B vitamins

[BB48ss]

I am trying to find a simple, clean sugar wash with as few specialized (DAP, fertilizer, etc) ingredients as possible. Currently the wash I am making is as follows:

5 lbs sugar
1/2 tsp gypsum
pinch epsom salts,
1 Nature Made B vitamin
1/3 cup bakers yeast
water to 4.75 gallons

I have been pleased with the results, I've never had a stuck wash and it seems to ferment out pretty well. However, there is a flavor that is coming over into the distillate that I believe is from the B vitamin. Can anyone suggest a brand/type of B vitamin that will add little or no flavor?

I am also open to other suggestions for yeast nutrients but I like the simplicity of this recipe (and the fact that all the ingredients are dry) which is why I have avoided DAP, tomato sauce, fertilizer, etc....

-B

[Bushman]

Not sure why the vitamin B is coming through but if you go to the tried and true recipe section the birdwatchers recipe is a sure fired one that is simple.

[rad14701]

If I was to venture to guess I'd say that any off flavor isn't coming from what appears to be not enough nutrients... Have you considered that the off taste might be due to stressed yeast or autolysis...??? That's not very much nutrient for a 5 gallon wash at all... You could use dead yeast instead of the Vitamin B which would also provide some of the other nutrients the yeast are thriving for... Namely, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, etc... With the low amounts of nutrients you are essentially doing a brute force fermentation using a high does yeast and not much else...

Just a thought...

See the Gerber and All Bran recipes, as well as others in the Tried and True Recipe forum... All Bran has 100% of what yeast need and will work for both flavored or neutral spirits... Cereal, sugar, yeast, and water... What could be simpler...

[Bayou-Ruler]

I am trying to find a simple, clean sugar wash with as few specialized (DAP, fertilizer, etc) ingredients as possible. Currently the wash I am making is as follows:

5 lbs sugar
1/2 tsp gypsum
pinch epsom salts,
1 Nature Made B vitamin
1/3 cup bakers yeast
water to 4.75 gallons

I have been pleased with the results, I've never had a stuck wash and it seems to ferment out pretty well. However, there is a flavor that is coming over into the distillate that I believe is from the B vitamin. Can anyone suggest a brand/type of B vitamin that will add little or no flavor?

I am also open to other suggestions for yeast nutrients but I like the simplicity of this recipe (and the fact that all the ingredients are dry) which is why I have avoided DAP, tomato sauce, fertilizer, etc....

-B

I wish you luck with your experimentation, but them yeast sure do appreciate nitrogen especially when there in a nutrient poor wash like sugar.

[BB48ss]

Hey Rad,
I checked out your All bran wash and I'll give it a try; however, there are 35 pages of replies and adjustments (and I’m at work right now so I can’t read them all before I head to the store on my way home) is there any way you can give me your final , refined recipe?

Regards,
b

[kenfyoozed]

I agree with rad. I doubt the vitamin is cauing the off flavor. But do take along look at the yeast. I had prpblems with a distillers yeast but only when i ran my rum. So you could always substitute each part of the recipie until you isolate what was causing a problem. Keep safe on your hunt.

[rad14701]

Hey Rad,
I checked out your All bran wash and I'll give it a try; however, there are 35 pages of replies and adjustments (and I’m at work right now so I can’t read them all before I head to the store on my way home) is there any way you can give me your final , refined recipe?

Simplest recipe per gallon is:

4 cups sugar maximum (potential 14% ABV)
1 cup crushed All Bran cereal flakes ( 3 - 4 cups of flakes = 1 cup crushed)
1 gallon water
1 - 2 tablespoons of bakers yeast (or your preferred yeast at desired pitching rate)

Just that simple... The addition of Epsom Salt or inverting sugar is optional as documented in the original thread... The basic recipe will ferment to dry in 7 - 14 days, maximum, based on the practical experience of many members...

[BB48ss]

Thanks a lot to all who replied and special thanks to you Rad. I've read a lot of your posts and as a result I've LEARNED a lot, thanks for all your contributions. I will be building a still very similar to yours very soon, I think of all the designs I've seen it is the best from a cost/constructibility/functionality standpoint. I'll be using 2" x 1.5" reducers, do you think a 1/4" valve will be sufficent or should I go to a 1/2" needle valve?

-B

[rad14701]

Thanks a lot to all who replied and special thanks to you Rad. I've read a lot of your posts and as a result I've LEARNED a lot, thanks for all your contributions. I will be building a still very similar to yours very soon, I think of all the designs I've seen it is the best from a cost/constructibility/functionality standpoint. I'll be using 2" x 1.5" reducers, do you think a 1/4" valve will be sufficent or should I go to a 1/2" needle valve?

-B

Thanks for the kind words...

As for the needle valve, either 1/4" or 3/8" will work fine... I don't see any need to go over 1/4", personally... If you will be running in stripping mode you will need to either remove the needle valve or incorporate a bypass circuit because needle valves won't allow enough flow without causing reflux regardless of the size due to their internal design... I do a quick swap to a straight through connector for strips in pot still mode...

[schnell]

Your initial recipie is starving the yeast and causing them to die in a way that produces nasty flavor byproducts.

Adding a nitrogen source is essential, this can be DAP, urea, dead yeast, vegemite, or a wide variety of materials.

A good yeast nutrient for sugar washes is old fashioned tomato paste or tomato sauce from the grocer. It has plenty of the B vitamins, and was the reason folks originally started using it. It also has plenty of other stuff for yeast to get it's teeth into. The best part is you can buy it local and it's not a special purpose odd thing. It will not taint your flavors if your careful about what kind you buy. Definately read the label and don't buy one with garlic, onions, etc. The spices will add to your flavor profile if you use an exotic fancy one. Cheap is good here.

[braemar]

I am trying to find a simple, clean sugar wash with as few specialized (DAP, fertilizer, etc) ingredients as possible. Currently the wash I am making is as follows:

5 lbs sugar
1/2 tsp gypsum
pinch epsom salts,
1 Nature Made B vitamin
1/3 cup bakers yeast
water to 4.75 gallons

I have been pleased with the results, I've never had a stuck wash and it seems to ferment out pretty well. However, there is a flavor that is coming over into the distillate that I believe is from the B vitamin. Can anyone suggest a brand/type of B vitamin that will add little or no flavor?

I am also open to other suggestions for yeast nutrients but I like the simplicity of this recipe (and the fact that all the ingredients are dry) which is why I have avoided DAP, tomato sauce, fertilizer, etc....

-B

Hi bb48ss,
I have done side by side tests a number of times using tomato paste,all bran and winoes sugar wash all of which work very well put thru a reflux still they have very little flavour or smell depending on the efficiency of the still, but for time and ease of preparation i don't think you can go past WPOSW it is very straight forward no fussing with heating up liquids other than water, i know you said that you were not keen on DAP but it is an excellent nutrient source for yeast used in the wine industry and here in oz you can get it from country brewer for around $25/ kg. would last the average brewer a couple of years at least. Out of interest sake try your above recipe with these changes.
* Use raw sugar instead of refined, raw sugar has a certain amount of molasses still in it which is a good nutrient.
* For your above recipe use 1.5 teaspoons of DAP.
*Add 1 teaspoon of citric acid powder just prior to pitching the yeast.
*Up the yeast to 1/2 cup
*Leave out the vitamin B pill.
*Only keep the gypsum if you have soft water.
*Ferment at around 26 -28 deg. Celsius
The only difference to this and WPOSW is the Raw sugar i just find it speeds things up a touch and put thru a reflux still remains a very neutral vodka.
I am happy to post my whole method if it would be a help to you.
Regards
Braemar

[Dnderhead]

if you want a natural sorse of nitrogen try root vegetables.most all are high in nitrogen.if you do a bit of research you mite fiend one with everything needed.