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T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:40 pm
by Hull brew
Apologies if this has been done to death, but I can't find answer.

I have T500 with copper column.
Initial clean - Is it OK to use citric acid as I have loads.? Should I expect any distillate from output or is the intention just to clean column and saddles? Does it matter what temp is set?

I'll then do a sacrificial run using a turbo sugar wash.

When I come to do my first TPW, is it best to use fresh bakers yeast (hard to get hold of except ebay) or is dried just as good.?
I am aiming for a neutral spirit as a base for a gin.

Thanks

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 12:42 am
by PeterC
Hi, I don't have a T500 but a initial clean with warm water and a mild dish-washing detergent followed by rinsing would be good to remove oil and grease from the factory. Then a soak in some citric would be fine. Instant dried yeast the same as you use in home bread making machines is what you want. You can get it in little sachets but also loose in a little tin or packet about 500g or so. Like this https://www.bakerybits.co.uk/instant-dried-yeast.html

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 12:58 am
by PeterC
For yeast in Australia we use https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/prod ... lsrc=aw.ds

I think a T500 can make a good low cost neutral with a TPW wash for gin as the gin flavourings will mask any slight floral notes from the tomato. If you are staying with the T500 for gin then you may be better served getting the alembic dome lid and condenser and do a maceration like in Zymurgy Bob's recipe viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1572 or try to put a botanical basket in the dome exit.

Cheers

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:47 am
by Hull brew
PeterC wrote:For yeast in Australia we use https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/prod ... lsrc=aw.ds

I think a T500 can make a good low cost neutral with a TPW wash for gin as the gin flavourings will mask any slight floral notes from the tomato. If you are staying with the T500 for gin then you may be better served getting the alembic dome lid and condenser and do a maceration like in Zymurgy Bob's recipe viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1572 or try to put a botanical basket in the dome exit.

Cheers


Thanks for that mate.
Wish we still had Woolies!
Thanks for the link, and at the risk of over-complicating things, this yeast, which is easy to get hold of, looks the same as your Lowans
https://groceries.asda.com/product/baki ... 0000448632
would you agree?

Once I've done a sacrificial run, I'm going to do a proper one with a TPW and make cuts, so spirit might be less harsh. Just want to get some experience under my belt before upgrading.
Cheers
Steve

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:57 am
by Hull brew
PeterC wrote:For yeast in Australia we use https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/prod ... lsrc=aw.ds

I think a T500 can make a good low cost neutral with a TPW wash for gin as the gin flavourings will mask any slight floral notes from the tomato. If you are staying with the T500 for gin then you may be better served getting the alembic dome lid and condenser and do a maceration like in Zymurgy Bob's recipe viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1572 or try to put a botanical basket in the dome exit.

Cheers


Looks a good recipe, Would of course need the copper dome and condenser.
I nearly bought this instead of the copper column but decided to start off real easy.
To be fair to the guy from the business that sold me the T500, he did suggest going straight in with the dome, but I chickened out!

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 6:53 am
by Professor Green
Avoid the dome and alembic pot; they’re not worth the money. Save your pennies and go for a 5 Star 2” pot instead. It’s a much better option and will work very well on the T500 boiler.

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 6:57 am
by Hull brew
Professor Green wrote:Avoid the dome and alembic pot; they’re not worth the money. Save your pennies and go for a 5 Star 2” pot instead. It’s a much better option and will work very well on the T500 boiler.

Thanks for that Prof. Are these available in GB?

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 7:13 am
by The Stig
Hull brew wrote:
Professor Green wrote:Avoid the dome and alembic pot; they’re not worth the money. Save your pennies and go for a 5 Star 2” pot instead. It’s a much better option and will work very well on the T500 boiler.

Thanks for that Prof. Are these available in GB?

They are not sorry, it’s the shipping cost that stops us shipping to GB

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 7:17 am
by Professor Green
Ah, sorry didn’t realise you were in the UK. That does make it difficult. It’s still worth investigating other options though.

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 3:36 pm
by PeterC
Hull brew wrote:
PeterC wrote:For yeast in Australia we use https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/prod ... lsrc=aw.ds

I think a T500 can make a good low cost neutral with a TPW wash for gin as the gin flavourings will mask any slight floral notes from the tomato. If you are staying with the T500 for gin then you may be better served getting the alembic dome lid and condenser and do a maceration like in Zymurgy Bob's recipe viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1572 or try to put a botanical basket in the dome exit.

Cheers


Thanks for that mate.
Wish we still had Woolies!
Thanks for the link, and at the risk of over-complicating things, this yeast, which is easy to get hold of, looks the same as your Lowans
https://groceries.asda.com/product/baki ... 0000448632
would you agree?

Once I've done a sacrificial run, I'm going to do a proper one with a TPW and make cuts, so spirit might be less harsh. Just want to get some experience under my belt before upgrading.
Cheers
Steve

This yeast is similar. It does have a bit of vitamin C in it which should not matter. Give it a try.

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Tue Nov 05, 2019 12:21 am
by virge
Hull brew wrote:Apologies if this has been done to death, but I can't find answer.

I have T500 with copper column.
Initial clean - Is it OK to use citric acid as I have loads.? Should I expect any distillate from output or is the intention just to clean column and saddles? Does it matter what temp is set?

I'll then do a sacrificial run using a turbo sugar wash.

When I come to do my first TPW, is it best to use fresh bakers yeast (hard to get hold of except ebay) or is dried just as good.?
I am aiming for a neutral spirit as a base for a gin.

Thanks


Hello from South Africa,
I see you have a new T500. I am looking to buy T500 stainless saddles locally but the Still Spirits importer does not bring them here. Can you please measure one and give me the diameter and hight in mm?
Sorry to highjack your posting.
Thanks

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 3:01 am
by Hull brew
Yes will do.
My advice though - based purely on what I read in this forum, would be to use stainless steel pan scrubbers instead. Huge surface area, easily sourced, cheap and less farting around than fashioning SS crimps

Re: T500 copper first clean,sacrificial wash, yeast

PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 4:02 am
by virge
Hi Hull brew, thanks for the reply. Yes, I read this, my problem is that my reflux coil has a vertical wound on the way out and it does not allow me to slide inside any scrubbers deeper than 20 cm.
Having the size of the SS saddles would be very helpful for me.