Anybody do cuts by ABV?

[goinbroke2]

Since the big boys do it and since I am preparing to go legal, I'm trying to do cuts by ABV. As such I've been watching my spirit runs by collecting in 500ml jars (like normal) but now I'm using a parrot and marking the ABV on each jar as I go.
Normally (or so far) After airing a day or so I've found that heart starts around 69-70% and tails start around 58%.

Does this sound about right?

Here's tonights problem, it seems like there is traces of tails in the 58 and 59% jars and the heart seems to start around 73-74%. Now I ran this batch about as slow as I've EVER done and am wondering if that's why everything seems to have moved up the scale. Oh and although I've not corrected the hydrometer to temp, my guestamit would be that they are within a few degree's. (not enough to effect such a shift I don't think)

So,
1) does anybody know the ABV of their cuts?
2) how high could hearts be, 75-78% or is 69-70% normal?
3) does anybody else feel their parrot is dragging heads into heart and heart into tails?

I don't want to do cuts by abv and after waiting three years in a keg find out it tastes like crap. (as what happened to Glenora distillery recently, damn near bankrupt them as they are still new and had to redistill all their stock! ) And I certainly can't collect in 500ml jars if I'm legal and doing runs of 100 gallons!LOL!

[kiwistiller]

It'll depend entirely on your rig and charge I think. You'll have to be running a standard recipe, then learn the cut points on your commercial rig (by taste), then you will be able to repeat.

[LWTCS]

It'll depend entirely on your rig and charge I think. You'll have to be running a standard recipe, then learn the cut points on your commercial rig (by taste), then you will be able to repeat.

+1

[goinbroke2]

Thanks for the quick replies guys. Yeah that's about what I thought. I always scoffed at the big boys because I could be more accurate smelling/tasting each jar as opposed to just seeing a number and switching the valve. Not that i agree with what they do now, just that I see why they have to do it that way. I've tried to be relatively consistent with each batch but even when I wasn't, the numbers were still pretty close. Temp during fermenting/total abv/ph/type and volume of yeast/etc.
I think I'll keep the 58% jar then as it's only aired about 22hr's and go up to the 70% maybe 72%. I'll mark this batch when I bottle it and see if there is any adverse tastes etc. If I oak it and in a few months it tastes tails/heads then I'll redo it.
Sacrificing a 20L batch at this point is certainly cheaper and safer than a bunch of barrels stored three years when I'm legal!

(hell of a lot more to be concerned with if you plan on doing it legally I'm slowly finding out)

[LWTCS]

Recon it's easy to be critical at the hobby level. Everything we make gets enjoyed by our family (and close friends).

Gotta maintain your sound business practices when your trying to generate some revenue.
I'm sure you'll find your stride.

[HookLine]

If you are going commercial, then you really need to standardise your recipes and operating procedures to get a consistent result. Once you have done that then you can make cuts based on abv (more or less, you will always still need to use your nose and tongue for fine tuning).

Standardising (as much as is possible) will also help you find problems when they do occur (and they will).

Also, my experience is that the hearts-tail cut is the hard one, and heads-hearts is pretty easy. What are other people's view on this?

[kiwistiller]

These days I think I'm too scared of heads in my final blend and not scared enough of tails.

[rednose]

I’m in what you wanna do and I can tell you that it’s not easy at the very beginng to cut by ABV as you will permanently try to improve your final product.

As Kiwi and HL mentioned you have to use always the same receipt, temp of ferment heat of boiler etc.

It will take you (and me and all others) a while until you can hire a watchman and tell him to cut at x ABV, meanwhile we have to use other additional critics as smell and taste.

[blind drunk]

Also, my experience is that the hearts-tail cut is the hard one, and heads-hearts is pretty easy. What are other people's view on this?

Me too. When I first started, the heads tripped me up each time but now I find the tails cuts are the real tricky ones. They're a little more deceiving. bd.

[ozone39]

I'm a firm believer that it is based on the still, and how you have it set up... I personally use both, taste and numbers..But I lean to the numbers when I sample...

[LWTCS]

They're a little more deceiving. bd.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Specially cuz I kinda like that early part of tails. So stopping my keepers is a little tricky. Unless I'm looking for strickly hearts that is.

Plus, I've been all over the place trying to learn about my still. So it gets a little tough as every run is a bit different for me at this time. Today I came across tails in the 80s,,,,,Thats weird for a pot stiller.

And after last thanksgiving,,,,,,,,don't want nothin to do with heads

[rednose]

A small add:

I’m collecting in gallons and in my Twin stills usually I have 2 gal of heads (example of rum receipt), so what I do is that I collect the second and third gallon in 1Ltr vessels and decide next day what goes to where, if I’m not 100% sure it get tossed to the feint receiver to get re-distilled.

Same for the tails part.

[goinbroke2]

More info the better guys, thanks for the input.
Heads was pretty distinct this time.
foreshots, chuck them out
heads start at 78%
75%
74%
73%...check 74% again...yup major difference
72% heart..check 73%..heart with traces of heads after you spit out and breath open mouthed.
72% is clean heart
down to
59% good
58%..? traces of tails?
56%..BLAH!
58% again...crap now it taste like tails
try 65% to get clean taste again...tails! damn taste buds are gone for a bit.
Back in an hour or so.
58%...maybe trace of tails
56% TAILS for sure
59% clean heart
58% heart...ah I'll keep it too

72% - 58% the official end result.
Proofed to 42%
Just filled 18, 750ml bottles.

G'night it's 11:27pm and I gotta get up at 5:30 for work.

[Fester]

GB, good luck on your commercial stillin venture. When you get to the legal selling stage let me know. I'd like to be one of your first customers. An autographed bottle of GB's Finest would look mighty dandy on my Whiskey Wall of Fame. (Not to be confused with my Whiskey Shelf of Shame. Yes, I have both.)

Fester

[goinbroke2]

No problem Fester, I'll have purolator on speed dial! LOL!


hmmm, "GB's Finest" that has a nice ring to it....I suppose to use that name though I'd have to pay ya "royalties" eh?

[Fester]

yeah, it would be a deal breaker, you couldn't afford it. best for you to choose something diferent like "GB's shit" or something like that beause I have no copyrights on that yet. But an autographed bottle of "GB's SPECIAL Shit" would be a nice addition to the Wall of Fame, especially if you signed it, notorized it, put a gold seal on it and gave it for free. Why should I be different from your other friends?

YourBud, Fester

[Fester]

Joking of couse GB. My friends all know I have the best shit. Usually because I "educate" them into believing it. I tel them about heads and tails and hangover and next thing you know... i am the main man. You can be too. Just follow a few easy steps.
1. educate the public that a hangover is a symptom of bad booze
2. provide good booze
3. send Fester lots of money.

Please note that steps 1 and 2 are not effective without step three.

Fester

[goinbroke2]

You might have the best shit, but I opened a bottle the other day and I couldn't smell anything. That's when I found out my shit don't stink!

See, I always new mine was best...maybe your is best-er?

Maybe you could name yours "bester by fester"?

I know a guy with a speach impediment and says B's instead of P's. He talks about the hibbies in da 60's.
Now if I was a hippie..he would say "hibbie GB shit don't stink". (say it out loud)

I had a french captain when I was in germany, we'd be running for PT and when guys would drop back and be complaining about the heat he'd yell "you tink you sweat? I make you sweater, tabernac!" (that's funny but true actually)
He also said "you tink I know fuck nothing? I tell you, I know fuck all"!

[Fester]

GB you always crack me up. every time i read your last post i laugh more.

but seriously, hahahaha

ROTFLMAO, Fester

[goinbroke2]

You got a wall of shame too eh?



So there I was, a bottle of whisky, a goat, two spoons and a rubber band.........what a hangover......never did find where my socks went!




And that your honour, is when I decided to make my own so I wouldn't get hangovers......



Nothing worse than waking up and finding puke in your toaster.....

[goinbroke2]

Huh...I derailed my own thread...don't see that too often....

[ScottishBoy]

Its not really a wall of shame as much as it is a patch of grass that wont gro behind the shed...

How about "Festering Madness Distillery"?

[Fester]

You got a wall of shame too eh?

please pay attention, GB. I have a Wall of Fame and a Shelf of Shame.

to get back on thread a bit...

You mentioned that you feel your still parret is carrying heads into the hearts. I think you may be right.
I have a dump valve on the bottom of my parret and i use it almost every time i change the collection jar. especially when trying to cut the heads off.

ok, enough of trying to stick to the subject on any thread of yours, ha!

goat puke in the toaster? the judge had two spoons and a hangover? and you want to make a career out of this?

Unlike you, I carefully read the posts before I reply.

How about "Festering Madness Distillery"?

How about Mad Fester's Happy Hooch?

Fester