My first Birdwatchers

Grain bills and instruction for all manner of alcoholic beverages.

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jon1163
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My first Birdwatchers

Post by jon1163 »

This was my first run without turbo yeast and I'm thoroughly pleased with the results. I just finished running my first birdwatchers. I ran 5 gallons of wash through a pot still. Starting SG was 1.09 and final was .996 just like the recipe said. I pitched the first pint and ran the rest down to 30% ABV. I ended up with 2/3 of a gallon of 55% ABV low wines. Is this a normal ABV and volume?
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NZChris
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by NZChris »

You should get your ducks in a row before you run it, not after. I don't know where you got the idea to toss a pint from, that's way overkill, and stopping at 55% in the collection jug is wasteful too.
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by Antler24 »

You did good dude. Numbers are fine considering. I personally run down to 20%, some go to 10% you did leave 30% in the boiler but that's not a big deal just keep it in mind next time. Remember to dilute those low wines to 40% or less before the spirit run. You don't need to make a fores cut on the strip run but it won't hurt. I do 12g batches and I always toss a pint on the spirit run, if it ain't fores it's very early heads, neither of which I want to keep.
Swedish Pride wrote:
get a brix reading on said ball bearings and then you can find out how much fermentables are in there
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jon1163
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by jon1163 »

Antler24 wrote:You did good dude. Numbers are fine considering. I personally run down to 20%, some go to 10% you did leave 30% in the boiler but that's not a big deal just keep it in mind next time.
When you say you run it down to 20% you mean the contents of the collection jug test to 20% or that 20% is the percentage alc. coming out of the worm when you shut down?
Klein
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by Klein »

I run till I'm getting 20%abv off of the still.
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by freefall »

Klein wrote:I run till I'm getting 20%abv off of the still.
+1
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NZChris
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by NZChris »

What you are getting out of the spout is irrelevant for most pot stilled products. Decide on an ideal low wines abv for the particular product you are making and run to that, ignoring what other stillers find works at the spout for their stills and the way they like to run them.

Do a good job of the final blend of your spirit run using Kiwistiller's guide to cuts and you will be a happy chappy.
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by Saltbush Bill »

They mean they run down to 20% ABV coming off the still ,they are not collecting it in their " collection jug ", you wont wont that stuff in your hearts.
When you say "collection jug' I presume your not using jars to collect in or making cuts ?
You need to start doing that if your going to make good booze.
Thinking you also need to look into the ins and outs of Stripping runs and Spirit runs.
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NZChris
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by NZChris »

Saltbush Bill wrote:When you say "collection jug' I presume your not using jars to collect in or making cuts ?
I thought the OP was about the stripping run. Correct me if I'm wrong.
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by Saltbush Bill »

jon1163 wrote: I ended up with 2/3 of a gallon of 55% ABV low wines.
My mistake :oops:
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jon1163
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Re: My first Birdwatchers

Post by jon1163 »

Yes. This was a stripping run. I've got one more batch going right now, I'll collect more on that run then combine them, dilute to 4 0 and run spirits . I do collect in small jars for spirits. Ill read up on kiwistillers guide.
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