Using salt during strip runs

[JesseMarques]

Hi all
Recently I found this paper about salt addition to improve separation and to reduce the time and costs of distillation:
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... _compounds

In this study they used salt in 2% and 5% during spirit runs of a pear brandy, and they focus only in the separation of ethanol and some congeners, nothing about organoleptical properties.

I've searched on the forum, found some old topics, but the only thing I found was one member saying that had tried and got chlorine taste to the booze (spirit run)
Also found some recomendations about avoiding iodized salt.

I would like to know if any of you have already used NaCl in a wash during strip runs, how was the result in time and most important, aroma and flavor?

Thanks in advance

[Saltbush Bill]

I would like to know if any of you have already used NaCl in a wash during strip runs, how was the result in time and most important, aroma and flavor?

It's an idea that's been around for a long time and I've read about it in many different places.
Personally I've never tried it.
From what I've read it seems that most people on most of the more informed forums think that its not worth while.
I think the only way you will find out for yourself is to do a few runs with salt and a few without.

[JesseMarques]

thanks Saltbush the reason I'm asking is to see if I can expect something good or if it doesn't worth at all, if it's worth only for sanitizer, etc..
The paper I mentioned claims that a better separation ocurred and the time spent during distillation was shorter, although I found the time quite short (around 35min)

[zed255]

Adding salt to wash or low wines would elevate the boiling point of the water in the mix. I'm not sure if or how it interacts with the water-alcohol azeotrope, but I suppose it could. Perhaps the idea of adding salt giving better separation during distillation relates to the elevation of BP? Dunno, not a physicist or chemist, just a layperson thinking aloud...

[JesseMarques]

Adding salt to wash or low wines would elevate the boiling point of the water in the mix. I'm not sure if or how it interacts with the water-alcohol azeotrope, but I suppose it could. Perhaps the idea of adding salt giving better separation during distillation relates to the elevation of BP? Dunno, not a physicist or chemist, just a layperson thinking aloud...

exactly!
Elevating the BP of water but doing nothing (or little) to BP of ethanol makes a change in the azeotrope curve
and looks like the amount of power used to boil is lower also

[Dancing4dan]

The “study” is a pretty small sample. It draws some conclusions that I’m not sure about based upon the data it presents. One huge factor missing is the lack of subjective taste and aroma comparison. If production of ethanol was the only priority, say for fuel, might be worth a look at. From the data it seems that the things that contribute to or are a detriment to flavor and aroma get moved around it the distillation process.

Give it a try let us know. Might be interesting to do on a feints run.

[JesseMarques]

The “study” is a pretty small sample. It draws some conclusions that I’m not sure about based upon the data it presents. One huge factor missing is the lack of subjective taste and aroma comparison. If production of ethanol was the only priority, say for fuel, might be worth a look at. From the data it seems that the things that contribute to or are a detriment to flavor and aroma get moved around it the distillation process.

Give it a try let us know. Might be interesting to do on a feints run.

Yes, the study is just a small sample, it lacks on taste and aroma comparison, and that's why I'm here asking.
I understand you guys giving answers but what you're saying is "dunno, go try and tell us"
I do intend to try, but I though that I could ask questions before going to try something new, otherwise being part of the forum makes no sense at the end

Have any of you ever stumped in some other research on this subject? Have you ever tried it?
because although I apreciate responses (keep the post active) just telling me to try isn't helping much

[Dancing4dan]

The “study” is a pretty small sample. It draws some conclusions that I’m not sure about based upon the data it presents. One huge factor missing is the lack of subjective taste and aroma comparison. If production of ethanol was the only priority, say for fuel, might be worth a look at. From the data it seems that the things that contribute to or are a detriment to flavor and aroma get moved around it the distillation process.

Give it a try let us know. Might be interesting to do on a feints run.

Yes, the study is just a small sample, it lacks on taste and aroma comparison, and that's why I'm here asking.
I understand you guys giving answers but what you're saying is "dunno, go try and tell us"
I do intend to try, but I though that I could ask questions before going to try something new, otherwise being part of the forum makes no sense at the end
Have any of you ever stumped in some other research on this subject? Have you ever tried it?
because although I apreciate responses (keep the post active) just telling me to try isn't helping much

Take it easy . My answer is “I don’t know” but I’m interested in knowing. I fully understand the curiosity factor and embrace it. I printed and read the study you posted for those reasons. my suggestion is to try it and I may do that with some sweet feed hooch that tastes like... well... cow s#*t smells!

The authors point was that adding salt could increase efficiency and profit. My concern is they didn’t test the product as a beverage. If salt makes it easier to distill ethanol there is a use for that but it may not be in making a beverage. If it affects flavor, that would need to be taken into consideration.

There are other reasons to produce ethanol that are fully legit. Some of what I make gets repurposed If it doesn’t taste good it gets used for something else.

If your feeling was that my response was negative or flippant it wasn’t my intention. Not how I roll.

[JesseMarques]

Take it easy . My answer is “I don’t know” but I’m interested in knowing. I fully understand the curiosity factor and embrace it. I printed and read the study you posted for those reasons. my suggestion is to try it and I may do that with some sweet feed hooch that tastes like... well... cow s#*t smells!

The authors point was that adding salt could increase efficiency and profit. My concern is they didn’t test the product as a beverage. If salt makes it easier to distill ethanol there is a use for that but it may not be in making a beverage. If it affects flavor, that would need to be taken into consideration.

There are other reasons to produce ethanol that are fully legit. Some of what I make gets repurposed If it doesn’t taste good it gets used for something else.

If your feeling was that my response was negative or flippant it wasn’t my intention. Not how I roll.

Sorry D4D
I wasn't angry at you, it's just something I've notice quite frequently here.
I do wanna try, and probably will, probably in a feints run just to see if it produces some kind of chlorine taste.
The study is to make more rentable to make pear brandy in Bosnia Herzegovina, so I expect flavor and aroma had its place on their mind
in the paper is shown other graphs than ethanol conc. and time spent.
acetaldehyde is very high with 5% salt, with 2% is just a little bit than normal run
esters are lower both in 2 and 5%
higher alcohols shown impressive drop when salt was added