When to call tails with whiskey

Distillation methods and improvements.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
flyboy57
Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 10:19 am

When to call tails with whiskey

Post by flyboy57 »

Copper reflux unit, 5 gal - I've made several rum runs from cane sugar and molasses, with a final mash alcohol of ~ 9-10%. Just finished my first whiskey run, copper kings bag of grains from hillbilly stills with sugar and liquor quick whiskey yeast with ag. Recipe says to expect ~ 14% alcohol from mash. With my rum runs, excluding the first 1/3 pint of methanol, I would have 3 pints of heads, 4 pints of hearts, and 2-3 pints of tails before calling it quits. The beginning of the tails (8th pint) would have dropped down to about 65 proof. Using the same breakouts/cuts with the whiskey run, my 8th pint was still 105 proof, the first heart was 145. If I'm still getting such high proof that late in the game, do you save that as hearts and wait until the proof drops below 60 or 70 to start calling it tails or is it all about taste to make the call?
ShineRunner
Swill Maker
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2015 11:12 am

Re: When to call tails with whiskey

Post by ShineRunner »

Cuts are about taste. Forget about everything else.

14% is too high for a decent whiskey, IMO.
User avatar
bitter
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1999
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 4:51 pm
Location: Great White North

Re: When to call tails with whiskey

Post by bitter »

Get reading the spoon feeding link its in my signature... Cuts are covered in there. lots of good info.. As mash % 14% is too high... going to result in lower yield

Short answer, what tastes and smells good? When tasting I like about 35-38% once above 40% its harder to tell for me (I mix a small sample in a shot glass for each jar to smell or maybe taste if ti smells good).

Your collecting full pints? I would collect 2x the jars with only 1/2 full. Makes making cuts easier unless bigger runs.

Since you are new, I would take tighter cuts. Take the center 2 jars of hearts and mix them together to see how things taste (Cut to drinking strength). My guess is since your learning.. the first jar you are say hearts might have some heads in there.. taste and smell before adding to the mix, maybe add a little. Also the last jar... of hearts does it have some tails in it... Its upto you if you add it.. but the more tails you add the longer it will take to age adn since your new at this you probably want to drink it soon so make ruthless cuts at first. As you learn you can widen things out. I like the taste some tails once they get some age. They can add really nice complexities to whiskey but it takes 1-2 years.. depending how much you add.

Few tricks... if you feel tingle on the front of your touge most likely heads in there.... if it burns/warms down the back of your tounge.. thats tails. Ideally I like to keep cuts such that 38-40% stays in the center of my pallet.... makes things age faster. The rest except your foreshot can be recyled into the next run.

B
flyboy57
Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 10:19 am

Re: When to call tails with whiskey

Post by flyboy57 »

Thanks! Cut to drinking strength with distilled water, or bottled spring water, or does it matter? I plan to age on charred oak, 2 liter barrel
User avatar
GrassHopper
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1389
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 6:35 pm
Location: Idaho

Re: When to call tails with whiskey

Post by GrassHopper »

flyboy57 wrote:Thanks! Cut to drinking strength with distilled water, or bottled spring water, or does it matter? I plan to age on charred oak, 2 liter barrel
Yes, it can matter. Use distilled water. Some spring water or tap water will cause clouding initially and may stay there.

Follow the suggestions given for cuts and don't limit yourself to numbers for determination of what goes into your barrel.
User avatar
Danespirit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2647
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 8:09 am
Location: Denmark

Re: When to call tails with whiskey

Post by Danespirit »

ShineRunner wrote:Cuts are about taste. Forget about everything else.

14% is too high for a decent whiskey, IMO.
+1
14% ABV, will stress the yeast and cause some off-flavors.
I'd say up till around 8-10% at maximum.
Mine is around 6-8 % ABV.
Grasshopper got a good point there.
At some places (like where I live), the water can be very hard (a lot of limestone in it).
So, it matters if you want a good quality.
You always have the option to try with a very small amount from your batch, and dilute to drinking strength.
If you're not satisfied, you only lost a few mL.....but no harm is done..you can re-distill it with the next stripping run.
Post Reply