Home Distiller

Prestige 48 Hours Turbo Yeast

• *following directions for 15lb/7kg batch (medium amount of sugar as listed on packet)
  *before yeast was added I got these readings:
  • +Potential Alcohol by Volume (PAV): 13%
    +Specific Gravity (SG): 1.1023 (1.098 @ 90F/32C with adjustment of +.0043 for temperature)
  *added yeast and got same readings as above
  *stopped bubbling after 4 days in 80F/26.5C room
  *only allowed to settle for a few hours before distilling
  *SG: .99
  *Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 11-12%

Essential Extractor Pro-Series II w/ premium kettle

• *heat source: propane
  *starting temperature of 84F/29C. (using basic thermometer in the rubber stopper at top of column.)
  *45 minutes into heating it still read 84F/29C
  *55 minutes into heating it read 170F/76.5C
  *By 3 hours 20 minutes the flow was very slow at 175F/79.5C and it started to rain so I shut everything down

Results
I swapped jars about every 2-4oz/60-118ml
ABV of each jar:
1. did not measure first/heads
2. 84
3. 84.5
4. 83
5. 85
6. 85
7. 85
8. 86
9. 85
10. n/a (pulled too little to measure)
11. 82
12. 71
13. 85
14. 55 This is where the samples started to appear a little cloudy (I had a temperature flucuation due to inattention)
15. 47 corrected temperature issue
16. 48.5
17. 54 Condenser spit out about 3 oz/88.5ml in a matter of seconds. I've since read this is caused by a vapor lock and is called surging.
18. 52
19. 61
20. 39 Severe surging, temp normal. Almost filled the 6oz/177.5ml jar in less than 15 seconds!
21. 74 This sample was as clear as samples 1-13 and voted by some to taste the best
22. 55
23. 44
24. 42
25. 64 started raining

Questions

• *Yeast packet says 14-18%. Is that for the largest batch?
  *Should my ABV post-fermentation/pre-distillation have been higher than 11-12%?
  *From what I've read, I think I may have gotten up to temperature too fast. Is 55 minutes from air temp to extraction temp too fast?
  *Is my vapor lock theory correct? Is surging the proper term for the negative results from a vapor lock?
  *Averaging 3oz/88.5ml per sample, was my ABV right to be descending per sample around 39oz/1.1l?
  *Why the spike in ABV and clarity with sample 21?
  *What would you recommend I do with the samples? They are still separated. In other words, keep everything but heads that is above a certain ABV and blend? Re-distill the cloudy samples?
  *My next distill is going to be the 17lb/8kg version of this same yeast. (more sugar than this run.) If I want to add my cloudy, low ABV samples to this distillation, what should I do? I'm concerned about the volume of liquid I'd be putting in the kettle.

Thanks for any and all input!

Wow Pd44, What a first post. First thing It would be nice if you would head over to the welcome center and give us a little introduction...
Secondly I think if you would read hear on HD a little more almost all of your list of questions will be answered...
As far as the ABV of your wash being, in your opinion a little low- when they say 14-18%, this is possible ABV it does not mean that is what you will get every time you use this junk.. I say junk only because I think turbo yeast is a totally waste of money and time.. taste like damnit to me... .
As far as your samples- If you have them numbered start from the middle out and do some tasting and smelling. Blend the ones that taste good to you. What does not taste good to you throw into your feints jar and either mix with the next wash when you run it, or save it till you have enough to do an all feints run.
If it were me I would throw all the shit away- That is what I did the only time I used turbos.
Check out the tried and true recipe section. I think you find some great flavors.. I am really not meaning to down the turbos it is just my experience that they really suck... although I realize you may like them..

do alittle research here and you will find your anserweres.
KS

+1 KS... Iv'e never used turbo yeast... Kentucky's and other experience's were enough for me...
Head on over to the Welcome Center and tell us a little about yerself... We don't bite...

Those ABV readings are a little strange. For a reflux still, your ABV should start high, hold there for most of the run, and then smoothly drop. Anything other than that suggests some operator errors to me. The surging could have been caused by wild fluctuations in the reflux ratio as well I think. Don't worry about the "rhar rar rar turbo yeast bad" stuff for the meantime, sort out your still operation.
Welcome to HD, where you get more opinions than you know what to do with

Samohon wrote:+1 We don't bite...

Much... Do some more reading on the main site, but take what is said in the forums as newer information. I havent used Turbo's because of the cost and the wild claims that some of them are sold with. The basic truth of the whole yeast thing is "if you give your yeast a kinder, gentler experience, they will reward you with better alcohol." That means not stressing them out, letting them live easily and not in high concentrations of their own waste. Turbos SEEM to want to do this very thing.
But to each their own, because in the end, its only you that has to be happy with your product.
Sort out your running technique, then try some of the "tried and true" washes. Then try one with basic yeast and make your own conclusions. Once you get something good going, you can reuse the yeast in washes and it will continue to be strong and healthy.
Im still using the same yeast I started with...last December.

And ScottishBoy, when you read my Welcome center announcement...
It's all in fun!

kiwistiller wrote:Those ABV readings are a little strange. For a reflux still, your ABV should start high, hold there for most of the run, and then smoothly drop. Anything other than that suggests some operator errors to me. The surging could have been caused by wild fluctuations in the reflux ratio as well I think. Don't worry about the "rhar rar rar turbo yeast bad" stuff for the meantime, sort out your still operation.
Welcome to HD, where you get more opinions than you know what to do with

I totally agree with all of this. My thinking about the turbos is, when your making a product with a decent taste It makes it much easier to learn to run your still, and to make cuts.. For instance.. if your running to hard at the first and you smear your cuts, you may never be able to tell with turbos. On the other hand I know with a good recipe there is a huge difference and it is not nearly has hard to tell when your making a good product anyway.
I did not mean to just blasphemy the turbos.. I personally though would just as soon drink gasoline.. Damn there I go again..
KS

It's a fair and valid opinion mate, no need to apologise for it.

First, welcome! On the distilling side, looks like your column is having trouble stabilizing. Could be you need to insulate it (never a bad idea anyway). Could also be varying water pressure to your reflux condenser. Or a combination of both. Your abv should have stabilized early on, and held fairly steady through a good portion of the run. Stay safe. Have fun!