My first spirit run - Jimbos All Grain

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)

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
Kruger1801
Novice
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 11:49 am
Location: Cape Town, South Africa

My first spirit run - Jimbos All Grain

Post by Kruger1801 »

Hi All!

I'm super excited to do my first spirit run tomorrow.

I'm really happy with how the (second attempt) fermentation went on 'Jimbos Single Malt AG' recipe.

My stripping run came out at 50% and planning on spirit run tomorrow, but I'm a little unsure about the Abv of the low wines to charge the still with...
I'm reading a lot of rule of thumb info or "I personally do it this way.." kind of info, so please excuse these questions as I'm sure its been asked a thousand times before :wtf:

Questions:

1. I've read a good place to start is to water down the low wines to between 30% & 40% abv for a whisky. Do I cut it with water or do I water it down with backset from the stripping run?
2. This will be my first spirit so no feints to add to the still. Should I go ahead with the ageing process after this run or should I keep this spirit to add to the next batch so that I have some feints to add?

I'm going to separate all of the spirits in 250ml jars/intervals coming off the still to try and figure the cuts out... Will also air it out for a day or two before assessing the spirits.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10337
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: My first spirit run - Jimbos All Grain

Post by still_stirrin »

Kruger1801 wrote:Questions:
1. I've read a good place to start is to water down the low wines to between 30% & 40% abv for a whisky. Do I cut it with water or do I water it down with backset from the stripping run?
If the collected low wines is above 40%ABV, then dilute to 40% with water. But next time, collect until the low wines are at 35-40%ABV. Then you won't need to dilute for the spirit run.
Kruger1801 wrote:2. This will be my first spirit so no feints to add to the still. Should I go ahead with the ageing process after this run or should I keep this spirit to add to the next batch so that I have some feints to add?
After your cuts (on the spirit run), do with it what you will....age it in glass or wood. Or, drink it white. But take the feints (heads and tails cut from your hearts) and stock those up for an "all feints" run, especially if you have a reflux column to finish cleaning the good ethanol out of the bad.
Kruger1801 wrote:I'm going to separate all of the spirits in 250ml jars/intervals coming off the still to try and figure the cuts out... Will also air it out for a day or two before assessing the spirits.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Best advice....read up on Kiwistiller's Guide to Cuts".

When you make your cuts, start in the middle and work your way DOWN. Make notes of your perceptions, ie - taste (be descriptive by relating to taste paradigms), smell (again, be descriptive), and feel. Record these for each sample. When you've gone "down the ladder", go back to the middle and work your way up. Again, be diligent with your notes....they'll help you quickly learn the subtle nuances throughout the run. Be sure to drink a little water between samples too so you clean your palette.

Good luck. Enjoy the process...it's one of my favorite things to do in this hobby.
ss
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
zapata
Distiller
Posts: 1664
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:06 pm

Re: My first spirit run - Jimbos All Grain

Post by zapata »

How did you end up with 50% low wines? I guess by stripping with reflux? If so, it'll be fine, but I prefer the result from stripping with no reflux, and strip it all out. Pretty much certain to have low wines no more than mid 30s this way. Which btw is what I would dilute to for a spirit run.

If you didnt have reflux for the strip, then you didnt collect anywhere near enough. And if you have reflux for stripping, Id just do a single run Smiley/mash rookie/odin style, no need to do 2 runs, just run it like for neutral and blend the cuts.
User avatar
HDNB
Site Mod
Posts: 7360
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:04 am
Location: the f-f-fu frozen north

Re: My first spirit run - Jimbos All Grain

Post by HDNB »

kiwistillers guide to cuts is great advise.

also-take your time with them. i'm faster now but i used to sample and re-sample over days. even now, i only sample one or two cuts every half-hour to hour and go back a second time if i'm not sure about it.
I finally quit drinking for good.

now i drink for evil.
Post Reply