Vodka from wine

[lowerylisa1]

Hi! Looking for advice and opinions. I have 350 gallons of 12% wine that I’d like to make vodka from. I have a 600 gallon pot still that is used to strip our corn mash. I also have a 250 gallon finishing still with a vodka column. I’ve heard of distillers running the wine through the stripping still then through the vodka column, but I’ve also been advised to just run it through the finishing still. I’d like some of the flavors of the wine to transfer to the final distillate. Do I skip the stripping still?

[captnKB]

Hi Lisa,

Wine can be turned into some fantastic vodka when done right. The best ones ive had are twice distilled. 

Even with double distillation you will still see come wine flavor carry over.

 

Cheers,

Kris

[JustAndy]

If the wine has been treated with so2 you will want to distill it in two passes. 

[lowerylisa1]

Thank you both for your thoughts! I just read that "too much sulfur dioxide can cause unpleasant tastes, a burnt metallic aroma, sneezing and a burning sensation."  I experienced all of that from the time it started running down to about 55 proof!  I bet the wine maker did what JustAndy said. 

[SlickFloss]

There's a few very helpful oxidizing reactions for pesky "SO₂" in between your double distillations:

Calcium oxide is used, it will react with SO₃²⁻- in wine to precipitate out as CaSO_{3 in your kettle} 

-or-

Activated Carbon is effective as always, SO₂ can and will be absorbed and oxidized by AC in presence of O₂ and H₂O.

-or-

H₂O₂ is used to oxidize SO₃²⁻ to SO₄²in which case it leaves with your stillage instead of hopping over into your collections tank

 

 

Addressing SO₂ in it dissolved form SO₃²⁻ is the most convenient but flavor detrimental option.

 

Good luck

[lowerylisa1]

On 10/26/2022 at 1:12 AM, SlickFloss said:

There's a few very helpful oxidizing reactions for pesky "SO₂" in between your double distillations:

Calcium oxide is used, it will react with SO₃²⁻- in wine to precipitate out as CaSO_{3 in your kettle} 

-or-

Activated Carbon is effective as always, SO₂ can and will be absorbed and oxidized by AC in presence of O₂ and H₂O.

-or-

H₂O₂ is used to oxidize SO₃²⁻ to SO₄²in which case it leaves with your stillage instead of hopping over into your collections tank

 

 

Addressing SO₂ in it dissolved form SO₃²⁻ is the most convenient but flavor detrimental option.

 

Good luck

That is great info. Thank you so much!

[oboyatelny]

On 10/27/2022 at 7:42 AM, lowerylisa1 said:

That is great info. Thank you so much!

We produce grape neutral spirits and can supply for your vodka project