Home Distiller

Sweet feed mash has been sitting for 10 days. Measured .990. Smells awesome. My plan was to start a ujssm with the lees. Wasn’t thinking much and threw in some sparkolloid to help clear it up. Have I screwed up by adding this and killed the yeast bed for making a sour mash? Should I keep the lees and just add the water, sugar, and cooled backset? Add more yeast to new batch? What say you? Thanks!

Don’t think so. It’s a clarifier, sometimes used in wines. It is statically charged to collect floating particles and settle them down. It is not toxic, so should be fine. But....you shouldn’t need it if your ferment is done.

For a 2nd generation, check the pH. Ferments tend to go acidic (falling pH) and so you may need to raise it if it’s too low. Use a little calcium hydroxide (pickling lime) if needed. You should be able to find it in the canning section at your local grocery store.
ss

Why do a lot of newbs seem intent on using clearing agents lately? There is no need for them. Is this some new emerging trend picked up from watching to much youtube ?

It also gets promoted by turbo-pushing homebrew-shop salesmen SBB, but I see what you mean, I've noticed a fair few threads on clarifying agents in the recent past also.

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Wed Dec 02, 2020 2:00 pm Why do s lot of newbs seem intent on using clearing agents lately? There is no need for them. Is this some new emerging trend picked up from watching to much youtube ?

Impatience.

SBB, a lot of the “newbie” distillers are here because of the TV show....you know...easy money, get rich quick mentality. And often times, the new members are young, wanting a “quick reward”. So, expediency is the “name of the game”...just like “nuclear aging”. Gotta’ get it quick.

So yes, besides the Youtube generation, they are looking to a fast reward. It’s the generation. Silly, huh? To me, a hobby is something I practice over a long time. It is the enjoyment of the diligence that brings true rewards.
ss

Thanks for the help still_stirrin. That’s the info I was hoping for.
Impatience nope. Us “newbies” are here to learn. So what’s wrong with using the sparkolloid other than “that’s what we “learned” from YouTube or tv?”
Does it change flavor or mess up the mash? Or is it just offending to some to use it?

Graw wrote: ↑Wed Dec 02, 2020 5:45 pm … So what’s wrong with using the sparkolloid … Does it change flavor or mess up the mash?

Here you go:
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 15&t=18832
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=555
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=51879
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... =3&t=11956
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 40&t=17779
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... =3&t=12154

I have no idea how the poly-saccharides will react when boiled. So, give it a go...then you’ll know!
ss

Clarifying with chitosan & keisesol in wine making is quite common. Perhaps it's carry-over "tribal knowledge?" Not sure about beer - never made it...

I just searched this to determine if it would benefit having a clear wash, since I never run clear but I'll pick up bread notes in my new make for a few weeks to months.

I was thinking that maybe it's the suspended yeast that is carrying over. It wasn't about time for me, I can gladly let it settle naturally, but wanted to see if there were suitable methods to make it even cleaner and clearer

If a wash doesn't have significant residual sugar, I don't think that clearing it provides much benefit, provided you intend to do a spirit run after stripping runs. I get the yeasty and other aromas in a stripping run for sure, but regardless of the clarity of the source, I've never found any of that to carry over to a spirit run.

If a ferment is not fully complete, rushed, or stalled, it takes special care to heat it to a boil if you aren't going to go through the extra steps to get it to finish. In that case, it becomes easier to scorch, and it seems the more is in suspension in the mash/wash, the more likely that is to occur, probably because it gives sugar something to stick to where the heat is most intense. These are just observations from experiences I've had, not the voice of authority.