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DISTILLING TWICE?

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:43 pm
by Stayshine
this is my first time trying to shine, ive got a cracked corn mash fermenting at the moment and was curious as to the drinkability of the distilled spirits. is it standard procedure to distill multiple times or can you drink what comes out after the first run? also, is cutting the likker a must or should i just leave it alone? im looking for some good strong white lighting but not something that is nearly impossible to swallow. i realize these questions can be based on peoples different opinions but im just new to this and soaking up the knowledge. also, if you distill more than once do you just pour everything (minus the first 3-4oz) into a cleaned out pot and distill just the clear likker youve just run? thanks

Re: DISTILLING TWICE?

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 3:05 pm
by OBX Phantom
As you said all of your questions are a matter of your own opinion.... However it is recommended that you dillute your product down to 40-50% before drinking. As for running it multiple times... it should be drinkable right out of the still after the first run. But it will be much smoother and cleaner tasting after multiple runs. Also if you do multiple runs you definately need to dillute it down to 40-45% before running it again... otherwise it is kinda like boiling gasoline....VERY DANGEROUS!!!

Re: DISTILLING TWICE?

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:11 pm
by rhumbum
If you are running a basic pot still a 9% wash will come out somewhere around 30-50% depending on how fast you run it, whether you make cuts or not, and how deep into tails you go. It is best to run it twice because it is easier to make cuts the more alcohol you have in your initial boiler charge - it is easier to make cuts on a 20L charge of low wines @ 25-40% ABV to get 60-80% spirit and water it down for drinking than it is to make cuts on 20L of wash @ 8-14%. The alternative I guess is to have a large boiler and thumpers or bubble plates to up the proof, but many hobbyists only have small capacity stills and that is why many of us use a double distillation of several stripping runs and a spirit run.

Some people take off foreshots in the stripping runs and others do it in the spirit runs. I prefer to take them off in the stripping runs but is shouldn't matter which way you do it as long as you are keeping track of what you have done

Re: DISTILLING TWICE?

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:21 pm
by Stayshine
is there a good procedure for dilluting or is it as simple as adding water? ive heard adding water straight to it will make it cloudy.

Re: DISTILLING TWICE?

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:30 pm
by Prairiepiss
Diluting for a second run or to drink?
For a second run who cares if its cloudy. :mrgreen:
For drinking. Add the alcohol to the water. Both at the same temp. If you didn't make good cuts and still have tails in it. It will also cloud up on you.

Re: DISTILLING TWICE?

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 6:57 am
by rad14701
It is irresponsible to allow anyone to drink spirits you have made at a higher than commercial proof because they simply aren't accustomed to how their body will react... Some folks gag and puke because their throat gets so dried out and that's not fun... And drinking high proof is dangerous from a physical perspective as well... High proof alcohol can cause bleeding ulcers to flare up, greater risk of esophageal cancer or bleeding, sudden onset kidney and/or liver failure, and a whole host of other issues... My spirits never leave my hands without being diluted to 100 proof or under... The only exception to that is if I happen to donate 190 proof towards a batch of Glogg (Glug)... And I never used spirits above 120 proof in my own mixed drinks, and never drink them straight at that proof...

Re: DISTILLING TWICE?

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:43 am
by Usge
If you distill your wash once, do so slowly. If you do cuts on it, it will usually come out somewhere between 80-100 proof "without" having to add water to it. This leaves it very flavorful..and very corny tasting...which some people prefer. However, it also tends to have a bit more odor to it and a somewhat "wine like" note to it. That said...try it!! Do your single run slowly. Drip fores and the start of heads off easy. Then turn it up a bit after that. Separate into jars (try to use at least 10-12 jars. You'll need to figure your approximate alc take. Usually, on a 19-20L charge of 9-10% (UJSM) I get back a gallon of low-wines. If you are running 10 gals of it...you'll get back about 2 gals. So, figure that out spread over 10-12 jars.

Do a cut on it..and mix the jars together that taste good to you. Tails at this proof on a single run are going to taste rather watery, but you can look for cloudiness..and feel for oil/slick...when rubbed between your fingers. Do a lean cut...and mix it together. If it tastes great to you...then keep it. You can rerun the rest of it in your next wash or low-wines run. If it doesn't taste good to you...then throw it back with the rest of it...and use it as low-wines (ie., either run it in your next wash, or save it until you have enough low-wines to do an all low-wines 2nd run).

There are quite a few members here who prefer the flavor in single run whiskey. Most of them use hybrids or reflux of some sort to do the run at higher proof on the first shot. But, there are some who used straight up pots and liked the flavor on a slow, careful single run. Worth trying to see the difference. And as I said..you can always just try it, then save it all for a double run later. Normally strip runs are done down and dirty, fast...because cuts are not going to be made. But, it won't hurt anything to do it slower, more carefully, just to try it to see if you like the taste of single run. They'll still work fine as low-wines after if you decide to re-run it.

Re: DISTILLING TWICE?

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 4:23 pm
by beelah
1+ to what Usge says...my self I usually do strip runs until have have around 5 gallons of low wines then a slow spirit run...however I usually always do my spirit runs in separate small pint size jars, and usually take one or two of the very middle jars out and use that as sipping whiskey...usually lots of flavour and because it is usually in the middle"hearts" area it is often very smooth...with just a hint if heads the gets smeared in because of the speed of a stripping run...but still a different white dog...I have to say not a lot of my friends like it, as they are all use to the store bought aged and oaken taste, but I was brought up on this kind o whiskey as a youngen, made my uncle and I love the taste...brings back good memories...and by the way, the Mrs.like it that way too...in a shot glass at room temp...having one right now!