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cloudy moonshine

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    • #3094
      Threeper
      Participant

      made a batch of peach shine that came out cloudy. is it possible to fix it after the fact? how do I keep this from happening again? thank all for the help.

    • #3095

      Usually cloudy moonshine happens from running too deep into the tails or having a still that pukes during a run.
      If you run slow and make good cuts you should not have the issue.

      What kind of still are you runnning?

      I’ve had a few batches early on that came out cloudy- just save them and dump it in with your next run- this will clean it up.

      Hope that helps.

      also Clawhammer wrote a prett good article: http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/15239505-cloudy-moonshine

    • #3096
      Threeper
      Participant

      I use a 1 gal from claw hammer. just read their article and I think it may be my heat source. I have a cheaper hot plate that cycles horribly. just order a broilking from amazon. could packing my column help with puking?

    • #3098

      Column packing helps a lot with puking- as well as controlling the heat better- if you still get puking (I’ve noticed fruit likes to puke more than grains in my still) just don’t fill the still at full.

    • #3107
      Threeper
      Participant

      is it safe to drink or should i trash it?

    • #3108
      BeverageCommander
      Participant

      As long as you dumped your foreshots it should be fine- I’d just save it and add dump it in with your next run.

    • #3119
      Threeper
      Participant

      got my new hot plate in yesterday and did a run last night. after the first two cups (heads) though to keep the drip at around 4 drips per sec. I had to turn my heat up to 208°-211°. my question is that if water boils at 214° (going off memory from high school hope that’s right) wouldn’t my still quit producing alcohol and only produce water at that point?

      claw hammer 1 gal still
      broil king 1500 watt hot plate

    • #3120
      Threeper
      Participant

      to add to my previous post I take a shot glass worth for my foreshots and 2 cups for heads, hearts, and tails.

    • #3121
      BeverageCommander
      Participant

      got my new hot plate in yesterday and did a run last night. after the first two cups (heads) though to keep the drip at around 4 drips per sec. I had to turn my heat up to 208°-211°. my question is that if water boils at 214° (going off memory from high school hope that’s right) wouldn’t my still quit producing alcohol and only produce water at that point?
      claw hammer 1 gal still and broil king 1500 watt hot plate. I take a shot glass worth for my foreshots and 2 cups for heads, hearts, and tails.

      Where are you measuring the heat? The boiler temp is going to be different than the column temp. Water boils at 212 at sea level- here is a chart with boiling points and elevation.: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/boiling-points-water-altitude-d_1344.html

      The longer the still runs the more heat is needed to extract vapor from the still- as you near 212 you will be pulling mostly water out of the still as all of alcohol (which has a lower boiling point than water) will have already been boiled off. If you have a proofing hydrometer you could take a sample at the end of the run – it will a low % of alcohol.

    • #3145
      AJVegass
      Participant

      I think you answered most of my questions with your Q & A’s. But thought I’d post this anyway.

      I had a run this past weekend, which is my third run, being new. The first 2 runs were great and crystal clear.

      This third time, it was all cloudy from the beginning to the end and I did two things different, from the first 2 runs.

      My Mash is only 5 gals, distilled in a 5 gallon copper pot.

      The first thing I did different was, I added the tail, from my second run, which was about a little less than a half gallon, which was only about 40 proof. And I stored the tail in a plastic one gallon water jug for 2 weeks.

      And the second thing I did differently, I lowered the temp, trying to raise the proof.

      Any other suggestions on this? Thank you.

    • #3146

      What was the process for your mash? What was the recipe?

    • #3147
      AJVegass
      Participant

      Sugar shine for Rum. That reminds me, I did do a couple things diff in the fermenting too. So this third time, I placed my fermenting bucket in a Styrofoam cooler, lined with a insulated blanket, to keep the temp more regulated throughout the week, due to the temp dropping in the evenings.

      The other thing I did different was, adding water to the fermenting bubbler, which I didn’t know it was suppose to have water in it, the first two runs.

      But I’m using White Sugar, Brown Sugar, molasses, water and yeast.

    • #3148

      How do you transfer the wash into the still?

    • #3149
      AJVegass
      Participant

      I did read that I was transferring it wrong too. I’m just pouring the whole bucket right in to the pot. Which I just red on Clawhammer, I should be using an auto siphon. However, the first two runs, I did the same thing, just poured the whole thing, right in to the pot, yeast and all and still got 2 decent runs, 85-90 Proof and clear.

      I know this whole thing is a learning process. So I know I have a lot to learn.

    • #3150
      AJVegass
      Participant

      *read

    • #3152
      AJVegass
      Participant

      Any other insight on what I may be doing wrong?

    • #3153

      It was cloudy the entire run? From beginning to end.
      Did you run this still hotter than normal?
      I would guess either the wash puked up into the column , it was running too hot, or a ton of yeast was transferred into the still.

    • #3154
      AJVegass
      Participant

      Well, as a matter of fact, I actually ran this last run, at a lower temp than the first 2 runs. And yes, it was cloudy from start to finish. And I did pour everything from my fermenting bucket in to my pot, but I did the same thing with the first 2 runs as well and those were clear.

    • #3155
      AJVegass
      Participant

      And do you think the cloudy shine is safe to drink? Or would you throw it out or run it again?

    • #3157

      As long as the foreshots were dumped I see no issues-
      I’d try filtering it first- maybe though a coffee filter or charcoal filter.

      If it is not up to your standards then you can always re-run it

    • #3158
      AJVegass
      Participant

      Yes, the foreshots were thrown out. And I will try filtering it. Do you have any suggestions of what I am missing or should do different, that I haven’t already mentioned that I’ve realized I’ve done wrong so far? Thanks.

    • #3159
      AJVegass
      Participant

      Someone said that, they think that cloudiness comes from bacteria, possibly in the fermenting process and they didn’t think it would be safe to drink. What do you think on that?

    • #3160

      I’m not a scientist- If you are worried re-run it.
      Maybe someone with more knowledge on the subject will chime in.

    • #3161
      AJVegass
      Participant

      Gotcha, thanks.

    • #3393
      Wingmanalive
      Participant

      just adding my $.02. I’ve had great success in filtering my product using an activated carbon filter. You can make one yourself with coffee filters and activated carbon but a cheap solution is picking up a Brita water filter pitcher. They’re like $10 at Walmart. Run a couple pitchers of water through it to activate the filter first and then run your product through. My shine went from slightly hazy and having a mild off taste to crystal clear and a sharp spirit flavor. I couldn’t believe the difference a simple filter makes. I wouldn’t use a homemade filter with a plastic pitcher on very high proof spirits as it has been known to leech nasty things out of certain plastics. The Brita water pitcher however is obviously food grade so I would assume it’s safe.

    • #4313
      Scrapigrampi
      Participant

      I have just made my first batch of alcohol, It came out cloudy but after it sat in glass for an hour it became pretty clear. Recipe / corn meal, barley, sugar, yeast, and a touch of molasses and spring water of course, It has a tiny bit of Carmel color to it. Towards the end of the run it was coming out a tad thick.

    • #4314
      Scrapigrampi
      Participant

      I have made a reply and should have asked question or what anyone thinks about my first batch.

    • #4327

      Towards the end of the run it was coming out a tad thick.

      A lot of times if you run deep into your tails it will start to turn cloudy – that is because you are picking up quite a bit of water and lower boiling point alcohols. I suggest using small collection jars and collecting in those as you do the run (number them as you go) That way you can determine the parts of the run when you are done. You can save the tails and add those to the next batch- or save all of your heads and tails and do a sprit run on those once you collect enough.

    • #4955
      Funbucket
      Participant

      Hey i made my first ever run of corn wash and it came out super milky… Im wondering what i might have done wrong and how can i improve? I use a homemade still out of a regular pot and the mash seemed to be good but when i began to distill it it came out very milk-like…

    • #4956
      Funbucket
      Participant

      Oh and im also just using my stove with your typical electrical elements

    • #4959
      BeverageCommander
      Participant

      Can you give us more information on your still and mash process?

      what size still? what type of still?
      What was your mash recipe and process?

      • #4964
        Funbucket
        Participant

        The still is a 5 gallon cooking pot i made into a homemade type of thing. For mash it is a corn based recipe which also includes sugar water and bread yeast. it was left to sit for a week and seemed to be fine. smelt strongly of alcohol but when i distilled it it smelt very discusting and was a milky-cream colour… denfinatly messed up big somewhere.

    • #5003
      Thebrains
      Participant

      Hydrometer get one they are $1.50 ebay from china for around 5-10 usa but china ones for less than 2 work perfect. Fog is transfer or weak/ lots of water. You collect your shine then add water to it to proof it. If not you should not be making it.

    • #5118
      Sam_smith4866
      Participant

      hello? i ran a batch on moonshine and the first two qt jars came out great ( after i dumped the first 6 oz ) but after that three qt jars was a little cloudy then the rest was nice and clear. so what caused there turn out wrong? could be i had it the heat to hot?

    • #5121
      BeverageCommander
      Participant

      This unusually happens if the still is running too hot during that part of the run. I run my still pretty slowly it takes more time but I get a higher proof and I feel I can make tighter cuts.
      How fast do you normally run your still? What size is it?

    • #5123
      Sam_smith4866
      Participant

      i Want to thank you so much for your reply back to me. my still is just a 10 gal pot still, but why i’m asking you for the best information, because in getting ready to start a distillery business here in Manila Philippines. and i want to do it right the first time. So thank you so much!

    • #5290
      WhickeyBob
      Participant

      I ran my first batch yesterday and I have a 1 gallon still. Any ideas on where to make the cuts??

    • #5291
      WhickeyBob
      Participant

      And how do I know what’s safe to drink and what’s not?? Thanks in advance for any help I’m not trying to kill my friends and family lol

      • #5296
        JimmySutton
        Keymaster

        What was your process from start to finish?

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