My first run: Apricot Eau de Vie

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.
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big_top_boozin
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Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2017 7:33 pm
Location: WA, USA

My first run: Apricot Eau de Vie

Post by big_top_boozin »

Hey distillers, over the past few weeks I've really been enjoying drinking my first batch: apricot eau de vie. I've benefitted greatly from shared knowledge and advice on the forums, and want to share the results.

From an 30 L ferment of 3:1 fresh WA apricots:sugar, I collected appoximately 7 liters of delicious, pungent, aromatic 40% ABV apricot eau de vie. I was honestly shocked that the first run turned out so well. Here's what I did. I welcome your feedback.

FOR 30L of Apricot Ferment
47.1 lbs of apricots
2.66 gallons of water
15.91 lbs sugar, added in thirds, (5.3 lbs / week)
8 tsp yeast nutrient (1 tsp / gal)
6 tsp pectinase (.75 tsp / gal)
2 oz acid blend to correct pH
30 day ferment, 60 day rest

Single run on a 40L (30L charge) alembic copper pot still, ran it nice and slow
Tossed out first few drips, then collected 3oz for first 4 jars, then full 8oz jars for jars 5 to 36.
Ran out of time and had to shut things down at 3:30 a.m., later realized that I missed out on collecting more tails for the feints jar. Gotta start earlier next time.

1 week later, analyzed the jars with my wife.
jars 1-4 smelled headsy, also INTENSE FRUIT, 72+%ABV
jar 5 smelled safe (and AMAZING!) and was 69% ABV
jar 30 still smellin' and tastin' good, 54% ABV
jars 5-30 were collected as hearts, range 54-69% for hearts, poured into a glass carboy for storage
Sampled occasionally, and 3 weeks later I diluted the spirit down to 40% with distilled water.

Drinking it tonight, and the apricot taste is so pronounced, and lingers for a really long time. The empty glass still smells like apricot the next morning. There are notes of jasmine, honeysuckle, white pepper...very very drinkable.

One issue:
A week after diultion I noticed a faint cloudiness develop. I checked out some of the threads about cloudiness, and suspect that I may have some tails bleed-through. I felt really confident about the cuts, so I was a bit surprised to see it occur. Interestingly, at 50% (in the carboy before dilution) there was no cloudiness. And a bottle that was probably a bit above 40% (did not measure precisely, was just haphazardly playing with the taste at different proofs at the time) was not cloudy either. I'll have to test a bit of the feints to see at what % it clouds up. Anyway, it was a really good lesson, and an important issue for me to address in my subsequent runs.

I've got prune plums and peaches coming down the pipe...

Thanks y'all,
Big Top
Shine0n
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Location: Eastern Virginia

Re: My first run: Apricot Eau de Vie

Post by Shine0n »

Sounds good!
I've had the same problem with my peach eau de vie, at 90p it's fine but if I go to 80 I get some haze. luckily I still have the lot sitting at aging proof 125ish

I think also it would be the tails and some oils, what type of water did you use to dilute it with?

Seems like you had very good protocol and made select cuts before blending, sometimes those later jars smell good and if not filtered through something like felt the oils make their way in and will cloud it up at lower % like 80 and not 90.

I keep mine now at the % it is 125 and drink on the rocks, the aromas let loose once it starts diluting and is very smooth. I don't do shots but just sip on the rocks.

I think you're fine, just keep at a little higher proof and enjoy. Give it some time and see if it settles down or put in the fridge, oh... do you see the oils floating in the jar? If so you can dab it off with some paper towels or like I do run it through a few layers of undyed white felt.

Shine0n
StillerBoy
Master of Distillation
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Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: My first run: Apricot Eau de Vie

Post by StillerBoy »

+1 on what ShineOn has said with putting it in the fridge..

I process brandy base (mash from fruits)on a regular base, and there is a very fine line on where to cuts for tails.. I run with a temp probe at the base of my column, and when the vapours temp cross 195F, that when I stop collection, and start collecting the tails for feints.. if I go deeper to 196F, then went water is added, I get a light cloudiness to the spirit.. which when allow to rest for a few days, can be filter out, and that used to be an extra step..

Lately I've found a different water type I use, and that has improved meaning no cloudiness.. so the water that is used does make a different, and that maybe because of the local water makeup.. I have tried many different bottled water until I have found one that works.. because I can now run to 196.5F, and not cloudiness when reduced..

Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "

– Albert Einstein
big_top_boozin
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Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2017 7:33 pm
Location: WA, USA

Re: My first run: Apricot Eau de Vie

Post by big_top_boozin »

Thank you both.

I used distilled water from the supermarket for dilution. I don't see any oils floating, and the liquid is very uniform even after refridgeration.

I appreciate both of your suggestions, to store at a higher proof (and not dilute the whole darn batch!), and to monitor the temp at the still column to discern the tails boundary. Looking back at my distillation notes, when the onion thermometer jumped up above 187 I started to smell tails off the still; however, when I was making cuts I couldn't smell anything "tailsy" until later jars.

It's a very good lesson for the next round.

Big Top
The Booze Pipe
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Re: My first run: Apricot Eau de Vie

Post by The Booze Pipe »

I'm no expert but, the cloudiness kind of sounds like some oils from the fruit falling out of suspension. I recommend finding the lowest proof (probably 90-100) that will clear the spirit. It's a similar issue you find when making gin.
13.5g/50L keg boiler
copper pot still
modular 3" CCVM copper&stainless w/offset gin head
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Oldvine Zin
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Re: My first run: Apricot Eau de Vie

Post by Oldvine Zin »

Hey Big_top,

Just saw this thread, sounds like you did pretty good for your first attempt, can't wait to try a drop :)

I've found that with the gins I make if I go a bit into the tails (for flavor) I start getting a bit of cloudiness at the 40 to 45 % range, 47 seems for me to be at the right spot and totally clear. Maybe that's why we are seeing more commercial spirits bottled at that ABV?

Anyway good job :thumbup:

OVZ
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