Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

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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zed255
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Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by zed255 »

Ethanol cleaning (sacrificial) run completed last night. Cut it short due to weather and time, but I ran the still for 6+ hours and collected 3+ liters of high proof distillate. According to this mornings check after temperature correction, I achieved an overall average of 94.5% ABV while taking off 500mL/hr. I recon that should be enough to consider the still ready for a keeper run.

I collected a bunch of old stanky beer, wine, and liquor from a few relatives and just poured it all in for a volume of about 35L that by careful and considered guesstimation the 'wash' ended up in the 16% ABV region.

On to actually learning to run this thing....

I allowed total reflux to occur for about 30 minutes and noted, as expected, the slight drop in head temperature telling me the lighter congeners were concentrating at the top of the column. I drew off the foreshots really slow but it did not take too long for the head temp to come up a little and stay there. Wow were the foreshots &$@#*!^ nasty! Almost puked at the smell of the stuff. First ~50mL were a little cloudy then it cleared up. Lit the first ~125mL out in the yard for kicks, well away from the still. Allowed total reflux to occur again for a while and then began to collect in earnest. I wanted to treat this as a spirit run to gain a little experience with it even though this will be used as fuel or cleaner in the end.

After the foreshots I collected 2x 250mL jars that were a little stinky, but not horrible. Seemed to me to be the heads. Marked difference between #1 and #2 and by #3 I believe the hearts were flowing as there was just a hint of something similar to the first two, very subtle, but otherwise quite pleasant. After that the distillate only had a slight odor that I can only describe as slightly sweet, strangely pleasant actually. Everything outside the foreshots was crystal clear. Was expecting about 5L or so but weather (and time, I foolishly started this process too late in the day...) shut me down, so unfortunately no experiences yet with tails.

I need better control of my cooling water as even inputting 3kW would only use about half of the condenser, my outside faucet just barely open. I also need a proper controller yet, my power control is very rudimentary. Heat up using 6kW and reduced to 3kW for the run. Set for 3.75kW I think had my column on the edge of flooding due to the sounds it began to make after 20 to 30 minutes, but was dead silent at 3kW

Overall I feel I had a successful first run, and it was easier than expected too.
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Zed

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If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
MontanaMule
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by MontanaMule »

Nice Zed! Now that you got your still all cleaned up sounds like your ready to have some fun!
The man bangin' on the door yelled "Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms!"....I just assumed it was more supplies.

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bilgriss
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by bilgriss »

Sounds like you are on the right track!
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Still Life
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by Still Life »

What 'cha making next?
Have you selected something from the Tried & True Recipes, or going with something else?
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zed255
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by zed255 »

Going to give a wheat germ recipe, say the one from Deathwish, a try and shoot for something neutral. I want to learn how to do a good neutral first then try other things afterwards.
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Zed

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If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
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Still Life
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by Still Life »

zed255 wrote:Going to give a wheat germ recipe, say the one from Deathwish, a try and shoot for something neutral. I want to learn how to do a good neutral first then try other things afterwards.
I will give you fair warning about the wheat germ recipe:
It is a powerful fermenter. It blew 2 lids off my ferment buckets when I made it. Literally, they both. flew. off.
Consider leaving the air locks out on this one for better venting. NOTHING will get in.
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zed255
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by zed255 »

I have read that an am planning on doing the ferment in a new plastic garbage can (50L of mash in an ~80L can) purchased for the purpose, rather than occupying both my buckets I use for beer and risking spillage. I will create a one-way flap for the lid to allow venting while maintaining a CO2 atmosphere, a sort of airlock. It will be similar to the butterfly valves used in scuba regulators, only a little bigger.
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Zed

When the Student is ready, the Master will appear.
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
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zed255
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by zed255 »

First ferment is rocking after prepping most of the afternoon. Ended up trying something based on elements from a couple well respected members here and will disclose more later if it works out. For now it is taking off at a crazy rate, so at least my yeast is happy at the start. The lid is a loose fit no saw no need to create a vent. Will keep a close eye on it.
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Zed

When the Student is ready, the Master will appear.
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by Still Life »

I like the shortbread baking smell while it's fermenting.
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zed255
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by zed255 »

It does smell good. Interesting that it developed a thick krausen initially and that has subsided and the ferment appears to be occurring off the bottom. Lots of bubbling, just no foam. Very vigorous though, to the point you can actually hear it.
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Zed

When the Student is ready, the Master will appear.
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
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zed255
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by zed255 »

Yeasties must be feasting! SG down from initial reading of ~1.08 to ~1.03 in less than 24 hours and still vigorously fizzing away and even keeping itself warm. Woot!
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Zed

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If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
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zed255
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Re: Ethanol cleaning (sacraficial) run...

Post by zed255 »

Well my recipe has almost finished out in the first 48 hours!

Gravity today is just about 1.002 from yesterday's 1.030 reading and my OG of 1.080. The batch stayed warm all on its own which likely contributed to a quick ferment.

Hope I can rack it out of the big fermenter for clearing soon. I did not expect such a fast ferment.
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Zed

When the Student is ready, the Master will appear.
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
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