A question about a clear distillate becoming very cloudy

[bernardsmith]

A few weeks ago I produced some spirits from whey wine. The wine was about 12% and the distillate was about 800 ml at about 68% ABV (136 p) . I macerated star anise in this for about a month to six weeks and yesterday, I strained the spices and collected the spirit. To this I added 1 cup of sugar dissolved in spring water to make 1 liter to bring the ABV down to about 30% and to sweeten this to make it an arak-like liqueur. As I add the syrup the clear bright brown liquid becomes a cloudy yellow. Tastes fine, but what would make this become almost opaque? Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[bracconiere]

sugar and osmotic pressure forcing oils out of solution? just as an idea....or for that matter water forcing oils out of solution..


edit: now that i think about it, isn't that the way absinthe works too?

 

[bracconiere]

found this, didn't read the whole thing though....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouzo_effect

 

[bernardsmith]

found this, didn't read the whole thing though....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouzo_effect

I think you score 180 (darts) This is exactly what happened and looks like this is also the reason why it occurred. Thank you.

 

[IslandLizard]

I think you score 180 (darts) This is exactly what happened and looks like this is also the reason why it occurred. Thank you.

I was gonna say, have you ever had Ouzo, Sambuca, Pernot, or such? They all cloud up when adding some water.
They are supposed to be drank with some water added, perhaps for bringing out the flavor better. Similar to adding a small splash of water or an ice cube to whiskeys.

 

[bernardsmith]

I was gonna say, have you ever had Ouzo, Sambuca, Pernot, or such? They all cloud up when adding some water.
They are supposed to be drank with some water added, perhaps for bringing out the flavor better. Similar to adding a small splash of water or an ice cube to whiskeys.

I intentionally reduced mine to 30 % ABV from 68% which was when the drink became opaque. The water was added as I bottled it.

 

[bracconiere]

I intentionally reduced mine to 30 % ABV from 68% which was when the drink became opaque. The water was added as I bottled it.

i'd be concerned that you'll have an oil slick on top, and clear booze again?

 

[bernardsmith]

i'd be concerned that you'll have an oil slick on top, and clear booze again?

No obvious "oil slick" but there is some subtance on the surface. There would not be much oil as I used perhaps 30 g of the star anise macerasted for about 6 weeks or so and then removed before I reduced the alcohol concentration.

 

[bracconiere]

No obvious "oil slick" but there is some subtance on the surface. There would not be much oil as I used perhaps 30 g of the star anise macerasted for about 6 weeks or so and then removed before I reduced the alcohol concentration.

keep us/me posted! i'm curious if the cloudiness all settles out, and up, or down.....

 

[bernardsmith]

keep us/me posted! i'm curious if the cloudiness all settles out, and up, or down.....

Bottled this past Wed and it had not cleared, last night. Tastes fine. Just disappointed that it is opaque and not bright and clear.

 

[IslandLizard]

Bottled this past Wed and it had not cleared, last night. Tastes fine. Just disappointed that it is opaque and not bright and clear.

I have the feeling the higher % of water in the distillate tips the scale to making it opaque. Bottles of Ouzo, Pernot etc. are clear/transparent themselves.

 

[bracconiere]

I have the feeling the higher % of water in the distillate tips the scale to making it opaque. Bottles of Ouzo, Pernot etc. are clear/transparent themselves.

but both the oils and liquor are transparent, the cloudiness would be just from temporary precipitation? i think?

unless homogenized like milk somehow?

 

[bernardsmith]

I have the feeling the higher % of water in the distillate tips the scale to making it opaque. Bottles of Ouzo, Pernot etc. are clear/transparent themselves.

This is possible. To reduce the alcohol from 68% to approx 30% I calculated I needed to add 1 L (which included the syrup) which was certainly more than the 800 ml I was using.

 

[IslandLizard]

This is possible. To reduce the alcohol from 68% to approx 30% I calculated I needed to add 1 L (which included the syrup) which was certainly more than the 800 ml I was using.

There are many sources, like this one, explaining the phenomenon:
https://www.aquavitaeinstitute.com/...-and-absinthe-turn-cloudy-when-water-is-added

 

[Jaybird]

Louche is the term. You can add high proof spirit back to it and MAYBE clear it up. It happens a lot in the GIN world when blending because of all the botanicals and oils. Very common.
Cheers
Jay

 

[bernardsmith]

Had never experienced this before when I made other liqueurs and dropped the gravity from 65-70 to about 30-40 depending on the liqueur. Only when I worked with anise.