triple distilling questions

dutch@home · Post by **dutch@home** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:03 pm

could any of the whiskey experts tell me what the effekt/reason off triple distilling is?
and how to do?
1e and 2e as usual, dillute to say 40% and go again?
collect normal?

thanks in advance....

Post by **Tater** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:09 pm

Im no expert but when I triple distille its to bring up proof.1st run I catch it all second Ill catch some foreshot and little of the heads but no tails.3rd run I make as carefull cuts as I can catching down to 80 proof.Every pass through the still lessens flavor.But when starting out with a low proof mash or wash Its not as much as you would think.Im sure others do it to get as high proof booze as they can .Irish whiskey is tripled distilled. From what Ive heard it has to be to be called irish wiskey.

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:56 pm

Pretty much ditto on what Tater said. If I tripple distill a whiskey or a rum I take a litlle bit of foreshots only off the first 2 runs. The last run I will cut out the heads and tails. I think the you will make a better product with 3 distills simply because you do get out more of the low volitiles (stuff that comes off before 172°F- the vapour point of ethanol) But by the time you get to the third round there are very little of these low temp. volitles left. Like Tater said careful cuts are the key. The heads you can be generous with if your not sure, but on the tails end you wanna take enough to give you good flavor but not too much to give your spirit a (moonshiney) taste. My nose is my most trusted instrument for the tails cut. Rub a bit on your hands (make sure you rinse em with clean water first to get rid of any soap smell or anything else) Flap your hands around like a bird till it dries up and then smell your hands, if it has a nice whiskey/rum smell keep going, when your left with a skankey wet dog kinda smell make the cut.

This is how I go about making cuts... but I ain't no expert either.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:18 pm

I do what UR described. Catch a little in my hand and rub it all around and smell. Makes it easy to discern different flavors.

Whether to dilute? Most of the time no. If you have electric elements then you may have to. If you do run a big batch of hi proof, be sure you have no leaks, be sure your condensor is up for the job, and don't walk away from your still. Things happen a lot faster.

dutch@home · Post by **dutch@home** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:10 am

okay guys;
so i'm a small scaler i have to make some more batches to fill my boiler to go for triple distilling.
making a second (smaller) still is an option to.

it seems to me the best way to go for me is to collect in small jars and try U.R.s way of cutting afterwards.
i think when i do it during distilling i'm going to be to late to make the right cut.

my nose aint that good at it...stil learning.

before the third run, dillute down a bit?
i read on main site somewhere: dont cook high proof alc.
after second distill i normally have about 60-65 %abv.
would it be nesseceary to dillute?
i want to keep the roof in its place

i use propane for heating.

Post by **Husker** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:23 am

when making vodka (in a pot still), I actually think it is much better to cut the results of your 2nd distill with water. It helps to water down, and remove flavor.

However, for whisky's , the same thing will happen. You will water down, and wash out some of the flavor. I would only add water if you absolutely had to. I usually only double distill my flavored drinks (right at 65% ABV after all cuts have been done). However, I might try triple distilling on my next set (have 20 gallons of low wines right now to play with.)

For flavored drink, I think this is one reason why using gas vs using elec is key. Allows you to run without worry about boiling your element "dry" and burning it up.

H.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:25 am

Truth be told, I've always though triple distilliing is a way that commercial distillers "sexy" up the fact that they need to run more times in order to get a drinkable product. I don't make vodka -- I make whiskey (UJSM variations), brandies, and calvados.

That said, I have to admit I've never triple distilled, as I end up with, from first runs, 750 ml of fine stuff from my 4 liter runs (experimental recipes and such) and about 2.25 liters of fine 40 % from my copper alembic (20 liter boiler) 15 liter runs -- this is final, dilluted product. I'm almost always running a wash of about 12% (this is a number that I love, obviously because of my wine background). Only the calvados is made from a low alc. wash -- 5-6 percent.

When I collect enough heads and tails from the first runs, I distill a second time and end up with even more fine stuff (though I can't say which is better, the first or the second run). THe heads and tails from the second run go back into the carboy that I use to collect heads and tails from other second runs... (1 carboy for grain, 1 carboy for fruit, 1 carboy for calvados).

Thus, I'm never really doing a true third distillation. I figure, if I'm happy with the product I'm getting out of my first and second runs, why bother triple distilling?

I think that if you're careful with your cuts, you're going to get a fine product without having to triple distill.

However, this thread has gotten me thinking -- maybe I should try it....

Aidas

muckanic · Post by **muckanic** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:19 pm

="dutch@home". i think when i do it during distilling i'm going to be to late to make the right cut.
my nose aint that good at it...stil learning.

First of all, use a hydrometer, so that you know when you ought to be starting the sniff test (like at about 60% abv for whiskey). Second of all, use two small collection jars, in addition to the main storage container. One collection jar could in fact be the hydrometer vessel, unless you're using a parrot's beak. Needless to say, nothing goes into the main bin until it has passed the sniff test. But before doing that, compare the two collection jars. Once the later one starts to smell raunchier than the earlier one, you're done. Comparing two samples is a lot easier than sniffing one sample and wondering whether or not you can detect marginal tails, based upon some memory of the aroma.

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:42 pm

muckanic

Comparing two samples is a lot easier than sniffing one sample and wondering whether or not you can detect marginal tails, based upon some memory of the aroma.

That is great advise. Tring to remember a previous smell is hard, at least for me. If you've got something to compare to it makes it a lot easier.

Ricky · Post by **Ricky** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:20 pm

muckanic gave some good advice. i used to be bad to catch a little, cut it and taste. after a few taste test it all starts tasting the same to me. especially when the proof is high. lol

hornedrhodent · Post by **hornedrhodent** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:23 am

I collect the whole run in a heap of 300ml bottles and worry about making cuts the next day (or later). If it's obvious I'm collecting tails I'll switch to 2l flagons until I reckon my time and fuel are worth more than the stuff I'm collecting.

stil_chillin · Post by **stil_chillin** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:16 pm

I'm with hornedrhodent take a lot of small bottles and smell each one, it will make it alot easier to tell when to make the cuts. When you identify the the tails, try and rub a little on your palm and smell, eventually you will be able to detect the tails coming over without having to use so many bottles.

madscientist · Post by **madscientist** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:51 pm

Well over christmas I had too much time on my hands and about 6.5 gallons of about 150 proof stripping run liquor. I loaded up my keg with just tap water to know it down to 100 proof and fired up my high capacity column with copper mesh. It took me about two 4 hour runs but I got about 3 gallons of really good stuff. I kept the extremely generous heads and tails seperate to distill in my next stripped run.

But anyway back to my third distillation. I took the 3 gallons and knocked it down to 100 proof and over two 5 hour runs got some really clean stuff probably my best (yes I cleaned my copper between runs).

This stuff is wicked diluted to about 95 proof, almost odorless and EXTREMELY neutral almost no "flavor".

My doantion and or friend liquor I always run twice and filter but this 3 run stuff is my secret stash when no one is about.

But in summation this is a fun little project if you have enough time and a big enough still to make it worth you time.

Later,

Madscientist