Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi guys

I have left the second gen lemon wash ferment for just over 2 weeks and there has been no activity for about 3 days, i just checked the gravity and looks like the wash might have stalled, i got a reading of 1020

What is the best way to kick-start this off again?

Add more yeast?

More to the above post, i checked the PH and its sitting on 3.3

What temp is it at?

3.3 is low. Try get it up a bit.

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=11307

db1979 wrote:What temp is it at?

lowest it will go is 24.5 highest is 26

I finally got around to distilling my lemon vodka wash over the weekend

I have already stripped the wash and then on Sat I ran it again through the pot column using a voltage controller keeping the output to a drip drip dribble (took forever)

The end product has no lemon flavor at all for some reason

Can anyone shed some light on that?

davesims wrote:I finally got around to distilling my lemon vodka wash over the weekend

I have already stripped the wash and then on Sat I ran it again through the pot column using a voltage controller keeping the output to a drip drip dribble (took forever)

The end product has no lemon flavor at all for some reason

Can anyone shed some light on that?

Using backset will lower the ph, i don’t think this recipe was made for doing generations. How many lemons did u use 2nd time? When u say pot column, u mean u took packing out of t500 but left the water connected same way to run it?

I think he’s using the 5 Star 2” pot not the T500.

Wobblyboot wrote:

davesims wrote:I finally got around to distilling my lemon vodka wash over the weekend

I have already stripped the wash and then on Sat I ran it again through the pot column using a voltage controller keeping the output to a drip drip dribble (took forever)

The end product has no lemon flavor at all for some reason

Can anyone shed some light on that?

Using backset will lower the ph, i don’t think this recipe was made for doing generations. How many lemons did u use 2nd time? When u say pot column, u mean u took packing out of t500 but left the water connected same way to run it?

Hi, I have not run the 2nd fermentation, i kept that separate from the original

The initial fermentation was with 60 small to medium lemons (pulp and juice)

Column is the 5 Star 2" pot

davesims wrote:

Wobblyboot wrote:

davesims wrote:I finally got around to distilling my lemon vodka wash over the weekend

I have already stripped the wash and then on Sat I ran it again through the pot column using a voltage controller keeping the output to a drip drip dribble (took forever)

The end product has no lemon flavor at all for some reason

Can anyone shed some light on that?

Using backset will lower the ph, i don’t think this recipe was made for doing generations. How many lemons did u use 2nd time? When u say pot column, u mean u took packing out of t500 but left the water connected same way to run it?

Hi, I have not run the 2nd fermentation, i kept that separate from the original

The initial fermentation was with 60 small to medium lemons (pulp and juice)

Column is the 5 Star 2" pot

How many peels did u use? I simply cut them into quarters and throw everything in. The peels contain a lot of the flavour.

Wobblyboot wrote:

davesims wrote:

Wobblyboot wrote:

davesims wrote:I finally got around to distilling my lemon vodka wash over the weekend

I have already stripped the wash and then on Sat I ran it again through the pot column using a voltage controller keeping the output to a drip drip dribble (took forever)

The end product has no lemon flavor at all for some reason

Can anyone shed some light on that?

Using backset will lower the ph, i don’t think this recipe was made for doing generations. How many lemons did u use 2nd time? When u say pot column, u mean u took packing out of t500 but left the water connected same way to run it?

Hi, I have not run the 2nd fermentation, i kept that separate from the original

The initial fermentation was with 60 small to medium lemons (pulp and juice)

Column is the 5 Star 2" pot

How many peels did u use? I simply cut them into quarters and throw everything in. The peels contain a lot of the flavour.

Hey man i did not use any peels at all

davesims wrote:Hey man i did not use any peels at all

There is the answer to ur original question :handgestures-thumbupleft: iv made similar from limes, oranges, bananas. The peels add most of the flavour :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Well the recipe does say to peel the lemons!

The last time I made it I got a very subtle lemon flavour. Even after adding the skins and doing 2 generations.

I run on gas. No straining and throw everything in boiler, maybe that’s the difference :think:

Professor Green wrote:Well the recipe does say to peel the lemons!

Yeah i know but it didn't say put them in lol, makes bloody sense now :angry-banghead:

What do you guys use the bring up the Ph? and how much of it for this recipe?

Hi - I'd appreciate some guidance please from anyone who has managed to get a reasonably strong lemon flavour out of the recipe based on a single distillation on a 4 plate column. My first attempt was bit disappointing - it tastes nice, but it's only very mildly tasting of lemon. If you add tonic, the flavour is lost. Here are the main points:

- I noticed Mac calls for a "25kg fermenter full of lemons". He said this equates to about 25 or 30 lemons. I bought 9kg of lemons which was approximately 80 lemons; although it was probably about half to two thirds of the fermenter. The recipe calls for half a dozen lemon skins. I put in 3 times as many. I made sure the lemon flesh was broken up sufficiently by pulsing a food processing a few times.

- My single 4 plate run was full reflux for about 45 minutes, then foreshots dripping then heads little bit quicker and a thin "toothpick" stream as I was progressing through to hearts. After making my cuts, I ended up with about 3.5L @ 88%abv. The problem is when diluting to 40% abv, I feel the flavour is extremely subtle.

- After reading about EC1118 pH preferences and reading pH at about 2.75, I decided to raise the pH to a starting level of 4.0. The fermentation was solid and steady and finished after a week to 10 days approx.

Any ideas why my flavour was so weak please? It's a lovely smooth drink - fab as a beer chaser, but it would benefit from a stronger lemon carryover. I thought about reducing perhaps to 2 plates next time, but the vodka would be rougher I imagine? Thanks in advance for any opinions :-)

Hi JayTee ,
I made it a few months back and found the same issue, i make limoncello its as strong as i think it needs more rind in it to be honest to get the b flavours to carry over , or soak the distilled spirit for 7 days on rind


regards Barry

I've made it twice now and same problem. I think woodduck has had some success with running it faster than you normally would run a neutral through 4 plates.