First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

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mccrob
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First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by mccrob »

Just ran my distiller for the first time, still have lots of tweaking to do and lots of questions. 3.5 liters of wash in the distiller per run, I threw away the first 75 ml, keeping around 800 ml according to taste ( still not sure I'm tasting what I should be) . Then I turned it off and poured the remaining wash out (saved it). So far I got around 4.5 l of 40%, it came out at around 63% before I diluted it. Used essense to make a bottle of rye and a bottle of Vodka, the rest I triple filtered through activated carbon. My first question would be, does this sound somewhat right and can I run the left over wash again ?
Pikey
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Pikey »

Hellfire - you got some learnin' to do !

What are you running - still wise ?
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Pikey »

Airstill ?
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Still Life
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Still Life »

Many of us double distill.

The first distill is the Stripping Run (tossing foreshots as you did) and making no other cuts.
Dilute the claimed alcohol to 40% and distill again --the Spirit Run-- no foreshots this go around, but make other cuts.

You'll find your spirits are more refined this 2nd time and likely won't need the carbon filtering (unless you're after a neutral drink).
You can add essence, but generally those just pollute an otherwise good batch of alcohol and aren't recommended.

Done right, you'll taste and recognize what you're after. It's undeniably good.

Read Kiwistiller's guide to cuts.
Also read up on Strip vs. Spirit runs.
mccrob
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by mccrob »

Still Life wrote:Many of us double distill.

The first distill is the Stripping Run (tossing foreshots as you did) and making no other cuts.
Dilute the claimed alcohol to 40% and distill again --the Spirit Run-- no foreshots this go around, but make other cuts.

You'll find your spirits are more refined this 2nd time and likely won't need the carbon filtering (unless you're after a neutral drink).
You can add essence, but generally those just pollute an otherwise good batch of alcohol and aren't recommended.

Done right, you'll taste and recognize what you're after. It's undeniably good.

Read Kiwistiller's guide to cuts.
Also read up on Strip vs. Spirit runs.
Thanks, that actually helps a bit.
Antler24
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Antler24 »

Still Life wrote:Many of us double distill.

The first distill is the Stripping Run (tossing foreshots as you did) and making no other cuts.
Dilute the claimed alcohol to 40% and distill again --the Spirit Run-- no foreshots this go around, but make other cuts.

You'll find your spirits are more refined this 2nd time and likely won't need the carbon filtering (unless you're after a neutral drink).
I usually double distill but make a 250ml foreshots cut on both strip and the spirit run. It can't hurt, if anything I'm just throwing out a half jar of early heads. All works as weed killer lol
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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Saltbush Bill
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Saltbush Bill »

mccrob wrote:Used essense to make a bottle of rye and a bottle of Vodka
Im wondering what Vodka essense/ Flavouring tastes like :econfused:
miket
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by miket »

The little air stills are pretty nice. Mine kicked out a pint of 182 proof a couple days ago. I have a cheapo.
I ran a bunch of tails from the pot still and its some hot stuff. Im not making it to drink but its crazy how good they work for $75.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1Gal-4L-Pure-Wa ... 2690660685" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Antler24
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Antler24 »

miket wrote:The little air stills are pretty nice. Mine kicked out a pint of 182 proof a couple days ago. I have a cheapo.
I ran a bunch of tails from the pot still and its some hot stuff. Im not making it to drink but its crazy how good they work for $75.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1Gal-4L-Pure-Wa ... 2690660685" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
$75???

Around here they sell for $299 at the homebrew supply stores.
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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Truckinbutch
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Truckinbutch »

$299 ? I think I'll just stick with my keg boiler and keg thumper pot still . Way less investment for return .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
Antler24
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Antler24 »

Truckinbutch wrote:$299 ? I think I'll just stick with my keg boiler and keg thumper pot still . Way less investment for return .
Exactly. My buddy bought an airstill at $299, and was fascinated with my 15g keg still, until I told him how much I had into it, then he was pissed.
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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Truckinbutch
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Truckinbutch »

Antler24 wrote:
Truckinbutch wrote:$299 ? I think I'll just stick with my keg boiler and keg thumper pot still . Way less investment for return .
Exactly. My buddy bought an airstill at $299, and was fascinated with my 15g keg still, until I told him how much I had into it, then he was pissed.
Hope he was pissed at himself for not learning better here and not pissed at you .
If you ain't the lead dog in the team , the scenery never changes . Ga Flatwoods made my avatar and I want to thank him for that .
Don't drink water , fish fornicate in it .
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NZChris
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by NZChris »

I could have bought two of them at charity shops lately, $10 each.
Antler24
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Re: First distill, using sugar wash and water distiller

Post by Antler24 »

Truckinbutch wrote:
Antler24 wrote:
Truckinbutch wrote:$299 ? I think I'll just stick with my keg boiler and keg thumper pot still . Way less investment for return .
Exactly. My buddy bought an airstill at $299, and was fascinated with my 15g keg still, until I told him how much I had into it, then he was pissed.
Hope he was pissed at himself for not learning better here and not pissed at you .
Hes the type doesn't like to be told how to do things. I was there when he bought the airstill. I had a tall 7.5g keg I was willing to give him but he wouldn't have any part of it. I told him about making cuts, he said I was wasting good liquor...
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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