Stupid Cuts question & reflux still

[crazyk78]

Hi all,

Been doing a lot of reading and have just started to get my head around cuts.

I'm building a LM still.

Well my question is this. Why do we take cuts?? now before you all go and reply let me try to answer my own question and this theory is based on using a reflux design.

Is it because we want to get a neutral alcohol?
OR
Is it becuase foreshots are no good for you? (if this was the case don't you get foreshots mixing in pot stills?)

If you dont get all the cuts right, which is the most important one to get rid of, forshots I think.

open to comment.

[LWTCS]

don't you get foreshots mixing in pot stills?)

the nastiest compounds have a lower boiling point. Feel the top of your column when fores are comming. You will notice (at least on my rigs), that the column temp remains very low while the fores pass through. Thats cuz fores are very volitile (and very nasty) thus requiring less heat to be liberated.

Run your rig slow enough to ensure good separation. Goal is to find the spot that allows the most alcohol to be liberated from the water. Fores and heads will come first unless you throw too much heat at your boiler.

Collect in small jars and observe what you are doing. You'll get it right.

Let air over night and that will help to evaluate what you've collected.

[kiwistiller]

[posting same time as larry, figure I've written it so might as well click submit]

Both your answers are right
Foreshots are pretty bad for you, foreshots and heads (which are really just foreshots tailing into hearts) are major hangover causes. And heads is hot and sort of sweet-chemical (depends a lot on the wash) and tails is a soapy, wet cardboard, dog kind of smell/taste. You don't want either in your booze in any quantity.

And yes, you get foreshots (heads) mixing through into hearts on a pot still. Most of the esters and so on (flavourful stuff) is in heads and tails. This is why a pot still produces flavoured spirits like rums and whiskies with more flavour than a reflux still, and are prefered for that job. Incidentally, over an aging process the heads and tails compounds undergo changes that define the character of the spirit.

[crazyk78]

That helps heaps guys. Thanks for the replies.

I can't wait to get my SS still hapening.

Need to find a keg from somewhere.

[Ayay]

Tasting the cuts depends a lot on diluting to a constant ABV. Dilute to somewhere between 20% and 30% for every taste. Think hard and try to keep the ABV constant for each an every tastin.

Early heads have a distinct acetone smell...a lovely smell I wish it was not so toxic. Late heads leave quick sting in the mouth after spittin out.

Early tails leave a slower but heavier and stronger sting in the mouth after spitting out...think heavy toxic oils. Late tails have a stink that is smelt before tastin which can never be allowed near the hearts.

Hearts are best when there are none of the above. Be fussy. The tiniest contamination will ruin your hearts and it all depends on the smellin an tastin while cuttin. I've ruined many hearts and had to do it all again or resort to the carbon. I know it's better to wait a week, do the tastin an spittin, and if in doubt wait another few days and do it again until I'm sure.

Getting the cuts right is the short cut.