Brown particles in my stripping run?

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Chauncey
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by Chauncey »

I really want to stress this one more time to the OP and anyone who comes along in the future looking for answers here


DO NOT HALF ASS IT ON CLEANING A NEW STILL

Not being a dick but we can all get behind this.

If ya rinsing and think it's done, rinse more. I've seen alot of weird funk come out of new pots and columns especially copper pots. If ya let certain fluxes especially pastes sit on that copper for a little while they get real nasty.


Anyway safety first. Even if this isn't the issue here I feel it bares repeating. Certainly won't hurt.
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PopcornJr
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by PopcornJr »

Update: My still has been thoroughly cleaned and I have now done 4 stripping runs, same AG mash bill, and I get this crap every time. I put the low wines through a coffee filter and it's gone. Sticks like a mfer to the sides of mason jars and I need to soak in dish soap to have any chance of getting it off. Based on all of this plus the great comments above I'm convinced it's oils coming out of grains and so I'm not gonna worry bout this no more. Cheers to all for your help!
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Chauncey
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by Chauncey »

Yeah if it's just in the strip run, no sweat brother. Happy stillin
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tjsc5f
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by tjsc5f »

HDNB wrote: Sun Jan 27, 2019 2:07 pm all grain pushes over some oils that have different appearances. the black dust with corn and barley sometimes shiny like mica. rye looks silver, like you chrome plated your copper. with high corn you will get a full on oil slick too.
This is an old thread but I'm glad I stumbled on it. I just got done running my first AG through a stream rig. Was getting a lot of brown floaties late in the run, and saw silver stuff all over the inside of my PC when I broke it down for a rinse. I was a little worried about the silver (almost looked like anti-seize), but good to see it was just from the rye in my mash, would have never dreamed rye would cause that.

Definitely had no puking. The still had a vinegar run and sac alc run prior.
I was stripping on grain pretty hard at 5500w.
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Stonecutter
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by Stonecutter »

still_stirrin wrote: Sun Jan 27, 2019 4:08 pm It looks like smegma. :shock:

But, the paper towel trick should keep it out of your boiler for the spirit run. If you get the same thing from your spirit run...it’s crap in your still...and you’re a dirty person! Actually, a puke has got to you...and you need to clean your still better. Seriously.
ss
That’s hilarious!
Alchemist75 wrote: Sun Jan 27, 2019 8:50 pm Not 100% sure as to what it is but my theory is that some of the patina that builds up on the copper comes loose with the booze flowing across it. I think it's copper residue, sure looks like it could be.
I have seen this once. Not in my spirit but was in the sink while water rinsing my copper pieces.

Edit:
Chauncey wrote: Tue Jan 29, 2019 7:33 pm I really want to stress this one more time to the OP and anyone who comes along in the future looking for answers here


DO NOT HALF ASS IT ON CLEANING A NEW STILL

Not being a dick but we can all get behind this.

If ya rinsing and think it's done, rinse more. I've seen alot of weird funk come out of new pots and columns especially copper pots. If ya let certain fluxes especially pastes sit on that copper for a little while they get real nasty.


Anyway safety first. Even if this isn't the issue here I feel it bares repeating. Certainly won't hurt.
It was my first or second keepers run on my new equipment. There was a mix of new and old copper. I think it may have been oils and not flux or anything unclean as I obsessed over cleaning everything. Starsan scrub then odorless natural soap washing, rinsing for days :wink: and then water run, 50/50 run and 1.5 hour sac run
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gurkan
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by gurkan »

When it's more than a week between different runs without cleaning it properly, that's what I get in my stripping runs. Feels like copper residue. But it's easily being dealt with using a coffe filter above the jar when collecting, and one time again after the run. Or if you wait for a couple of hours the black/brown particles sink to the bottom of the jar and it gets easier to remove them.
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by john_bud »

Bringing this one back from the grave

Started doing various grains and started seeing dark "stuff" . Added a paper towel in the funnel, which catches it all (or seems to). Its a stainless vevor still with built in heating and an added copper piece at the lid to get some copper.

As it was mostly on stripping, i "assumed" it was some near puke event where just a small amount of foam was carried off with the steam. On spirit run, it started with a small amount of the "stuff" then little to no more.

Learning that it's just a part of living with grains gives a sense of relief! And for the record, it was rinsed, then scrubbed with soapy water, then rinsed, then steamed pure water,then vinegar solution for an hour. Plus... sugar washes didn't have any "stuff", it just started after branching to grains. Anyways, thanks for all the good info
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by greggn »

john_bud wrote: Tue Mar 12, 2024 7:20 am
Added a paper towel in the funnel, which catches it all (or seems to). Its a stainless vevor still with built in heating and an added copper piece at the lid to get some copper.

Make your funnel like your still ... stainless steel. Not plastic.
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by BillyGoat »

I’m just getting started too but figured as the liquid coming out of the worm is supposed to be pencil lead size stream or less I’d put a white coffee filter over each jar as it’s filling and seems to work great, not enough stream to overflow the filter and it catches the tiniest of particles, really cleaned things up easily.
Just my 2 cents. Have fun !
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Re: Brown particles in my stripping run?

Post by john_bud »

greggn wrote: Tue Mar 12, 2024 9:27 am Make your funnel like your still ... stainless steel. Not plastic.
To quote Homer Simpson, "Doh!"

Excellent point, and thanks for bringing that to my attention!
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