Parrot smearing

[spiff]

I'm just wondering if anyone has any specifics to how much using a parrot contributes to smearing. I'm sure its volume has a lot to do with it as well. I don't run my foreshots through mine because I'm worried about this factor so I don't start using the parrot until foreshots taken.

[pfshine]

Size and how often you dump it are the main factors

[still_stirrin]

I'm just wondering if anyone has any specifics to how much using a parrot contributes to smearing.

Because it generates a "dwell time"....a time between condensation and (liquid) collection. The parrot has a volume of liquid in it which behaves as a "mixer" for the incoming distillate. So, as the quality (purity) changes through time as it condenses, the dwell causes it to mix (smear) and the resultant mixture is what is output out of the beak.

Collection directly off of the condenser allows you to adjust how and when you want to make those "integration points", or cuts. Collecting in many small containers gives you a finer "comb" for the product.
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[spiff]

Other than foreshots I was using it for the entire run because it was cool to see what was coming out.. it'll be more useful once I can start playing with reflux to see the effect even though I presume the result will be about 100ml delayed.

So I guess most people only use it to determine stopping point on tails?

[rad14701]

I like using mine more when pot stilling than running a reflux column, but that's just me... I can eek 1 - 2 more jars of clean hearts without but that's not a huge volume considering I collect in 4oz baby food jars...

[spiff]

Holy cow! Baby jars! lol.. I guess you have a lot of them.. and here I thought I was going slow when I was doing my last couple runs in 10oz increments...I only have so much surface area to lay them out on.

[NZChris]

So I guess most people only use it to determine stopping point on tails?

Thirty odd years of pot stilling and I still don't feel the need for a parrot. My advice is not to use a parrot to cut on the fly unless it's for a product that you repeat many times, get the ferment the same each time, run the same BTUs each time, and have determined that point yourself and not plucked some number off a forum.

[spiff]

Gotcha..thanks. Yeah, I'm not that comfortable yet to be taking cuts on the fly. Nor have I been dumping the parrot during the run.. only been taking my 10oz increments one jar at a time, but always from the parrot.

I have been making my own cut off based on what's been coming out and how long its been taking to get that last 10oz. I have been stopping at about 20%.

[rad14701]

Holy cow! Baby jars! lol.. I guess you have a lot of them.. and here I thought I was going slow when I was doing my last couple runs in 10oz increments...I only have so much surface area to lay them out on.

I have 50 - 60 but usually don't use more than 36... One jar fills my test cylinder and I test every jar immediately after it is filled... I have been known to bump up to bigger jars for my hearts... Usually to 8, 10, or 16 oz jars but switch back before the onset of tails...

[NZChris]

For most things I make, I know what to expect, so take off in 500ml jars through where I know the cuts will be, but run into half gallon demijohns for the hearts, so there might only be three or four jars at each end that have to be seriously tasted for inclusion in the final blend.
The temperature of the charge tells me us much as I need to know about where the distillation is at, and I occasionally swap a part filled jar out when the thermometer tells to expect the cardboard.

[Hound Dog]

I'm just wondering if anyone has any specifics to how much using a parrot contributes to smearing. I'm sure its volume has a lot to do with it as well. I don't run my foreshots through mine because I'm worried about this factor so I don't start using the parrot until foreshots taken.

Check out this thread...
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=54187

I haven't heard from Bellybuster in a while but he had some good input on the forum in the past. You can read his results with a parrot and a dye test.

[spiff]

ah, thanks for that link. It seems like having less space around your meter would help. I guess I won't worry about it. Eventually I'll not be using it anyway until I'm trying new things again.