Great vid as usual. Reinforces what I got from your "Can Sodium Carbonate Make A Better Vodka". I'm about to add sodium carbonate to my kale sugar wash low wines for the first time and do the spirit run this weekend. Based on this vid I'm looking forward to the results!
Wow that’s awesome. I loved the Kale Wash so much, I really should make some more of that. It would be good for you to do your own comparison of the two Washes. Good luck buddy. And Keep Shining 😎
Thanks for your reseearch videos... They' re grrrreat!! I've done a few SC- enhanced spirit runs. While it does make a huge difference in getting a cleaner spirit, I find I get a definite hint of bread soda on the tongue on a number of my cut jars. Any thoughts on this?
The ‘normal’ Distilled Sugar Washes were very raw indeed. It’s like it was fighting back at me 😂 I’m still amazed at how well the SC Distillation process works.
I found the exact product you are using and will give it a shot! I'm going to do a comparison of the birdwatchers mash versus a turbo yeast mash, both double distilled to see if there is any difference. As I mentioned before, doing a strip/spirit of the birdwatchers mash made the best shine I've ever made so it will be an interesting comparison to me to see if it gets even better!
I really do hope you find it makes a massive difference. Although I’m not sure how far you can go before you think a Neutral Spirit can’t be any more Neutral. As long as you’re happy with what you’re making, that’s the main thing to aspire towards.
@@highly-spirited I took a stinky sweet potato mash I had done the stripping run on, and a tomato paste mash with the stripping run done on as well, and then diluted it to 35%. I had 3.5 gallons in the still at that point. I then added 6 teaspoons of sodium carbonate to it. That is a little under the 1/2 teaspoon per liter you mentioned. And the conclusion...I really couldn't tell the difference from my last ran double distilled batch to this but the problem was that I didn't save any form the first batch to really compare side by side! It was so good I drank it all! (with a little help from my friends as well..) But this batch seems very good either way. No more sweet potato batches for me, that mash smells terrible! Now I'm doing a plain sugar wash with turbo yeast. It will be a high abv mash since the starting gravity is 1.12 @ 7.5 gallons. Thanks to 18 pounds of sugar and 2 packs of the turbo yeast! It fermented like mad. Should be a 17% abv mash if it finishes right which I'm sure it will. That will produce a lot of ethanol I'm sure. These 1.07 starting gravity at lesser volumes don't make a lot. So, I'll double distill this new batch and try one more time with the sodium carbonate, plus I'll save some of this current batch so I can do a real comparison. Fun times honestly! Love bringing science to my hobbies!
@@chuckdock4436 good news buddy. Glad to hear you’re plugging away with experimenting! Shame you didn’t have a comparison for your distillate because, as you saw with my experience, it made a huge difference. I have had other good results from different washes, but the still S/C tops the lot. Keep Shining brother 😎
Personally I can’t see any advantage in doing multiple Stripping Runs with my turbo yeast sugar washes. I am however definitely using the SC in future Sugar Washes from now on. Trust me, it made that much of a difference!
Bravo. I have read that sodium carbonate (Na2CO3 -- soda ash) hydrolysess ethyl acetate -- which tastes like a** -- into acetic acid and ethanol. Dunno what acetic acid tastes like, but apparently not as bad as ethyl acetate. Cheers!
It turns not into acetic acid, but in a Sodium acetate salt which can't be distilled so it doesn't get in your product. See my comment at the video before when our Highly Spirited friend did the first sodium carbonate run. I always run with Sodium Hydroxide and keep it on a full reflux for about 20 minutes before I start taking the product.
@@erwinamesz7642 absolutely right, as per the end result of the Wash at the end of the Run. You could clearly see the granules left in the bottom of the kettle of the Still.
I've been putting sodium bicarbonate (i.e. baking soda) into my low wines, and leaving them to sit for a few weeks before distilling but the spirit still comes out with a yeasty smell. Maybe sodium carbonate will give better results? Tried carbon filtering and triple distilling but the flavour remains. I think you really need to start with a clean fermentation, "can't polish a turd" so to speak. The best I've had from a sugar wash so far was with Wilko's "Express yeast compound" which I guess is a bit like a turbo yeast but way less intense. Only been doing this since January so I'm still experimenting. I've done a few birdwatchers and breakfast cereal sugar washes, but they have that yeasty smell too. I think I'm going to stop using bakers yeast and try some wine yeast, also got a Still Spirits gin yeast to try.
you're posting at 7PM my time instead of 2AM. i don't have to stay up all night waiting...lol you ever run shine thru a water filter? that's a big game changer with sugar washes. gets rid of that dirty sock taste.
Who in their right mind would stay up that late for one of my silly videos! 😂 I’ve tried Active Carbon filtering, but tbh it was a lot of messing about for not much gain, if any. The majority of my final neutral products are ok, it’s just how harsh it can be on the senses. I’m a delicate flower really don’t ya know 😆
@@highly-spirited Back in the day George did a video on filtering so I had to try it. went to the pet store and bought a bag aquarium active carbon filter material and a cat. put it in a piece of PVC pipe with holes in it. my shine pretty much tasted like cat. the 5lb. bag of active carbon is still sitting in the window.
Hi Folks! I just got some Calcium Carbonate in from amazon today so I could try this out. Shit! - just realised it's not not sodium carbonate (my mistake). Should I send it back and get the sodium carbonate - or just give this a swing and hope no-one gets poisoned? I think calcium carbonate is the same as crushed up sea shells - so not sure if it'll give me the results I need - without any unexpected risks that I don't. Anyone got any ideas or experience with this? Please share your wisdom - thanks in advance - David
I've read the sodium carbonate will react with the organics in a wash & turn the spirit blue (adding copper sulphate to the spirit) thus why its only used on a second distillation.
Did I not explain it very well? The first shot was a single Distillation, the second shot was a double Distillation and the third shot was a double Distillation with the added Sodium Carbonate.
Larfed so much my head fell off! 😂😂😂 ... subscribed 😅
father and son picture, LOL! 🤣
Great vid as usual. Reinforces what I got from your "Can Sodium Carbonate Make A Better Vodka". I'm about to add sodium carbonate to my kale sugar wash low wines for the first time and do the spirit run this weekend. Based on this vid I'm looking forward to the results!
Wow that’s awesome. I loved the Kale Wash so much, I really should make some more of that. It would be good for you to do your own comparison of the two Washes. Good luck buddy. And Keep Shining 😎
Thanks for your reseearch videos... They' re grrrreat!!
I've done a few SC- enhanced spirit runs. While it does make a huge difference in getting a cleaner spirit, I find I get a definite hint of bread soda on the tongue on a number of my cut jars. Any thoughts on this?
I've been using S C for years, I'd never bother doing a vodka run if I did't have any S C you done even need to filter it.
I’m still completely spellbound how well the SC works. Definitely a turning point for my neutral spirit from now on 😎
@@highly-spirited 👍
Very interesting! Great job
I keep forgetting to add it. Fortunately, I'm watching UA-cam while sitting here in my kitchen. In it goes!
Good job, let me know if you find it makes a huge difference to the usual Wash you make.
Was that ethanol or methanol you distilled ? ;)
The ‘normal’ Distilled Sugar Washes were very raw indeed. It’s like it was fighting back at me 😂 I’m still amazed at how well the SC Distillation process works.
I found the exact product you are using and will give it a shot! I'm going to do a comparison of the birdwatchers mash versus a turbo yeast mash, both double distilled to see if there is any difference. As I mentioned before, doing a strip/spirit of the birdwatchers mash made the best shine I've ever made so it will be an interesting comparison to me to see if it gets even better!
I really do hope you find it makes a massive difference. Although I’m not sure how far you can go before you think a Neutral Spirit can’t be any more Neutral. As long as you’re happy with what you’re making, that’s the main thing to aspire towards.
@@highly-spirited I took a stinky sweet potato mash I had done the stripping run on, and a tomato paste mash with the stripping run done on as well, and then diluted it to 35%. I had 3.5 gallons in the still at that point. I then added 6 teaspoons of sodium carbonate to it. That is a little under the 1/2 teaspoon per liter you mentioned. And the conclusion...I really couldn't tell the difference from my last ran double distilled batch to this but the problem was that I didn't save any form the first batch to really compare side by side! It was so good I drank it all! (with a little help from my friends as well..) But this batch seems very good either way. No more sweet potato batches for me, that mash smells terrible! Now I'm doing a plain sugar wash with turbo yeast. It will be a high abv mash since the starting gravity is 1.12 @ 7.5 gallons. Thanks to 18 pounds of sugar and 2 packs of the turbo yeast! It fermented like mad. Should be a 17% abv mash if it finishes right which I'm sure it will. That will produce a lot of ethanol I'm sure. These 1.07 starting gravity at lesser volumes don't make a lot. So, I'll double distill this new batch and try one more time with the sodium carbonate, plus I'll save some of this current batch so I can do a real comparison. Fun times honestly! Love bringing science to my hobbies!
@@chuckdock4436 good news buddy. Glad to hear you’re plugging away with experimenting! Shame you didn’t have a comparison for your distillate because, as you saw with my experience, it made a huge difference. I have had other good results from different washes, but the still S/C tops the lot.
Keep Shining brother 😎
great video mate my try that
What do you think of doing a second sprite run?? would you use S C again ??
Personally I can’t see any advantage in doing multiple Stripping Runs with my turbo yeast sugar washes. I am however definitely using the SC in future Sugar Washes from now on. Trust me, it made that much of a difference!
Winner winner chicken dinner
you should try the same thing but with tpw, tffv, and a weetbix wash
Bravo. I have read that sodium carbonate (Na2CO3 -- soda ash) hydrolysess ethyl acetate -- which tastes like a** -- into acetic acid and ethanol. Dunno what acetic acid tastes like, but apparently not as bad as ethyl acetate. Cheers!
What ever process takes place, I don’t know, but thanks for that interesting comment. Either way, the SC works, and it works extremely well imo.
It turns not into acetic acid, but in a Sodium acetate salt which can't be distilled so it doesn't get in your product. See my comment at the video before when our Highly Spirited friend did the first sodium carbonate run. I always run with Sodium Hydroxide and keep it on a full reflux for about 20 minutes before I start taking the product.
@@erwinamesz7642 absolutely right, as per the end result of the Wash at the end of the Run. You could clearly see the granules left in the bottom of the kettle of the Still.
This is the first I have heard about sodium carbonate, how much did you use per volume
Never mind I just found another one of your videos that explains it
Trying it now based on your amazing recommendations I'm using the air still so I need all the help I can get!😂
Crack on with it buddy, and I really hope it works well for you!
@@highly-spirited Are we still on half a teaspoon per litre?
@@johnman559 that’s the quantity I went with and even that was more than enough.
@@highly-spirited Oh that's very useful thanks ! Did you use normal table sugar? If so omg! Is your name Drew is it?.... I'm subbed, I'm in! 😂👌👌
@@johnman559 well if it worked for me it should work for anyone! Game changer for sure. And yep, table sugar was used.
Try adding glycerine
Try the sodium first next time.
I needed to save the best for last 😁
I've been putting sodium bicarbonate (i.e. baking soda) into my low wines, and leaving them to sit for a few weeks before distilling but the spirit still comes out with a yeasty smell. Maybe sodium carbonate will give better results?
Tried carbon filtering and triple distilling but the flavour remains. I think you really need to start with a clean fermentation, "can't polish a turd" so to speak. The best I've had from a sugar wash so far was with Wilko's "Express yeast compound" which I guess is a bit like a turbo yeast but way less intense. Only been doing this since January so I'm still experimenting. I've done a few birdwatchers and breakfast cereal sugar washes, but they have that yeasty smell too. I think I'm going to stop using bakers yeast and try some wine yeast, also got a Still Spirits gin yeast to try.
To my understanding it has to be sodium carbonate and not bicarbonate. And there’s videos on how to convert bicarbonate to carbonate.
@@Struttinhoyt88 I can confirm sodium carbonate has given me much better results. Not perfect, but it's getting there.
you're posting at 7PM my time instead of 2AM. i don't have to stay up all night waiting...lol
you ever run shine thru a water filter? that's a big game changer with sugar washes. gets rid of that dirty sock taste.
What kind of water filter?
@@VanillaAttila i use a Brita water pitcher. just be careful not to let the kids use it for water after shine....lol
Who in their right mind would stay up that late for one of my silly videos! 😂
I’ve tried Active Carbon filtering, but tbh it was a lot of messing about for not much gain, if any. The majority of my final neutral products are ok, it’s just how harsh it can be on the senses. I’m a delicate flower really don’t ya know 😆
@@highly-spirited Back in the day George did a video on filtering so I had to try it. went to the pet store and bought a bag aquarium active carbon filter material and a cat. put it in a piece of PVC pipe with holes in it. my shine pretty much tasted like cat. the 5lb. bag of active carbon is still sitting in the window.
@@fourdeadinohio8303 much like my bag of Carbon then 😂
Hi Folks! I just got some Calcium Carbonate in from amazon today so I could try this out. Shit! - just realised it's not not sodium carbonate (my mistake). Should I send it back and get the sodium carbonate - or just give this a swing and hope no-one gets poisoned?
I think calcium carbonate is the same as crushed up sea shells - so not sure if it'll give me the results I need - without any unexpected risks that I don't.
Anyone got any ideas or experience with this? Please share your wisdom - thanks in advance - David
Ghost town around here I’m afraid, so no answer for you. Did you send it back in the end? As there’s no point in the risk if you’re not 100% sure.
I'd be interested how it would taste with a single distillation? As the first 2 were the same, why go through all the trouble?
I've read the sodium carbonate will react with the organics in a wash & turn the spirit blue (adding copper sulphate to the spirit) thus why its only used on a second distillation.
@@karlosss1868 Thats quite interesting.
Did I not explain it very well? The first shot was a single Distillation, the second shot was a double Distillation and the third shot was a double Distillation with the added Sodium Carbonate.
@@highly-spirited I meant single distillation with the sodium carbonate
@@VanillaAttila No, because the SC would react with the nutrients and create ammonia. But "why bother" researching this for yourself 😂