Pure Distilling Yeast Range

Still Spirits introduce genuine distillery yeast strains to make Whisky, Vodka or Rum. The choice of yeast strain is of key importance in determining what compounds are formed during fermentation.

This will affect flavour but will be more pronounced in the aroma and character of the spirit. The standard range of Turbo yeast offered is designed to produce a very neutral, smooth alcohol suitable to be used with essences to make a wide range of spirits and liqueurs.

All three Distillers yeasts contain the same advanced nutrition found in our other Still Spirits Turbo’s, allowing them to ferment to 15%ABV without the ‘stress compounds’ that would ruin the alcohol. They also contain amyloglucosidase enzyme (AG for short) that will reduce any complex sugars left over from the mash. Use HT (Heat Tolerant) Alpha Amylase for converting starch to sugar during the boil.

• The Whisky – contains a genuine whisky yeast strain as used in Scottish distilleries.
• The Vodka – contains a genuine vodka yeast as used around the world in Vodka distilleries.
• The Rum – contains a genuine rum yeast strain widely used in the Caribbean.
• HT Alpha Amylase – Heat tolerant enzyme for reducing complex starches during the boil.

Three ways to use Distillery Yeasts:

1. With Pure Sugar – use 7kg dextrose, you will achieve a different flavour and aroma profile more specific to type using this yeast.
2. With 2kg Extracts - replacing 1.5kg of the sugar with 2kg of the relevant extract (malt for whisky, wheat for vodka or molasses for Rum) will transform your spirit quality. Wherever possible this is the preferred route securing all the benefits to spirit character and aroma possible.
3. With starch raw materials - for the serious enthusiast, go back to the original starch source for the ultimate in quality and open up a new world of experimenting to create your own individual spirit style. For this option, you will need to also purchase the 4g HT Alpha Amylase sachet. Still Spirits is about achieving high quality spirits without the inconvenience and time investment of traditional spirit making. Decades of research and development has gone into the range of Still Spirits Turbo Yeasts, carbons, absorbents, clarifiers and essences making it possible to produce excellent commercial quality spirits. What the Distillery Yeast series brings is a new tool to be used alongside the other products within Still Spirits to take us to the next level.

Which sugar to use?

All recipes should contain an element of added pure sugar - always use dextrose (brewing or corn sugar) where possible. Ordinary white sugar (sucrose) can be used but will lead to increased acetaldehyde levels which carry across distillation to confer a ‘sour fruity’ aroma to spirits.

Making Vodka

With Pure Sugar:

This will produce super clean vodka and most will find they prefer this vodka than made with extracts or traditional starch materials, so if there is one yeast in the Distillery series that should use pure dextrose sugar then this is the one.

Instructions

1. Start with 21 litres of 30C water in your clean fermenter.
2. Add 6kg dextrose and stir to dissolve, you will now have 25 Litres volume.
3. Add Turbo Carbon – this is important to absorb impurities produced by the yeast during fermentation.
4. Add the Vodka Yeast and leave to ferment for 7 days at ideally 18 – 22C. Lower temperatures are fine down to 15C but will double fermentation time. Higher temperatures should be avoided if possible because will increase off-flavour and aroma production of the yeast.
5. After fermentation, add Turbo Clear to remove >99% of the solids (spent carbon / yeast cells and other fermentation solids). Don’t worry if the wash remains hazy after treatment with Turbo clear – it’s more important that the wash doesn’t sit on the spent yeast and solids for >24hrs rather than trying to remove the last 1% solids…so go ahead and distil the wash 1 day after adding Turbo clear even if still hazy.
6. Distil the clear wash after siphoning off the sediment. For premium vodka quality the perfect still will produce alcohol at between 90% and 93%ABV – the Turbo 500 still is perfect, ideally run for 5 hrs rather than 3 or 4 hours to maximise purity. (Operating temperature will be about 55C – 60C)
7. Once you’ve collected your distillate, dilute to 50%ABV with good quality water then filter through an activated carbon filter at least 0.5m in depth. For ultimate quality filter through two packs of Still Spirits Z-carbon loaded into a 1.5m length tube (25 to 40mm internal diameter). The type of carbon is critical so insist on Z-carbon.
8. Dilute to 40%ABV with good quality water, bottle and leave to smooth for at least 1 week but ideally for 1 month.

With 2kg Coopers Wheat Extract:

Will produce smoother vodka similar to the most famous Swedish vodka.

Instructions

1. Add 2kg coopers wheat extract and 4.5kg dextrose into your clean fermenter with 3L boiling water, stir to mix (don’t worry if doesn’t dissolve at this stage). Top up to 25 Litres with cold water, stir to completely dissolve.
2. Add Turbo Carbon – this is important to absorb impurities produced by the yeast during fermentation.
3. Add the Vodka Yeast and leave to ferment for 7 days at ideally 18 – 22C. Lower temperatures are fine down to 15C but will double fermentation time. Higher temperatures should be avoided if possible because will increase off-flavour and aroma production of the yeast. Using extracts will create excessive foaming so place somewhere appropriate and don’t use an airlock (just rest fermenter lid loosely on bucket).
4. After fermentation, add Turbo Clear to remove >99% of the solids (spent carbon / yeast cells and other fermentation solids). Don’t worry if the wash remains hazy after treatment with Turbo clear – it’s more important that the wash doesn’t sit on the spent yeast and solids for >24hrs rather than trying to remove the last 1% solids, so go ahead and distil the wash 1 day after adding Turbo clear even if still hazy.
5. Distil the clear wash after siphoning off the sediment. For wheat vodka the perfect still will produce alcohol at between 86% and 90%ABV – the Turbo 500 still is perfect but ideally run for only 3 hours to achieve this lower alcoholic strength.
6. Once you’ve collected your distillate, dilute to 50%ABV with good quality water then hold for three days in a 10L bucket adding one further sachet of Turbo Carbon. Stir twice daily then allow the activated carbon to settle on day 3 before fine filtering. Do not pass through activated carbon column filter as this will remove too much of the character from your vodka.
7. Dilute to 40%ABV with good quality water, bottle and leave to smooth for at least 1 month.

With 5kg Potatoes:

Will produce a smooth potato vodka identical to the award winning Chase Vodka. Chase vodka is one of the world’s most expensive and renowned commercial vodka’s having won many acclaimed awards. It is made from potatoes with EXACTLY the same ingredients as this Vodka Distillery Yeast and Still Spirits Turbo Carbon.

Instructions

1. Slice 4kg potatoes (after peeling!) cover with water and bring to 70C. Add contents of the Still Spirits 4g amylase sachet and hold approximate temperature for 6-8 hours or overnight. Remove from heat then add 4.5kg dextrose, stir to dissolve and allow to cool to between 50–60C.
2. Transfer the entire contents into a fermentation bucket (no need to strain) then top up to 25 Litres with cold water, stir to mix and allow to cool to below 25C.
3. Add Turbo Carbon – this is important to absorb impurities produced by the yeast during fermentation.
4. Add the Vodka Yeast and leave to ferment for 7 days at ideally 18 – 22C. Lower temperatures are fine down to 15C but will double fermentation time. Higher temperatures should be avoided if possible because will increase off-flavour and aroma production of the yeast. Using any starch source will create excessive foaming so place somewhere appropriate and don’t use an airlock (just rest fermenter lid loosely on bucket). During fermentation the AG enzyme (already contained within the Vodka Yeast sachet) will finish the job of converting the starch into fermentable sugars to maximise your yield.
5. After fermentation, add Turbo Clear to remove >99% of the solids (spent carbon / yeast cells and other fermentation solids). Don’t worry if the wash remains hazy after treatment with Turbo clear – it’s more important that the wash doesn’t sit on the spent yeast and solids for >24hrs rather than trying to remove the last 1% solids, so go ahead and distil the wash 1 day after adding Turbo clear even if still hazy.
6. Distil the clear wash after siphoning off the sediment. For potato vodka the perfect still will produce alcohol at between 84% and 88%ABV – the Turbo 500 still can be used but should be run for only 2 ½ to 3 hours to achieve this lower alcoholic strength. (Operating temperature will be about 650C)
7. Once you’ve collected your distillate, dilute to 50%ABV with good quality water then hold for three days in a 10L bucket adding one further sachet of Turbo Carbon. Stir twice daily then allow the activated carbon to settle on day 3 before fine filtering. Do not pass through activated carbon column filter as this will remove too much of the character from your vodka.
8. Dilute to 40%ABV with good quality water, bottle and leave to smooth for at least 1 month. With 4kg Crushed Wheat Grain: For a rich, full-bodied and complex vodka with a distinctive grain character. Follow instructions exactly as above but using 4kg crushed wheat grain or whole wheat flakes instead of 4kg potatoes except ensure a 10 litre boil volume otherwise the liquid will be too thick when it reaches the ‘gelation point’ at around 70C.

Making Rum

By far the best quality Rum will be made using Molasses as a base.

With 2kg Molasses:

Will produce rich rum flavour. Malaysia’s best selling Dark Rum is made in exactly as follows.

Instructions

1. Add 2kg molasses and 4.5kg dextrose into your clean fermenter with 3L boiling water, stir to mix (don’t worry if doesn’t dissolve at this stage). Top up to 25 Litres with cold water, stir to completely dissolve.
2. Add Turbo Carbon – this is important to absorb impurities produced by the yeast during fermentation.
3. Add the Rum Yeast and leave to ferment for 7 days at ideally 22 – 28C. Lower temperatures are fine down to 15C but will double fermentation time. Higher temperatures will increase flavour and aroma production of the yeast. Using molasses will create excessive foaming so place somewhere appropriate and don’t use an airlock (just rest fermenter lid loosely on bucket).
4. After fermentation, add Turbo Clear to remove >99% of the solids (spent carbon / yeast cells and other fermentation solids). Don’t worry if the wash remains hazy after treatment with Turbo clear – it’s more important that the wash doesn’t sit on the spent yeast and solids for >24hrs rather than trying to remove the last 1% solids…so go ahead and distil the wash 1 day after adding Turbo clear even if still hazy.
5. Distil the clear wash after siphoning off the sediment. For rum the perfect still will produce alcohol at between ideal 84 – 88% so if using a Turbo 500 still run for only 2 ½ to 3 hours to achieve this lower alcoholic strength. (Operating temperature will be about 680C) For a fuller flavoured rum try using a pot still.
6. Once you’ve collected your distillate, dilute to 50%ABV with good quality water then hold for three days in a 10L bucket adding one further sachet of Turbo Carbon. Stir twice daily then allow the activated carbon to settle on day 3 before fine filtering. Do not pass through activated carbon column filter as this will remove too much of the character from your rum.
7. Dilute to 40%ABV with good quality water, bottle and leave to smooth for at least 1 month. For an amazing quick result, add one of the Classic Rum Essences.

Making Whisky

With Pure Sugar:

Works beautifully but SS Classic Whiskey essences must be used. During fermentation the Distillers Whisky yeast produces the perfect compound set to promote authentic whiskey aroma and character providing the ultimate distillate base for use with SS Classic Whiskey essences.

Instructions

1. Add 7kg dextrose into your clean fermenter with 3L boiling water, stir to mix (don’t worry if doesn’t dissolve at this stage). Top up to 25 Litres with cold water, stir to completely dissolve.
2. Add Turbo Carbon – this is important to absorb impurities produced by the yeast during fermentation.
3. Add the Whisky Yeast and leave to ferment for 7 days at ideally 22 – 28C. Lower temperatures are fine down to 15C but will double fermentation time. Higher temperatures will increase flavour and aroma production of the yeast.
4. After fermentation, add Turbo Clear to remove >99% of the solids (spent carbon / yeast cells and other fermentation solids). Don’t worry if the wash remains hazy after treatment with Turbo clear – it’s more important that the wash doesn’t sit on the spent yeast for >24hrs rather than trying to remove the last 1% solids…so go ahead and distil the wash 1 day after adding Turbo clear even if still hazy.
5. Distil the clear wash after siphoning off the sediment. For whisky the perfect still will produce alcohol at between ideal 84 – 88% so if using a Turbo 500 still run it without any saddles for only 2 ½ to 3 hours to achieve this lower alcoholic strength. (Operating temperature will be about 680C) For a fuller flavoured whisky try using a pot still.
6. Once you’ve collected your distillate, dilute to 50%ABV with good quality water then hold for three days in a 10L bucket adding one further sachet of Turbo Carbon. Stir twice daily then allow the activated carbon to settle on day 3 before fine filtering. Do not pass through activated carbon column filter as this will remove too much of the character from your rum.
7. Dilute to 40%ABV with good quality water, bottle and leave to smooth for at least 1 month. Finally add one of the Classic Whiskey Essences. With 1.5kg of Coopers Unhopped Dark Malt Extract: Will make a superb whisky, make exactly as above whisky ‘with pure sugar’ method except reduce the dextrose from 6 to 5kg.

From Grains:

Use which-ever grains appropriate to the style of whisky you want to make, hundreds of recipes can be found on the web, but having selected your recipe ignore web instructions and follow the below.

Instructions

1. All grains used must be crushed or finely cracked. Add 4kg grain into a suitable large pan and add cold water to final volume of 10 litres then bring to the boil. Add contents of the Still Spirits 4g amylase sachet (do not use standard brewers amylase because it won’t be temperature tolerant) and gently simmer for 30 minutes stirring frequently. Remove from heat then add 4.5kg dextrose, stir to dissolve and allow to cool to between 50–60C.
2. Transfer the entire contents into a fermentation bucket (no need to strain) then top up to 25 Litres with cold water, stir to mix and allow to cool to below 25C.
3. Add Turbo Carbon – this is important to absorb impurities produced by the yeast during fermentation.
4. Add the Whisky Yeast and leave to ferment for 7 days at ideally 22 - 28C. Higher temperatures should be avoided. Using grain will create excessive foaming so place somewhere appropriate and don’t use an airlock (just rest fermenter lid loosely on bucket). During fermentation the AG enzyme (already contained within the Whisky Yeast sachet) will finish the job of converting the starch into fermentable sugars to maximise your yield.
5. After fermentation, add Turbo Clear to remove >99% of the solids (spent carbon / yeast cells and other fermentation solids). Don’t worry if the wash remains hazy after treatment with Turbo clear – it’s more important that the wash doesn’t sit on the spent yeast and solids for >24hrs rather than trying to remove the last 1% solid, so go ahead and distil the wash 1 day after adding Turbo clear even if still hazy.
6. Distil the clear wash after siphoning off the sediment. Important to use a pot still here to ensure the distillate is between 60% and 75% ABV.
7. Once you’ve collected your distillate, dilute to 50% ABV with good quality water then hold for three days in a 10L bucket adding one further sachet of Turbo Carbon. Stir twice daily then allow the activated carbon to settle on day 3 before fine filtering. Do not pass through activated carbon column filter as this will remove too much of the character from your whisky.
8. Dilute to 40%ABV with good quality water, bottle with oak chips, cubes or chunks to allow oak flavour development and leave to smooth for at least 12 months. The addition of SS Classic Whiskey essence will also produce a much richer whiskey style.