Classic Turbo Yeast for non-distilled homebrew?

[droogish]

Hello Brewers!

I have found myself with some 'Classic Turbo Yeast.' and was wondering what to do with it (without buying a still kit) aka http://stillspirits.com/products/classic-turbo-yeast

I've done lots of brews with Beer Kits (Coppers, Mangrove Jacks..etc), but never anything with this sort of yeast.

What I was thinking of trying:

23L of water
6L of (something like) Barkers Juice Concentrate, perhaps Blackcurrent
4kg of Sucrose

Anticipating 1 week to ferment following by Isinglas Finings & Primed with 1 heap teaspoon of sucrose prior to bottling.

The aim would be for an 15% ABV 'alco-pop' / cider like fruity moonshine.

My questions:

- Would this be safe (in terms of methanol)? It's a 'still' yeast for high ABV, but there will be no distilling as such.

- Is there a chance this would produce something drinkable?

Any advice, tips, warnings appreciated.

D.Oogish

 

[Jnco_hippie]

One of our customers made a stout with liquor quick classic. Hit 10.5% abv in 5 days. Carbed and drinking in 3 more.

It was passable, but had a distinct nician flavor from the load of nutrients in the pack. The package is usually 1/2 nutrient.

 

[amarillobrewingsupply]

I should add, his airlock got clogged on night 1 and his ale pail lid blew off with explosive force at 5 am.

 

[droogish]

Thanks for the heads up!

I've decided against this idea. It's probably safe - but I imagine it would taste absolutely horrendous..

 

[jro238]

You would probably be pushing drinkability with that much ethanol and I've never tasted what the yeast character is for turbo so that is a wildcard. A lot of people on here love edwort's apfelwein which is just apple juice, dextrose, and champagne yeast. Granted most get that in the area of 7-9% and not 15, but it isn't bad at all.

I wouldn't worry at all about methanol if you did something like this.

 

[mrkprc1]

Hi, I am considering making some very strong ginger "ale". I have a basic recipe that was given to me by a friend, I have tried the resulting brew and it was surprisingly good! Essentially this is the plan: Boil up loads of ginger and strain the liquid. Add ginger liquid, sugar, water and turbo yeast to fermentation bucket and leave for a week. Hopefully this will produce ~20% ginger "ale". As I say some friends made something similar before only without turbo yeast. Will I need to do anything special to clear the resulting brew? Any advice, hints or tips would be greatly appreciated since this is a first time brew for me

 

[Yuri_Rage]

That sounds positively awful...and a lot like something someone who can't legally buy alcohol would attempt for a quick/cheap thrill.

 

[neo71665]

Most distillers don't even use turbo yeasts for anything they plan on drinking their self. The ones that are using it are either making fuel, illegally selling it to others, or will drink rubbing alcohol.

As for that ginger ale all I can say is wow. I started brewing when I was a teen and made some gut turning experiments but that just sounds bad. I can say I never gave up drinkablity to get a quick brewed buzz.

 

[jro238]

Hi, I am considering making some very strong ginger "ale". I have a basic recipe that was given to me by a friend, I have tried the resulting brew and it was surprisingly good! Essentially this is the plan: Boil up loads of ginger and strain the liquid. Add ginger liquid, sugar, water and turbo yeast to fermentation bucket and leave for a week. Hopefully this will produce ~20% ginger "ale". As I say some friends made something similar before only without turbo yeast. Will I need to do anything special to clear the resulting brew? Any advice, hints or tips would be greatly appreciated since this is a first time brew for me

Did you post this in another thread?...I swear I responded to another post JUST like this one a few days ago.

To reiterate: No.

This would be absolutely awful. Go for it if you want to make a ginger cider, but I wouldn't push the ABV anywhere past 6 *maybe* 7. Just use US-05 or something instead of a distillers yeast.

 

[janp]

Hi mate, hope you're still on the forum.
I've been experimenting with turbowines for a few years now and have to pitch in.

My first attempt was banana wine -
i'd say 22 ltr water
6 kg white sugar
couple of bags of raisins.

Cant remember how long this took but it was done at too low a temp so did not go to dry. It was still very sweet but very strong - i dont use hydrometers but from the taste I would 14%abv or above.
The wine was not acidy and absolutely bursting with banana flavour. My girlfriend had some and lost her handbag because of its' effects hence the name 'Lost Bag'
Batch 2 I added less sugar and kept it warmer which meant it went to almost dry and was very good with lemonade.

The newest batch I made with
12kg banana
6kg sugar
1 pkt 48 hour turboyeast.
pectolase

It fermented to dry in three weeks and was racked off a few days later. It was almost clear. There being so much is NOT a problem, it's heavy and binds to itself and just settles out. I racked using a hose from the 'middle' of the barrel.

It's too dry for drinking on its own but this is exactly what i wanted. It's summer and my friends and I have been drinking it with sprite and ice. It's heavenly and clean.

I did another experiment with about
6 kilo ginger
6 kilo sugar
turboyeast.
Fermented to dry.
Dont know the strength but over 12% - I liked it on its own but mixed with banana wine and lemonade it was a hit at my mate's wedding and 25 litres went within an hour.
I found around 15 kilo of cherries the other day. mixed with 7 kg sugar and a pack of 48 turbo - it's finished fermenting in 5 days at 40 deg Centigrade. this time it smells dangerous. Has to be over 15%abv. It's still very sweet thought but combined with the higher abv i think it will make a nice sipping 'wine'. It does not smell or taste of cherries very much however.

In conclusion:
Turbowines are great. Since I get my fruit for free when shops can't sell it, it only costs me around 50 pence per litre.
I brew as a technician, not an artist. I have a friend who makes delicious ales and aged wines but I don't have the inclination or funds.
Banana - great
Ginger - pretty good
Cherry - not sure yet but probably the least flavoursome.

They don't taste of yeast either.

Go ahead - brew your turbosocks off.

 

[MindenMan]

I tasted some non -"freeze concentrated" high proof turbo yeast stuff last night, if you get my drift... OMg talk about coating the tongue with a nasty flavor. I didn't even finish the 1/2 oz sample I was given. I'm going to guess phenols were the culprit, and the "brewer" thought the stuff was great. He did mention something about high fermentation temperatures... For me it was Icky and yucky, as opposed to "It's not yucky, it's Icky"

 

[Danieljhb]

Thanks for the advice....
Been very interested in the turbo wines world?

Have you done any brews with koolaid etc?

Also having issues clarifying my last two brews?

 

[oceanic_brew]

I can see why this thread disappeared 3 years ago

This stuff sounds horrendous.

"How to remove all quality from the process of fermentation with as little money possible to get as drunk as possible"