First run of new still feed back please

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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Manic Mechanic
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First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Cleaning run after first vinegar run
1/4 recipe of birdwatchers
Start 1.072 maybe a bit light on sugar
finish SG .990
racked twice
14 litre yield at 10.57%
Ian Smiley design with 55k propane, 62 quart gas one kettle, no packing
yield 2.7 litre at 42% ABV temperature compensated

measured distillate in 100 ML batches and tested with hydrometer temp compensated
jars separated at 200 ml
lowest setting on propane giving me starting 12 ml per minute
after 600 ml foreshot running nice and consistent at 25 ml minute rest of run.
took it down to about 58 proof / 29 % abv could not temp compensate that low on my chart

This will be a solvent run for my garage the rest will be pitched
at 200 ml jars, i was able to understand the process, smell the difference between jars and tast (fingertip only) the difference in output.
Thanks goes out to an unnamed individual who is working with me on this project.
Rum will be my first real run.

any feedback would be appreciated
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still_stirrin
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by still_stirrin »

Momma loves her peonies.
Nice deck.
Clever to add the fire-X in the foto. Good touch!

Question 4 U … What type of offset head is that? Do you have a reflux return to the column? Or, do you take off all the condensate that the reflux condenser knocks down, as in a potstill? I’m trying to figure out what you’ve got there.

Carry on.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

If I understand correctly I can run this still similar to a pot still or run it as a reflux still. At the elbow just below the condenser i have a needle valve. If I run the valve wide open without any packing in the column it should act as a pot still with output volume controlled by the propane heater. If I close the valve and pack the column I can control the amount of reflux (distillate running back to the column) and the amount being drawn off the output by adjusting that valve.
The process went really well, (pot still configuration) Unfortunately I just discovered that I made my cuts all wrong. Measuring proof rather than ABV as a start to developing the smell taste magic. Good thing it was just a sugar wash cleaning run on new still. Need to go back and reread making cuts. I understand the basics and do measure vapor temp at top of column. Just takes time to get it right!
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by n_plains_drifter »

Love your engineering touches. Wind break makes me think it was gusty.

If you can, get yourself some more jars. Unless you are running that pot (30-40 l?) at half full or more of low wines, you wont need 1l jars, 500 ml will be fine. A brighter, more experienced stiller than me suggested 20 collection jars in order to get good separation

Generally, when I do a full charge spirit run @ 25l (pot), I collect 10 jars at 350-400, at which point I'm into early hearts, and then collect 10-12 @ 800. I'm watching temps and ABV and I switch back to 350-400s for a couple of mid tails , and then run the funky tails into a large jug for feints for next run.

YMMV.

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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Thanks for the input. Local Ace hardware has .5L jars. I need a wind break since I am running 55K burner as low a flame as I can get and can be blown out. Getting 25ml minute at that setting. I have 55 L pot. I plan on making 40L rum wash, strip it, probably yield 16L of low wines. I will add 4L of dunder to low wines and do a spirit run using your technique for cuts and separation.

Thanks
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by n_plains_drifter »

Excellent plan.

I haven't worked up to rum yet. I've only been distilling for a little over a year, primarily bourbon styles AG, gumballs and sugar washes. I did two quad distilled 'neutrals' that are pretty amazing.

My current never ending project is filling my '20' l barrel with UJSSM. When I ended up digging my barrel out of the junk room to seal it up I figured out that it was actually closer to 60l. That realization a month and a half back had me almost double the amount of wash per generation. I'm blending cuts tonight with Gen 10, and when that goes in the barrel, I might be close to full.

Your #1 goal (as it should be) is to get a few somethings in jars ASAP for immediate consumption. Get your techniques down with a few 40 l runs, but your mind will be blown the first time you strip 3 or 4 batches and then combine them for the spirit. The temps hold and hold, and the ABV barely decreases, jar after jar. It is a kick in the pants, plus it makes cuts much easier.

Keep up the good work.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Rum Agol »

Manic Mechanic wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:38 am I plan on making 40L rum wash, strip it, probably yield 16L of low wines. I will add 4L of dunder to low wines and do a spirit run using your technique for cuts and separation.
Without knowing your wash recipe ( i'll guess at a 10% ABV ) I reckon you'll will only get about 10L of low wines for a 40% spirit charge. Adding 4L dunder will reduce that ABV to about 30%. I would recommend doing 3 washes, stripping those and then doing a spirit run to give you enough product to make good cuts.

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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Drifter, good luck filling that 60L barrel! Let me know how that sour mash tastes!


I haven't decided on a wash recipe yet. I did look at the tried and true forum and some seem a little complex to start. Before I discovered this forum I found a recipe from MHD and purchased their "Still Spirits" Rum distillers yeast with glucoamylase enzyme. Should I use it up or just go with bakers dry yeast?
Recipe is simple 6.5 gallons
7 pounds cane sugar
5 lbs unsulphured molasses
1 cup honey.
calls for 133 grams yeast
I have 50 pounds Demerara cane sugar (worked great for birdwatchers)
couple gallons of "Monarch" light unsulphured molasses
local honey
I'm not smart enough to predict starting SG or target finish SG. I do know how to calculate wash ABV
Suggestions?
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Why would anyone put a cup of honey in a Rum wash ?
Id be really interested to know what its purpose is if anyone can tell me.
Id suggest you stick with a known recipe from this forum so that then people can help you when.or if something goes wrong.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Mr Sippy »

Manic Mechanic wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 2:16 pm I'm not smart enough to predict starting SG or target finish SG. I do know how to calculate wash ABV
Suggestions?
See the calculator on the parent site.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by n_plains_drifter »

SBill knows his stuff and his point on using a tried and true (T&T) recipe is a good one. That said, the addition of honey is basically adding sugars and perhaps some minor flavor compounds, but probably unnecessary complications at this point in your journey.

I've got some gravity points per gallon conversions in my brewing library, but not sure whether I have molasses or not. I'll be frank: I'm a science guy and have been brewing for 30 years. When I brew, I'm all about the numbers. Fermenting for distillation is a different gig. No stress, no worries. Whether you end up at 1.060 or 1.075 isn't really an issue here. If your FG is 1.004 or .998 it doesn't really matter.

All because the next steps (distillation) are going to minimize so many of those fermentation concerns. (Disclaimer: Yes, all of the fermentation factors matter, but they are nits in the big picture for those early in the hobby).

Following SBill's lead, I'd say get a recipe from T&T and run with that. It may not push the limits of gravity, and might miss one flavor note, but it made the list because it is hard to screw up.

Here's my evening project. Left to right ABv: 80 to 45. First 6 and last 2 went to feints, In the background you see about half of Gen 11 wash (and a batch of wheat beer that needs to get kegged).

IMG_2464.JPG
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Nice setup and run! I went back and read tried and true and drilled down into the posts. I'll probably start with SSB rum. Maybe strip 3 batches and a spirit run. I may run another 48l birdwatcher, strip it and make an ethanol run for practice. I have 50 # sugar. I might run Odins gin from the neutral down the road. Neighbor lives on gin.
Thanks
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Unless you have access to lots of cheap mollases it might be easier to choose one of the other rum recipes.
Many of the others use a combination of both mollases and sugar
Not trying to turn you off .....just saying.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Rum Agol »

I agree with Bill, a mix of demerara and molasses will make a nice rum - try Hooks or Buccaneer Bobs in the T&T section
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Ok. Thanks Guy's for the advice. After more reading I have decided on Hooks Rum. I will make 3 20 litre batches, and strip the first two to get 2 generations of dunder into the third wash, strip it and do a spirit run. Then a little rest and some oak. I have 50# demerara and gallons of unsulfered light. Recipe calls for blackstrap but I already have light. The sugar content of light is only about a quarter pound of sugar less than blackstrap per gallon so I may round up the molasses a bit to get 10% in the finished wash. i understand the final product may be a little weaker on flavor with light molasses but I will have my first drinkable product in the jar!
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Well. Made my first rum wash based on 1/3 Hooks recipe. 6.5 gallons distilled water, added some gypsum and a tbls of lemon juice ( don't have citrix acid) and a tbls tomato paste. 1 gallon light molasses, 4# demerara, aerate and pitched 66 grams bakers yeast. started right off, Bubbling gently at day 4.
OSG was 1.089 ( I am aware that SG is not that accurate with Molasses.) By volume this should finish about 12.5% SG at day 4 1.027. Without an airlock how will I know when it is finished, SG stable? Best guess on days to ferment?
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by subbrew »

When the gravity is steady for a couple of days it is done. You should never rely on bubbles anyhow as a small leak will mean no bubbles in the airlock even though the fermentation is still on-going.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Thanks.I'll keep an eye on SG. Surface of wash is gently bubbling with tiny bubbles as I just have a loose cover on it for now as Hookline suggested.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Well. !2th day of 6.5 gallon wash of 1/3 recipe of hooks rum. So far so good. OSG 1.089, current SG is .999 at 84 degrees F but still giving C02. Wash is 11.6% and calculated at possible 12.5. Should I Siphon it off tomorrow and rest it 2 days and strip it. Used 4# demerara and 1 gallon or resturant grade light unsulfured molasses. this is first gen, moving 1/3 dunder to next gen wash.
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NZChris
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by NZChris »

I've never racked a rum wash. For flavor development, I like to let mine rest undisturbed for up to 6 days after the SG stops dropping, then siphon straight into the still and strip it.
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Racking is a waste of time and energy, just try to leave most of the yeast and other muck on the bottom of the fermenter, As Chris said , let it sit a week after the ferment finishes and siphon straight into a bucket or the still.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by The Baker »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Wed Jul 07, 2021 8:07 pm Racking is a waste of time and energy, just try to leave most of the yeast and other muck on the bottom of the fermenter, As Chris said , let it sit a week after the ferment finishes and siphon straight into a bucket or the still.
I dip it out with a littlish bucket.

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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Ok. Thanks for the time saving tip. Is it unusual to complete a rum ferment to level SG in 14 or more days at 83 degrees?
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Manic Mechanic wrote: Thu Jul 08, 2021 5:56 am Is it unusual to complete a rum ferment to level SG in 14 or more days at 83 degrees?
Not particularly....... .if anything maybe a bit slow.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Baddog »

The only thing I see in this picture is the fire extinguisher. Been servicing them for 35 years. That's a 10 lb Sentry ABC. LOL
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by LWTCS »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 2:38 pm Why would anyone put a cup of honey in a Rum wash ?
Id be really interested to know what its purpose is if anyone can tell me.
Id suggest you stick with a known recipe from this forum so that then people can help you when.or if something goes wrong.
Yeah save the honey for a sweetening agent.
A dollop of honey in your fermentation will be imperceptible in the finished spirit.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Sooo. I am making my first stripping run tomorrow and building 10 more gallons of wash adding dunder to those two 5 gallon pails.
I did not rack this wash per good advice. Do I need to strain the wash through sieve or cheesecloth into still to run it. maybe a bit of vegetable oil.
I am using fancy light molasses on this first run and blackstrap on the next 10 gallons all unsulfured.

I found a connection for feed molasses and the spec sheet shows .72 percent sulfur. Can I use this? Do i need to do anything to process it before making a wash?

Thanks in advance.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by LWTCS »

Manic Mechanic wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 7:22 am Sooo. I am making my first stripping run tomorrow and building 10 more gallons of wash adding dunder to those two 5 gallon pails.
I did not rack this wash per good advice. Do I need to strain the wash through sieve or cheesecloth into still to run it. maybe a bit of vegetable oil.
I am using fancy light molasses on this first run and blackstrap on the next 10 gallons all unsulfured.

I found a connection for feed molasses and the spec sheet shows .72 percent sulfur. Can I use this? Do i need to do anything to process it before making a wash?

Thanks in advance.
Does it show sucrose content on the analysis?
What about ash content?
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

12.08 ash. no sucrose measurement unles there is another name for it.
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Re: First run of new still feed back please

Post by Manic Mechanic »

Made the first stripping run on 6 gallons of hooks rum recipe. I think I had the heat to low as it took 2 hours before it started running. It seemed to me that the distillate lagged behind the vapor temp. Maybe to much head space in my 15 gallon kettle and lower ambient temp. Once it started running it went very well. I collected 200ml or foreshots and the next 150ml sample was already down to 70% ABV. Is that normal forlow wines on a stripping run 0f 11.6% wash? Will I expect to get normal heads, hearts, and tails with higher % in the spirit run? I ran 70% ABV down to 35% ABV and collected 3.7 litres of 53% ABV. Probably 1/3 of the run was in the 60's. Made up 2 more 6 gallon washes with 2 gallons of dunder in each bucket. Will probably make 4 total stripping runs before the spirit run estimating about 4 gallons of 50% ABV.
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