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Hello everyone,

I am making mashes from beet sugar. I get only hearts from spirit runs. All distillation processes are the same. However sometimes my alcohol taste is like sugar or honey, very tasty. But sometimes it is not tasty and not satisfying taste. I distill my wash when hydrometer reading is 990 and also the wash starts to seem clear. Should I wait longer for sugary taste or should I start to distill immediately when hydrometer is 990 and not to wait for clear appearance? Many thanks in advance. Regards.

Are you trying to make a neutral spirit using a reflux column? I'm not sure exactly what you are making or what kind of still you are using.

As soon as it is done fermenting, you can strip it. Waiting longer for it to clear (or forcing the wash to clear) can be beneficial when you are making a clean neutral because clearing a wash aids in removing flavor. Not clearing should encourage more flavor.

Salt Must Flow wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2023 9:07 am Are you trying to make a neutral spirit using a reflux column? I'm not sure exactly what you are making or what kind of still you are using.

Yes I am making neutral spirit with a pot still.

As soon as it is done fermenting, you can strip it. Waiting longer for it to clear (or forcing the wash to clear) can be beneficial when you are making a clean neutral because clearing a wash aids in removing flavor. Not clearing should encourage more flavor.

By flavor do you mean sugar flavor? Because there is only yeast and beet sugar in mash. After the fermentation there is no sugar left though. What I want is a flavor of sugar after distillation.Thanks.

Yes I am making neutral spirit with a pot still.

For the most potential for flavor, you could just do your stripping run as soon as you are confident fermentation is finished. Some washes or mashes may have a tendency to scorch if not adequately cleared. I assume you would know best with what you are fermenting.

Cakicen wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2023 9:30 am
What I want is a flavor of sugar

Cakicen wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2023 9:32 am
I am making neutral spirit

These goals are in opposition to each other.

What you make with sugar is not a mash, a mash is made with grains.
A ferment made with sugar is a wash.
You will find it very difficult to make "neutral" with a pot still.
Please work on using the right words for what you are doing.

I’m new to this whole thing, subsequently I don’t know shit.
IMHO it seems to me that your flavor profiles MAY have less to do with a function of time and more to do with variables during your ferment. Things like infections and yeast stress.

It could also be small variables in how you’re running the product during your spirit run. As was mentioned above the more details you give can sometimes lead to more specific advice.

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:45 pm What you make with sugar is not a mash, a mash is made with grains.
A ferment made with sugar is a wash.
You will find it very difficult to make "neutral" with a pot still.
Please work on using the right words for what you are doing.

Sorry for my English. Yes then I am making a wash ferment with simple sugar. What I wonder is, why some of the distilled alcohol have nice sugar flavor and some have not. They are all from the same wash. I mean they are all from 2 kg same sugar, 8 liter same water, 30 grams same baking yeast. What is the reason some has very nice flavor and some does not? Thanks

Also the distillation process is same. First strip run, than spirit run. Same ratios of heads, hearts, tails. I get only the hearts, trash the others.

Stonecutter wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2023 2:53 pm I’m new to this whole thing, subsequently I don’t know shit.
IMHO it seems to me that your flavor profiles MAY have less to do with a function of time and more to do with variables during your ferment. Things like infections and yeast stress.

It could also be small variables in how you’re running the product during your spirit run. As was mentioned above the more details you give can sometimes lead to more specific advice.

Thank you for the nice explanation

Cakicen wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2023 8:50 pm
What I wonder is, why some of the distilled alcohol have nice sugar flavor and some have not. They are all from the same wash. I mean they are all from 2 kg same sugar, 8 liter same water, 30 grams same baking yeast. What is the reason some has very nice flavor and some does not? Thanks

You're recipe is stressing the yeast during fermentation.
If you want consistency, I'd recommend using 1.5kg or a little less sugar in 8ltrs water.
The yeast also needs some nutrients such as FERMAID K™

shadylane wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 11:42 pm

Cakicen wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2023 8:50 pm
What I wonder is, why some of the distilled alcohol have nice sugar flavor and some have not. They are all from the same wash. I mean they are all from 2 kg same sugar, 8 liter same water, 30 grams same baking yeast. What is the reason some has very nice flavor and some does not? Thanks

You're recipe is stressing the yeast during fermentation.
If you want consistency, I'd recommend using 1.5kg or a little less sugar in 8ltrs water.
The yeast also needs some nutrients such as FERMAID K™

Thanks very much. I use DAP and don't know if I need further nutrients. I will try to fix hydrometer setting around 1080 by increasing water as per your suggestion