newbee's first run questions

[diesel4ever]

Built a 2"X36" reflux filled with copper scrubbers and ran my first batch which contained 2gal. white grape juice, 10 lbs of sugar and water to make about 5-6gallons of mash. Didn't know how long to allow the still to reflux before starting to collect so I waited maybe 5 minutes??? Then started collecting at a steady drip of 2-3 drops per second pretty much throughout the entire run. I collected the first 4 batches in 1oz. increments then the rest at 4 oz using a different glass for each. The first 2 ounces I just tossed and the rest got gradually less cloudy and sweet (like a REALLY strong wine smell) smelling until about 16 ounces total liquid had been collected The temp. stayed pretty steady at 172.5F for this first bit then climbed to about 173.2-173.8 for the remainder of the run which produced an additional 36-40 ounces. What fun! Kinda like a science experiment! I only combined liquids that had a consistent smell of alcohol (actually had very little smell!) Then the temperature started climbing and in only 30 seconds or less it went from 173.8F to 178F and no more distillate came out so I just shut off everything.

My questions are:
1. How did I do?
2. Is it normal for me to have 16 oz's of heads or did I not reflux long enough before starting to collect?
3. Is it normal for stills to just all of a sudden stop producing at the end of the run? I never got any tails?
4. The 16 oz of heads I produced had floaties in it. Are there things I can do to prevent this and the cloudyness?

[diesel4ever]

Also wondering if the natural rubber stopper I'm using for the thermometer is safe or should I use cork?

[olddog]

Cork or balsa wood

[CletusDwight]

Working in litres etc. is a LOT easier. so you'll have to forgive me.

Rough estimate gives you about (say 10% - 12 % abv in the wash) 2.5 Litres of alcohol in the 25 litre wash.
You collected 50 ounces = 2 litres of about 80% abv from your temperatures. So, OK you probabably 'lost' about a litre or maybe more.
You switched off at only 80C, which is way too early - should have gone on collecting tails up to at least 96C.
That suggests you haven't enough power in the boiler. (Or the condenser got blocked - shudder!)

The first part of the run you mention 'cloudy' spirit and 'floaties' - that shouldn't be. Maybe the still wasn't clean enough - but more likely it was 'puking' from a foaming wash (did you let it clear properly?)

5 mins is way short for reflux. It needs (IMHO) a half-hour at least to get settled. There's a lot going on in a reflux column. Needs time to sort itself out. The quantity of heads is very variable - depends on a number of factors. Doesn't sound bad.
More reflux time would make the distinction more clear for the cuts and also make certain of the methanol fraction.

Still - not bad for a first run.

[Hawke]

Yes, there should be at least a 1/2 hour of 100% reflux before removing product. (10 to 15 minutes after head temp stops dropping)

[diesel4ever]

So how do you prevent foaming? I guess I should have turned the heat up after it stopped producing? Also I forgot to mention that out of the 5+gallon of mash that I had I could only fit maybe 3 gallons of it in my pot because somewhere I read to fill it no more than 2/3 full to allow for expansion and foaming...

[Daveweldz]

Diesel
Wish my first run had went as well. All, I keep hearing the need to 100% reflux for a period of time. Do you throttle your input heat so the top of the column stays below 172 F? Or do you control this by a condensor at the top of the column? Not all reflux have condensers correct? Thought you didnt want to mokey with the heat input or the reflux wont stabilize?

Thanks
Dave

[CletusDwight]

So how do you prevent foaming?

Now you're askin' grown-up questions - do a search for puking on the forum - there's a lot of discussion.

I guess I should have turned the heat up after it stopped producing?

Not wishing to be harsh - but Duuuhhhh

Also I forgot to mention that out of the 5+gallon of mash that I had I could only fit maybe 3 gallons of it in my pot because somewhere I read to fill it no more than 2/3 full to allow for expansion and foaming...

Ah - that's where your missing litre is...
In which case I begin to question your thermometer readings.
Suggest a test with plain water - temperature should be 212F obviously - if it ain't the thermometer is in the wrong place.

[diesel4ever]

I have a condenser at the top of the column. I controlled the heat output and water flow to maintain the 172 degree AND maintain the proper product output. But next time I guess I will 100% reflux for 30 minutes before allowing product to pass into my secondary condenser. Now if I can figure out how to prevent foaming.