I've been using T/Yeast since it hit the shops many years ago. If you allow your finished wash to stand for 5 days before distillation , your wash will drop out all the remnants of the yeast as it settles in the bottom of your wash barrel in a thick layer because it multiplies greatly during the fermentation process . The fermented wash becomes almost clear after 5 days and the smell is less unpleasant. If you put your wash into the still without this important step of settling , then a significant amount of suspended yeast will be stewed up by the heaters inside your still and it creates odor's of cooked yeast... and is often noticeable in your finished product. For premium alcohol and a noticeable boost in the quality try putting your entire first run of your alcohol back into the still, top up with water, run the still again .....yes you will loose around 15 % of your finished product after the 2nd still run, BUT it will be 6 to 9 % stronger by volume afterwards and a little tastier. Try it...This method negates the use of any charcoal filter methods as it is a great taste sensation being super clean .
whats the point then? either you spend the 5 days brewing or settling. I use turbos with my air still pro washes and i'm taking about 72 hours from making a 2kg wash to first drips. that's the entire point of turbo isn't it?
Very much agree and feel Jessie let the bias destroy the product. 1, wait until the wash has cleared before stilling. 2, you must filter that product or it tastes pungent. I filter mine by trickling multiple times through 1kg of carbon. From watching the process used in this video, yes I can imagine it doesn't taste good at all..
I’ve been using sugar and Turbo Classic 8 for the last dozen runs. I let it drop below 1.000 then vacuum transfer it to a glass carboy, degas it with my vacuum pump. Add sparkalloid and let it clear completely before running it thru my reflux. I think racking it off the trub, degassing and clearing removes that “fertilizer” smell. By racking it and clearing it none of the solids go into my boiler. I use turbo because it’s fast and consistent. Never had a slow or stuck fermentation. Typically I make fruit shine, gin or lemoncello with neutral spirits and have never had anyone say it was “chemically”. Now if I was making a whiskey I would not use it.
Totally agree. My points of difference are 1. 40 litre wash with one packet 2. Ferment out to below 990 3. Leave the ferment to nearly clear and rack. 4. Wait until ferment is clear before running twice. Result is acceptable "moonshine" which I run through the Chinese still (same as Stillits) for Gin.
I think there's a general lack of understanding about yeast in the home distilling community. If you want to know about yeast talk to one of your home brew friends about it. For example if I ferment a hefeweizen wort at a higher temperature the esters produced will have a banana in character. If I ferment the same wort at a lower temperature then the esters produced will be more clove like. This is one simple example of how you can achieve different results with the same yeast, but different temperature. Yeast is very complicated and there's tons of yeast strains.
Ha, thank you. The thing i first learned about yeast: every strain does pretty much the same thing, but at a different PH and temp. Going outside of the preferred range gives different flavours.
I personally still believe when you don't rush something take time and care the final product always comes out better didn't matter if it's a spirit a piece of furniture, the care and attention to the small details always shows in the end results cheers...
This was a solid test. You gave it a fair shake. I tried it, tons of folks have, but I don't know anyone who still uses Turbo Yeast after their first few projects for exactly the reasons you pointed out.
My dear friend... thanks so much for your work. In Canada ordinary citizens can own distillation equipment, but only use it to produce pure, clean, drinking water. So of course, I follow your channel. Thanks for the advice on producing clean water. It's so necessary in these times. Cheers from Cochrane, Ontario, Canada.
You need to use charcoal and clear. Thats the whole point of it. Trade off in speed is all the off flavours it makes and it needs to ne charcoaled and cleared. As for 24 hours.... only time it ever did it in 24 hours was on a hot summer day. 24 hours is a damn lie 😅 The quick sugar wash neutral to play with different flavourings is where it shines. After that take the packing out and run it in pot still mode to remove the over flavour and colour. Mmmmmmm
Exactly! "This car handles like crap! I didn't put all four wheels on the car because they are always trying to upsell you on tyres but I still got the general idea." That said. I found that the turbo sugar made it taste like syrup. Unbranded dextrose tasted a lot nicer.
I play with it,sometimes I just leave it and let it settle naturally. Do a double 60l with a tube of Tom puree with some Himalaya salt and an aldi magnesium sachet. Then i use mostly mid stuff and top n tails. All my buddies say it tastes like white rum. For mixers and cocktails and everyone comments on the fact that they have little to no hangover even at over indulgence. By the way I've been Making beer and wine since i was a child and spirits for 20 years(all types). What I can say is turbo works. It does what is says on the pack but does need a tweak . I'm also in the process of building a cooling coil for the fermenter but procrastination has taken over.......which can be over ridden by using a heater cable in a cold garage for a while then once the yeast is generating its own heat turn off.
Just to see if I could I made a Vodkat (not distilled) type drink. Used Dextrose, Still Mineral Water, Alcotec Pure 48, Turbo Carbon and Turbo Clear and it ended up being around 20% ABV. Made a load for a Halloween party and no one said it was nasty. It tasted of nothing really. But it took longer then 48h. Took almost 10 days but I did brew it slightly on the cooler side.
Thank you for actually testing. Coming from beer brewing I have seen so many tips and tidbits and the like that are never tested and a lot ended up being BS. Glad to see you are actually trying it out rather than just going with what you have heard from others.
I must say, Mrs. Still It is a wonderful addition to your channel. That said I am the guy that will always look for a recipe that I can use to control the outcome of my product.
Hey i agree, i have been doing TPW and TFFV for 2 years now and distilling for 18 years! The flavor difference is chalk and Cheese, Turbo yeast is crap compared to the products i now use! I cant believe i did 16 years of the rubbish. Love your Channel Jessie.
Classic 8... Just used it and surprised at the potency. I used 3 lbs of sugar in 1 gallon water with elderberry, jasmine flowers and a dash of hops for flavor..yes..very interesting and turned out not bad at all. Great video, much appreciated.
Good to see you being humble and giving it a go. From my understanding, Turbo is basically DADY and Yeast Nutrient and Yeast Energizer. When I run "Neutral" I use the custom blend of Nutrients and Energizer but I don't run the ferment HOT and FAST. Do stripping run then spirit run through 4 Bubble plates. By the time I blend with olive nation extracts and a smidge sugar, can put mine next to store bought and can't tell a difference other than less hangover. This said, I only do a single batch each year for festival flavors as the rest of the time is spent making bourbon or single malts.
I am currently running this as an experiment. Using the products and their recommendations with 6KG sugar. I am using Turbo Yeast 8 I think its called? Its not the "max" turbo - lol. I used the carbon with their yeast (agreed a lot of material in that yeast) and will run it through the Carbon filter as they suggest. I bought a kit from them that included all this stuff so I am definitely going to use it and take notes. Perhaps the carbon filtering will clean it up a bit and make it more neutral? What I do know is its been bubbling constantly after 2 hours and hasn't really slowed much yet; I'm at 25 hours. I really enjoy your channel and have watched a lot of content so decided to upgrade the membership for a while; happy to help you keep doing what you do....which helps me :)
I've used turbo for years, mostly because I have a small still and the turbo can do a great job on a high abv wash. I always let the was sit to clear, simple as anything.
Here's a few tips I found useful when using turbo yeast. I have been doing this for a couple years now, previously I used exclusively beer yeasts and brewers yeast. For neutral spirits I use turbo pure which claims to produce a triple distilled quality wash. Treat the yeast as any other yeast. Dont expect it to short cut your fermentation time and still make a high quality wash. The extra weight in the yeast isn't because it uses excessive amounts of yeast. It contains yeast nutrients and sulphur removing additives which reduce off odours. Follow the instructions and ferment between the reccommended temperature range or else you can get off flavours. Let the fermentation fully stop ( typically 6 days for me) and wait a further 3 days for the yeast to clean up diaceytl and other fermentables. This will improved the flavour and the ammonia or urea/ fertilizer taste won't be present in the wash. Degas and clear the wash properly if you want a neutral spirit. Cooking the yeast while distilling will impart yeasty flavours in to product. Run your still slowly.... If you do these things you won't need to use carbon. Atleast I stopped using it. I found that carbon will just make your spirit tasteless. I prefer the i taste of the spirit with some flavour than a pharmaceutical grade cleaner. If making a neutral spirit base I typically make a bird watchers minus the lemon juice.. I use turbo pure with 6.5 kgs of sugar and 26 litres of clean rain water for a 14.5%abv wash.
The manual on the package was meant for maximum speed. But if you have some time to ferment, you can get decent results even with turbo. First - that package can easily process a wash 2-3 times the size recommended. The trick is to aerate tha wash before adding yeasts, so they can increase their numbers first. The larger wash dilutes nutrients, so it helps with the "chemical" taste. Another important thing is the temperature of the wash - it's best, if it doesn't exceed 25 degrees C. Also, the initial sugar content is better to be kept not too high, closer to 20 Blg. To summarise - we want a quick initial yeasts propagation, and then slow and steady work of theirs. The "calmer" the yeasts are during fermentation stage, the less off-tastes we get.
Chasing the craft is exactly what this hobby is about. Whether it be that perfect whiskey, vodka or whatever, we strive to learn, experiment, enjoy, and at times fail. That is why we love the hobby. It is more about the journey than the goal.
i use the classic 8 and turbo pure. always double distill with no issues with either but i also use some other clarifiers. i always let it go for at least a week too and then another day for clarifying after racking.
I do a fairly slow distillation and the flavor profile always ends up rather sweet with a hint of banana in there with a standard sugar wash. My friends love it and are always hounding me to do a run for them. So, I think depending on how these products with the different types of equipment is used, you can get a wide variation of product. Also, the classic 8 and turbo pure from still spirits are always available at my local brew store. Ease of use with these is nice too. Sometimes i'll do the Chitosan & Kieselsol fining agents if I have it around for shits and giggles but I haven't really noticed anything special other than the boiler doesn't smell so bad after a run. lol
Use one product at a time and snuff out whichever makes the biggest difference? I know that means extra time but it’s a straight forward approach to determine quality... I do admire how genuine you are thanks for a great video!
Hi, i respect your knowledge, and I respect your experience. However, I have made several hundred litres of this stuff, and it's absolutely crucial to use the turbo carbon, and the turbo clear. Rapid fermentation leaves so much crap behind that you will have a hard time to filter it out without the carbon and clearing agent.
Ive run a wash 60l with 1 pack of turbo yeast and 8kg sugar. Wasnt too bad at all. Like you said its overpitching and too high sg that causes the problems.
@@FoolOfATuque definitely can over pitch nutrients, though. I'm not a distiller, but a mead maker, and if you stick to 'natural' yeast nutrients like raisins and such, then you'll just have a raisiny mead. If you overpitch the commercial nutrient products you definitely can get some nasty industrial flavours.
@@samurphy yeah, but OP has edited the comment to mean something completely different from what I originally replied to. Originally it was a comment about pitching yeast and not yeast nutrients. It is a completely different comment now.
@@FoolOfATuque I edited it 4 days ago, your comment was 23hrs ago, I haven’t edited it since. You can definitely over-pitch. What over pitching does is it doesn’t let the natural yeast strain to create those esters because it doesn’t have to go through the cycle of budding and growing. Go read Chris Whites practical guide to yeast. Turbo is a lot of yeast, nutrients and probably a PH stabilizer designed to ferment sugar all the way down. I see a lot of videos, forums and other media where no one talks about the right amount to pitch. Me personally I like to slightly under-pitch to get some of those stressed ester in my whiskey, but to each their own.
I think going full turbo would be a cool experiment. With the filters and everything. I've not gone down the full road of distilling, but I'm kinda curious. And you're progression and expertise really is insightful.
I think so too! make a "super" wash :) High abw in the high teens, fermented at low temperature with dextrose added throughout the fermentation. Use coal and turbo clear. High column and many bubble plates in full reflux mode, after the stripping run. Then ventilate overnight and finish it all with a large charcoal filter 😎
I have used turbo yeast since I started. It is quick and easy, without having to measure different things out. I have not used turbo clear or the charcoal however.
I use those products and follow the instructions exactly. Works just fine and the products are really good. I prefer the Turbo 8 which gives me 60% distilled spirit.
Yeah, these products have a place in the hobby, for sure. I got into mead making because I first started with commercial 'everything in a box' wine kits. Lowering the barrier to entry is always a good thing to expand a hobby.
I started with Turbo, and was fermenting washes 3x what was on the bag without any off flavors that I was able to notice but you bashing turbo has pushed me to experiment with a wide range of yeasts including Philly Sour! I appreciate the point of view, yeast is a major tool in the flavor box.
I have used a turbo yeast with fairly good success. Maybe not the best in the world, but it gets the job done and it almost guarantees you of a quick vigorous fermentation !! It takes off like a dragster. I’ve had it start fermenting before I could even get the lid on the carboy. I think it’s good for a beginner because it is so foolproof.
Turbo yeast has a large amount of metal filings which I think is zinc. I use it but do a yeast starter with 1/4 the product recommended and it still is so vigorous it often overflows my fermenters. It lists high alcohol tolerance to 20% and I can get 18% if I add sugar. Appreciate your videos.
I used the alcotec 24 turbo yeast and turbo klar .I have found that best results were found when the Turbo 500 is used with an entirely cleared batch.made some yesterday.
I had a bad taste experience when I tried turbo. But like you, I didn't use the cleanser. I think I'll give it another go. Especially after studying the cleanser packets, fwiw. Great vid.
I've used Turbo clear for freeze concentration, and i've found it improves the flavour quite a bit once concentrated. Bit different than distilling tho :D
My still came with Turbo Yeast and Turbo clear. I ordered some more with the still order. These allowed me to start learning the process fast. As I gained experience, I moved to other options and other Washes/Mashes. I believe these products are a benefit for beginners to help them learn the processes in a basic forum.
If you use turbo yeast then have it in a place that has a temperatur at 15-18 celsius then it dont work so hard and dont produse alot of crap ,much love from norway
I own a T500 and routinely make turbo washes. We use the flavourings and it makes okay spirits. I will say that it does improve if you let it sit for a bit. I have also put it on oak for for about 2 years and was pleasantly surprised. I also have the alembic dome for it and have produced rums and whiskey's. For the price and convenience it will get someone into the "spirit" of things (see what I did there). I look forward to the day when I can afford to purchase a bigger unit.
My first wash was with turbo yeast. I had been warned off of using it on the forums, but being a complete novice I thought it would be a good reference point for future washes. I'm glad I went against the advice as I learned a lot from doing it and the end product wasn't no where near as bad as others make it out to be. Not used Turbo since though.
I understand why people are dissuaded from using it. You can make much better product a lot cheaper, but for a complete beginner it's not a terrible place to start imo. You'll at least immediately be able to pick out the differences once you move on to a wash like Birdwatchers.
I use Turbo Pure with the charcoal and clearing agent, its definitely not a 24hr fermentation, as a home brewer I know not to intentionally rush fermentations. It works as a way to make a reasonable neutral spirit base, none of those "industrial" notes Turbo yeasts are famous for. My view on Turbo yeasts overall is don't form an opinion without experience (I know in a world of "internet experts", this principle is often lost).
I did a turbo rum batch a week ago and after clearing and transfering to the still i added another 6.5kg molasses and 22L water on top of the old yeast and after 30min it was going like crazy again. I do this 3 times with the same yeast with no problems. For that purpose i like turbo yeast.
I was given a pack of turbo yeast to try. Used it in a 12 gallon ferment with a modest OG 1.045 sugar wash. Fermented out in 2 days. Ran it in a pot, 1 and done. Hearts cut had a stinging odd taste, tails however, smelled like a ream of papery body odor. Saved it for a stripping run combine. Then ran it through 3 feet x 3 inch packed reflux column. It came out pretty clean, but when the tails hit, that BO came back. I always use bakers yeast and rarely shoot above 1.060 OG washes. But Kveik yeast has my curiosity... Cheers Jesse!
I'd love to see a mini series of distillate comparisons based on different yeast strains. I've done this before when choosing which was best for my cider. The flavour profile is completely different and it would be interesting to see how these translate when run through the still.
I bought a Turbo 500 about two months ago and I love it. I made my first batch of spirit with the ingredients they provide and according to the instructions. It was my first ever try at distilling and because I didn't understand what I was doing it was a great way of learning. I have now moved onto Birdwatchers and I am keen to try grain based next. I will echo your comment in a earlier video Jessie... It is a gateway still.
It's a gateway product. I started using DAP for my meads and I was happy with the results. It made it easy to make a drinkable product. It was only later on, when I tried some other meads that I wanted to emulate those and started learning about Fermaid O and experimenting with different yeast strains, step feeding, etc. This setup makes it easy to get something drinkable and that's now the chase begins!
@@Vykk_Draygo Nothing wrong with JAOM. It's a perfect way to get started. I find that any fermenting hobby, including beer, wine, mead or making a wash for distilling comes up against the "experts" that absolutely know everything. The truth is we are all learning and we should all try everything and judge for ourselves what works FOR US. Look at this video...he was convinced Turbo yeast was AWFUL. Why? Because the "experts" said it was. Turns out it's not terrible. Yes, there are better ways, but it's not death incarnate.
I've made some very clean spirits that gave me some excellent gin using a straight Turbo sugarwash. I'd love to see you do a straight wash WITH the carbon, using the standard Turbo, not the fast one, give it time to settle, and using a clarifier to clear it before distillation. I reckon (bias aside) you'd get a very acceptable neutral spirit.
I use the Turbo Yeast with the T500 But run twice through a carbon filter when I'm done. Right out of the Pot it has oils in & unpleasant, The way you tested it, but after filtering, tastes really Neutral.
Great video! I agree with you, turbo is not the way to go if you want a nice product. It would however be interesting to ferment with turbo under pressure... fermentation would be crazy fast and maybe it could get rid of some of the unpleasant flavour..? Just a thought.
Unfortunately I've started of with turbo yeast and bought like 3 kg of that stuff. Btw, I recently made some dandelion coffee extract and flavours are really nice, highly recommend experimenting. Greetings from Ireland!
I mostly buy the 8kg turbo pack. Sugar with carbon, turbo 8 yeast, turbo clear. I run a total of 28litres in the bucket and get 4.5litres of the 93%. I distill, dilute 2:1 and filter, then distill again and filter with fresh carbon in the turbo "double bucket" filter. Is like water that sets you on your ear
I am been very happy with the turbo yeast(around 8 to 10 day fermenting). 80 percent of the fermenting is done in 2 to 3 days, the rest 20 percent is slower. Tomato paste and dead yeast cell as nutrients get you there, but it takes time(10 to 14 days). Manure smells bad to ... but it get tasty veggies.
Definitely try it with turbo carbon and more importantly turbo clear. what you put in is going to be reflected in what you get out. Using turbo carbon and turbo clear helps to reduce the off flavours of the spirit straight out of the still by reducing them in the wash. Follow it up with slow carbon filtering and you'll have as close as you can get to a neutral spirit. I'm talking about using a reflux still here. if you're using a pot still and not carbon filtering then yes, I can see that turbo yeast wouldn't be the best choice
Personally i used carbon in my 1st 5ish brews then stopped and never noticed any difference. Turbo clear works well imo but i syopped using it because i have plenty of room for brewing so i just leave it clear naturally.
@@jay71512 yeah, i dont have a ton of room, nor a freezer so i'm kinda in a need more than a want lol. ive used carbon, but still not sure if it makes any difference.
@@gangaskan2255 ask friends or family for their opinion? Whats point of using it if still no noticeable difference. The turbo clear i would definitely use tho if time was important!
Its all about time. Cant wait 10 days for my wash to ferment with other yeast. Turbo max 4 days and off you go. Agree with your lovely wife. Turba,taste good or not bad at all.. As you say. Personel taste matters. Like your vids Thx.from South Africa.
Turbo has its place for the ones that don't care and want to get drunk and don't actually enjoy the craft. But if you enjoy the craft there are so many more better options. Awesome video Jesse look forward to seeing what else you do with the T500
Very interested in the upcoming videos with modifications on the T500 . If you get a chance, pickup the Gin basket. It replaces the nut that holds the column on the cover. Very curious on what you think of it. You will need the Copper Alembic dome and Condenser...
Would be great to see the best that can be done with that type of approach - e.g. Pure Turbo, carbon and clearing agent. Great videos! Loving the content.
i use to use turbo (for 16-17 years), up until i found your channel 3 years ago .. i found the best way to use turbo to do double or triple distill.. air it for a few days and double charcoal filter ..
@@StillIt i have memories of the vial flavours when not processed properly.. lol.. If you work it .. It can be make into something nice.. but you gotta weigh it all up.. Turbo.. fast.. high quantity.. but has bad flavour.. UNTILL you process it a lil.. Other yeast. (Not over stressed) work slower.. lower yields.. but a better product BASE to work from.. instead of extra processes to MAKE it drinkable.. lol.. I hope this makes sense.
@@williamelliott Yes, but I bet you didn't pay over $150 for yours? In general, Amazon doesn't work very well for us living in Australia or NZ due to the very high shipping rates. Yes you can get things (sometimes not) but not in any affordable sense. 'Tis a pity.
I’m loving your videos I’m new well been doing it for 2 years as a hobby and now really getting into cuts thanks to you and my brew shop loving it have to say I only drink it once a month as I’m into my beers but it’s fun 🇦🇺
Hey Jesse, another quality video, thank you so much for what you do. An interesting comparison would be to put this version up against the "as directed" by clearing etc...see if it changes your thoughts once it has been cleared. I'm a fan of TPW, but occasionally run turbo purely due to time. Like you I think there is a "taste" from turbo, but in some spirits like Bacardi it seems to work (at least that's what the Mrs says) Anywho, keep the great content coming. Would be good if you could do a T500 vs Pure Distilling comparison for us backyard noobs that are still learning (and chasing the Craft) that could not build what you have. Thanks
Great video Jesse I’m one of the people who started with the T500. Must admit I am not that much of a fan of the Turbo wash but it does go well when aged and added with a Rum essence. The one thing that annoyed me with the T500 was that “take the first 50ml off and keep the rest” sales rubbish that they advise you to do, after my first run and epic fail the taste was rubbish but that is what bought me to your page and ultimately learning how to take cuts from your videos. The TPW is so much a better wash to run through the T500 as you know its not so much like fertiliser smelling and the finished product is so much smoother. I am really interested to see what mods you do with the T500, at the moment I am in the process of modifying a 50L keg to run a reflux/pot still setup, this journey of learning the craft has been made so much more fun with the videos and information from people like yourself, George and Bearded n bored. Thank you
I really got started with turbos as my first attempts with backing yeasts wasn't too rewarding - and I made a couple great sugar as grain/sugar vodkas. For redistilled spirits as such it is totally fine and it is a way to get started in the hobby.
Using the Carbon removes most of those bad tastes, the Clear drops the carbon out of suspension. IE less cleaning of the still. I have found doing 2 batches, combining and then double distilling makes a nice product.
I pretty regularly do a sugar wash with turbo yeast. I used to always use turbo clear but last time I made a batch I didn't have any so I just skipped it and apart from looking a lot less clear before distilling, the taste ended up being the same as always.
Id be interested to see what would happen if you didn't choose their lowest quality yeast and went for the 'pure' or something and followed their instructions around using the carbon and clear then filtered and whether that gave you a similar result
Try turbo pure in a bird watchers. Give it a few days to sit after fermentation stops and skim the top. Then degas and clear the wash... Im curious to see how it comes out in your opinion.
I use my own home built reflux still and use it to create gins. The washes i use are made using a turbo yeast. I do sometimes run vodkas/ neutral bases, i never have a problem, but i do use turboklar to drop out the particulates, i really think you should have done this, as otherwise the particulates are bound to flavour the product.
I use Turbo Yeast. I like and everyone that I give it to like it more than me. I have just upgraded to a new still and now I think its a bit better. I am also making barley wash that are better though. I get twice the alcohol from the sugar wash and it goes good with wood dominos and flavour additives. Also, I only use Turbo Clear and sit that for 2 day. I goes very clear.
Im on my first attempt of making sugar wash and I started today, they say dont use an airlock and for good reason to , the co2 escaping is pretty violent in a 23 litre fermenting bin, so I have a plastic pipe leading to a 4 pint plastic milk bottle and it looks its boiling .
Hi, the Turbo Pure yeast is far better, and delivers a more rounded producr, with less things than the fast one. Love the video's, and agree with you when you said you should have stuck with the instructions , and then give a more fairer viewpoint. Thanks again
I have used turbo yeast and charcoal to clean the sugar wash and just don’t like the smell. Fast is not always better. I now use a 1118 yeast and a long ferment and allow the yeast to settle out before reflux distillation.
I would highly recommend the pure still spirits and 20%abv still spirits I used turbo carbon and had very good results nice tasting alcohol and I would recommend filtering with carbon after distilling second time round . P.s . Jesse keep up the good work hope your all good and well mate .
Very well done & well said. I thought the honesty & the guest star was a good touch. I’ve had some Turbo in my fridge since I built the pot still head, I’ll have to give it a go now! 😂
Absolutely yes should’ve used the carbon.. the clear is a fermenter stopper/yeast killer, and a floculant, and also very important.. no one like dead yeast cells exploding in the still.. and either double run, or double filter through activated carbon... and very clean neutral spirit.. slow runs
I don't use it either, but I did. (it came with the system)However, when you use all the extra stuff. The charcoal, the turbo clear and filter it after it's rested for 24 hours. It's not terrible, not great but not terrible.
Good vid. Jessie. I believe that Turbo has a place for people who are time poor. Using other methods reduces yield and requires a considerable amount of time for stripping and spirit runs. It really comes down to what you are chasing. High yield using minimal time with a good output that produces a product that is sort of drinkable, then go for Turbo. If you are chasing quality, it will cost you time. I’ve been down both paths and my problem is that a really enjoy a quality spirit so for me, there was no choice. Turbo, turbo clear and charcoal filters mean that you a reliant on a supplier of this gear. Most of my supplies come from my local supermarket (at a much reduced cost) which is an added bonus.
Hi Jessie. The T500 is great, however, it needs a Variable Speed Controller for Spirit Runs. I use one that is for routers and it works great. They are super cheap and available on Amazon.
lol, I agree with your lovely wife. Turbo isn't great but it's good at what it does. Use the carbon system and filter after distilling and you'll get a nice, clean vodka! Also, you should set up double blinds if you're gonna taste-test. Opens you up to some embarrassment, but it's more honest and scientific. Great work overall. Keep it up, bother! Stay safe and happy out there.
The first run on the new, unseasoned still may have contributed to the "chemical taste". I tried 24 hour turbo and let it ferment until it quit out gassing (it took 6 days). I believe the yeast consumed all the products from the pouch. This left a much cleaner almost taste less product.
George had a completely different idea of it??? Have only done sugar washes through a reflux at the moment but have been really happy with what i have been getting so far. Looking to get a pot still and start mashing in the nea future but atm im happy with my turbo yeast!!!!
oh you defentaily want to play with some all grains, and if you have some fruit trees play around with that, The wife has a plum tree that has these small purple plums, large stone, makes the most beautiful jam you could imagine, but the wife is sick of taking the pips out, so i've been using it for brandy, just devine!, I thinking of making a creme de cacao then aging that in a barrel, not that's how creme de cacao is made, but because I want to coat the barrel in the chocolatie goodness, and then put the plum brandy in there. mmmm jam alcohol and chocolate, what could that possibly go wrong. and watermelon brandy is buate too: www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/14183961-how-to-make-watermelon-moonshine-step-by-step-with-pictures Don't use a pot sill for sugar washes, because they are just nasty, I tried that, not that I was expecting a good result, it was the first time I ran a pot still, so I figured better to butcher a sugar wash then an all grain brew, it was nasty, really nasty, I added whiskey essence to it , personally I think it was undrinkable, I use it to make baileys, which I can still taste the the nastieness, but the wife loves it (does't know what she's looking for ) so yea well since; then I fell like Rumplestiltskin, down there spinning my grain into Baileys. I need too stills, his and hers
Hmm bit of a mix basket, the fast yeast I never use never had any success with! So I use the turbo 8, ferments a lot better but still take 14 days, last brew I did I used no carbon but still filtered it! After temp conversion I ended up with 4 litres at 92%, but saying that the final product had always had some off odours, probably the yeast! Jess try running it again as you should, use 8 kgs 4 of sugar and 4 of dextrose! pack the column tight add the ceramics and the anti foaming stuff (1capful) run your t500 at 52-57 c drop out 100ml at the start, and run it until it smells like wet cardboard! And see what you end up with! All my spirit I collect is left for 2 days then tempered down to 40 abv the I don’t use it for around 2 weeks, it sort of mellows out!
Please use Turbo Pure Yeast next time, and use the charcoal and clearing agents. The results are so much better!!! Turbo yeast isn’t the best with vodka, it’s much better with Liqueurs, Bourbons and Rums etc... But this also depends on the flavours you buy to. Love your Channel !!!
Hey. Beginner friendly stills and systems attract more to the craft. Turbo Yeast was what got me into the hobby.
Damn right buddy. T500 and turbo yeast is where i started.
I agree
Same here. Starter kit for sure
Put me on that list too
Me too
I've been using T/Yeast since it hit the shops many years ago. If you allow your finished wash to stand for 5 days before distillation , your wash will drop out all the remnants of the yeast as it settles in the bottom of your wash barrel in a thick layer because it multiplies greatly during the fermentation process . The fermented wash becomes almost clear after 5 days and the smell is less unpleasant. If you put your wash into the still without this important step of settling , then a significant amount of suspended yeast will be stewed up by the heaters inside your still and it creates odor's of cooked yeast... and is often noticeable in your finished product. For premium alcohol and a noticeable boost in the quality try putting your entire first run of your alcohol back into the still, top up with water, run the still again .....yes you will loose around 15 % of your finished product after the 2nd still run, BUT it will be 6 to 9 % stronger by volume afterwards and a little tastier. Try it...This method negates the use of any charcoal filter methods as it is a great taste sensation being super clean .
whats the point then? either you spend the 5 days brewing or settling. I use turbos with my air still pro washes and i'm taking about 72 hours from making a 2kg wash to first drips. that's the entire point of turbo isn't it?
What if I use bentonite to make the wash clear as water is that possible to avoid the bad taste of yeast?
Doing a second experiment with all of their products, used as suggested, sounds like a great idea.
Very much agree and feel Jessie let the bias destroy the product. 1, wait until the wash has cleared before stilling. 2, you must filter that product or it tastes pungent. I filter mine by trickling multiple times through 1kg of carbon. From watching the process used in this video, yes I can imagine it doesn't taste good at all..
@@RIPMmusic my thoughts exactly.
I totally agree you need to use the carbon it should be in the fermenter for at least a week preferably two depending on how much sugar used
I’ve been using sugar and Turbo Classic 8 for the last dozen runs. I let it drop below 1.000 then vacuum transfer it to a glass carboy, degas it with my vacuum pump. Add sparkalloid and let it clear completely before running it thru my reflux. I think racking it off the trub, degassing and clearing removes that “fertilizer” smell. By racking it and clearing it none of the solids go into my boiler. I use turbo because it’s fast and consistent. Never had a slow or stuck fermentation. Typically I make fruit shine, gin or lemoncello with neutral spirits and have never had anyone say it was “chemically”. Now if I was making a whiskey I would not use it.
Totally agree. My points of difference are 1. 40 litre wash with one packet 2. Ferment out to below 990 3. Leave the ferment to nearly clear and rack. 4. Wait until ferment is clear before running twice. Result is acceptable "moonshine" which I run through the Chinese still (same as Stillits) for Gin.
I think there's a general lack of understanding about yeast in the home distilling community. If you want to know about yeast talk to one of your home brew friends about it. For example if I ferment a hefeweizen wort at a higher temperature the esters produced will have a banana in character. If I ferment the same wort at a lower temperature then the esters produced will be more clove like. This is one simple example of how you can achieve different results with the same yeast, but different temperature. Yeast is very complicated and there's tons of yeast strains.
Ha, thank you. The thing i first learned about yeast: every strain does pretty much the same thing, but at a different PH and temp. Going outside of the preferred range gives different flavours.
All tastes like hooch to me bud!
Now that you have tried it without the extras use the extras for your next run
I'm glad you have included your wife. Done well . Its a family thing chasing the craft
I personally still believe when you don't rush something take time and care the final product always comes out better didn't matter if it's a spirit a piece of furniture, the care and attention to the small details always shows in the end results cheers...
This was a solid test. You gave it a fair shake. I tried it, tons of folks have, but I don't know anyone who still uses Turbo Yeast after their first few projects for exactly the reasons you pointed out.
Brought t500, did 2 washes, tasted it, chucked it on the lawn, sold the t500. Moved on. Fast.
@@nickgreeks6591 So, tell us how you really feel, haha:-)
@@BeardedBored ripped off and mislead 🤣
The turbo clear is better for a sugar wash, takes a little longer, but its good
My dear friend... thanks so much for your work. In Canada ordinary citizens can own distillation equipment, but only use it to produce pure, clean, drinking water. So of course, I follow your channel. Thanks for the advice on producing clean water. It's so necessary in these times. Cheers from Cochrane, Ontario, Canada.
You need to use charcoal and clear. Thats the whole point of it. Trade off in speed is all the off flavours it makes and it needs to ne charcoaled and cleared.
As for 24 hours.... only time it ever did it in 24 hours was on a hot summer day. 24 hours is a damn lie 😅
The quick sugar wash neutral to play with different flavourings is where it shines.
After that take the packing out and run it in pot still mode to remove the over flavour and colour. Mmmmmmm
Exactly! "This car handles like crap! I didn't put all four wheels on the car because they are always trying to upsell you on tyres but I still got the general idea." That said. I found that the turbo sugar made it taste like syrup. Unbranded dextrose tasted a lot nicer.
@@footrotdog im waiting for the converted sugar run to finish settling. Should be interesting
Makes not real differnce only on your wallet, let it sit then rack simple. Run a skanky fruit wash through the t500 just that same
I play with it,sometimes I just leave it and let it settle naturally.
Do a double 60l with a tube of Tom puree with some Himalaya salt and an aldi magnesium sachet.
Then i use mostly mid stuff and top n tails.
All my buddies say it tastes like white rum.
For mixers and cocktails and everyone comments on the fact that they have little to no hangover even at over indulgence.
By the way I've been Making beer and wine since i was a child and spirits for 20 years(all types).
What I can say is turbo works.
It does what is says on the pack but does need a tweak .
I'm also in the process of building a cooling coil for the fermenter but procrastination has taken over.......which can be over ridden by using a heater cable in a cold garage for a while then once the yeast is generating its own heat turn off.
Just to see if I could I made a Vodkat (not distilled) type drink. Used Dextrose, Still Mineral Water, Alcotec Pure 48, Turbo Carbon and Turbo Clear and it ended up being around 20% ABV. Made a load for a Halloween party and no one said it was nasty. It tasted of nothing really. But it took longer then 48h. Took almost 10 days but I did brew it slightly on the cooler side.
Thank you for actually testing. Coming from beer brewing I have seen so many tips and tidbits and the like that are never tested and a lot ended up being BS. Glad to see you are actually trying it out rather than just going with what you have heard from others.
I must say, Mrs. Still It is a wonderful addition to your channel. That said I am the guy that will always look for a recipe that I can use to control the outcome of my product.
Thanks, Jessie. I am looking forward to seeing how you can get the best from a T500!!! Mods... formulas... processes... comparisons. Cheers!
Hey i agree, i have been doing TPW and TFFV for 2 years now and distilling for 18 years! The flavor difference is chalk and Cheese, Turbo yeast is crap compared to the products i now use! I cant believe i did 16 years of the rubbish. Love your Channel Jessie.
Classic 8... Just used it and surprised at the potency. I used 3 lbs of sugar in 1 gallon water with elderberry, jasmine flowers and a dash of hops for flavor..yes..very interesting and turned out not bad at all. Great video, much appreciated.
Good to see you being humble and giving it a go. From my understanding, Turbo is basically DADY and Yeast Nutrient and Yeast Energizer. When I run "Neutral" I use the custom blend of Nutrients and Energizer but I don't run the ferment HOT and FAST. Do stripping run then spirit run through 4 Bubble plates. By the time I blend with olive nation extracts and a smidge sugar, can put mine next to store bought and can't tell a difference other than less hangover. This said, I only do a single batch each year for festival flavors as the rest of the time is spent making bourbon or single malts.
I am currently running this as an experiment. Using the products and their recommendations with 6KG sugar. I am using Turbo Yeast 8 I think its called? Its not the "max" turbo - lol. I used the carbon with their yeast (agreed a lot of material in that yeast) and will run it through the Carbon filter as they suggest. I bought a kit from them that included all this stuff so I am definitely going to use it and take notes. Perhaps the carbon filtering will clean it up a bit and make it more neutral? What I do know is its been bubbling constantly after 2 hours and hasn't really slowed much yet; I'm at 25 hours.
I really enjoy your channel and have watched a lot of content so decided to upgrade the membership for a while; happy to help you keep doing what you do....which helps me :)
I've used turbo for years, mostly because I have a small still and the turbo can do a great job on a high abv wash. I always let the was sit to clear, simple as anything.
Here's a few tips I found useful when using turbo yeast. I have been doing this for a couple years now, previously I used exclusively beer yeasts and brewers yeast.
For neutral spirits I use turbo pure which claims to produce a triple distilled quality wash.
Treat the yeast as any other yeast.
Dont expect it to short cut your fermentation time and still make a high quality wash.
The extra weight in the yeast isn't because it uses excessive amounts of yeast. It contains yeast nutrients and sulphur removing additives which reduce off odours.
Follow the instructions and ferment between the reccommended temperature range or else you can get off flavours.
Let the fermentation fully stop ( typically 6 days for me) and wait a further 3 days for the yeast to clean up diaceytl and other fermentables.
This will improved the flavour and the ammonia or urea/ fertilizer taste won't be present in the wash.
Degas and clear the wash properly if you want a neutral spirit. Cooking the yeast while distilling will impart yeasty flavours in to product.
Run your still slowly.... If you do these things you won't need to use carbon. Atleast I stopped using it.
I found that carbon will just make your spirit tasteless. I prefer the i taste of the spirit with some flavour than a pharmaceutical grade cleaner.
If making a neutral spirit base I typically make a bird watchers minus the lemon juice.. I use turbo pure with 6.5 kgs of sugar and 26 litres of clean rain water for a 14.5%abv wash.
Is it possible to use a spirits yeast in a beer brew?
Thanks for the input and explanation mate. Great advice!
The manual on the package was meant for maximum speed. But if you have some time to ferment, you can get decent results even with turbo. First - that package can easily process a wash 2-3 times the size recommended. The trick is to aerate tha wash before adding yeasts, so they can increase their numbers first. The larger wash dilutes nutrients, so it helps with the "chemical" taste. Another important thing is the temperature of the wash - it's best, if it doesn't exceed 25 degrees C. Also, the initial sugar content is better to be kept not too high, closer to 20 Blg. To summarise - we want a quick initial yeasts propagation, and then slow and steady work of theirs. The "calmer" the yeasts are during fermentation stage, the less off-tastes we get.
Chasing the craft is exactly what this hobby is about. Whether it be that perfect whiskey, vodka or whatever, we strive to learn, experiment, enjoy, and at times fail. That is why we love the hobby. It is more about the journey than the goal.
i use the classic 8 and turbo pure. always double distill with no issues with either but i also use some other clarifiers. i always let it go for at least a week too and then another day for clarifying after racking.
i also use a copper alembic pot still.
I do a fairly slow distillation and the flavor profile always ends up rather sweet with a hint of banana in there with a standard sugar wash. My friends love it and are always hounding me to do a run for them. So, I think depending on how these products with the different types of equipment is used, you can get a wide variation of product. Also, the classic 8 and turbo pure from still spirits are always available at my local brew store. Ease of use with these is nice too. Sometimes i'll do the Chitosan & Kieselsol fining agents if I have it around for shits and giggles but I haven't really noticed anything special other than the boiler doesn't smell so bad after a run. lol
Use one product at a time and snuff out whichever makes the biggest difference? I know that means extra time but it’s a straight forward approach to determine quality... I do admire how genuine you are thanks for a great video!
Hi, i respect your knowledge, and I respect your experience. However, I have made several hundred litres of this stuff, and it's absolutely crucial to use the turbo carbon, and the turbo clear. Rapid fermentation leaves so much crap behind that you will have a hard time to filter it out without the carbon and clearing agent.
Don’t knock it. I’ve known distillers who over pitch yeast with no sense of balance: Turbo yeast is just over pitch of yeast and nutrients.
Ive run a wash 60l with 1 pack of turbo yeast and 8kg sugar. Wasnt too bad at all. Like you said its overpitching and too high sg that causes the problems.
You can't over pitch yeast. You can under pitch yeast and get stuck fermentations, but over pitching just means that it will ferment faster.
@@FoolOfATuque definitely can over pitch nutrients, though. I'm not a distiller, but a mead maker, and if you stick to 'natural' yeast nutrients like raisins and such, then you'll just have a raisiny mead. If you overpitch the commercial nutrient products you definitely can get some nasty industrial flavours.
@@samurphy yeah, but OP has edited the comment to mean something completely different from what I originally replied to. Originally it was a comment about pitching yeast and not yeast nutrients. It is a completely different comment now.
@@FoolOfATuque I edited it 4 days ago, your comment was 23hrs ago, I haven’t edited it since. You can definitely over-pitch. What over pitching does is it doesn’t let the natural yeast strain to create those esters because it doesn’t have to go through the cycle of budding and growing. Go read Chris Whites practical guide to yeast. Turbo is a lot of yeast, nutrients and probably a PH stabilizer designed to ferment sugar all the way down. I see a lot of videos, forums and other media where no one talks about the right amount to pitch. Me personally I like to slightly under-pitch to get some of those stressed ester in my whiskey, but to each their own.
I think you did it best.
One controlling change at a time.
I think going full turbo would be a cool experiment. With the filters and everything. I've not gone down the full road of distilling, but I'm kinda curious. And you're progression and expertise really is insightful.
Yeah I feel a little bad for not doing it this time round. I couldn't decide either way.
I think so too! make a "super" wash :) High abw in the high teens, fermented at low temperature with dextrose added throughout the fermentation. Use coal and turbo clear. High column and many bubble plates in full reflux mode, after the stripping run. Then ventilate overnight and finish it all with a large charcoal filter 😎
Holy cow! 3:44, the 2.5 hour mark.. I thought at first you were boiling the wash but its just the yeast working.
I have used turbo yeast since I started. It is quick and easy, without having to measure different things out. I have not used turbo clear or the charcoal however.
For me, Bentonite works well for the beer brew as well as in the single malt beer for distilling...
I've tried most available yeasts sold in new zealand. Found turbo pure to actually surprisingly good.
I found one that I really like. It's called 'Alcotec 48 Fruit & Grain Turbo Yeast'. It nice.
Bro, try alcotec 48 and 7kgs pf sugar. Let sit for 2weeks and then run it. cut off at 3.3L of 92% and there's no flavours
@@fatso8974is that with carbon filtering?
@@secret_snek no. It clears itself
I use those products and follow the instructions exactly. Works just fine and the products are really good. I prefer the Turbo 8 which gives me 60% distilled spirit.
Thanks for the honest opinion.
That was honest disappointment on your face after wifey decided on the blind test 🤣
Love your videos!
Turbo yeast got me into the craft in the first place, haven't used it in years but its great entry level stuff for first timers
Ditto
Yeah, these products have a place in the hobby, for sure. I got into mead making because I first started with commercial 'everything in a box' wine kits. Lowering the barrier to entry is always a good thing to expand a hobby.
Same but I have found myself coming back to one. 'Alcotec 48 Fruit & Grain Turbo Yeast' is pretty good and a no fuss yeast as it has everything in it.
I started with Turbo, and was fermenting washes 3x what was on the bag without any off flavors that I was able to notice but you bashing turbo has pushed me to experiment with a wide range of yeasts including Philly Sour! I appreciate the point of view, yeast is a major tool in the flavor box.
Yeah dude at the end of the day that's what it is a tool. Pick the right one for you.
I have used a turbo yeast with fairly good success. Maybe not the best in the world, but it gets the job done and it almost guarantees you of a quick vigorous fermentation !! It takes off like a dragster. I’ve had it start fermenting before I could even get the lid on the carboy. I think it’s good for a beginner because it is so foolproof.
Turbo yeast has a large amount of metal filings which I think is zinc. I use it but do a yeast starter with 1/4 the product recommended and it still is so vigorous it often overflows my fermenters. It lists high alcohol tolerance to 20% and I can get 18% if I add sugar. Appreciate your videos.
I used the alcotec 24 turbo yeast and turbo klar .I have found that best results were found when the Turbo 500 is used with an entirely cleared batch.made some yesterday.
Your wife likes Laphroig 10.
Yup... she’s a keeper.🤣👍🥃
Lol!!??!😂
I had a bad taste experience when I tried turbo. But like you, I didn't use the cleanser. I think I'll give it another go. Especially after studying the cleanser packets, fwiw. Great vid.
I've used Turbo clear for freeze concentration, and i've found it improves the flavour quite a bit once concentrated. Bit different than distilling tho :D
My still came with Turbo Yeast and Turbo clear. I ordered some more with the still order. These allowed me to start learning the process fast. As I gained experience, I moved to other options and other Washes/Mashes. I believe these products are a benefit for beginners to help them learn the processes in a basic forum.
If you use turbo yeast then have it in a place that has a temperatur at 15-18 celsius then it dont work so hard and dont produse alot of crap ,much love from norway
I open mine up and used 2 tablespoons and it worked great. Took a week but it worked.
I own a T500 and routinely make turbo washes. We use the flavourings and it makes okay spirits. I will say that it does improve if you let it sit for a bit. I have also put it on oak for for about 2 years and was pleasantly surprised. I also have the alembic dome for it and have produced rums and whiskey's. For the price and convenience it will get someone into the "spirit" of things (see what I did there). I look forward to the day when I can afford to purchase a bigger unit.
My first wash was with turbo yeast. I had been warned off of using it on the forums, but being a complete novice I thought it would be a good reference point for future washes. I'm glad I went against the advice as I learned a lot from doing it and the end product wasn't no where near as bad as others make it out to be. Not used Turbo since though.
Pretty much my findings here as well
I understand why people are dissuaded from using it. You can make much better product a lot cheaper, but for a complete beginner it's not a terrible place to start imo. You'll at least immediately be able to pick out the differences once you move on to a wash like Birdwatchers.
I use Turbo Pure with the charcoal and clearing agent, its definitely not a 24hr fermentation, as a home brewer I know not to intentionally rush fermentations. It works as a way to make a reasonable neutral spirit base, none of those "industrial" notes Turbo yeasts are famous for. My view on Turbo yeasts overall is don't form an opinion without experience (I know in a world of "internet experts", this principle is often lost).
I did a turbo rum batch a week ago and after clearing and transfering to the still i added another 6.5kg molasses and 22L water on top of the old yeast and after 30min it was going like crazy again. I do this 3 times with the same yeast with no problems. For that purpose i like turbo yeast.
Nice
I was given a pack of turbo yeast to try.
Used it in a 12 gallon ferment with a modest OG 1.045 sugar wash.
Fermented out in 2 days. Ran it in a pot, 1 and done.
Hearts cut had a stinging odd taste, tails however, smelled like a ream of papery body odor.
Saved it for a stripping run combine. Then ran it through 3 feet x 3 inch packed reflux column.
It came out pretty clean, but when the tails hit, that BO came back.
I always use bakers yeast and rarely shoot above 1.060 OG washes.
But Kveik yeast has my curiosity...
Cheers Jesse!
I'd love to see a mini series of distillate comparisons based on different yeast strains. I've done this before when choosing which was best for my cider. The flavour profile is completely different and it would be interesting to see how these translate when run through the still.
Agreed man!
Totally agree!!!
I bought a Turbo 500 about two months ago and I love it. I made my first batch of spirit with the ingredients they provide and according to the instructions. It was my first ever try at distilling and because I didn't understand what I was doing it was a great way of learning. I have now moved onto Birdwatchers and I am keen to try grain based next. I will echo your comment in a earlier video Jessie... It is a gateway still.
It's a gateway product. I started using DAP for my meads and I was happy with the results. It made it easy to make a drinkable product. It was only later on, when I tried some other meads that I wanted to emulate those and started learning about Fermaid O and experimenting with different yeast strains, step feeding, etc. This setup makes it easy to get something drinkable and that's now the chase begins!
I made one traditional with raisins and EC-1118. Yeah. Bought a pound of Fermaid O before starting the next brew. I was so naïve. Raisins. smh
@@Vykk_Draygo Nothing wrong with JAOM. It's a perfect way to get started. I find that any fermenting hobby, including beer, wine, mead or making a wash for distilling comes up against the "experts" that absolutely know everything. The truth is we are all learning and we should all try everything and judge for ourselves what works FOR US. Look at this video...he was convinced Turbo yeast was AWFUL. Why? Because the "experts" said it was. Turns out it's not terrible. Yes, there are better ways, but it's not death incarnate.
I've made some very clean spirits that gave me some excellent gin using a straight Turbo sugarwash. I'd love to see you do a straight wash WITH the carbon, using the standard Turbo, not the fast one, give it time to settle, and using a clarifier to clear it before distillation. I reckon (bias aside) you'd get a very acceptable neutral spirit.
I use the Turbo Yeast with the T500 But run twice through a carbon filter when I'm done.
Right out of the Pot it has oils in & unpleasant, The way you tested it, but after filtering, tastes really Neutral.
Great video! I agree with you, turbo is not the way to go if you want a nice product. It would however be interesting to ferment with turbo under pressure... fermentation would be crazy fast and maybe it could get rid of some of the unpleasant flavour..? Just a thought.
Hmmmm interesting idea....
I'm with you 100% but if a person likes what he likes so be it Cheers my friend
Unfortunately I've started of with turbo yeast and bought like 3 kg of that stuff. Btw, I recently made some dandelion coffee extract and flavours are really nice, highly recommend experimenting. Greetings from Ireland!
Dandelion coffee? That's a interesting flavour for a spirit!
I mostly buy the 8kg turbo pack. Sugar with carbon, turbo 8 yeast, turbo clear. I run a total of 28litres in the bucket and get 4.5litres of the 93%. I distill, dilute 2:1 and filter, then distill again and filter with fresh carbon in the turbo "double bucket" filter. Is like water that sets you on your ear
I am been very happy with the turbo yeast(around 8 to 10 day fermenting). 80 percent of the fermenting is done in 2 to 3 days, the rest 20 percent is slower. Tomato paste and dead yeast cell as nutrients get you there, but it takes time(10 to 14 days). Manure smells bad to ... but it get tasty veggies.
Definitely try it with turbo carbon and more importantly turbo clear. what you put in is going to be reflected in what you get out. Using turbo carbon and turbo clear helps to reduce the off flavours of the spirit straight out of the still by reducing them in the wash. Follow it up with slow carbon filtering and you'll have as close as you can get to a neutral spirit. I'm talking about using a reflux still here. if you're using a pot still and not carbon filtering then yes, I can see that turbo yeast wouldn't be the best choice
what if you used turbo carbon and clear in the mash as well? i'd love to see you run those with another batch if you could !
Personally i used carbon in my 1st 5ish brews then stopped and never noticed any difference. Turbo clear works well imo but i syopped using it because i have plenty of room for brewing so i just leave it clear naturally.
@@jay71512 yeah, i dont have a ton of room, nor a freezer so i'm kinda in a need more than a want lol. ive used carbon, but still not sure if it makes any difference.
@@gangaskan2255 ask friends or family for their opinion? Whats point of using it if still no noticeable difference. The turbo clear i would definitely use tho if time was important!
Its all about time. Cant wait 10 days for my wash to ferment with other yeast. Turbo max 4 days and off you go.
Agree with your lovely wife. Turba,taste good or not bad at all..
As you say. Personel taste matters. Like your vids
Thx.from South Africa.
Turbo has its place for the ones that don't care and want to get drunk and don't actually enjoy the craft. But if you enjoy the craft there are so many more better options. Awesome video Jesse look forward to seeing what else you do with the T500
Very interested in the upcoming videos with modifications on the T500 . If you get a chance, pickup the Gin basket. It replaces the nut that holds the column on the cover. Very curious on what you think of it. You will need the Copper Alembic dome and Condenser...
Would be great to see the best that can be done with that type of approach - e.g. Pure Turbo, carbon and clearing agent. Great videos! Loving the content.
i use to use turbo (for 16-17 years), up until i found your channel 3 years ago .. i found the best way to use turbo to do double or triple distill.. air it for a few days and double charcoal filter ..
Cool thanks man. Interesterd, did you find a change in flavour after you switched?
@@StillIt i have memories of the vial flavours when not processed properly.. lol..
If you work it .. It can be make into something nice.. but you gotta weigh it all up..
Turbo.. fast.. high quantity.. but has bad flavour.. UNTILL you process it a lil..
Other yeast. (Not over stressed) work slower.. lower yields.. but a better product BASE to work from.. instead of extra processes to MAKE it drinkable.. lol..
I hope this makes sense.
@@chicoalarantianah75 makes perfect sense. Pretty much my thoughts too.
I always run my finish product through a zero filter and it removes all soluble solids and gives a cleaner crisper taste
5 stars on the Zero. Best spirit filter. Just be sure proof is no more than 100 when filtering.
@@skyhookspirits exactly. Always dilute down to drinking level
Unfortunately, they are only available in North America it seems.
@@vtbn53 I think you can order through Amazon
@@williamelliott Yes, but I bet you didn't pay over $150 for yours? In general, Amazon doesn't work very well for us living in Australia or NZ due to the very high shipping rates. Yes you can get things (sometimes not) but not in any affordable sense. 'Tis a pity.
I’m loving your videos I’m new well been doing it for 2 years as a hobby and now really getting into cuts thanks to you and my brew shop loving it have to say I only drink it once a month as I’m into my beers but it’s fun 🇦🇺
Hey Jesse, another quality video, thank you so much for what you do. An interesting comparison would be to put this version up against the "as directed" by clearing etc...see if it changes your thoughts once it has been cleared. I'm a fan of TPW, but occasionally run turbo purely due to time. Like you I think there is a "taste" from turbo, but in some spirits like Bacardi it seems to work (at least that's what the Mrs says)
Anywho, keep the great content coming. Would be good if you could do a T500 vs Pure Distilling comparison for us backyard noobs that are still learning (and chasing the Craft) that could not build what you have. Thanks
Great video Jesse
I’m one of the people who started with the T500.
Must admit I am not that much of a fan of the Turbo wash but it does go well when aged and added with a Rum essence.
The one thing that annoyed me with the T500 was that “take the first 50ml off and keep the rest” sales rubbish that they advise you to do, after my first run and epic fail the taste was rubbish but that is what bought me to your page and ultimately learning how to take cuts from your videos.
The TPW is so much a better wash to run through the T500 as you know its not so much like fertiliser smelling and the finished product is so much smoother.
I am really interested to see what mods you do with the T500, at the moment I am in the process of modifying a 50L keg to run a reflux/pot still setup, this journey of learning the craft has been made so much more fun with the videos and information from people like yourself, George and Bearded n bored.
Thank you
I really got started with turbos as my first attempts with backing yeasts wasn't too rewarding - and I made a couple great sugar as grain/sugar vodkas. For redistilled spirits as such it is totally fine and it is a way to get started in the hobby.
Using the Carbon removes most of those bad tastes, the Clear drops the carbon out of suspension. IE less cleaning of the still.
I have found doing 2 batches, combining and then double distilling makes a nice product.
I pretty regularly do a sugar wash with turbo yeast. I used to always use turbo clear but last time I made a batch I didn't have any so I just skipped it and apart from looking a lot less clear before distilling, the taste ended up being the same as always.
Interesting!
Id be interested to see what would happen if you didn't choose their lowest quality yeast and went for the 'pure' or something and followed their instructions around using the carbon and clear then filtered and whether that gave you a similar result
Try turbo pure in a bird watchers. Give it a few days to sit after fermentation stops and skim the top. Then degas and clear the wash... Im curious to see how it comes out in your opinion.
I use my own home built reflux still and use it to create gins. The washes i use are made using a turbo yeast. I do sometimes run vodkas/ neutral bases, i never have a problem, but i do use turboklar to drop out the particulates, i really think you should have done this, as otherwise the particulates are bound to flavour the product.
I use Turbo Yeast. I like and everyone that I give it to like it more than me. I have just upgraded to a new still and now I think its a bit better. I am also making barley wash that are better though. I get twice the alcohol from the sugar wash and it goes good with wood dominos and flavour additives. Also, I only use Turbo Clear and sit that for 2 day. I goes very clear.
She's a sweetie. You're a lucky man Jess!
Im on my first attempt of making sugar wash and I started today, they say dont use an airlock and for good reason to , the co2 escaping is pretty violent in a 23 litre fermenting bin, so I have a plastic pipe leading to a 4 pint plastic milk bottle and it looks its boiling .
Hi, the Turbo Pure yeast is far better, and delivers a more rounded producr, with less things than the fast one.
Love the video's, and agree with you when you said you should have stuck with the instructions , and then give a more fairer viewpoint.
Thanks again
I have used turbo yeast and charcoal to clean the sugar wash and just don’t like the smell. Fast is not always better. I now use a 1118 yeast and a long ferment and allow the yeast to settle out before reflux distillation.
I would highly recommend the pure still spirits and 20%abv still spirits I used turbo carbon and had very good results nice tasting alcohol and I would recommend filtering with carbon after distilling second time round . P.s . Jesse keep up the good work hope your all good and well mate .
Very well done & well said. I thought the honesty & the guest star was a good touch. I’ve had some Turbo in my fridge since I built the pot still head, I’ll have to give it a go now! 😂
To be fair, if you ran a turbo pure yeast and followed the instructions.....you may have yielded a much better product. 24hrs is a fast food wash!
Absolutely yes should’ve used the carbon.. the clear is a fermenter stopper/yeast killer, and a floculant, and also very important.. no one like dead yeast cells exploding in the still.. and either double run, or double filter through activated carbon... and very clean neutral spirit.. slow runs
DAP is a fertilizer they may have skimped and added more to the mix. But I agree a little more time and patience makes a better end.
Used turbo one time because of the hype. And said no I’ll stick to so4. Or 71b.
I don't use it either, but I did. (it came with the system)However, when you use all the extra stuff. The charcoal, the turbo clear and filter it after it's rested for 24 hours. It's not terrible, not great but not terrible.
Yeah I'm sure it would improt things for sure
Good vid. Jessie. I believe that Turbo has a place for people who are time poor. Using other methods reduces yield and requires a considerable amount of time for stripping and spirit runs. It really comes down to what you are chasing. High yield using minimal time with a good output that produces a product that is sort of drinkable, then go for Turbo. If you are chasing quality, it will cost you time. I’ve been down both paths and my problem is that a really enjoy a quality spirit so for me, there was no choice. Turbo, turbo clear and charcoal filters mean that you a reliant on a supplier of this gear. Most of my supplies come from my local supermarket (at a much reduced cost) which is an added bonus.
Yes you started with the worst one first. I personally use pure. You should have used clear as it does make a difference.
Please do more with the t500 i just got into the craft and ive only done 3 runs so far t500 has done well
Hi Jessie. The T500 is great, however, it needs a Variable Speed Controller for Spirit Runs. I use one that is for routers and it works great. They are super cheap and available on Amazon.
Cool man. Yup I plan on doing a few upgrades for it :)
Agree. I use it with the alembic dome and a variable transformer to control the boiler Works great. But not with turbo.
@@StillIt That's awesome. I'm looking forward to your improvements. Like K.B. I am using the Alembic Dome.
lol, I agree with your lovely wife. Turbo isn't great but it's good at what it does. Use the carbon system and filter after distilling and you'll get a nice, clean vodka!
Also, you should set up double blinds if you're gonna taste-test. Opens you up to some embarrassment, but it's more honest and scientific.
Great work overall. Keep it up, bother! Stay safe and happy out there.
The first run on the new, unseasoned still may have contributed to the "chemical taste". I tried 24 hour turbo and let it ferment until it quit out gassing (it took 6 days). I believe the yeast consumed all the products from the pouch. This left a much cleaner almost taste less product.
Great to see you bring the better half in and see that she liked the underdog.
George had a completely different idea of it??? Have only done sugar washes through a reflux at the moment but have been really happy with what i have been getting so far. Looking to get a pot still and start mashing in the nea future but atm im happy with my turbo yeast!!!!
oh you defentaily want to play with some all grains, and if you have some fruit trees play around with that, The wife has a plum tree that has these small purple plums, large stone, makes the most beautiful jam you could imagine, but the wife is sick of taking the pips out, so i've been using it for brandy, just devine!, I thinking of making a creme de cacao then aging that in a barrel, not that's how creme de cacao is made, but because I want to coat the barrel in the chocolatie goodness, and then put the plum brandy in there. mmmm jam alcohol and chocolate, what could that possibly go wrong.
and watermelon brandy is buate too:
www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/14183961-how-to-make-watermelon-moonshine-step-by-step-with-pictures
Don't use a pot sill for sugar washes, because they are just nasty, I tried that, not that I was expecting a good result, it was the first time I ran a pot still, so I figured better to butcher a sugar wash then an all grain brew, it was nasty, really nasty, I added whiskey essence to it , personally I think it was undrinkable, I use it to make baileys, which I can still taste the the nastieness, but the wife loves it (does't know what she's looking for ) so yea well since; then I fell like Rumplestiltskin, down there spinning my grain into Baileys.
I need too stills, his and hers
Hmm bit of a mix basket, the fast yeast I never use never had any success with! So I use the turbo 8, ferments a lot better but still take 14 days, last brew I did I used no carbon but still filtered it! After temp conversion I ended up with 4 litres at 92%, but saying that the final product had always had some off odours, probably the yeast!
Jess try running it again as you should, use 8 kgs 4 of sugar and 4 of dextrose! pack the column tight add the ceramics and the anti foaming stuff (1capful) run your t500 at 52-57 c drop out 100ml at the start, and run it until it smells like wet cardboard! And see what you end up with!
All my spirit I collect is left for 2 days then tempered down to 40 abv the I don’t use it for around 2 weeks, it sort of mellows out!
Please use Turbo Pure Yeast next time, and use the charcoal and clearing agents. The results are so much better!!!
Turbo yeast isn’t the best with vodka, it’s much better with Liqueurs, Bourbons and Rums etc... But this also depends on the flavours you buy to.
Love your Channel !!!