Potstill Won't Go Over 85C and Puking Yellow Tails

[AdamBrandy]

What am I getting wrong here?
Stripping run on apple cider - using a 30L potstill - was going well, but then locked on 85C and wouldn't go up. Kept on collecting until tails (wet cardboard smell) started coming out in a very yellow color.
On the one hand, I wanted to increase the flame to bring temperature up to 92C (it remained however locked on 85C), but then I guess the boil was to strong so it puked out yellow cider.
What's the solution here? and should I add the yellow stuff to the spirit run along with all the clear distillate that came out before?

[thecroweater]

As you are running a pot still I would suggest you have the thermometer it the wrong position to correctly use it. The right position for any thermometer you wish to run the still with is on the ground under you left heel.
I assume that was your first (strip) run so when re-running it go slower and collect in small jars for cuts, do not watch or in any way be guided by temps
Edit OK just to qualify better what I posted yes you can run that whole lot again but how temps work is like thus. All the compounds have various boiling points and the temp rises due to the virtual exhaustion of those compound to the next boiling point, its a gradual thing. In a still with more defined fractioning this can be kind of guaged by the temperatures. If you have a pot still there is more of a smear between fractions and your temperatures will most likely not be giving you a good indercation of where you are. I did have a thermometer on a pot still I built and it told me when to turn the water on and start to pay closer attention, it did not give me any information I could run the still with

[Truckinbutch]

Like he said ; smash the thermometer and learn how to run your still .

[NZChris]

I can run my pot using a thermometer, but it is in the boiler, not in the vapor, and I use data collected from thirty years of previous runs, not advice from youtubers and forum members.

Either tape over the thermometer, or keep records from it. Don't make decisions based on it unless you have enough records to be helpful.

[AdamBrandy]

Thank you all!
I will take your advice and stop relying on the thermometer. But now I need an other method to make the cuts on the spirit run, given that my nose has not been seasoned by experience yet. Would measuring alcohol percentage of the distillate as the run goes be good practice?

[NZChris]

This is the best guide for newbies that I know of.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 63&t=13261

[Saltbush Bill]

But now I need an other method to make the cuts on the spirit run, given that my nose has not been seasoned by experience yet.

Sorry to say there is only one reliable way, Read the link that NZ Chris posted up.....read until you understand what it all means, then start smelling and tasting. Start with lots of small jars when you begin, also let the jars breath / air for 24/48 hours before smelling and tasting them. Diluting a small sample from each jar 50/50 with water will also make it easier to smell out the different cuts.The sooner you start practicing making your cuts the proper way, the sooner you will learn to make good cuts.

[der wo]

I think the thermometer is bad calibrated. Like NZChris wrote, either smash it or learn to understand its measurements.

The most important thing about cuts is, not to decide during the run. Collect small samples and the next days will be the best learning session about cuts you ever will get.

Normally apple cider is distilled twice. As long the first run is a stripping run, there are no cuts needed, and a yellow color from puking or foaming or whatever is no problem.

[AdamBrandy]

This is excellent, thank you.

[NZChris]

For something like cider, I would take a foreshot, then strip until the abv of the collection vessel was down to 30% abv or lower, no thermometer required, then collect the spirit run in jars as Kiwistiller advised.

For all products and runs I keep boiler temperature records for future reference. These records can be used in the future to predict cut points for repeat products. These temperatures are specific to my still, the way I run it and my tastes and are useless to you and anyone else.

Advice to stomp on thermometers is kinda like a cult mantra and has gained credence through repetition, but correct positioning, keeping good records and learning how to use them is better practice.

[Antler24]

Basically your thermometer is shit, and you puked it by pushing too hard. If your doing a stripping run crank the heat wide open. When it starts to run, cut the heat back to control the stream. It's that easy.

Not sure of your still setup or your fermenting practices but if your vapor line is small or you have solids in your wash, a uke could be catastrophic