Does this sound right?

[greyguy]

First of all I wanted to thank you for this site. I have been researching home distillation for some time and have come across many sites that do not seem very legitimate; I appreciate the science and wisdom that you add to the distillation information and process.
I wanted some feedback around a run that I just completed. It does not seem like it produced as much ethanol as I would have expected. I began with a 2 gallon wash of 2 lbs cracked corn cooked at 175 for 1 hr and 2 lbs of sugar (which I dissolved in later), strained and cooled before adding 1 packet of dry ale yeast. The wash fermented well and produced a lot of activity though my vapor lock. It had an original gravity of 1.5 and final gravity of 1.08. I used a pot still which started producing at 197 degrees F. This was my first time using it and I heated it slowly over the course of one hour as I did not know when it would start producing. I kept the still at 197-198 for the duration of the run until it began creeping toward 201 which is when I shut it down.

I discarded the first 40 ml and it produced a total of about 450 ml of useable ethanol (head, heart and tails) before I shut it down. I do not have an alcoholmeter (which I realize I need) so I am not sure if I shut down too early. I shut down when the final product would no longer burn and tasted bitter.
I am unsure if this is an expected amount for 2 gallons of wash? My pot was also not full and I am unsure if needs to be? I also am wondering why it started producing at 197 degrees instead of 174 when alcohol vaporizes? At the end of my condenser air was escaping as it started to produce, although no vapor (steam) was coming out, is this normal? My condenser was full of ice and my final product was very cool to the touch. Should I start with a wash at a higher specific gravity?

Any tips or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you

[fowlmouth72]

How long did it ferment? I use 1 packet of yeast(ec1118) per gallon. You didn't produce at 174 because lower apv content wash produces at higher temps. If you run the distillate through a second time, you'll see it produce at a lower temp.

[greyguy]

It fermented for eight days and the vapor lock had stopped bubbling for one day. I used one package of ale yeast, maybe not enough.

[fowlmouth72]

You collected approx 6 and a quarter percent of what you started with. You really need to be able to proof it to figure out how much pure alcohol you collected. If you didn't use any malt, you wouldn't be able to convert all the starch in the corn, lowering your content. Your batch may be a little small, but I'd say not outside the realm of possibility considering you started with 2 gallons. Id try one of the tried and true recipes first and see what you get from a 2 gallon wash. You also shouldn't have anything coming out except distillate. If you're blowing air or steam out the end, either your condenser is too small or you're over running it with too much heat. What are you using for a condenser?

[greyguy]

I have seven feet of half inch soft copper tubing in a coil, which is housed in a five gallon bucket that holds water. Three remaining feet attach to a fixed column at the top of my still.

No steam was coming out of the end of the condensed but I could feel air moving out as the still began producing.

[bellybuster]

I think your hydrometer readings are off...just a wee bit.

[fowlmouth72]

How big is the kettle? I have a 5 gallon kettle with a 7' condenser, but my condenser is 3/8 id. You may get better efficiency with 3/8 rather than half.

[greyguy]

It's a 3 gallon kettle.

[fowlmouth72]

Just my opinion, 1/2 in just seems too big for a 3 gallon pot still. If you have a few bucks in your pocket, buy. 10 ft roll of soft 3/8, lop off the 1/2 in, insert 3/8, crimp, solder, try that out with a good recipe from tried and true. Someone told me to try NChooch's recipe. Mine are as follows:

AG: 3lb flake corn
1.5lb rye
1lb 6 row barley
4 gal spring water
5 tsp yeast nutrient
5 packets lavlin ec-1118 yeast
Cook corn and rye in spring water at or about 175 for 2 hours then bring to a boil momentarily. Allow to cool to 145, add barley (milled of course). Maintain at 145 for one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, allow to cool to room temp. Dump into fermenter, add nutrient and yeast, stir well, cover. Stir once daily. Should take about 4-5 days depending on temp. Don't strain and sparse. Strain straight into kettle when ready.

Corn/sugar recipe is the same except for the following: after cooking, strain and sparge with additional spring water into fermenter before adding yeast and nutrient. Add 1.5(recently revised) lb of sugar per gallon of wash. Stir well. Takes about 7-10 days to finish.

[Prairiepiss]

How big is the kettle? I have a 5 gallon kettle with a 7' condenser, but my condenser is 3/8 id. You may get better efficiency with 3/8 rather than half.

How do you figure that?


Yes your SG readings are off. Or you typed them wrong? Starting SG should have been 1.046.
The starches you oiled out of the corn and didn't convert. Mite have given you your false readings.
Let's say it was 1.046 and it finished at 1.000. That would be 6%. So 6% of 2 gallons is .12 gallons. Thats 454 ml of 100% alcohol. I can't figure anymore since you don't know what ABV you have. But if I was to guess. You said you stopped when it wouldn't light anymore. That's around 40% to 50% depending on how you were trying to burn it. So let's say you collected at 55% total ABV average. that would be a total of 824 ml of 55% in that wash. So you collected 490 ml that would be 71% of the total alcohol available in that wash. So you wernt to far off I don't think. You did stop early at around 40%. So there was still alcohol in there.

Here dump that recipe you found. It's crap. And use one out of the tried and true recipe section here. They are all good recipes. That ate placed in that section only after they have been proven to be a good recipe. By many people.
Here this is the UJSSM recipe. Much better corn sugarhead recipe then the one you used.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=725

[greyguy]

Well this is really helpful and thank you all for your help. I will try one of the mash recipes here when I make my next batch. I am guessing that my initial reading was 1.05 and I dropped the 0. That would make more sense. Should I worry about my condenser or was I running the pot too high?

[fowlmouth72]

My novice opinion is that 1/2 creates more surface area to cool than does 3/8. 3/8 also creates a little back pressure, slowing down the flow giving the vapor more time to condense, potentially reducing the possibilty of over-running the condenser. Again, Just my novice opinion as a still builder based on my expertise in designing refer systems. To each his own though.....there's more than one way to skin a cat.

[fowlmouth72]

No counter arguments? I'll assume my theory makes a little sense for a 3.5 gallon pot still. Results from mine don't lie. 89 percent peak on a second run is no joke......after less than a week, I've produced a product superior to jack. Not being a conceded ass.....based on taste tastes by numerous experienced whiskey drinkers. Just saying. If you're curious about how I aged it hit me up. It's not that complex....I'd bet some of the veterans from this site would get it.

[Prairiepiss]

1/2 has more cooling surface. And the vapors would be slower. Giving the vapors more time and contact surface.
3/8 has less cooling surface and the vapor speeds increased. Giving the vapors less time and contact surface.

89% peak is nothing to brag about. If you were pulling hearts off at 89% With a pot still. That would be something to brag about.