Fore shots

[Roobrew]

When removing fore shots I have seen different advice on volume to dispose of , from 100 to 300 mls. I went for the safe option of 300 mls. But does that amount change if you do larger volumes of liquids as such, hope that makes sense.

[NZChris]

Lots of things change it. Type of ferment, how well it went, volume, type of still, how you run it...

[rad14701]

There are no hard rules of thumb regarding any cuts... People constantly come asking for volumes or percentages that don't exist... Either take as much as each cut consists of, using taste, smell, and feel, or collect in small enough quantities per jar so you can use smell and taste after airing for 24 to 48 hours... With the latter method you will waste less spirits in each after the fact cut... With the former method you are at the mercy of your senses in real time, which can be a bit much to process with hobby scale boiler charges...

Even after all these years I still prefer the small jar method - mainly because I am usually busy testing and documenting each jar... Plus I know that each jar will be slightly different after even a few hours of airing...

[Roobrew]

Ok Thanks for that, makes sense.

[skow69]

Foreshots benchmark, I figure an ounce per gallon of original wash. It won't hurt you, but sure tastes like shit.

[shadylane]

Many ways to skin the cat.
There's so many variables, I'm not sure what advise to give you.
Is this for a.
single run
Stripping run
Spirit run
Stripping and reflux run
One time reflux run
Or a feints run

[Truckinbutch]

Strippin run still and thumper charge of 18 gallons of wash I pull a full quart as fore shots . I tend to ere on the side of caution . Any extra I catch is just going to be early heads that I don't want nohow .

[T-Pee]

Reflux run of 10 gallons of UJ I pull off 250ml and close the parrot drain. The first few jars are heads anyways.

tp

[Bigbob]

I'm properly gonna get clobbered for this,but on my 21/2 gal potstill I run off the first 300 mls. As TP said, heads anyway. I'm also smelling and feeling the product and adjusting there also.

[coastershiner]

I have been taking the first 500ml as fores, every recipe, every time I run my still, pot or reflux. That is on a 10 gal charge. Heads are so stinky and gross, I dont see why bother keepin them anywhere near something im gonna drink.

[ranger_ric]

I have to admit that I think everything tastes better right out of the still. When I come back after they have aired out I read my notes and think "I liked that?"
If I made cuts off of my notes straight from the pipe I would keep 50% more....
Fore shots from my 5 gal pot still I always toss 250ml, every run.

[carbohydratesn]

Yeah, fores are just a part of heads for me. I pour the first bit of stripping runs into my cleaning/solvent alcohol jug, and I do the same with an even bigger chunk of the beginning of reflux spirit runs. All early heads are gross - so I just get rid of all of it, until the distillate starts to smell and feel like it's more hearts than heads.