My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

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nuncaquite
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

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Twisted Brick wrote:
Just a quick question JB.... do you hang anything from the edge of your patio cover to shield your runs from nosy neighbors' prying eyes?
This is a very important question. Its good your neighbors are decent folk.
1. Dont put these good folk in a position that they can be compelled to testify against you. That means against their will. Its better for them to not see/know whats up.
2. Even good folk make mistakes. You could be a driving under the influence conviction away from being ratted on. Ive heard of people turning in neighbors to avoid common traffic citations. Let a good neighbor be caught cheating the IRS, or be jealous of your new car, your star athlete kid.
3. Im pretty sure half the neighbors in the USA are female. That alone should be frightening. :o

These are just some of the reasons we all need to keep it close.
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by JeeterBee »

I just read a older post from someone who had their 1st UJSSM spirit run go similar to mine. I do not recirculate my cooling water like it sounds like he did. Mine comes from my garden hose and it is cold from start to finish. However, it might be possible that my distillate temp was raising steadily throughout my run which could skew my ABV numbers. I will verify a sample of jars throughout my run to see if the numbers I wrote on the jars match the ABV that I get today. That should be interesting.

I want to insulate my column next run and remove the packing. Might give me more flavor and reduce my run time. Might not. We will see.

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JB
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by Twisted Brick »

JeeterBee wrote: I do not recirculate my cooling water like it sounds like he did. Mine comes from my garden hose and it is cold from start to finish. However, it might be possible that my distillate temp was raising steadily throughout my run which could skew my ABV numbers.

JB
I think you have this backwards. As a recirculated supply of water steadily heats up, so does the distillate from the diminished temperature variance between vapor and coolant temp. Any raise in distillate temp comes from the increase in higher-boiling temp constituents left in the still charge.
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by JeeterBee »

Twisted Brick wrote:
JeeterBee wrote: I do not recirculate my cooling water like it sounds like he did. Mine comes from my garden hose and it is cold from start to finish. However, it might be possible that my distillate temp was raising steadily throughout my run which could skew my ABV numbers.

JB
I think you have this backwards. As a recirculated supply of water steadily heats up, so does the distillate from the diminished temperature variance between vapor and coolant temp. Any raise in distillate temp comes from the increase in higher-boiling temp constituents left in the still charge.
Can you explain more? I think that my coolant water temp remains steady. I believe my vapor temp and the output into the parrot rose slowly throughout the run. I might have it backwards still though.
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by Twisted Brick »

If your coolant water remains steady (it does) the increase in distillate temp is natural.
Last edited by Twisted Brick on Wed Nov 07, 2018 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.”

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JeeterBee
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by JeeterBee »

I think I did have something backwards in my assumption of what the difference in ABV wouldo be off the parrot mid run verses out of the jar at 68 F degrees.

I tested the ABV of jar #50 which according to my notes should have been 71% ABV. I assumed that it would either be the same percent or lower by 5 or 6%. It actually tested out to be 75% ABV which is higher than my off the still reading by 4%. I am confused by that because when I used the conversion off the main site it seemed like the higher the liquid temp the lower the true ABV would be.

On a side note. I decided to dilute and taste my sample from jar #50. It has aired for 24 hours. I expected it to be hot and taily tasting. I poured myself a small glass of some store bought whisky to compare it to. To my surprise, my little glass of UJSSM white dog was far smoother and better tasting than the store bought. I had my wife test the two as well. I asked her for her honest feedback (she is a harsh critic). She also said that she thought my sample was superior in both smell and taste. She said it was a little Grey Goose-ish (like vodka). I am sure that time and oak will add some more whisky like character.

I am pretty happy with those results so far.
Store bought vs. UJSSM white dog
Store bought vs. UJSSM white dog
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by JeeterBee »

Okay I got a little excited. It isn't better than the store bought but it sure is drinkable and not gross. Plus jar #50 is closer to the tails side so from what I read is that if it's decent tasting and smelling it will get better with oak and age.
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by JeeterBee »

What a strange adventure. I just tested the ABV of jar #16 which I figured to be into the hearts. I wrote 79% ABV on the jar and in my notes. My alcometer is telling me it is 84%. I definitely had some sort of reflux going on. I am going to remove the packing and do the next run in the garage. I will probably insulate my column as well. I did dilute this sample to 40% to taste and smell it. It had a different flavor than jar #50. I think it had more flavor. I suspect some heads. My wife liked it better than jar 50. She still says it tastes like vodka. Which is okay I guess but not really the flavor I was going for.

On the plus side. It isn't gross and from jar 16 - 50 is a lot of drinkable product. Additionally, I am actually finishing up 11 gallons of Gen 5 wash. I will strip it without the packing in. I will combine stripping runs Gen 5-9 and then do a spirit run with way more newbie knowledge under my belt. I'm going to need more jars and jugs, maybe even a barrel. :lol:
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by Saltbush Bill »

JeeterBee wrote: I will probably insulate my column as well.
Very few if any people insulate pot stills, Its really only necessary for reflux stills like Bokas and VMs.
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by NZChris »

I've had my pot insulated for over thirty years. I've tried running without it, but didn't notice any improvement in the product, so I replaced it.

For a sulphide laden wash in an all copper still a lack of insulation should be very good, but I can't think of an advantage for the likes of a keg still where any reflux on the sides of the boiler is occurring on inert SS.
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by JeeterBee »

I tried to taste and cut to the best of my ability. It was difficult. I knew it would be. Plus I had a ton of jars. Tasting each one and making detailed notes got old after 10 jars. Lazy I know but I just don't have the experience yet to discern slight flavor variants.

I went through every jar and smelled and tasted. I put the jars into 3 different groups.

1. Good tasting
2. Intense but near the tails side
3 intense but near the heads side

I then took 20% of the heads side which was the first 2 gallons and 20% of the tails end which was about 2 gallons. I put that all in the feints jar. I had a little over 9 gallons of spirit to start. The middle portion was 5 gallons. I pulled a gallon off the front of the 5 gallons, a gallon off the middle, and a gallon of the end of the 5 gallons. I blended some of the 3rd gallon with the 4th and the 5th. I noted 8 of the best tasting jars and combined them into a gallon. Yeah shit got pretty weird.

I have no clue how it will turn out but I feel pretty safe with keeping the middle 50%. I had several varieties of oak to play with so I tried several blends. Cubes, toasted, spirals, sticks, and char. I did keep notes but not too extensive.

We will see how it turns out.
Already getting some color
Already getting some color
4BFC37F1-0678-4E0E-85C1-1BC5410DB872.jpeg
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by NZChris »

50% is a small selection. I often see numbers around 60% bandied about and my cuts for long aging are closer to 65%, often more.

Deciding cuts/blends on the basis of the taste of individual jars can be a mistake. A jar may taste nasty on it's own, but when the objectionable flavor is spread out over the whole blend it may be a desirable addition. like salt and pepper, too much on their own but an important part of a whole experience. While I do recommend Kiwistiller's guide to cuts, I also recommend checking those cuts with representative sample blends, then pushing the limits with additions from the outside jars.
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by JeeterBee »

My math was a little off. I started with 9.25 gallons of spirit. I put 3.25 gallons of heads and tails into the feints jar. I discarded a half point of foreshots. I have 5.375 of cuts I will keep. 5.375 is 58% of 9.25 gallons. I am sure my math is still a little off but I am closer to 60% than I am to 50.
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by Saltbush Bill »

JeeterBee wrote:I tried to taste and cut to the best of my ability. It was difficult. I knew it would be. Plus I had a ton of jars. Tasting each one and making detailed notes got old after 10 jars. Lazy I know but I just don't have the experience yet to discern slight flavor variants.
NZChris wrote:50% is a small selection. I often see numbers around 60% bandied about and my cuts for long aging are closer to 65%, often more.
NZChris wrote:I also recommend checking those cuts with representative sample blends, then pushing the limits with additions from the outside jars.
Why not just confuse hell out of the guy Chris....hes already having a hard time making cuts..........let him learn to find some drinkable hearts before going further.
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Re: My 1st Spirit Run of UJSSM

Post by JeeterBee »

My spirit run has been on oak for several days. I really like some of the cuts and blends. I put most of the heads and early hearts into my feints jar. I'm glad I did that. One of the random jars from the 1st 3rd has a smell and taste that I don't like. I think it will be easy for me to identify that smell on future runs. I am really impressed with the middle to early tails jars.

I am half way to my next 14 gallon spirit run. Then I have a wheat germ batch going and a Honey bear batch going.
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