SherrodBrown wrote:I found a VLE diagram that was very helpful in understanding this. I don't knlw how to upload the picture yet.
Its basically the same as the above except it shows more lines and stuff and focuses on Vapour/Liquid. It might even be the wrong thread ofc. Anyway it says 18 ABV become 61 them 83, 87 and 91 for a quadrouple pot distill. If you would take hearts its mote like 18, 40,
58,70.So i was wondering. A pot still batch contains a mixture of everything and each component has its own curve..Would such a solvent affect the next ABV away from the diagram?
In any case does anyone recognize those numbers? 18 Abv Low Wines becomes 40 " average heart" ABV after first stripping run or 58(116Proof) after 2 consequtive distills??
I think I know the graph Sherrod , with those multiple lines it clearly demonstates how the first distillation has the most effect on ABV and subsequent distillations raise the AVB but by a lesser amount . This is why we need a tall packed column to get around 20 redistillations if we want to achieve an Azeo .
But yes I agree with you that this curve is an Ethanol curve AFAIK and does not take into account other solvents present in the wash . I believe this is why the initial ABV that comes off the still is always much higher than the predicted off that chart . Once into later heads , it seems to follow better .
Also bear in mind that it is an instantanious curve ... not an average .
So if you start with 18% then that will be at the start .
By the time you are into hearts , the wash would have dropped to around say 15% so you will get the corresponding output for 15% not 18%