To clear or not to clear?

Putting older posts here. Going to try to keep the novice forum pruned about 90 days work. The 'good' old stuff is going to be put into appropriate forums.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
el_Tito
Novice
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:29 am
Location: Behind Enemy Lines, CA

To clear or not to clear?

Post by el_Tito »

Well I've come to the end of my first fermentation and have something which looks, smells and tastes like not-so-great beer with a SG of 0.99. I used the DWWG recipe with plain old bread yeast and substituting brown sugar and toasted wheat germ. I've siphoned everything as close to the yeast cake as I could get (running it all through coffee filters) and I'm going to let it settle out for another 24 hrs or so, but would you all recommend my using one of the special clearing products?

The wort doesn't taste sweet to me at all and I'd say it's about as clear as your average hefeweizen. My still is an offset head valved reflux variety and with these first runs I'm going a neutral spirit to turn into vodka or gin. Any reason to make it super clear or is it just going to be a waste of time/money?

Thanks :)
nutmg1
Swill Maker
Posts: 184
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:19 pm

Post by nutmg1 »

I'm new to this as well but from what I've read you didn't need to use this recepie if your looking for a neutral wash. Its for more of a scotch. If your looking for a Vodka you just need a basic sugar wash. No wheat germ.

That said I don't think you have to clear it. Your just going to boil the booze out of it anyway.

I'm sure the more experianced will chime in.
goose eye
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2846
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:19 am

Post by goose eye »

charge it

you filterin thangs that fall so they aint gonna scorch your ketle.
grains is real bad for it. it gone thru cofee filter that good enough
an if in dout keep it stired til you cap it.

so im tole
Aidas
Rumrunner
Posts: 577
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:07 am
Location: Lithuania

Post by Aidas »

Run it. I don't clear anything I run, nor do I filter -- I just siphon as carefully as I can, but yeast clouds do siphon in... Of course, I don't have an internal element, so scorching is not a problem.

Aidas
Nisi te iuvat cibus, plus bibe vini!
Safegyde
Novice
Posts: 74
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:02 am

Post by Safegyde »

If you don't clear it or let it clear on its own then I would do a stripping run first then do a spirit run. You have a reflux column, so just open her all the way up and don't worry about collecting heads and tails and stuff, just push it. Then dilute and run again separating the heads and tails. You are going to strip the flavor out with a reflux column anyway. If you want the flavor of your DWWG you need a pot still. :wink:
Shine on you crazy diamonds!!
el_Tito
Novice
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:29 am
Location: Behind Enemy Lines, CA

Post by el_Tito »

Safegyde wrote:If you want the flavor of your DWWG you need a pot still. :wink:
I know...that's my next project :p.

Thanks for the advice all - gonna go ahead and run it today.
Post Reply