's done fermenting.

[MyDBear]

I might be wrong here but i feal that the cleaner the mash is when you put it in your boiler the cleaner your product and your boiler will be.

[TEC]

Ahem MyDBear

[possum]

I'm with Bujapat : It depends of the wash... and the time I have!

For ease of cleanup and simplicity, clear, particle-free wash is the easiest.

The production of wash for nuteral spirits should include filtration and racking.-------But I'm not trying to make nuteral spirit. I might develop a stock of clean, flat spirit--later.

I've been interested in making stuff that comes with a distinctive (and good) flavor. Not only have I been known to not clear a grain wash, but I have saved the grain at the bottom of the fermenter, and run the still with a waterbath (which is a pain in the ass). With rum, I have been trying to keep the yeast out. I rack, but dont usually filter.

[junkyard dawg]

Man I gotta second that part about ease of cleanup with clear wash. I ran a S.M.O.P. with oats and rye yesterday...by far the most grain in the still yet.

It was a stripping run and it make a huge mess of the column... lots of smelly goop all over the bottom half of the column. tough to clean for sure.

The first run of oatmeal rye whiskey is kick ass tho...

[ozzy_gunja]

I like to rack off after the wash, once it’s has had time to rest.
Racking it through a filter or muslin clothe to remove any solids… I like to use the backset in previous Stripping Runs, to ensure I have a more flavourful Spirit Run…
Using a Clearing Agent spoils any chance of re-using Backset in Spirit Run…

[Stags]

Just my opinion, this is one of the things people wayyyyy overthink.

If it’s done let it run.

[Bee]

The big bourbon distillers don't clear anything. They pump the entire mash into the stripper.

[Saltbush Bill]

Results of the survey at the top are interesting, hopefully more people will click on it.

[Deplorable]

Results of the survey at the top are interesting, hopefully more people will click on it.

After reading some of the recent comments, I agree. There are good reasons to let it sit and give the yeast time to flocculate regardless of what you are making. Just because the pros don't have time in their production schedule to clear a fermentation isn't a good enough excuse for me. Personally, I'd rather not have the taste of the yeast in my finished product. I've got the time.

[Deplorable]

I like to rack off after the wash, once it’s has had time to rest.
Racking it through a filter or muslin clothe to remove any solids… I like to use the backset in previous Stripping Runs, to ensure I have a more flavourful Spirit Run…
Using a Clearing Agent spoils any chance of re-using Backset in Spirit Run…

Why would you put the dregs from the boiler that you worked so hard to remove, back in the boiler for the next spirit run? Backset is used to sour a new mash, or lower the Ph. I dont know why you would add backset to a spirit run.

[Salt Must Flow]

Just my opinion, this is one of the things people wayyyyy overthink.

If it’s done let it run.

Depends on exactly what you are making. If it is a sugar wash and the cleanest neutral is what you're after ... clearing is the BEST way to remove most of what creates off odors & flavors. A cleaner wash creates cleaner low wines. Cleaner low wines means cleaner/less tails which translates to a leaner neutral. Sure you don't have to clear a sugar wash, but don't knock it unless you've tried it.

[shadylane]

Clearing a "wash" before distilling depends on what's being made and the still being used.

When running a potstill and making sugar shine, clearing is definitely worth the effort.
Same with making rum, having the wash cleared before stripping makes a cleaner low-wines and lets me salvage more of the alcohol.
Long story short, boiling spent yeast and trub makes funky tofu peppery tails.
If the wash is clearer, there's less tails and the strip can go on longer.

One run and done neutral with a packed column also benefits from a cleared wash because the run lasts for hours and the same stuff in the pot keeps being boiled.

[NZChris]

Every product you make will have a best answer for this question/survey.

Choose a product, target your research on that product.

[acfixer69]

I like to rack off after the wash, once it’s has had time to rest.
Racking it through a filter or muslin clothe to remove any solids… I like to use the backset in previous Stripping Runs, to ensure I have a more flavourful Spirit Run…
Using a Clearing Agent spoils any chance of re-using Backset in Spirit Run…

Why would you put the dregs from the boiler that you worked so hard to remove, back in the boiler for the next spirit run? Backset is used to sour a new mash, or lower the Ph. I dont know why you would add backset to a spirit run.

Molasses Based Rums quite often use Backset, especially for “Generational Rum’s”.
This method has been adopted from the “Caribbean Style Rums” that use “Muck Pits” for enhancing the flavour…. Muck or Dunder Pits are exactly that, Sludge (Backset) Pits.

Without getting too technical, Rums “Unique” Profiles come from Esters & Fusel Oils…

Cheers Ozzy

Backset is added to next generation wash not to the spirit run,big difference.

[Homebrewer11777]

I picked second option. What I actually do is rack the clear beer off the mash solids and let that settle overnight in carboys. Then rack off the 1/2 inch that settled out and strip them. I squeeze the solids and let the squeezings settle in other carboys, squeezings settle for several days, typically 1-2 weeks, and then I strip those.

The custard from settling both the clear beer and the squeezings goes into my custard carboy and I can usually pull a gallon or so of clear beer off that whenever I am getting ready for a run.

[jonnys_spirit]

I've done it all of those ways and will continue to. I enjoy variety and am not as interested in repeatability so sticking to one method definitely is not my approach..

Topping up with backset into the spirit run is a valid approach too for some flavor but I generally reserve some fresh ferment for that instead. My thought is that you cooked it once during the strip run and it contributed something to the low wines product so it's a valid ingredient to potentially use in the spirit run and worthwhile experimenting with as a spirit run additive if you would also consider using fresh-ferment.

Cheers,
jonny

[Dougmatt]

I don’t feel like what I do is totally captured above, I rack off the grain / Trub, squeeze if grain, let sit about a week or so to naturally clear (not in a hurry though), then pour / rack off into the still as best I can, but not neurotic about keeping out anything that might pour (or rack) over.

Agree the product matters, and I think it also matters what type of heat source, Warm up procedure etc you have as for me the main thing is I don’t want is a scorch regarding solids in a flavored product.

Btw this is a really old thread you all revived.

[Twisted Brick]

Just my opinion, this is one of the things people wayyyyy overthink.

If it’s done let it run.

For those who detect the smallest off-flavors or (like me) discover yeast notes in their aged spirit, an abundance of thinking is needed to troubleshoot the source. Fortunately for me it wasn't yeast related, rather, patience and racking the ferment off the trub/yeast cleared up the problem.

For those who don't detect detrimental flavors in their whiskeys, all the more power to you.