Fungus

Treatment and handling of your distillate.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Jed Clampett
Novice
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:00 am

Fungus

Post by Jed Clampett »

I had a bottle of 110 liquor that started growing a shadowy fungus in it. It was 6 months old. Any one seen this before?. What is the cause and how to prevent it.
Tater Patch Kid
Bootlegger
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:33 pm
Location: In The Garden, intermountain west

Re: Fungus

Post by Tater Patch Kid »

First thought would be some tails. Cloudy percipatate showing up at it's current temp.
Lets see what other members have to say!
User avatar
MitchyBourbon
Distiller
Posts: 2304
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:03 pm

Re: Fungus

Post by MitchyBourbon »

If I had to guess I'd say that you have some precipitate which happens to float. It's not unheard of. As the precipitate forms, it floats to the top.

It is almost impossible to grow any microorganism in ethanol at 110 proof. That said, there are some fungi that need small amounts of alcohol to survive.
I'm goin the distance...
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13924
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Fungus

Post by NZChris »

Recheck the proof.
Jed Clampett
Novice
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:00 am

Re: Fungus

Post by Jed Clampett »

it was made with my made with my reflux still and cut from 180 to 110 with my well water and then through 3' of carbon filter before going in a vodka bottle cleaned with pbw cleaner.
Bagasso
Distiller
Posts: 1344
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:09 pm

Re: Fungus

Post by Bagasso »

Jed Clampett wrote:I had a bottle of 110 liquor that started growing a shadowy fungus in it. It was 6 months old. Any one seen this before?. What is the cause and how to prevent it.
I've had white fluffy sediment. It did look like fungus but I knew that the water that I used to dilute was very hard and have seen similar fluff when ph treating.
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10372
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: Fungus

Post by still_stirrin »

Jed Clampett wrote:....cut from 180 to 110 with my well water....
Best to use distilled or reverse osmosis at least. Well water has minerals which could form precipitate when mixed with high ABV% alcohol. It usually doesn't taste bad, but looks "fuzzy, fluffy and white".
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
Jed Clampett
Novice
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:00 am

Re: Fungus

Post by Jed Clampett »

Water isn't the issue here. Well water as been used for hundreds of year and longer. This is a living growing fungus. I have been doing this for 40 years and this is the first I have seen something that could grow in 110 proof liquor. It isn't from tails or clouds from water from minerals in my well water. I guess I will consider it a new type of life form and leave it at that.
User avatar
bearriver
Master of Distillation
Posts: 4442
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:17 pm
Location: Western Washington

Re: Fungus

Post by bearriver »

Heaps of us have seen precipitate that looks like fungus from diluting with well water. Just is what it is.

However if you want to think you discovered a new form of life, power to you. You may not believe it but anything can happen in a world so seriously strange.
Post Reply