Cloudiness in middle of run only

[realestwhiteboy]

I haven't been able to figure out what is causing this, didn't know if anyone else has experienced it. At first, I thought it was a sign of puking, but it consistently happens in the same area of the run, then goes away. I cut my jars at 8oz throughout the run. On the 8th or 9th jar (64-72oz into the run) I get a white cloudiness. Then, I start cutting at 4oz ... after 20-24oz, it goes back to clear.

This has happened 4 runs in a row.

[Saltbush Bill]

Are you single running wash or running low wines, If wash my guess is its puke.

[OtisT]

Another few questions for ya.

How many ounces in total do you collect for the entire run?

What type of ferment are you running? Sugar, fruit, grains?

[NZChris]

The more information you give us, the more likely it is that you will get a relevant answer.

It sounds, to me, like you are trying to make cuts on a single run with a simple pot still, something I never do because the results are pretty crude compared to double distilled product.

[still_stirrin]

I haven't been able to figure out what is causing this, didn't know if anyone else has experienced it. At first, I thought it was a sign of puking, but it consistently happens in the same area of the run, then goes away.

I cut my jars at 8oz throughout the run. On the 8th or 9th jar (64-72oz into the run) I get a white cloudiness. Then, I start cutting at 4oz ... after 20-24oz, it goes back to clear.

This has happened 4 runs in a row.

Possibly your tails coming through, where the oils reveal themself as “cloudiness”. What’s the %ABV of the “cloudy” collected spirit jar?

When it clears again on the backend, you’re to the “sweetwater”. Chances are that the “proof at the spout” will be nil, or next to nothing.
ss

[30xs]

Only time I’ve watched it get cloudy and clear back up has been on a stripping run. Wasn’t a puke, but about 3/4 of the way through the strip it would cloud and then go back to clear. I was collection low wines in 1/2 gallon jars at that time. How much power, or how fast are you running?

[Saltbush Bill]

Possibly your tails coming through, where the oils reveal themself as “cloudiness”.

When it clears again on the backend, you’re to the “sweetwater”.

+1 My other thought shortly after the first post.

[realestwhiteboy]

We are running Popcorns recipe (sugar and cornmeal). We are running a single run with a thumper.

Usually get about a gallon from 4-5 gallons to start (128oz) before we cut under 20 proof. The cloudiness usually starts between 80-90 proof and clears up when we fall under 70.

[still_stirrin]

We are running Popcorns recipe (sugar and cornmeal).

We are running a single run with a thumper.<— This might be a clue.

If you start “hot”, or rather with your heat input high, it will heat the wash to a boil with a lot of energy. Running a thumper makes the production “reactive”, that is, it responds to the heat input changes slowly. This could result in a puke being pushed into the thumper. As the vapors initially condense in the thumper (before it actually comes “online”), the puke won’t get pushed through the thumper to the worm. But after it’s producing vapors, the oils in the corn puke will get carried to the spout (smeared).

Usually get about a gallon from 4-5 gallons to start (128oz) before we cut under 20 proof. The cloudiness usually starts between 80-90 proof and clears up when we fall under 70. <— At 35%ABV you’re still well ahead of the “sweetwater”. Now, if the measurement at the spout was 10%ABV, or less, then you well could be to it.

Again, running with a thumper will make your system run “reactively”….vapor production lags the heat input changes. So, what you’re experiencing at the spout happened a while before you saw the cloudiness form in your product. Chances are, you’re pushing the boiler too hard to start the run and then, when it starts producing vapors at the spout, you’ve already puked.

If you run your potstill once without the thumper, you may see the difference in how you heat the boiler.

Bottomline…what you get (cloudiness) is because of “how you run it”, especially after 4 consecutively similar runs and results.
ss

[realestwhiteboy]

Again, running with a thumper will make your system run “reactively”….vapor production lags the heat input changes. So, what you’re experiencing at the spout happened a while before you saw the cloudiness form in your product. Chances are, you’re pushing the boiler too hard to start the run and then, when it starts producing vapors at the spout, you’ve already puked.

If you run your potstill once without the thumper, you may see the difference in how you heat the boiler.

Bottomline…what you get (cloudiness) is because of “how you run it”, especially after 4 consecutively similar runs and results.
ss

This all makes perfect sense. Thanks for that. We are running on an electric hotplate set to 3 (out of 10) for the heat, but we also have the option to set specific temperatures for it to heat to. So we will try lowering that to a 1 or 2. Or either bringing it up slowly with the temperature gauge.