Stripping Instructions

[0re0]

I have searched thru forums with no real instructions.
I have always ran low and slow to get good drinking product and am new to the stripping run concept.
I was wondering if anyone would be willing to write an instructional tutorial on a general stripping run.
I will be stripping 5 gallons at a time.

Temperature Tutorial on a strip run, that would be nice

Pot Still with 12" of 1" copper colomn
water jacketed condener
Propane Burner

there's my basic stripping still info, hope this helps in a instructional tutorial

[Hawke]

Stripping run instructions:
1) Charge boiler with wash
2) Turn on heat
3) At initial boil, adjust heat to match condenser's max efficiancy.
4) Collect everything that comes out, down to about 20% ABV.

[0re0]

Very vague instructions, hell i can do that with normal spirit run
with the exception of making appropriate heads and tails cuts

The concept of stripping is to run faster than the normal spirit run in order to strip the wash of all
possible ethanol, correct?
Logic tells me that starting heat should be higher than 174 degree F for my geographical elevation
in order to start stripping the run. If I start running at 174 then its not stripping, its just a normal run....LMAO

I am looking for more in depth replies, sorta like

I usually start running my pot still @ 185 degrees F and run it for about 2 hours or so,
until I can only detect the slightest hint of ethanol.

Those kind of replies are helpful

[HookLine]

Those kind of replies are helpful

They are also wrong, at least for stripping runs. Temperature is only useful on stripping runs to let you know when the run is over.

[0re0]

Those kind of replies are helpful

They are also wrong, at least for stripping runs. Temperature is only useful on stripping runs to let you know when the run is over.

Okay so i should run at 174 degrees F and just let it continuously run until there no eth0 coming thru?
That sounds to me like a normal spirit run without making cuts

[ImaDKrook]

Stripping run instructions:
1) Charge boiler with wash
2) Turn on heat
3) At initial boil, adjust heat to match condenser's max efficiancy.
4) Collect everything that comes out, down to about 20% ABV.

Understanding I am a rookie myself!! Hawke told you exactly what you need or want to know . There is no more instruction to give. I did four stripping runs and tried to make more of it too, but throw away the first 50 - 100 ml and save everything else to 20% or until as Dnunder said the flow drops off so much it is not worth it. You will also see the fusil oils appear on the surface of the distillate. Without me "a rookie" trying to sound smart there are no other instructions unless you want to know about adding NaCO3 to the distillate for a vodka but that is another query. Hope this helps.

Krook

[0re0]

thanks guys
if i have to wait as long as making the normal run, i'll just stick with my old fashion method
atleast i'll get really good clean drinking product with less complications

now if i start brewing on a mass scale, then strip running maybe something to look further into

[ImaDKrook]

Oh I forgot to say about temperature probes. I do not have one on my stripping head. I was really worried about that to start with. Now that I have done several It is a waste to even have one. I did not think so when I started and thought the old guys were just not with it but I was the one who did not understand. It is over when it is over based on the the flow and oils as stated in my last post. All this is to say to all newbs it ain't necessary to know the temp on a stripping head, There I said it.

Krook

[0re0]

well as a homedistiller im no n00b
but i have been wondering about this stripping run.
the only thing i can think this would good for is to strip say 5 gallons fast and hard
run a decent temp to maintain a good alcohol to water mix, but run it faster than a slow run.

but since i brew for drinking purposes i usually just run low and slow and get a high quality output
I usually double distill and end up with one helluva sipping likker (drinking likker when cut)
And to me it less headache and less trouble to do it the old fashion way that i am used to doing.

i appreciate all yalls help in better understanding the stripping run concept!

[Dnderhead]

the idea of stripping is to git your wash into more "manageable" size and save time. it also raises the abv if using a pot still.

you run off 2-3 fast runs add these together and make one slow spirits run. instead of 3 slow spirits runs.
I run 2 pot stills .stripping in the first,witch I run almost carefree. making it about 30%
this all fits in my spirits still, witch I run slower, taking cuts.trying to achieve 60% average(my Target)
this saves my time and energy as I do not have to run a larg still slow for a long time.
I can run off at 60% in one run (I tryed this once and I think it took about 30 hours) but by using two stills
I can run all off in 8-10 hours.

[Hawke]

I don't use a thermometer on my potstills.
I use a parrot and 'feel', whether it's for stripping or for spirit runs.
A stripping run is just as uncomplicated as my instructions showed. Whether you pull foreshots during stripping or spirit runs is up to you. I do it during the spirit run because they aren't as spread out as they are when running fast.

[HookLine]

Okay so i should run at 174 degrees F and just let it continuously run until there no eth0 coming thru?
That sounds to me like a normal spirit run without making cuts

Temperature will slowly rise through a stripping or spirit run using a pot still. You do not 'set' the temperature at anything. It is set by the composition of the still charge, and hence the vapour that comes off it. And that changes through the run.

Only in a reflux column is temp stable for any time.

[0re0]

the idea of stripping is to git your wash into more "manageable" size and save time. it also raises the abv if using a pot still.

you run off 2-3 fast runs add these together and make one slow spirits run. instead of 3 slow spirits runs.
I run 2 pot stills .stripping in the first,witch I run almost carefree. making it about 30%
this all fits in my spirits still, witch I run slower, taking cuts.trying to achieve 60% average(my Target)
this saves my time and energy as I do not have to run a larg still slow for a long time.
I can run off at 60% in one run (I tryed this once and I think it took about 30 hours) but by using two stills
I can run all off in 8-10 hours.

Thanks Dnderhead, you have given me to best answer as to what I was searching for so far.
Although others gave me facts of distilling or stripping, they were vague and nobody wanted to go into details.
Your walk through was just the way i was thinking it should be done

I plan on stepping up to 30 washes soon! and I don't want to spend a week running 30 damn gallons slow, or like
other suggested.......LOL