Calculator question

[Almtngoat]

According to the calculator on the home page I would get about a gallon from a 10 gallon run at 10% abv. Is that hearts or a total of heads hearts and tails?

[still_stirrin]

According to the calculator on the home page I would get about a gallon from a 10 gallon run at 10% abv. Is that hearts or a total of heads hearts and tails?

Yep. That's the "potential" alcohol at 100%, which of course you won't get. The calculation is a theoretical "maximum" of the potential alcohol (by volume) in the wash.

10 gallons of 10%ABV --> 10 x 0.10 = 1 gallon (of all the distillates).

Another example calc:
If you had 35 gallons of 8%ABV wash, you'd have the "potential" of: 35 x 0.08 = 2.8 gallons (potential) at the theoretical maximum 100%ABV.

Now, suppose you collect the distillate at an average of 68%ABV (including heads, hearts, and tails) for your 10 gallons @ 10%ABV wash, you would actually have:
10 x 0.10 x 100/68 = 1.47 gallons of 68%ABV.

Again, this is because you've collected some water in your collection jar in addition to alcohol. Hence, the volume is greater than the theoretically pure alcohol.
ss

[jonnys_spirit]

I have a 13 gallon boiler and if I do three stripping runs I’ll have enough low wines for a full charge spirit run and at the end of the day will yield somewhere around 2.5 gallons of 130proof after cuts. Specifics depends on the recipe and the cuts but that’s a general yield # I have seen across a bunch of different runs with the wash in the 8-10% range.

Cheers!
-js

[Almtngoat]

So if i'm running fast and dirty for a stripping run i could expect a little over two gallons of lowines?

[corene1]

Still Stirrin just gave you the perfect theoretical conversion and is perfect for estimating what you should get from your run. In actual practical application your useable takeoff will vary. On a pot still you must remember that they all run slightly different and the hearts cut is only the really good middle cut of the run so from a 10 gallon boiler charge you may only get a couple of quarts of top notch liquor after you take off foreshots and early heads,then you will have a gradual shift into the tails after your hearts collection. First you will have early tails which in my opinion add a bunch of flavor to an aged spirit then you have late tails which need to be collected in the feints jar for later use. There is a lot of flavor there but not real good drinking stock. This scenario is for a single run on a pot still with thumper.... Many folks here will strip out the mash hot and fast and collect it all until there is enough to do a slow spirit run. They will cut the boiler charge down to under 40% and do the run. This will widen your hearts cut quite a bit over a single run. If you want more flavor add some fresh wash to the low wines and make the spirit run. Make your hearts cut and collect the rest in a separate feints jug. You can then make an all feints run with this collection when you have enough to charge the boiler. This make a fine spirit for making flavored drinks. Think apple pie and such.

[corene1]

So if i'm running fast and dirty for a stripping run i could expect a little over two gallons of lowines?

It all depends on how deep you go into the tails. If you stop at 40% there will be less than if you stop at 10%. The classic saying is you get what you get but it is always nice to have an estimate so you don't run out of jars. When I do a strip run I collect in 5 gallon carboys , that way I know I have enough storage for the stripping run.

[jonnys_spirit]

+1 on collecting stripping runs in 5g carboys. If you strip down close towards 0abv i would estimate about 1/3 of your charge volume low wines around 30%abv. So if you charge with 8-9g 10% wash then you should expect 2-3g 30%’ish low wines. Three of those should give you enough for your spirit run. I’ve got a 13gallon capacity boiler pot still and normally charge it with 10-11 gallons for some headroom to prevent puking. Your setup may vary slightly but do some runs and let us know.

Cheers!
-js

[Almtngoat]

+1 on collecting stripping runs in 5g carboys. If you strip down close towards 0abv i would estimate about 1/3 of your charge volume low wines around 30%abv. So if you charge with 8-9g 10% wash then you should expect 2-3g 30%’ish low wines. Three of those should give you enough for your spirit run. I’ve got a 13gallon capacity boiler pot still and normally charge it with 10-11 gallons for some headroom to prevent puking. Your setup may vary slightly but do some runs and let us know.

Cheers!
-js

Thanks that's what I was thinking. I am sold on the strip then spirit run method it just makes a lot of sense. Trying to get a handle on what I will need on hand ahead of time.