one or two runs with a pot still?

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Eckardt M
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by Eckardt M »

NZChris wrote:
EricTheRed wrote: Mon Jun 20, 2022 6:27 am What does the people do when they do a strip run, then a spirit run and the distillate does not come out how they want it, what do people then do?
That depends on what type of spirit it is and what the problem is. If it's intended for neutral and the distiller stuffed up the cuts by trying to cut on the fly, redistilling and choosing a cut using Kiwistiller's Novice Guide should fix it. If it is a flavored product and contained an off flavor that shouldn't have been in the wash when it went into the still, it gets complicated.
Thanks for the info on the Guide. I did read that post.

It is my first time with a 5L potstill. Had a reflux still before.

I wanted to make a simple sugar wash just to get things started, my aim is still Rum.
I made Tedd's fast ferment, I did not let it clear after fermentation. Distilled it when the SG was 0.996.
I did make the foreshot cut with the spirit run, then collected the distillate in small glass containers to make the cuts better for me.

I know the taste and smell of Heads. Heads was in its own container. I noticed a change in smell and taste, put this in a new container, this is about 500ml at 79% ABV. Then I started to taste a small amount of tails coming through. I changed the containers and collected about 1L at about 69% ABV. Then after this the harsh tails started to come out. The harsh tails and the heads I have put together in a container.

So I have this 500ml 79% ABV that is not bad when diluted to 40% ABV, but it did become just a little cloudy, then I have the 1L 69% ABV and this I do taste a small amount of tails.

My main aim with this is to make a Gin and liqueurs. Nothing fancy like the cleanest Vodka, I know I need a relflux still for that.

This is why I asked the question of how many times can I do a Spirit run/Strip run as I would like to get the 1L 69% ABV Spirit + the 500ml 79% ABV cleaner.
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by Rum Agol »

ErictheRed wrote
Depends how clean you want your final product. Most here do the stripping runs, then do a single spirit run, do the cuts, and keep the hearts.
if you want it cleaner, then yes, you dilute the output (which will be around 60 - 65%) with enough water to bring it down to <40% - and do another spirit run. Or, do your cuts, save them for feints, take the hearts, dilute and spirit run again.
But if you are going to do that to get it clean - time to consider making a reflux head for your spirit runs
I agree with Eric, re-distilling what you have with water will clean it up some (assuming the cuts are good).
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NZChris
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by NZChris »

Eckardt M wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 6:43 am I wanted to make a simple sugar wash just to get things started, my aim is still Rum.
I made Tedd's fast ferment, I did not let it clear after fermentation. Distilled it when the SG was 0.996.
I did make the foreshot cut with the spirit run, then collected the distillate in small glass containers to make the cuts better for me.
TFFV would have too much flavor for me, so I wouldn't use it for pot stilled gin spirit. I've tried a few methods from the forum, but have gone back to Shady's Sugar Shine, (which I was making long before Shady. posted it). The less flavor you put in your wash, the less work you have to do to remove it.
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by Saltbush Bill »

NZChris wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 1:07 pm I've tried a few methods from the forum, but have gone back to Shady's Sugar Shine, (which I was making long before Shady. posted it).
I'm amazed that you came up with exactly the same combination of ingredients as Shady did Chris.
Its a shame that you didn't share this winning combination of ingredients with the other members of the forum before he chose to.
I can only think that Shady must be a more sharing and caring kind of person than you are :(
If you had taken the time , or had the inclination to share what you knew with others on the forum , then maybe we would have a Tried and True recipe that was called NZChris Sugar Shine.
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by NZChris »

I have no idea where I got it from and I don't claim credit for it. I've always used Vegemite rather than boiling yeast and never hidden that from anyone.
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Its Shadys Sugar Shine except its got Vegemite in it ? Pretty hard to make a flavorless wash with something as flavoursome as Vegemite.
I think I'll stick to Shadys recipe and put the Vegemite on my toast.
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by RockinRockies »

From my experience (when I had a pot) was that the quality was always far superior with double runs. It always had plenty of flavor.
In fact, what I've noticed is that I get a very similar flavor profile running 3 plates with a cloudy wash with agitator on my flute as a double run on my pot.

If I was forced to run in pot mode, I would absolutely, 100% every time, strip and spirit
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by Trapped-in-Oz »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 2:41 am

I'm amazed that you came up with exactly the same combination of ingredients as Shady did Chris.
Its a shame that you didn't share this winning combination of ingredients with the other members of the forum before he chose to.
I can only think that Shady must be a more sharing and caring kind of person than you are :(
If you had taken the time , or had the inclination to share what you knew with others on the forum , then maybe we would have a Tried and True recipe that was called NZChris Sugar Shine.
So cringeworthy……...

……….followed by nice smooth response from Chris.

Is the error of the forum…... this naming of the rudimentaries with personality.

..
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by Shine_Dad »

Trapped-in-Oz wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 4:21 pm
Saltbush Bill wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 2:41 am

I'm amazed that you came up with exactly the same combination of ingredients as Shady did Chris.
Its a shame that you didn't share this winning combination of ingredients with the other members of the forum before he chose to.
I can only think that Shady must be a more sharing and caring kind of person than you are :(
If you had taken the time , or had the inclination to share what you knew with others on the forum , then maybe we would have a Tried and True recipe that was called NZChris Sugar Shine.
So cringeworthy……...

……….followed by nice smooth response from Chris.

Is the error of the forum…... this naming of the rudimentaries with personality.

..
This forum is honestly an amazing combination of people and personalities.

The absolute subtle shit talk makes this place exciting AF!
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by Stonecutter »

Shine_Dad wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 5:22 pm
Trapped-in-Oz wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 4:21 pm
Saltbush Bill wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 2:41 am

I'm amazed that you came up with exactly the same combination of ingredients as Shady did Chris.
Its a shame that you didn't share this winning combination of ingredients with the other members of the forum before he chose to.
I can only think that Shady must be a more sharing and caring kind of person than you are :(
If you had taken the time , or had the inclination to share what you knew with others on the forum , then maybe we would have a Tried and True recipe that was called NZChris Sugar Shine.
So cringeworthy……...

……….followed by nice smooth response from Chris.

Is the error of the forum…... this naming of the rudimentaries with personality.

..
This forum is honestly an amazing combination of people and personalities.

The absolute subtle shit talk makes this place exciting AF!
:clap:
The PC culture is lame. The “spice” of life is what makes the soup of existence worth eating. You need salt and pepper, some cayenne, savory flavors like garlic and onion. lol Don’t skip dessert. Too much of one ingredient can really ruin the soup but if you’re not trying out as many ingredients as you can who knows what you’ll miss…. Damn now I’m hungry :moresarcasm:
Like UncleJesse says, and I’m paraphrasing, if only the best sounding birds sang the forest would be silent

To get back on subject here ladies and germs. I believe Sporacle pretty much summed it up in his first response
Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
-Thomas Paine
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NZChris
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by NZChris »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 3:49 pm Its Shadys Sugar Shine except its got Vegemite in it ? Pretty hard to make a flavorless wash with something as flavoursome as Vegemite.
I think I'll stick to Shadys recipe and put the Vegemite on my toast.
It's probably better that I didn't post it then, Bill? :D
Eckardt M
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by Eckardt M »


Eckardt M wrote:
NZChris wrote:
EricTheRed wrote: Mon Jun 20, 2022 6:27 am What does the people do when they do a strip run, then a spirit run and the distillate does not come out how they want it, what do people then do?
That depends on what type of spirit it is and what the problem is. If it's intended for neutral and the distiller stuffed up the cuts by trying to cut on the fly, redistilling and choosing a cut using Kiwistiller's Novice Guide should fix it. If it is a flavored product and contained an off flavor that shouldn't have been in the wash when it went into the still, it gets complicated.
Thanks for the info on the Guide. I did read that post.

It is my first time with a 5L potstill. Had a reflux still before.

I wanted to make a simple sugar wash just to get things started, my aim is still Rum.
I made Tedd's fast ferment, I did not let it clear after fermentation. Distilled it when the SG was 0.996.
I did make the foreshot cut with the spirit run, then collected the distillate in small glass containers to make the cuts better for me.

I know the taste and smell of Heads. Heads was in its own container. I noticed a change in smell and taste, put this in a new container, this is about 500ml at 79% ABV. Then I started to taste a small amount of tails coming through. I changed the containers and collected about 1L at about 69% ABV. Then after this the harsh tails started to come out. The harsh tails and the heads I have put together in a container.

So I have this 500ml 79% ABV that is not bad when diluted to 40% ABV, but it did become just a little cloudy, then I have the 1L 69% ABV and this I do taste a small amount of tails.

My main aim with this is to make a Gin and liqueurs. Nothing fancy like the cleanest Vodka, I know I need a relflux still for that.

This is why I asked the question of how many times can I do a Spirit run/Strip run as I would like to get the 1L 69% ABV Spirit + the 500ml 79% ABV cleaner.
Good morning fellow Distillers, hope you all are doing well.

I would like to give some feedback of what I did.

I put everytime together and diluted it to 30% with filtered water. I did a 2nd Spirit run with the cuts that I have mentioned in my post, the 1L 69% ABV + the 500ml 79% ABV.
The first few glass jars were the same as the 1st Spirit run, but the cuts that had a small amount of tails taste were a lot smaller. got a better Spirit out at the end of the day.

Yes I know I used more energy and time, but it worked. I will try do another fermentation like Shady's T&T.

I also want to thank everyone for the inputs posted here. This Forum has helped me many times

Sent from my SM-P585 using Tapatalk

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NZChris
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by NZChris »

Eckardt M wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 10:59 pm Yes I know I used more energy and time, but it worked. I will try do another fermentation like Shady's T&T.

I also want to thank everyone for the inputs posted here. This Forum has helped me many times

Sent from my SM-P585 using Tapatalk
Do you think it will be good enough for gin?

BTW, you need to remove the Tapatalk thingy, or the Mods will object. There is a thread somewhere that a search should find.
Eckardt M
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Re: one or two runs with a pot still?

Post by Eckardt M »

NZChris wrote:
Eckardt M wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 10:59 pm Yes I know I used more energy and time, but it worked. I will try do another fermentation like Shady's T&T.

I also want to thank everyone for the inputs posted here. This Forum has helped me many times

Sent from my SM-P585 using Tapatalk
Do you think it will be good enough for gin?

BTW, you need to remove the Tapatalk thingy, or the Mods will object. There is a thread somewhere that a search should find.
I will remove the Tapatalk signature.

Yes, it is definitely good enough for a gin.[emoji4]
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