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So maybe this question has been answered somewhere already but I'll ask outright and see if I can get a consensus:
Typically I prefer a food based nutrient cocktail for my yeasties to chow on but I've read here and there about using crushed multi vitamins. I assume it works but does the flavor of the vitamin come through in the distillation? Keep in mind I run a pot still.
What are the standing opinions/experiences with this?

A quick Q...what are you trying to ferment? a sugar wash?

Well, as of now I ferment cereal fed sugar washes and brandy. As I pointed out I like the food based stuff just because it seems to import a positive character to my product. This question is primarily out of curiosity, I've not attempted it though it might make for an interesting experiment, unless of course someone has already tried it and has input. I usually flavor my spirits so using a sugar wash is just a low cost approach.

I use the contents of Vit B complex capsuals in my rum, Ive never noticed any off flavour.
Having said that Ive read of at least one person who says they can taste it in their finished product.

If by cereal you mean like a boxed ready to eat cereal, you're practically using a muti-vitamin already.

I have and haven't used vitamins in various sugar washes and have never tasted them. I always used women's vitamins and have no idea why. I just vaguely remembered somebody saying they were slightly better so I just do.

Right, the cereal seems to be best in terms of a nutrient source but I'm just curious about multivitamins. I suppose I may just have to try a small batch....

Alchemist75 wrote:...does the flavor of the vitamin come through in the distillation? Keep in mind I run a pot still.
What are the standing opinions/experiences with this?

Not that I can notice

I use two crushed B-Complex (and know the taste) but never perceived it in the finished product. Never.

As long you don't use something like flavored effervescent tablets or lozenges, it will be fine.

Vegemite has plenty of yeast nutrients, is always in my pantry and costs less than multivitamins. You can make your own by boiling yeast or trub. I've never tasted it in my finished product.

So I actually did a test ferment a few months back employing nothing but sugar and a "food based" multivitamin as well as a little lemon juice. It was a sluggish ferment but it did eventually go to dryness. I did a single stripping run with my pot still and the resulting spirit was reasonably awful. It totally tasted like a multivitamin. After airing out for a week most of the nasty smack passed and I threw the first run product in with the rest of the low wines from another ferment to be re distilled. A ghost of the vitamin flavor was to be detected even after the spirit run but wasn't overbearing and disappeared completely behind botanical flavoring. While it might be OK on a column I don't think it works so well on a basic pot.
I conducted a similar experiment using a vanilla flavored, plant based meal replacement powder as the nutrient source. The yeast loved that stuff, it fermented out very quickly. The vanilla flavor didn't survive the ferment and the resulting low wines from the distillation definitely had this unplaceable, vegetal character but it cleaned up well enough on a second distillation that it could be readily masked with botanical flavoring. Honestly, the only nutrient sources I've found suitable for a pot still sugar wash is cereals or grain extractives. I'm going to see how a kale wash translates in the not too distant future though I kinda already know that the final flavor will likely be unusual.

I regularly use multivitamins in my sugar wash and I've never been able to taste anything.

My $0.02 YMMV

You running a column or pot?

Actually just looking at your rig I'd say you get more passive reflux than my pot does. Mine has a passive reflux head but not nearly as tall as that.

Alchemist - wasn't sure if that was still question was directed to me. My LM bok is entirely for neutral hence it's height and RC, but I also strip with my pot head and there is no off flavours there either.

The wash does look a tad orange in color but that's it.

OK, so it is a reflux. Cool. Perhaps it's the type of vitamin I used? My ferment was bright orange as well, probably the b vitamins in it. All I know is it ran off smelling like a GNC exploded and tasted of it too. I get a lot of the flavor of origin on my pot so executing a neutral would require 4-5 passes with cuts on each. I follow the two run protocol and my final product is light but never neutral.

Perhaps a formulation difference in the multivitamin? Mine were a bottle of Centrum I think.

Quite possibly. "Food based" vitamins are essentially USP grade, like centrum or other big box brands that have been fermented with brewers yeast in order to increase bio availability of the nutrients. They theoretically would be the ultimate yeast food because they have all the nutrients the yeast need plus a fair amount of dead yeast simply by virtue of how they are made. They are typically a bit more stinky than USP but not drastically so. I'll try the experiment again with a basic USP and post my results once it's done. I like tinkering around anyway.

To much of anything will carry over ifn not careful.
Ifn suspended and boiling, you'll be risking unique off flavors.

I suspect it's the "food based" vitamins as I've used cheap generic vitamins off and on many times. Enough with and without I think I would've noticed a difference.

No ones ever tried distillers nutrients w/or w/o ag (amaliaglose)?? Hmmm lots to learn, y'all is way behind.
Never will know till you try..All bout bein a distiller, not one dimensional cheap or scared..
Any of the above and you'd better quit.
I'd never use vitamins Or tomato paste in anything of mine.
Don't think any top crafts/pros use em neither.
Cheaper and better than ultra megas or paste.
Don't be satisfied with generic ingredients or additives.
Strive to produce the best..

I found a good nutrient mix recipe and put it on the wiki: https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/index.ph ... trient_Mix" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

If you're doing anything other than a sugar wash it's not really needed but can help things along. I use a small amount of DAP but am going to switch to the one I posted in the wiki. I figure that I am like a farmer but my crop is yeast. So anything to make my yeast happier the better.

Aye, I don't have nutrient problems with my usual sugar heads but I get off on playing with odd ball alternatives. I don't think my base spirit can get much cheaper in terms of initial cost unless I come into a bunch of freebies which I periodically do. Still have a case of baby cereal I need to use up that just landed in my lap. Got a lot of multivitamins I didn't have to pay a cent for as well as meal replacement mixes. May as well play around.