How many runs?

[Kicking6]

So I'm getting tired of not getting more drinkable fluid out of my mash. Tonight I distilled 4l. And ended up with half a mason jar full. Once my mash reaches 210-211 I turned it off. Should I let the mash cool some then run it again collecting? If I do that do I need to throw out the first 150ml again?

[likkerfirst]

Your not going to collect much off 4l, with a 15% wash your only looking at 600ml before cuts

[Prairiepiss]

More info please? What was the ABV of the wash? What kind of still? Temp of your mash where is your thermometer?

The amounts don't sound to off. But more details are needed?

[RumBrewer]

You need a bigger pot! Mine is now 15 gallon keg and I run 10 gallons of wash in it... and I still wish it was bigger.

[Kicking6]

My pot is a converted 7 gallon sanke keg. Tonight was the first time and I wasn't sure if I should run my wash again or not. The abv was 11.5%. On 4l. Also should I turn the heat down I use a propane burner and it seemed as if once I hit 140 degrees it took off on temp rising. I tried to turn down the temp and when I noticed it dropping I noticed the stream of fluid coming out started to decrease to a trickle. Is that good? Thanks for the replys..

[Kicking6]

O and it's a pot still thermometer is in top of tower.

[Dnderhead]

your not going to control the temperature on a pot still its dependent on the amount of alcohol in wash/vapors.
what you "keep" is made by taste/smell/feel. when you stop collecting "tales" is when the alcohol coming out is so low its not worth the effort.

[Kicking6]

So the more abv in the wash creates more liquid comin out of the still early? Also to what temp should I run up to before calling it quits? I don't have a alcoholometer yet.

[Prairiepiss]

If you have a 7 gal pot. Why you only running 1 gallon? Do a bigger wash. Like 5 gallons.

[likkerfirst]

Get an alcometer they are cheap, I put a hole in the 90 before my condenser for a thermo, now I wish I hadnt! It does sort of tell you what is going on in the run but you cant use it for cuts. I mean when the still gets to 200 degrees your in the tales but you would also see that by the abv% drop with an alcometer. Everything I read said you dont need a thermo in a pot still but I still had to put it in, safety net I guess. BUT your not going to be able to make cuts running 1 gal wash! I would run 5 gal in that, but even there dont expect a large amount of likker after cuts.

[Dnderhead]

alcohol vaporises at 78c/172f
and water at 100c/212f. so as the alcohol is taking out the temperature will go up closer to the 100c/112f
not many go by temperature with a pot still but id say stop at or about 92-94c/197-200f. at these temperature you whould have most all the alcohol out of the wash.not that you will drink all of this,its best to run off into small jars and "sort" later

[Kicking6]

I have one more question. I have a 5 gallon fermenter that has been fermenting for 2 weeks. I used 11.5 gallons of feed grade molasses, 9lbs of brown sugar, 2 gallons of heated water and i packet of turbo yeast. The first week i thouhgt the bubbler was going to blow off. it bubbled all the way till wednesday when i added a product to clear the wash. i took a specific gravity last night and it was reading 1.8. i know that is super high and am curious should i run the wash or wait? please help. thanks.