Forum Rules, Notifications and Helpful Hints

Explore the community of craft distillers and discover the largest professional association dedicated to the art and science of craft distillation. ACE DISTILLER has been serving all levels, from novice enthusiasts to seasoned professionals, in the craft distilling industry since 2010.

Home Forums My First Sodium Carbonate

  • Sodium Carbonate

    Posted by shadow74 on April 28, 2024 at 11:29 am

    I have been reading up about adding sodium carbonate to the low wines prior to distilling i am just curious whats the benefits, also.wete do i get it from and how much to use

    Yonder replied 8 months, 3 weeks ago 6 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • The Stig

    Member
    April 28, 2024 at 2:15 am

    Some say it compresses the tails .
    I’ve never tried it because I like keeping things simple and clean
    Making good cuts is all that’s really needed

  • indenial

    Member
    April 28, 2024 at 3:56 am

    I have no experience using sodium carbonate in distillation. I was thinking of adding some to my rum muck to raise the pH.
    It’s also known as soda ash. You can get it from pool shop or the pool supplies aisle in the big green shed. It obviously won’t be food grade from either of those places.

  • bluc

    Member
    April 28, 2024 at 5:38 am

    My understanding is Esters are formed by boiling different acids along with ethanol.
    If you add an alkaline the acid is neutralised and the ester does not form. leaving a more neutral, "neutral."Last edited by bluc on Sun Apr 28, 2024 5:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

  • Wellsy

    Member
    April 28, 2024 at 11:40 am

    I have not heard of that being done, but there is plenty i dont know 🙂

    where did yoiu read it ?

  • Yonder

    Member
    April 29, 2024 at 3:36 am

    Sodium is salt. If you want to correct pH try using Calcium carbonate. It is available on the net as food grade and won’t mess with flavoring.

  • bluc

    Member
    April 29, 2024 at 3:44 am

    Not sure calcium carbonate is right(strong enough alkaline for this application but i think your right be careful with it like bicarb is a salt and may effect flavour.

  • Yonder

    Member
    April 30, 2024 at 3:38 am

    It’s common limestone powder, chalk. Also in Tums. And egg shells (just remember to remove the membrane!). Adding CaCO to the wash gently raises pH. Adding eggshells moderates pH like oyster shell. Adding Tums is just silly 😀

  • The Stig

    Member
    April 30, 2024 at 4:14 am

    Your thinking calcium carbonate, this is sodium, different things for different purpose

  • Yonder

    Member
    May 1, 2024 at 3:13 am

    Understand. Started out pointing out it is not a great idea to salt your wash but use calcium instead. Sodium carbonate is an irritant o both eyes and sinuses so handle carefully. But whatever you use, use in moderation until you get a handle on the effects to you product.

Log in to reply.

en_USEnglish