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FijiSpirits

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FijiSpirits last won the day on January 11 2021

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  1. I’ve run a blended rectification column with some success (procaps. Perf plates, copper mesh in one 4” column) but not as a continuous. Maybe I can help fill in some knowledge for you?
  2. The Distillery Company in Fiji is currently looking for a head distiller. They have a great facility and wonderful staff and are looking to expand. Might be a great fit. Work permits are relatively easy to come by. Check out their website for contact details.
  3. Based on my observations you would need either a return pump that could run dry Or have adjustable metering as return condensate can vary a great deal in two column system. How are you guys solving this Paul?
  4. I used to produce a liquor for a company that never had a clue how to test for proof. I just did a proof obscuration with a simple glass distillation kit, then used the specific gravity to determine proof with a pycnometer and a milligram scale. the TTB has a really great video on how it’s done step by step.
  5. With the rice and angel, I beleive that preliminary results in western distilling show that using hot water in the mixing process seems to help with fermentation speed and conversion rate. This may be due to reduction of bacteria and a partial breakdown of starch. as for raw sugar, it too is filled with bacteria. The higher the molasses content the worse it gets. There is a pretty narrow pathway to dealing with it without using hot water. currently I don’t have a facility to do research at so im a bit hobbled there, but I’d love to work with someone interested in either of these in Michigan.
  6. Two things. first, the Chinese company Angel yeast has developed several distillers yeasts that do not require cooking of grain to get decent conversion of the starch to sugars. This could reduce energy and time costs and potentially help out a lot. Some work in this area towards refining and expanding flavor profiles could be awesome. second, I’ve worked with raw sugar for 7-8 years by necessity. It’s cheap here and energy costs are ridiculous so sugar or molasses has always been obvious choices. I’ve managed to come up with some Pretty good techniques to create some really really solid vodkas at tropical fermentation temps, even without carbon filtration Some of my methods and recipies might be able to help others wishing to work with sugars. Maybe there is some way I can contribute to further research and community knowledge.
  7. You haven’t tried my vodka!! Spent 7 years getting it to go neutral. At least with Fiji cane sugar. now I have at least three ways to make it.
  8. TTB did a rule change recently that removed the requirement for vodka to be without distinctive character, aroma taste or color and amending the rules. why isn’t this all over the news and why have I not seen this discussed anywhere other than artisan spirits magazine summer 2020? are we on the cusp of full flavored vodkas? What does that mean for labeling? here is the full text of the pertinent part of the federal register https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-04-02/pdf/2020-05939.pdf 10. Standard of Identity for Vodka In Notice No. 176, TTB proposed to amend the standard of identity for vodka, a type of neutral spirit, to codify the holdings in several past rulings: Revenue Ruling 55–552 and Revenue Ruling 55–740 (vodka may not be stored in wood); ATF Ruling 76–3 (vodka treated with charcoal or activated carbon may be labeled as ‘‘charcoal filtered’’ under certain parameters); and Revenue Ruling 56–98 and ATF Ruling 97–1 (allowing treatment with up to 2 grams per liter of sugar and trace amounts (1 gram per liter) of citric acid). In addition, TTB specifically sought comment on whether the current requirement that vodka be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color should be retained and, if this requirement is no longer appropriate, what the appropriate standards should be for distinguishing vodka from other neutral spirits. TTB received twelve comments in response to the proposed changes to the standard of identity for vodka. TTB did not receive any comments relating to the proposal to incorporate several past rulings related to treatment of vodka with sugar, citric acid, and charcoal. TTB requested comments on whether the requirement that vodka be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color should be retained and, if this requirement is no longer appropriate, what the standards should be for distinguishing vodka from other neutral spirits. Ten commenters suggested that the requirement should be eliminated. For example, Altitude Spirits stated that ‘‘[t]he requirement that vodka be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color should NOT be retained and is no longer appropriate given the variety in base ingredients, flavors, and flavor profiles found in the diverse vodka category.’’ Within this group of comments, two commenters stated that they believe that TTB should reverse its longstanding policy and allow vodka to be aged in wood. Two individual commenters recommended—without explanation— that the standard be kept unchanged. TTB Response Based on its review of the comments, TTB agrees that the requirement that vodka be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color no longer reflects consumer expectations and should be eliminated. Vodka will continue to be distinguished by its specific production standards: Vodka may not be labeled as aged, and unlike other neutral spirits, it may contain limited amounts of sugar and citric acid. Accordingly, TTB is amending the existing regulations at § 5.22(a)(1) to remove the requirement that vodka be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color, and to incorporate in the regulations the standards set forth in the rulings discussed above, obviating the need for those rulings which will be canceled. TTB will also make a conforming change to existing § 5.23(a)(3)(iii), which discusses the addition of harmless coloring, flavoring, or blending materials to neutral spirits, to reflect the allowed additions to vodka in amended § 5.22(a)(1).
  9. I’ve always used GFI protection for the elements with a good ground/earth to the electrical supply box. secondly I will run a dedicated earth wire ONLY for the still body itself. I’ve had issues with stray voltage (even with gfi) in the past which is why I do this now. as for collection container I use no grounding/earthing of any kind. I kinda feel that a distillery production floor is just not a place where static can be formed easily. You are always either touching the floor or something that is grounded anyway. I will try to keep switches and spark creating devices like fans away from areas where explosive atmospheres can be. I actually keep a floor fan running to prevent/control gas buildup even if they might be a source of ignition technically. my rule of thumb is that I won’t turn anything electrical on or off if there is a hazard.
  10. I’ll second this. Really no reason to have one every plate. they do look cool tho and it does give one a sense of connection to the workings and helps train the new guy. Once you know the still tho, you almost never need the majority of them.
  11. I forgot to mention that having a clean fermenter is also key. Clean everything that touches the wash. EVERYTHING. Rinse off any cleaning chemicals with sterile water. airlocked fermenters are easier to use than open or semi open types. Open or semi open seem a lot less tolerant to delays in distillation after finishing, thus timing of the ferment with distillation is important. im even hesitant to let a ferment sit in a vapor locked fermenter very long. Those flavors seem to change the longer it sits.
  12. If you are mixing sugar and nutrients and have to adjust UPWARD before pitching yeast, then something is weird. Plain water will usually be around 7.5 and adding plain raw sugar shouldn’t change it much. Dap and fermaid won’t effect it much either. maybe you need a second or third way to measure PH. your instrument may be off. what gravity is it stalling at? What is the ph at stall? How many liters are your ferments? i don’t use a typical recipe. The guidelines I mention above will shape your recipe for your circumstances. You will have the best results when you work within those guidelines (Read them carefully, they are quite specific) and have a very good understanding of yeast health ( start reading). As to your biological element if you choose, things like Kale, spinach, legumes, a bit of molasses, fruits, tomato paste can all provide elements of a healthy sugar wash. Each will also throw its own flavor elements. oxygenation: this is just a fancy way to say “make a lot of bubbles in your wash when you mix the sugar in”. Splash mixing with a pump is fine usually.
  13. I’ve been doing raw sugar washes for 7 years now. Different fermenters and nutrients and even sugars types. My best suggestions are this. -keep your start gravity around 1.070-1.075 until you have everything working reliably. -oxygenate your wash prior to yeast pitching This is more important than you think in sugar washes - control your temps carefully within the listed operating ranges. Going above the max temp will effect either the flavor or the yeasts production or both. Temperature is key to flavor. - start your wash between 5.5-6ph. The more yeast you pitch the more tolerant it can be to starting ph. It will ALWAYS crash during the yeast growth phase or the first 12-30 hours. I’ve seen it crash in as little as 4 hours. - after the initial crash you will need to adjust back up. A second adjustment a day or two later may also be needed. I’ve used sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide, citric acid, EDTA, calcium carbonate, of the “basic” adjustments calcium carbonate seemed the cleanest but sodium hydroxide caused the least amount of gas release and required less quantity to adjust -adjust working ph to around 4.25 on first adjustment. Then let it work between 3.85 and 4.2. The lower the gravity is the more you can leave it to drop. A second adjustment would not want to go to 4.25 but would only be high enough to allow it to coast to a finish at 3.85ish. Typically keeping it around 4.0 is good enough. A good steady sugar wash will finish in 4-5 days with one adjustment and finish at about 3.8-3.9 ph. - temperature fluctuations are a precursor to what the wash will do in a few hours watch it like a hawk and measure it accurately and consistently with the same thermometer if your temperature is dropping and your ph is low that means you are stopping fermentation ITS WAY EASIER TO CORRECT A WASH BEFORE IT STOPS THAN AFTER -make sure to you are using mineralized chlorine/chloride FREE and sterile water for your ferment. Rainwater and RO will cause issues with finishing or yeast health problems without remineralization. - nutrients are important to flavor as well as yeast health. DAP is required and suggested quantities are easily found. Adjust it based on other additions to balance total YAN. If my nutrient load is balance between dap, commercial nutrients and a biological then I usually only need to add them at the beginning I you use less Biologicals then you may wish to stage your nutrients Do not add nutrients after the 48 hours or with less than 60% of fermentables remaining I have not found much benefit to this on malnourished or stalled ferments if they stall it seems like it’s best to distill it quickly or just dump it I’ve not found any commercial yeast nutrients that would really work well in a sugar wash BY THEMSELVES (apart from turbos). They can be “part” of the solution but I have found that a botanical/plant based source of nutrients can really provide those micro nutrients and flavor profile that send a sugar wash over the top in quality. sugar washes can be an incredibly specific thing to your local conditions and equipment. THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF FAILURES IVE SEEN are not following the basic requirements. It’s rarely just one thing wrong. It’s usually 3-5 thing “just a hair off”. hope that can help you diagnose! p.s. you will note I have not mentioned sugar. If you follow the above guidelines I haven’t found that the source or type of the sucrose makes much difference in the fermentation process (for flavor it totally can). If you find that it does for you, that might be an indicator that you need to pick up the slack in other areas.
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