cloudy product

[GScarth]

I made a batch of rye whiskey that I aged in charred white oak strips in half gallon mason jars one year. It aged at 140 proof. I cut it with distilled water to 94 proof and it went cloudy. Any thoughts?

[Stainless]

Hi, I dont know what you done but it would help if you could explain more about the eqpt. you are using and the recipe you went with.
I cant age stuff, my kitchen/workroom is really small space. About aging at 140 proof,? 70abv? was it from a 'pot' still? thats an awful high in more sense than one. barreling is usually done at 110 proof 55%abv. Why not jump into the 'Welcome Center/Centre and say hello, Everything you need to know is here on this site, and you unfortunately will be told told to read,read , read.
Welcome to HD. Its a great place to be
ps. Do not add water to high abv, add alco to water, this can cause cloudiness, lots of recent posts on this
Cheers. And have a good time
Stainless

[GScarth]

I have a still with a fairly efficient fractionating column that I can get up to 170 proof. All copper.
I consulted a friend who also a chemist and we agreed that the problem was I was collecting above 90 C. and secondary alcohols were
coming out of solution forming a colloidal suspension. The stuff tastes great though. I can't tell the difference from
Crown Royal.

[Prairiepiss]

I have a still with a fairly efficient fractionating column that I can get up to 170 proof. All copper.
I consulted a friend who also a chemist and we agreed that the problem was I was collecting above 90 C. and secondary alcohols were
coming out of solution forming a colloidal suspension. The stuff tastes great though. I can't tell the difference from
Crown Royal.

How did you make your cuts? Are you making cuts?

[bcboyz86]

Sometimes adding water to likker can make it cloudy. I would give it a few days. But if it doesn't settle out on the bottom, or ya don't get floaties on top I dunno what ya would do.... Maybe toss in the freezer? Sometimes fussel oils make the solution cloudy...

[mealstrom]

The two recommendations I'd make are to not distill whiskey at such a high abv and to increase your cooling. At that high abv I think you're going to be losing quite a bit of flavor, making it more neutral. Of course if you like that taste, then keep going with it.

As far as cooling, that has a huge impact on your final product. My distillate comes out at a pretty consistent 60 - 65 degrees F (15 or so degrees C). If I'm reading your post right, your stuff is coming out almost at the temp alcohol boils. That can't be good for your final product at all. It probably burns like an SOB going down!

[Oxbo Rene]

I know I've added water to cut my stuff down and it instantly became cloudy.
But upon real close inspection, I saw that the cloudy was caused by mi-nute air bubbles, which
went away in time ...................

[ga flatwoods]

It is your water. Was it municipal, distilled, or well? Try distilled. Pour the cloudy product through a coffe filter and drink it. Dont worry about the 140 proof from your pot just dont age it that high-110-125. My last UJSSM with copper scrubber started out at about 175. Read full flavor whiskey with a reflux still by Odin.
GA Flatwoods