"As soon as you see the mixing swirl in the collection jug, you are collecting tails.
This can happen anywhere from 60 to 50% Abv, depending on the wash
As soon as I see any difference in the collection bottle, I switch to tails mode" The Hawke
I had this sentence written down and yesterday saw it happen,(but forgot about this sentence).
I was using the percentage cut method. I thought I was still getting "middles". No cardboard smell. Would light with match. Tasted good.
BUT......I definitely saw the "swirl" . I was amazed...but of course I had forgotten that above piece of advice that showed I was in tails.
Rather than look at it like I made a mistake, I look at it like I learned something amazing.
"The mixing swirl in the collection jug"
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- Swill Maker
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"The mixing swirl in the collection jug"
Last edited by Cornbread on Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
Moonshine ain't nothing but lots of love and goodness distilled into liquid. It will love you like a big woman wearing a straw hat
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- Bootlegger
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Re: "The mixing swirl in the collection jug"
That's really interesting/useful.
Never heard of it before.
I've seen the effect several times when stripping but just put it down to immiscible fractions mixing (which it IS of course). Never thought it might actually mean something.
Never heard of it before.
I've seen the effect several times when stripping but just put it down to immiscible fractions mixing (which it IS of course). Never thought it might actually mean something.
- goinbroke2
- Distiller
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Re: "The mixing swirl in the collection jug"
That's interesting and the "perfessionals" do their cuts by ABV too but I always collect in 500ml jars even if I know I've got 12L of hearts coming. Any swirls or oily stuff I see is going into a tails jar anyway so I don't pay much attention.
Sometimes you copy the "perfessionals" and sometimes you go the extra, more labour intensive way and make "artisan" liquor.
Sometimes you copy the "perfessionals" and sometimes you go the extra, more labour intensive way and make "artisan" liquor.

Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
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- Angel's Share
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Re: "The mixing swirl in the collection jug"
heads and tales verry in diferant washes, the big boys can do by % becous they run the same wash/mash over and over.
then many use contenous "fractioning"stills there is no starting or stopping..
then many use contenous "fractioning"stills there is no starting or stopping..
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Re: "The mixing swirl in the collection jug"
Someone here explained this to me and it has helped alot.Something extra to watch for and it helps with having extra sighns of nowing when changes are comming.Also being a smoker the taste and smell are hard as hell for me.So any help i can get is appreciated.
Also on my ujssm i can go a little deeper in than the 70%that kiwi describes in his cutting thread.usally around 50%-60% i switch to tails for the feints jar.
On my heads i go buy his 80% guide just to make sure i dont get any hangover.
booger
Also on my ujssm i can go a little deeper in than the 70%that kiwi describes in his cutting thread.usally around 50%-60% i switch to tails for the feints jar.
On my heads i go buy his 80% guide just to make sure i dont get any hangover.
booger