Distilling Temps

Old Goat · Post by **Old Goat** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:21 pm

For the past couple runs, after running at 78 for a couple hours, the temp would for no apparent reason drop to the mid- 60's. My question is this: when the temp drops, does this produce more methanol, or has all the methanol cooked out at the beginning of the process? In other words, if I ran the still at say 68 for a couple hours would it keep producing wood alcohol or what?
I always pour off the first distillate that comes off. Should I be concerned about the stuff that comes off when I get the temp drop?

Cheers

big worm · Post by **big worm** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:31 pm

that is a good question. what makes the temp drop in the first place? gas or elect heat. ,but i have not ever seen this asked before ,and i would like to know aswell.(its why i'm here)

Old Goat · Post by **Old Goat** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:37 pm

I have a small 6 gal still and run it off the kitchen stove.....real home-brew

new_moonshiner · Post by **new_moonshiner** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:39 pm

pot still ? reflux ? VM ? what type of power input ? what type of cooling ? takeoff rate changes ?

big worm · Post by **big worm** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:48 pm

ya know i would assume that if the boilerl
heated up to etho temp you would have flashed out the lower fussels at their step. the juice might have an off taste...could cut out the low temp stuff and run again tho.

new_moonshiner · Post by **new_moonshiner** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:55 pm

if that stove top is electric then that will difficult if not impossible to get a nice steady temp .. without changes showing on the thermometer.

Old Goat · Post by **Old Goat** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:03 pm

That makes sense Worm, but what I really want to know is this: You have your wash, say, 18% ABV. It seems to me it would have a certain finite amount of all the different alcohols in it. After you extacted all the alcohol in the 60 degree range, there would be no more methanol to cook, and as long as you keep your temps below 82 you would have no propanol. Does this make sense or am I missing something?

Have a shot on me

It is electric and very stable for the most part

big worm · Post by **big worm** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:05 pm

yep i agree with you 100% but it does pay to know the truth.

new_moonshiner · Post by **new_moonshiner** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:21 pm

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 830a432a1e" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

big worm · Post by **big worm** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:38 pm

i guess i would just keep a catch jar handy if you observe a temp spike either way...and figgure out by taste if its good or reboil stuff.