Page 1 of 1

Copper / Metallic aftertaste in spirit

PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 3:23 pm
by Outbackozzie
Gday guys, googling and searching didn’t really give me an answer so here’s my question.

I have a 6 T 4” stainless still with copper bubblers and copper scrubber packing. The whole thing is a metre high and sits on a 60l digiboil.

I do fast stripping runs, filter through carbon column, then slow spirit run, trying to make a nice gin. I use a gin basket on top of the column just before the PC.

I cannot for the life of me get rid of this aftertaste that seems to be a metallic coppery thing.

Still has done heaps of runs, I don’t overclean it, can’t figure out what is wrong. Planning on doing a gin run tomorrow, with most of the copper removed to see if it is a copper taste.

Happens with whatever wash I am using, from sugar to tpw to grains.

I had way better gin from the old alembic and T500 with saddles removed.

Help please :)

Re: Copper / Metallic aftertaste in spirit

PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 3:31 pm
by The Stig
You say “copper scrubber”
Double check that they are 100% copper , I’ve seen some that were copper coated steel and the coating comes off and the steel starts to rust .
Cheers

Re: Copper / Metallic aftertaste in spirit

PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 3:34 pm
by BigRig
Not sure of the answer but if u did good cuts you shouldnt need to filter it and how often is dont overclean it ?

My bubbler gets a clean once a year.

Re: Copper / Metallic aftertaste in spirit

PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 3:52 pm
by The Stig
I missed that but .
Why would you filter the stripping run ?

Re: Copper / Metallic aftertaste in spirit

PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:27 pm
by Outbackozzie
We can probably ignore the filtering bit, that’s something I choose to do, not with every run though, still experimenting.

They are proper copper scrubbies from proper Perth home brew shop.

Making cuts etc, spirit runs are approx 20 litres at 40%, collected in 350mm jars.

The flavour is not something you can smell, it’s an aftertaste at the back of the mouth that you can feel in the nose.

Tested on other people, similar results.

This is the most copper I have ever had in a still, just wondering if anyone else has had similar. Either way will be removing most of the copper for next spirit run.