Question about oxidized/old wine

[rubberduck71]

I find it difficult to believe that bakers yeast, by itself, would ruin any ferment... I'd suspect something other than simply the use of bakers yeast as the culprit... I've made many different washes and wines and have never used anything but bakers yeast... My father, on the other hand, used many different yeasts over the years and had quite a few less than stellar results... There were several award winning wines along the way, however... Which reminds me that I have gallons and gallons of his old wine in the basement to be run through my reflux column... Years of aging hasn't improved them at all...

Found the above while researching fig wine/spirits. I have gallons of old wine from 2002-2010-ish that does not taste good anymore. While I don't have a reflux still (yet), would it be possible to extract the ethanol w/o any off-flavors as a neutral?

I tried 3x pot-stilling an old green apple reisling, but did not like the outcome. I have a small pot still.

Thanks!!!
Duck

[The Baker]

I had lots of wine that I had been buying and not drinking a lot. Still have a lot.
People have said I get a bit obsessive about stuff and at 79 years of age I am starting to realise they may be right.
Somewhat, anyway...

Anyway I distilled lots of it in my 20 litre pot still and got quite a decent brandy.

Good luck, don't throw anything away.

Geoff

[still_stirrin]

Yep.

I just brought home 2 kegs of Bud Light that has been in a temperature uncontrolled shed for 2 years. I wouldn’t drink it and they can’t sell it. Plus, the distributer won’t credit any back, so it’ll go down the drain. So, I’m going to strip the alcohol out and then reflux it to a high proof. I’ll give it back to the “venue” as a clean neutral, or process it to what ever they may want out of it.

Waste not...want not. It absolutely does not need to be dumped down the drain. The taxes have already been paid and there is no “point of sale” revenue left. But, it’s still alcohol. The 2 kegs should return me a gallon of high proof liquor at least.
ss

[Chauncey]

Have you stripped hopped beer before ss?


Nvm i already asked you that a few months back

[still_stirrin]

Have you stripped hopped beer before ss?

I have, yes. IPAs are especially rough...a lot of residual hop flavors.

But this is Bud Light. Not much hops in it. Not much of anything really. It comes out pretty clean, especially from the reflux run.
ss

[Chauncey]

Yea i forgot i alrdy asked you that the last time this came up

[pounsfos]

Have you stripped hopped beer before ss?


Nvm i already asked you that a few months back

Aeveryone remembers their first time distilling beer haha

worse comes to worse you can either:
1. chuck it on some wood and leave it for a few years
2 distill ya wine into some likker, then next time you have a spirit run to do, add a few litres and slowly get rid of it from their.
3. use it as fuel to light a fire, weed killer, alcohol stove or sell it on the street as hand sanitiser (haha)

get creative, have some fun, it's whats it's all about

[shadylane]

I have gallons of old wine from 2002-2010-ish that does not taste good anymore. While I don't have a reflux still (yet), would it be possible to extract the ethanol w/o any off-flavors as a neutral?

If I were in your shoes,
I'd do stripping runs, with maybe a tiny foreshots cut.
Save all the lowines for future redistillation.
Except some of the hearts for testing

As a side note
Turning that much wine into a neutral sounds sacrilegious
Hells fire, ain't you ever heard of brandy

[The Baker]

I have gallons of old wine from 2002-2010-ish that does not taste good anymore. While I don't have a reflux still (yet), would it be possible to extract the ethanol w/o any off-flavors as a neutral?

If I were in your shoes,
I'd do stripping runs, with maybe a tiny foreshots cut.
Save all the lowines for future redistillation.
Except some of the hearts for testing

As a side note
Turning that much wine into a neutral sounds sacrilegious
Hells fire, ain't you ever heard of brandy

Yes!

Geoff

[RAS_Brewer]

I have gallons of old wine from 2002-2010-ish that does not taste good anymore. While I don't have a reflux still (yet), would it be possible to extract the ethanol w/o any off-flavors as a neutral?

I tried 3x pot-stilling an old green apple reisling, but did not like the outcome. I have a small pot still.

Thanks!!!
Duck

I did that to 5 cases of old oxidized reds but wanted a brandy. Ran two stripping runs, and on a spirit run got a couple liters of tight hearts and the majority went into a reflux run. Added oak spirals and some raisins until it was what I wanted. My wine club buddies are in for a treat, since they were going to dump the stuff.

Not sure how successful you'll be stripping it neutral on your still, but you can always call it brandy and go with it.

[Corsaire]

Grape neutral spirit can be a great gin base. I've triple pot stilled wine once.
It's also the traditional base spirit for quality absinthe. No reflux needed imo, some grape flavor is desirable.

[jonnys_spirit]

Also great for a Rakka style base spirit or a Gran Marnier. I say still it and use it!

Cheers,
jonny