Metal Substance floating in still

[Mattmmmax]

Hi All - I used my Alembic Pot Still for a stripping run for the second time ever. I had completed a vinegar run to clean it prior to the first strip but this time when I rinsed out the still I saw distinct silver metal in the dome of the lid and in the water when I rinsed it.

1. Does this look like solder that wasn’t cleared with the vinegar run?

2. Should I dump the spirit in case some of this came through with the distillate?

[jonnys_spirit]

Is this the first alcohol run? If so that's a sacrificial run and you should chuck it. That's why it's called a sacrificial run.

Cheers,
jonny

[nerdybrewer]

I had something similar once, was finally convinced that it was oils.
In all likelihood producing a metal that floats versus producing an oil that floats is an easy bet.
How does it feel if you rub some of it between your fingers?

Also what Jonny said.

[LWTCS]

Is it sludgy?
Grain in?

[zed255]

What were you distilling? I find grain and molasses will smut up the inside of a still, with grain 'oils' looking metallic.

[jog666]

Is this the first alcohol run? If so that's a sacrificial run and you should chuck it. That's why it's called a sacrificial run.

Cheers,
jonny

What Jonny said ^^^

I flipped out the first time I found that after a stripping run. Any more it just tells me to rinse everything a bit more than normal when I tear it down.

[jonnys_spirit]

A little bit of explanation:

Corn mashes can also produce a thick oily substance that some folks say looks like drops of mercury or a metallic kind of substance - Depends on the corn. Lot's of stillers put a cotton ball in the funnel to catch that and prevent it from getting into the low wines but I don't worry about it - It all comes out in the fractions/cuts/age (and coffee filter when bottling).

First alcohol run after a vinegar run is for cleaning though and it cleans out fluxes and machining oils left over from the manufacture that vinegar doesn't so you wouldn't want to drink it - we call it a sacrificial run and sacrifice it to the ethanol gods.... Maybe burn it up in the fire pit (carefully) and do a little jig...

Subsequent strips are acidic (similar to how a vinegar run cleans) and spirit runs are high ABV ethanol so they also clean the still lol. You don't typically need to clean it further.

Cheers!
-jonny

[Mattmmmax]

- I didn’t do a sacrificial run after my vinegar run. Crap.
- This was my second stripping run and it didn’t show up in my first.
- Was an all grain heavily peated wash.
- The residue is def a sparkly shimmery metallic looking substance.

Conclusion: I’m gonna chuck all of it and start again. Lesson learned on a new still.

Should I still do a sacrificial run of 40% neutral spirit to ensure any other gunk is cleared out or will the two stripping runs have done the trick.

[SaltyStaves]

- Was an all grain heavily peated wash.
- The residue is def a sparkly shimmery metallic looking substance.

That is normal.

Consider this your sac run now. Shame it had to be something valuable.

[Deplorable]

Run them low wines through and toss the whole lot of it. Then a good rinse with water and you're all set for the next set uf runs your gonna keep.

[Mattmmmax]

I’m in it for the hobby, not to save a few bucks, shit happens. Not sure how I forgot the sacrificial run as I have it clearly written down in my notes. Chalk it up to getting over excited for a new hobby. I’ll revisit the peated whisky in a few months. Going to switch over to UJSSM for a bit to get my volume chugging along in the interim.

[jonnys_spirit]

It's not wasted - The ethanol gods will be extra happy and shine good spirits down on you in the future. Some might say they prefer a nice AG over a sugar wash? I know I do!

Cheers,
jonny

[still_stirrin]

Nuclear waste!

Drink it....and you’ll GLOW.

Seriously tho, it is crap from your build that you haven’t adequately cleaned. Proper cleaning isn’t “just a good idea” ... ”it’s a requirement”!

[NZChris]

It's just fusel oils. Spill some oil on a puddle in the sun and you'll see the same colors.

Sacrifice the first strip and keep the second.