Strip and spirit runs

Moderator: Site Moderator

Osi
Novice
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:59 pm

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Osi »

Thanks, I was making sure I was figuring it right. I’ve been know to over analyze stuff and end up way out in weeds before it’s over with. I pulled just over a gallon (4k ml) off down 18% and another 900 ml down to 10% for this run. Would y’all toss the weaker quart in or leave it out and just add water ? If neither is ideal I could hold on to the low wines and ferment another 5 gallon batch. I need to get a bigger fermenter and ditch the 5 gallon bucket. With all the fresh apples I’m getting far less liquid. I’m sure I’ll run into the same thing when I start using grains.
"I didn't fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong." -Benjamin Franklin
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13037
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by NZChris »

Osi wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:48 pm Thanks, I was making sure I was figuring it right. I’ve been know to over analyze stuff and end up way out in weeds before it’s over with. I pulled just over a gallon (4k ml) off down 18% and another 900 ml down to 10% for this run. Would y’all toss the weaker quart in or leave it out and just add water ? If neither is ideal I could hold on to the low wines and ferment another 5 gallon batch. I need to get a bigger fermenter and ditch the 5 gallon bucket. With all the fresh apples I’m getting far less liquid. I’m sure I’ll run into the same thing when I start using grains.
The ABV of the low wines collection is more important than the ABV at the spout. For apples I aim to get below 27%.

Adding water is a good trick when making neutral because it helps get rid of flavor.
NormandieStill
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1715
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:17 pm
Location: Northwest France

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by NormandieStill »

Osi wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 2:37 pm Quick question on low wines. Just finished my first stripping run of 5 gallons of an apple wash. My question is if I end up after my next two stripping runs with 3.5 gallons of low wines at 30% Abv approximately how much of final product should I end up with ? The reason I’m asking is 2 gallons will cover my element by 1/2 inch. I don’t want to put to little in and expose the element during the spirit run.
You can use the pot still purity calculator on the parent site to guesstimate the total volume of distillate that you're going to pull off the still. Obviously you need to have some idea of when you're going to stop your run. Based on your figures you could run down to around 45% off the spout, giving you about 66% average for the collection. This probably isn't going to let you run very far into the tails although for a brandy that might not be an issue as the flavours will be mostly near the heads.
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo

A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
Osi
Novice
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:59 pm

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Osi »

Second strip run went a lot better. Installed a valve on the exit of the liebig and didn't ice down the water reservoir. Made sure water exiting liebig was warm and used a 35 gallon trash can as water reservoir up from a ice chest. Still need to replace the controller but that's going to have to wait for a bit. Sure wish I would have found this site before wasting money. Put another 5 gallons of apple wash to fermenting to make sure I have enough low wines without adding water for a spirit run. That shows me I need to ditch the bucket fermenter and go to something bigger. Not sure what yet, thinking one of the blue 35 gallon open top drums. That's more money though and the wife isn't to keen on me spending more tell I have something to show for what I have already. But as a plus washing everything up after getting the mash going I broke my hydrometer. Lol
"I didn't fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong." -Benjamin Franklin
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13037
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by NZChris »

A fermenter four times the volume of the boiler is handy.
Osi
Novice
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:59 pm

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Osi »

8 gallon boiler, 6 to 6.5 gallon max charges I was figuring a 35 would give me plenty of room for when I start doing grains.
"I didn't fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong." -Benjamin Franklin
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13037
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by NZChris »

Osi wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:48 pm 8 gallon boiler, 6 to 6.5 gallon max charges I was figuring a 35 would give me plenty of room for when I start doing grains.
That'll be fine for everything, AG, sugar shine, fruit, you name it. Mine is still my most used fermenter three decades later.
Fwapsk
Novice
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2021 7:04 am

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Fwapsk »

NZChris wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 7:39 pm A fermenter four times the volume of the boiler is handy.
This caught my attention as I have an 8 gallon still and I'm using 6.5 gallon buckets for fermenting (although I do have 4, just not running them all right now). Is the intent with a single fermenter 4x your still capacity so that you can run 4 stripping runs then one spirit run?
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13037
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by NZChris »

Yes. I seldom ferment less than three charges worth of wash.
User avatar
TwoSheds
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 569
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:49 pm
Location: New England, USA

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by TwoSheds »

Fwapsk wrote: Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:13 am
NZChris wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 7:39 pm A fermenter four times the volume of the boiler is handy.
This caught my attention as I have an 8 gallon still and I'm using 6.5 gallon buckets for fermenting (although I do have 4, just not running them all right now). Is the intent with a single fermenter 4x your still capacity so that you can run 4 stripping runs then one spirit run?
I do like you do, I have a 16 gallon still and have three 14 gallon fermenters. For large runs I either ferment the same thing in all 3 (and maybe a 4th in my brewing keggle), or if I'm doing a generational technique like UJSSM I just keep repeating in one fermenter saving up the low wines (they don't go bad.)

Nothing wrong with it either way. Once I really have things nailed down I might o the route of NZChris and get a big fermenter going, but doing multiple small ferments just takes a little more effort/time.
User avatar
squigglefunk
Trainee
Posts: 886
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:27 am

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by squigglefunk »

I use a 55 gallon food safe plastic drum. I prob ferment 40 gallons or so at a time. It gives me about 2.5 runs

I have been two stripping runs and one "1.5" spirit run where I throw the last of the mash in with both stripping runs, seems to give an extra boost of flavor...

running it twice lets me get a bit more of a refined and clean product at the strength I want but I find it to have plenty of flavor.
Osi
Novice
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:59 pm

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Osi »

First spirit run question. Still info, all stainless 8 gallon pot 3” column 2” tall screen plate with 6mm holes 27 1/2 tall column to Liebig. Just running water to the Liebig. It does have a cross pipe condenser in column but no water connected. Just upgraded my controller to the Auber DSPR1. 2000 water element 120 volt. I charged my pot with 5.5 gallons of 30% apple low wines. Placed 2 copper rolls in the column above the screen section. Brought it up on 100% power and got a lot bigger stream then I could on my stripping runs with the old pid controller. Nocked it back tell I’m getting about 4 drops a sec at 22% power. Temp graduation on the Liebig isn’t great it’s cool all the way but if I close the valve any more it cuts the water down to much. Time to upgrade from the 3/4” pvc valve I guess. Now onto the question I’m having. I pulled another 300 ml forshots. Pulled 300 on all 3 stripping runs as well. Distillate was coming off at 84% I’ve now pulled another 550 ml off but it’s coming off at 88.5% Doesn’t it seem way to high for a pot still ?
"I didn't fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong." -Benjamin Franklin
User avatar
Salt Must Flow
Distiller
Posts: 1892
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:06 pm
Location: Wuhan China (Novel Coronavirus Laboratory)

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Salt Must Flow »

Osi wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 10:15 am First spirit run question. Still info, all stainless 8 gallon pot 3” column 2” tall screen plate with 6mm holes 27 1/2 tall column to Liebig. Just running water to the Liebig. It does have a cross pipe condenser in column but no water connected. Just upgraded my controller to the Auber DSPR1. 2000 water element 120 volt. I charged my pot with 5.5 gallons of 30% apple low wines. Placed 2 copper rolls in the column above the screen section. Brought it up on 100% power and got a lot bigger stream then I could on my stripping runs with the old pid controller. Nocked it back tell I’m getting about 4 drops a sec at 22% power. Temp graduation on the Liebig isn’t great it’s cool all the way but if I close the valve any more it cuts the water down to much. Time to upgrade from the 3/4” pvc valve I guess. Now onto the question I’m having. I pulled another 300 ml forshots. Pulled 300 on all 3 stripping runs as well. Distillate was coming off at 84% I’ve now pulled another 550 ml off but it’s coming off at 88.5% Doesn’t it seem way to high for a pot still ?
Never mind your experiences with your previous PID controller. PIDs have no place in operating a still so you cannot compare how your still behaved before to how it behaves with the new controller. PID controllers turn power on and off as needed in order to maintain a very accurate & stable set temp. Your new controller allows you to vary how much power you run to your element from 0% to 100% power.

Typically with stripping runs, you'll run your still full blast at 100% power or as much power that your product condenser can handle. As the stripping run progresses, the amount of ethanol in the boiler will be less and less so the output ABV will drop. The point of a basic stripping run is to get the ethanol out of the boiler a fast as you can. I do not recall what ABV comes out at the beginning of my stripping runs.

With spirit runs you dial down your power and collect at a much slower takeoff rate.

When controlling water to my product condenser using home water pressure, I use one of these tiny little brass needle valves and 1/4" OD tubing. That valve will give you extremely fine control over the water flow. You can use 1/4" OD polyethylene tubing from any local hardware store to supply water to the condenser, but not for the hot water that exits the condenser. That is why I just switched to using 1/4" polypropylene tubing for all my water needs because it will handle over 212F.
Last edited by Salt Must Flow on Mon Feb 14, 2022 1:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
higgins
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 406
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2020 5:16 am
Location: US Southern Appalachia

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by higgins »

This is the valve I use for flow control of the water. They come in a 2 pack so when I build another condenser I have the valve for it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YF ... =UTF8&th=1
Higgins
Flute build
Steamer build
4 methods experiment
Next up: AG Wheat vodka
Osi
Novice
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:59 pm

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Osi »

Thanks for the input about the valves. At 10 hrs now on the spirit run and at 80% abv. I was expecting 12 to 13 hours from previous posts. Hope this turns out good. Allergies started acting up this am so the sniffer is injured reserve at the moment lol
"I didn't fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong." -Benjamin Franklin
Nanacooks
Novice
Posts: 64
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2022 9:51 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Nanacooks »

I just did my first run. 13 gallon pot still. Just used pot and condenser, left the thumper off, as the one that came with my set up is way too small. Already went to a 5 gallon bucket and 20’ 1/2” copper to upgrade the condenser.
My understanding is that multiple runs strips flavor from the product. I made cuts on my first run, just to practice, and the flavor was spectacular @ 120 proof and I aged or aired. Took it to a party that evening and everyone enjoyed a few sips and were shocked at the flavor. It was a pumpkin wash, no spice, and kind of a meld of recipes. Definitely will make again.
Am I going to lose the fruity character that we all loved by doing another run with it?
Sporacle
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1144
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2021 10:45 pm

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Sporacle »

May have missed something in your post.
If your product came out at a finished abv of 120 proof or 60 abv then I'm assuming that you have done a series of stripping runs, followed by a spirit run?
If you found the spirit to be good, why distill it again?
Well done on the tasty drop :D
" you can pick your nose and you can pick your friends; but you can't always wipe your friends off on your saddle" sage advice from Kinky Friedman
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13037
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by NZChris »

Nanacooks wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 2:53 pm Am I going to lose the fruity character that we all loved by doing another run with it?
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Nanacooks
Novice
Posts: 64
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2022 9:51 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by Nanacooks »

So another question from the more experienced. When diluting the stripping run to <40% to do final spirit run, has anyone used the now alcohol free wash to extract more flavor, or is just water used? Any other dilution solution used for flavor?
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13037
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Strip and spirit runs

Post by NZChris »

I wouldn't do that. See the second post of the thread.
Post Reply