Help with first run on new plated column still

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hartmanhooch
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Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by hartmanhooch »

I’ll try to keep this short. I’ve been distilling for a while on my grainfather with pot still attachment. The last thing I ran was 5 generations of UJSSM and I have a 5 gallon carboy filled with 40ABV low wines. My new 100l oil jacketed still is ready to go after a cleaning and I have 15g of UJSSM wash fermenting in the still right now ready to run this weekend.
Here comes the question, keeping in mind I’d like to run gin:
Should I? 1. Run what’s in the pot by itself (on the grain) then add the 5g low wines before a final run with gin basket
2. Add the 5g low wines to the 15g on the grain and run it together before a final run with the gin basket

Any advise is appreciated.

Equipment: 100l oil jacketed still with agitator, 2 3kw elements and controller, 4” column with whiskey helmet, 4 bubble plates, dephleg, gin basket and shotgun condenser.
hartmanhooch
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Re: Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by hartmanhooch »

FC0E2C94-554B-4E95-9DCF-F96C0DECCB64.jpeg
Here’s a pic of my rig, cable tray and water hookups and box for agitator speed control will be done by this weekend. You can see the 5g of UJSSM low wines in the carboy.
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still_stirrin
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Re: Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by still_stirrin »

hartmanhooch wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:17 am… Here comes the question, keeping in mind I’d like to run gin:
Should I?
1. Run what’s in the pot by itself (on the grain) then add the 5g low wines before a final run with gin basket. <— Good option if you are trying to make a “full flavored spirit”, not a neutral base for gin. Stripping on-the-grain will carry a LOT of flavors into the product which will distract from the delicacy of a gin. Definitely not the best choice for your objective.

2. Add the 5g low wines to the 15g on the grain and run it together before a final run with the gin basket. <— Again, stripping the UJ you have in the fermenter with your low wines will carry a lot of flavor into the final spirit. It will make the “neutral” taste and smell conrny, like it has sulfur in it. It probably won’t work well for a gin.
The UJSSM recipe is a “whiskey” based recipe where grain flavor is the prime objective (besides the alcohol). It is probably NOT the best recipe to use for a gin base, although it might work as a genever base if tempered. But the balance of flavors will be quite challenging for you, especially if you’ve never done this before. You’re on a new venture with an “all or none” mentality. So, don’t be surprised if your end product is not what you’re targeting.

Good luck.
ss
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hartmanhooch
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Re: Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by hartmanhooch »

Thanks, I agree with your comments. I’ve made mostly all grain whiskeys on the grainfather but wanted to do something simple for the first run on the new still to get used to it. I’ve aged some UJSSM on oak and it’s decent but I’m not sure if I want such a large volume of it.
I was hoping that running it through the plated still a few times would give me something close to a neutral for gin. If this isn’t the case I won’t use it for gin but age some and use the rest for apple pie, chocolate, peach etc. my wife also uses it for vanilla extracts.
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still_stirrin
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Re: Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by still_stirrin »

A plated still (flute) also carries more flavor over. So, your equipment isn’t even the best solution for a gin. A packed column would be more effective at stripping flavors, although the UJ is not close to a neutral base.

Try, Shady’s Sugar Shine instead. It’s quick and produces a clean spirit for your gin.

I’d run the UJ and put it in a cask and set it aside for a few years. In the end, it’ll make a tasty “brown spirit”.

Trying to put “lipstick on a pig” is not the best solution….
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
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My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
hartmanhooch
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Re: Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by hartmanhooch »

Agreed, I just got a few barrels from Bad Motivator, I’ll Age some in the barrel and use it for some smoked old fashioned’s
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by Saltbush Bill »

I dont understand why you would try to make Gin using UJSSM as a base spirit.
Better to use something more neutral like Shady"s Sugar S for that job.
its much much simpler to make as clean a spirit as you can, then macerate botanicals , then run the lot in the boiler.
Gin baskets are a waste of good botanicals imo.......a lot of mucking around for very little reward.
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Re: Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by OtisT »

:shock: Damn Heartmanhooch, that is a pretty rig. Looks like something NASA would shoot into space looking for alcohol on other planets. I’ve got just a bit of stainless and copper envy going on right now, but I’ll get over it after another drink.

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rubberduck71
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Re: Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by rubberduck71 »

I would name your rig "V'ger"
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hartmanhooch
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Re: Help with first run on new plated column still

Post by hartmanhooch »

Still-stirrin, thanks you were very right. Having never used a flute I assumed it would strip flavor if I used all 4 plates. I ran the UJ tonight (very successfully I might add for my first run in this rig), I yielded about 2.5 gallons of hearts at 184p and the corn flavor did carry through.
I took 1gal, proofed down to 104 and put it in a Badmo barrel. I’ll let this go a year or so and have some high octane stuff left to play with.
This is great news as I am an all grain whiskey guy and was worried about running this setup without stripping flavor.
Cheers!
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