The output composition of distillate

[Andrew_90]

There is much to understand as a newb.

So I think I have an accurate understanding of the distillate make up of a stripping run on a pot still vs. the spirit run on a pot still. I also understand that at circa 50% ABV that the other half is the wash which is either pleasing or not pleasing depending on what is being distilled. In my case it is less pleasing as the quest currently is for a high ABV neutral.

So while finishing off my CCVM, and waiting for the sight glass and Raschig Rings, I have been doing some casual reading of posts.

I will be charging the still with low wines stripped in a pot still at circa 38% ABV. So what happens with the output of the CCVM?

1. If the Fore's have been removed at the stripping stage is there a need to remove again due to the refinement of the distillate?
2. I note from comments on threads that assuming we get 90% ABV at the output; that the Heads, Hearts and Tails will all be at 90% until the drop off at the end. Am I reading this correctly?
3. Do we still collect fractions?
4. If we collect fractions, does the procedure for collecting the fractions differ to that of a pot still.

Any other insights on the difference in treatment of the distillate between pot still operation and CCVM operation, if any, would be appreciated.

[Deplorable]

Someone with more experience than me will chime in, but if you're coming off at your 90% hypothetical, you still collect in fractional jars. All fractions are the same ABV, but the heads/fores are very condensed and nasty. You'll still look for the transition to hearts, it will be a much more defined transition. If your quest is a flavorless neutral, you're going to discard everything before the hearts transition, and everything as soon as you detect tails. The key is keeping the column in equallibrium during the run so the fractions stay stacked.

My first run at 93% was pretty clean, but still had a faint flavor of the whiskey feints I ran. It made an "okay" vodka. we drank it, and made SPD with it.
My 2nd run was a 30 gallon wash of SSS 10% abv, stipped on the pot and refluxed at 95%. Dilligent cuts made a great neutral, and my yeild was 1.5 gallons of 95%. Cut to 50%, degassed with a vacuum pump, after a few days of rest is a very good clean neutral spirit.

[Andrew_90]

My first run at 93% was pretty clean, but still had a faint flavor of the whiskey feints I ran. It made an "okay" vodka. we drank it, and made SPD with it.
My 2nd run was a 30 gallon wash of SSS 10% abv, stipped on the pot and refluxed at 95%. Dilligent cuts made a great neutral, and my yeild was 1.5 gallons of 95%. Cut to 50%, degassed with a vacuum pump, after a few days of rest is a very good clean neutral spirit.

Ok good news as my wash is also SSS. Did you cut the 1.5g to get circa 2.8g?

[Setsumi]

1. yes i will make a fores cut because a strip cut will be rough... rather take all on the strip.
2. yes you want a high abv on all, fores and heads can be a bit higher because you will take it off slower.
3. yes myself take in fractions.... 250mmlfor heads and 350ml for hearts, even though i run a flute for wiskey.
4. i learned, slow and small on a pot.... i run slow and small on a packed column and now do the same on my flutes.

if you have a themometer in your vapour path, watch the spike and drop on stabalising, and note the rise in the end. it may help to guide you to when to start take off and the tails cut.... but trust your nose and mouth for cuts.

[Andrew_90]

If you have a thermometer in your vapour path, watch the spike and drop on stabalising, and note the rise in the end. it may help to guide you to when to start take off and the tails cut.... but trust your nose and mouth for cuts.

I have a thermometer port just in case. Can you expand on the above statement and provide a little more detail please.

Would the thermometer not be out of play when stabilizing? My thermometer port is in the non column part of the T Piece, i.e. on the way to the condenser. The RC will hopefully drop all the vapour directly down, or will the residual heat in the column provide a reference temp?

[Deplorable]

My first run at 93% was pretty clean, but still had a faint flavor of the whiskey feints I ran. It made an "okay" vodka. we drank it, and made SPD with it.
My 2nd run was a 30 gallon wash of SSS 10% abv, stipped on the pot and refluxed at 95%. Dilligent cuts made a great neutral, and my yeild was 1.5 gallons of 95%. Cut to 50%, degassed with a vacuum pump, after a few days of rest is a very good clean neutral spirit.

Ok good news as my wash is also SSS. Did you cut the 1.5g to get circa 2.8g?

I dilute to 50% as I need it, usually making 750ml of 100P at a time. Its easier to store a gallon than it is to store two.

[Andrew_90]

I dilute to 50% as I need it, usually making 750ml of 100P at a time. Its easier to store a gallon than it is to store two.

Never thought of that, indeed storage is a problem.

[Deplorable]

It also leaves you with options later if you want to make a gin, or use it for essential oils extraction, or any number of things. [almost] pure ethanol is a handy thing to have around. Especially during a "pandemic".

[Setsumi]

If you have a thermometer in your vapour path, watch the spike and drop on stabalising, and note the rise in the end. it may help to guide you to when to start take off and the tails cut.... but trust your nose and mouth for cuts.

I have a thermometer port just in case. Can you expand on the above statement and provide a little more detail please.

Would the thermometer not be out of play when stabilizing? My thermometer port is in the non column part of the T Piece, i.e. on the way to the condenser. The RC will hopefully drop all the vapour directly down, or will the residual heat in the column provide a reference temp?

ja, a thermo on CCVM in the branch will not help much in stabalising. at the beginning when the column stat to load with a themometer just above the packing you will see a spike and drop in temp. i note this temp after the drop, doesent matter what it reads but on my flutes i will shut down when it goes above 1.5dC. by that time one can taste tails.

for neutral you want even a smaller rise. i do not advocate cuts on temps, just on a reflux vapour temps do help understand what is going on.