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The Tale of Bitterness: A Postscript of Regret
Bought the T500 to get started and joined the FB group. Posts there say most run at 45C – 55C and get 1ltr an hour. I had to run mine at 65C – 75C to get close to 1ltr an hour. After a few weeks decided to dismantle the whole thing and rebuild without the plastic top. Had one run since, entirely different beast, 47C 1ltr+ an hour so something was wrong no idea what.Have only run 1 sugar wash did not like the results, as I’ve been brewing beer from grains decided to run mashes instead. 2 different recipes about 10 runs in total, all has a bitter after taste just can’t figure out where it’s coming from. 2 clues, white fungus growing on top of the ferment forming bubbles and or possibly ph a little low going into the still. Plan atm is to boil the wort after mashing as per beer though for a shorter time and check adjust ph of beer before distilling. Any other ideas pls.Bit heath robinson but had to make end plate out of a piece of 22mm pipe.
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10 Replies
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Have you asked this question in the FB group?I don’t know if the plastic hose is enough to cause the problem you describe as I have no experience with plastics in stills. My research told me not to use any plastics.
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The plastic hose is just for cooling water, the plastic I removed was the top cap. I don’t think that causes any problems as there are a lot of users with the standard build. I removed it as advice here is no plastic where the high abv can contact it. No I have not asked in the FB group, think there is likely a lot more experience here. I stripped the still as I wanted to eliminate any possibility it was the cause judging by the big change in performance something was wrong but not anything that caused the bitter taste as it’s still present in the last run. Pic of the original: https://brew2bottle.co.uk/products/stil … egEALw_wcB
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Most of the people on a lot of the facebook groups I have looked at have absolutely NFI about distilling…….only what the homebrew shop owner told them…and you dont listen to him……he just wants the money from your pocket.Chris , sometimes its best to not to comment on subjects you know zero about, that hose is simply carrying water from the RC to the PC.I do know , I started out on one of those stills years ago.When you say sugar wash what was it , around these parts “sugar wash ” covers a lot of ground….some shitty Turbo yeast thing ? or a nice clean ferment Like Shadys Sugar Shine …….Or maybe Teds Vodka ?Bitter to me suggests bad cuts , to wide in the tails section, are you making cuts and if so how ?Another point is that its much easier to Run a T500 by watching the product output speed that constantly gazing at a thermometer.If you search around the forum through the T500 posts you will find where Ive explained this method before.If you cant find it , let me know and I’ll try n find it for you.
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That’s all good advice SB.In general, if you focus on a known recipe initially from something in the Tried and True Section of the forum, many of us have knowledge and experience that can help directly compare your results or procedure to what we know works, and get you there faster. Bitterness can be from a number of factors from the recipe (including yeast choice), fermentation conditions, how the still is run, and cuts after distillation. A known process and a detailed account will help us help you!
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I did start a bit obsessed with the temperature after reading the instructions but from watching Still It I realised better to watch the output (drip drip spurt ish). I take around 150ml as fores change jars for heads and collect until smell and taste are good. Change again to bigger jars and collect around 2ltrs + until smell and taste start to change when I go back to the smaller jars until taste indicates low abv. All is left overnight (sometimes longer) to air before smelling and tasting to blend. Since reducing the packing blend comes out around 75 – 80abv since I’m trying to keep flavour with a one and done run.Mash is 20ltrs, 7k grist, 1k inverted sugar, OG 1070 as I can’t lift more then 7k wet grain hence the sugar to bump it, add some cold water and pitch 1118 or bakers yeast when temp is around 27C. Check at around 7 – 10 days depending on activity for SG and ph adjust if required, FG around 1008 – 1012. No clearing I let all drop to the bottom and syphon off. I thought age was the key or I’d have stopped and asked sooner, but now have some 3months old and still very bitter. Started adding activated charcoal which seems to reduce the bitterness some. The mod made a huge difference, not sure what was wrong with it but suspect the reflux condenser coil was touching the side of the still. I don’t think removing the plastic top did anything but was not happy having product touching plastic and the seal wasn’t fitted properly anyway. 1 run since the mod and the result is the same bitter after taste, though the flavour is different but the beer sat for around 5 weeks while I was awaiting solder and flux to reassemble probably explains that. Probably read your post already but will go check. Thanx for the reply. Sugar was was teds vodka with bakers yeast.
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Bitter? There’s nothing that I can think of that would do that apart from ingredients. Do you have a weird water chemistry? What are you mashing & fermenting in? You are getting contamination somewhere.I had a weird problem like that one time. I was using a turkey baster to get jar samples. Turned out there was a little contamination in the bulb that made everything taste awful.
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Put tape over the thermometer. Here might be a clue to the funky taste.”white fungus growing on top of the ferment forming bubbles”Are you fermenting off the grain?If so, Ya don’t have to boil the wort after conversion, just heat it up enough to kill off the nasties.170f or a little higher will getter done. The downfall is enzymes from malt will be denature and the final gravity won’t get to down to 1.000
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From making beer I don’t expect the FG to be 1.000 or lower due to unfermentables but yeah will try boiling for 15 mins see how the works out. Thanx for that I do suspect there’s some infection that’s causing the bitter taste. After stripping the still and checking all parts can’t see what else it can be. On the upside stripping and the mods has made the still work way better and much more efficient. Eradicate the furry bubbles.
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Those white foamy bubbles on top sounds like a good lacto infection. I’ve never heard any one ever say a Lactos made it bitter. You might want to keep it. Good Lacto should smell like pineapple or like pineapple wine. Brewing beer and mashing grain for likker are two different things, although simular. What is your mashing protocol? If done right you shouldn’t have many, if any unfermentable sugar and your FG should be below. 999 if your not making rum or sweetfeed (mole asses). Could it be preservatives in some ingredient your using?If it’s got hide or hair, I used to ride it. Wheels or tracks, I can drive it. Rotor or fixed wings, I can fly it.And if it’s grain, I’ll make a drop outta it!
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Bitter is often used to describe a finished wash. To me, it’s more of a sour taste.But I’ve never experienced that bitter after distillation. Maybe it’s a mistake in cuts.
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