How long should a run take?

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100percent
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Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 1:41 pm

How long should a run take?

Post by 100percent »

I have been unsuccessful lately, I have been ending up with a product that tastes like heads all the way until the tails. Really no hearts section. My very first run was by far my most successful. It was a 10gallon wash and I ran my still on about 50% power. I have since ran several 3-4 gallon washes at much lower power and at the same power and have not had good results at all.

My still is a 15.5 gal keg, 2" stainless head with roughly 12" straight up then making slightly over a 90* bend and a taper to 1/2" npt fitting, then a 42" Liebig, 3/4 jacket over 1/2" pipe. I do have 1 ss scrubber in the vertical section. My heat is a propane turkey fryer.

My main idea is that I'm running to fast. With my heat all the way down I can run a 4 gallon(12% abv) wash in right at 2 hrs. Yesterday I ran 4 gallons of stripped washes at 45% collected just short of 2.5 gallons in right at 2hrs. Tossed 100ml for good measure( had already tossed foreshots from stripped washes), collecting in 200ml(half pint) jars, first 1.75 gallons ranged from 82% first jar to 70%jar 27. At that point I was out of half pints and caught 4 pint jars. Abv went 64,54,45,33. And that's where I stopped collecting in small jars and let about a quart run into a gallon jar.

I'm thinking I am going to have to wait and charge my boiler with more wash or low wines. This would slow the speed up alot I think. If it is still too fast I will have to elevate my keg off the turkey fryer.

Scratching my head at this point and any advice or criticism will be noted and appreciated. I have a 4 gallon allbran wash that will be ready to run Monday or so, what should I try, what should I change, should I wait till I have 8 or so gallons??

Thanks in advance

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