Two runs to start (sugar wash and single malt)

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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da3vr
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Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 1:43 pm

Two runs to start (sugar wash and single malt)

Post by da3vr »

Well folks,

I've had at it now, did two sacrificial runs of 4 L each (Rad's all bran) to get the equipment cleaned out. Setup for this was in pot still mode for the column (24/40 glassware with a Vigreux column, and a hand-wound copper element sitting inside a Liebig condenser over that) with an electric barbecue thermometer in the distillation head, followed by an Allihn condenser and take-off tail.

I ran a first keeper run of Rad's all bran for a mostly neutral product, this setup I used forced reflux by cooling control with Dimroth condenser in-line before the distillation head. It was a lot of effort to set up and run, since I had no idea what I was doing. Probably should have run in pot still mode first if I'm honest. Went in at about 11% ABV, came out as a final blend at 52% ABV without doing separate stripping/spirit runs so that's where I left it. Great product though, I was really happy with it, smooth and light with a bit of grainy character. I aged it at for ten days at 52% ABV in a split batch on French oak chips and American oak chips from the homebrew store. Both were great, the French oak came "clean" quickly, in 4 days or so, but the American oak was a better final product. Neither is complex but both are tasty.

Today was round 2. I ran in pot still mode with the Vigreux and Liebig stacked column with copper winding on an all-grain single malt mash I brewed 2 weeks ago, with 9% ABV final. Grain bill was about 90% 2-row pale, 8% Munich I, 1.5% Biscuit malt and 0.5% Chocolate malt. Went into the pot at 9% ABV and came out about 70% down to about 25%, although I suspect I'll make the cut about 45% for tails. It was much easier to run without a lot of fiddling around, and while the fractions are airing out tonight the first taste of what's firmly in the hearts was really nice. Better than the mid-tier blended commercial Scotch I'm following it up with right now and the new make is only a few hours old! I was really surprised at how dirty the copper was on this run versus the sugar washes I ran before it. There's probably something to that.

Can't begin to tell you how excited I am to get going with this hobby. I can already tell I'll be at it for a long time. Thanks a million for all the helpful posts on operation, aging, oaking, and on and on. Information overload for sure but it's slowly sinking in after reading the same threads three or four times a few days apart.

Cheers all!
da3vr
Novice
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 1:43 pm

Re: Two runs to start (sugar wash and single malt)

Post by da3vr »

Follow up, I realized why the copper was so dirty. I usually use metabisulfite in my mash water for beer brewing to suppress the chlorine/chloramine from my city tap water, and my habit is to throw it in the pot as I'm heating to mash temperatures. That was probably a mistake for distillation. I'll pass on it the next time.
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