how to get rid of paint thinner taste?

[gvfc2]

im using a basic stainless steel pressure cooker pot still. just a copper pipe coming out and spiraling downward in some ice water. not most efficient but it works. Im only having one problem, im getting a paint thinner taste to it even around 100 proof. cutting with distilled water and no filtering. what can i do to get rid of the paint thinner taste.


feel free to move this thread if its in the wrong place

[Dnderhead]

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=11640???

[blind drunk]

You have to be ruthless with the early cuts. If there's even a hint of what you don't like, don't add it to the final jar. It just takes a very little of that taste to influence the entire blend. There's no way around it and you can't "trick" it to disappear. I used to have a hell of a time trying to leave out that taste.

[gvfc2]

so only reason im getting the taste is due to the fact im not cutting it? so filtering it wont help any?

[Dnderhead]

"taste is due to the fact im not cutting it"
are you making cuts? the taste you speak of is in fores and heads.

[blind drunk]

Have a look at what this member is doing -

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=38098

[Prairiepiss]

Making cuts. Not to be cornfused with your term cutting in your first post. We use the term diluting when you add water to drop the ABV to drinking strength. We use the term cuts to describe the process to which we remove the good and bad stuff separately off the still. The cuts you will to make are the foreshots cut first stuff off the still, heads cut the stuff that comes off after fores, hearts the good stuff you want to keep, and the tails the last stuff to come out of the still. You need to do your research on making cuts. The must read new distiller reading lounge is a good place to start.

[gvfc2]

i was referring to foreshots hearts tails and so on not diluting

[Dnderhead]

running to fast will carry over fores as will a nasty wash.

[oliver90owner]

i was referring to foreshots hearts tails and so on not diluting

Looked to me like you were not making cuts, but that is only the way I read your post (but like a few others).

What ABV do you expect to get? Is this a stripping run? What was the ABV of the wash? What was the wash?

Pot stills are not perfect in separating everything you throw at it.

[gvfc2]

its just a simple sugar wash. typically any where between 15-20% for the wash.

by the time im done distilling its about 160-180 proof. i triple distill it. dont make any cuts.

and i then dilute it to about 100 proof maybe 80 proof

[sambedded]

by the time im done distilling its about 160-180 proof. i triple distill it. dont make any cuts.

with no cuts your product is only good for fuel. If you gonna drink it you have to do cuts.

[oliver90owner]

what can i do to get rid of the paint thinner taste.

dont make any cuts.

Proceed to the 'new to distillation' section and do not pass 'go' until you have learned about cuts.

[rad14701]

its just a simple sugar wash. typically any where between 15-20% for the wash.

by the time im done distilling its about 160-180 proof. i triple distill it. dont make any cuts.

and i then dilute it to about 100 proof maybe 80 proof

Not only are you not making cuts but you are also suffering from the "greed factor"... Do you see anyone else here pushing for 15% - 20% washes...??? Nope...!!!

Do as you have been advised... Don't do anything more until you have done ample amounts of what we consider mandatory research... You need to know the fundamentals and theories in order to keep yourself safe... If you don't want to do that then stop posting and flounder all by yourself... We can't, and won't, help anyone who won't listen...

[gvfc2]

ok i will start to do some cuts. i have some fermenting i will cut it. i will let you know how it goes

never said i wouldnt listen.

im using turbo yeast that promises around 20% im not actually sure if im getting the much.

i came here for advice not to be ridiculed.

[blind drunk]

im using turbo yeast that promises around 20% im not actually sure if im getting the much.

You don't want to go so high. Even with cuts, you'll still get paint thinner at that %. That smell/taste will show up everywhere (at least it did with me), especially with the size of your potstill. I recommend you use a tried and true recipe and scrap the turbo. You'll notice a marked improvement doing so. Good luck, you'll get there.

[Rivver]

I ain't even gonna respond....shit, I just did!!! Get rid of the turbo, and make cuts, trust me you'll like it.

[gvfc2]

yea ill get rid of the turbo

also is there a good recipe for a 5 gallon mash using just sugar?

[blind drunk]

I'll let others answer that as I don't do dat. But here's a bunch of tried and true recipes, some of which are sugar washes -

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=14

May as well get acquainted with that board

[squeezins]

The best I've ever made was a 5% all grain. Ferment slow in cool weather and single run nice and slow. It will make you want to spit everything else out.

[gvfc2]

haha i will. im just trying to stay somewhat cheap at first because little money. and im only trying to make vodka right now

[gvfc2]

so ive done some reading about cuts. i cant really figure it out. doing a pure sugar wash not sure alc. content and its a 5 gallon or 18L batch. i have a 6 QT. pot when would i need to cut off the foreshots and the tails

[wv_hillbilly]

so ive done some reading about cuts. i cant really figure it out. doing a pure sugar wash not sure alc. content and its a 5 gallon or 18L batch. i have a 6 QT. pot when would i need to cut off the foreshots and the tails

Its pretty clear in the reading to break it up into small amounts over many jars. Start in the middle, working outward until you don't like the taste. If you don't have a hydrometer to figure out your OG, go to the parent site, and find the calculation on the calculation page. I wouldn't run anything else until you have read more and fully understand what you're doing.

[gvfc2]

well im reading and just not understand it. i guess i just dont get the big words lol. but ill take more time to read it. unless someone is willing to break it down some.

i just want to know around what percent to take out for the foreshots

[blind drunk]

For a total 5 gallon wash, about the first 200-240 mils are trash. You're gonna have to do the math for your size still. If you already know the paint thinner taste that you don't like, then you'll know not to add it to your final drinking jar. Figuring it out is mildly tricky at first, but not impossible. I was tricked often (and still am).

[Boda Getta]

All good answers concerning cuts, turbo yeast, ect but I suspect one of your main problems is your small boiler (pressure cooker) size. It's difficult to make proper cuts when the output is so small. Unless you are extremely careful, you will have heads smearing all throughout your run. I suggest you move up to a 10-15 gal boiler.
Good luck
BG

[gvfc2]

im pretty sure you already know how expensive (inexpensive to make) it is to buy one of that size? I dont trust my self enough to make one yet. but i guess thats the use of going with water to test. btw its small because its a kitchen still

[wv_hillbilly]

They're not all that expensive to build, Read through the how to solder thread http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =15&t=4052 minimal tools needed. And it will give you a better understanding of them, and building is a big part of the fun.

[Coyote]

gvfc2,

I had to check to give you accurate information.

My 15 gallon beer keg boiler with an inverted SS bowl on top.

2" copper column, necked down to 1.5 inch after the turn
and run through a 1" over 1/2 48" long liebig, Including
a 55 gallon food grade water storage barrel, 136 GPH pump
assorted hoses, vessels, fermenters, electric heating elements, power cords,
wiring for 240 and 110 volt & the outlets, sprinklers in the man cave,
The list goes on and on. . .

I have to date $ 1,435.78 invested in this hobby. ( Wifey tracks this stuff, as she does everything)
To date I have and average cost of six bucks a gallon.

Coyote

[Prairiepiss]

I hope my wife isn't tracking my costs.

Kitchen still? I started with a keg still. And I lived in a single wide trailer. Ran mine in the bathroom. So I don't really understand the problems with size?

Cost. Well that's what you make it. I see people buying $60 pots and $100 pressure cookers around here. All the time. $100 that's a keg and a heating element. If effort is put into it. And maybe another $100 to $150 for copper for a still head. Which a still head needs to be made for the pot too.

I personaly just don't see where a small still has an advantage. Except for maybe gin runs or essential oils? Using a alcohol that was already ran through o larger still and cuts made.

But to each his own.