Prestige Pastis

[gingercat]

I have problems making the prestige Pastis - every time I mix it with spirit it turns milky in the bottle. I know that probably means I've waterd down my spirit too much but I do have an alcohol of about 37% which should be ok - the only other thing I use is liquid sweetener (Sugromax) because its a lot easier to dissolve than sugar

Anyone know if you need a minimum alcohol strength so you get the original mixed spirit to stay yellow in the bottle.

The Prestige Pastis is one of the best essences I've come across and I would like to get it right

[Prairiepiss]

What are you using for spirits? What are you using for a still? Were proper cuts made on the spirits?

[gingercat]

SS reflux still not the super reflux

the 70% spirits was diluted correctly using an alcometer to verify the strength

What I really want to know is if there is a minmum alcohol strength you need for this essence - it could be the sweetener that's the problem tho

[Prairiepiss]

Could be tails? You should also add alcohol to what ever your diluting with. Instead of the other way around.

But no there is no minimum.

[gingercat]

There's some interesting chemistry going on here.

I know pasis and Ouzio go cloudy because they contain an oil that dissolves in alcohol but not water. but what I've discovered is that with this particular essence the temperature is important too. Ifs mid winter here and the Pastis remains cloudy in the bottle. If I warm it to about 20 degrees C the oil dissolves and the spirit becomes clear but when the spirit cools again it goes cloudy.

The challenge seems to be how to get it to stay dissolved at lower temperatures.