Heads

[Otis Campbell]

After my last run, "possibly my first ever suscesufll run"
I have 3+ gallons of heads.

What do "you" do with your heads?

[MitchyBourbon]

You got 3 gallons of heads in one run?

[Prairiepiss]

Are you saving just the heads? Or are you saving tails too? What kind of still you running? What kind of wash?

I personaly collect all the heads and tails. And later do a all feints run and reflux the crap out of it. To make a good neutral.

[Otis Campbell]

Notes of my last run are on this same board, the thread is called "UJSSM Frusterated"

Please read and tell me your thoughts.

[WERAT]

Otis,
Keep all the heads and tails to run in a all feints run or dump them back in on your next run.
I think you may need to do a little more research on making proper cuts. You cant rely on just a thermometer to make your cuts. This was discussed in you other thread.

[Otis Campbell]

Otis,
Keep all the heads and tails to run in a all feints run or dump them back in on your next run.
I think you may need to do a little more research on making proper cuts. You cant rely on just a thermometer to make your cuts. This was discussed in you other thread.

I have read that some folks toss all heads and re run tails.
This is why I ask this question...

Not sure about the thermometer comment.. I have never attempted to make cuts by tempature...?
I did post some notes that showed temp readings.. But by no means made cuts by temp..


Back to this thread...
I have heard a lot of folks say, with each reuse of heads they tend to get "sharp" causing many to toss them and only save tails for an all tails run.

This is why I ask:
What do "you" do with your heads.

[Boda Getta]

"This is why I ask:
What do "you" do with your heads."

WERAT gave you the answer, but allow me to expand. Firstly, don't be frustrated; IMHO making good cuts is one of the most difficult skills in this craft to master. Based on the number of stripping and spirit runs you have made you are well on your way of learning this craft. The most common mistake most newbies make is being greedy and try to maximize the yield and include too much heads in their final product. Based on the about of heads you have collected, I suspect this is not your problem. I will note you only mentioned heads, with no mentioned of tails. Be sure and save your tails from your cuts as well. Good tails can supply good favor to your final cut. Most of us collect and save all the tails and heads in a "feint" jug. As mentioned, the only way to make proper cuts is by smell, taste and feel. It is very important to air the collection jars 1-3 days before making the cuts. I also learned to take my time and spread the cut process over several periods if needed. I found that trying to do too much tented to "burn" my taste buds and smell out. I finally learned that what to stay away from was any sample that resulted in "tongue burn". Tongue burn is bad and a clear sign of heads, throat burn is not necessarily bad and will decrease while aging.If I pick up any "tongue burn" I do not include it in my final cut. Be sure and dilute the samples before tasting as well. Experience will tell you how much "throat burn" is acceptable for your personal taste. That's another point: Personal taste varies and you want to make your cuts to suit you personal tastes.

Now to what do with your heads (and tails if you have any). Make a feint run. Dilute the run to 65-70 proof. Run in your pot still as slow as the still will allow you to run it. Discard foreshots (while making a feint run I usually discard a larger foreshot portion than normal). Collect in small containers, I use pint jars and collect 12 or ozs in each. Run well down into the tails, I sometimes go down as low 60 proof. Let the jars air at least two days before making the cuts. Take you time and go slow. I always discard heads from feint runs but sometimes save the tails. You very well will be surprised how well a feint run will turn out.

Good luck.

BG

[Otis Campbell]

Correct me if I'm wrong...
But I'm most certain I read somewhere on this forum that feints "pronounced (Faints)" is actually Tails, not heads and tails combined.

This is why I keep asking this question...
How much good likker could possibly be in the heads.
Also, why are we collecting fores on an all feints run when they have been removed in previous spirit runs?

[Beerbrewer]

You can pronounce it as it is written as well. I know the thread you are talking about, I put my heads over into my next run if it is the same wash and then discard second time around, stick all my tails in a feints jar.

[WERAT]

I stand corrected OTIS.
I had you cornfused with another thread here. You were not making cuts by temperature, you were relying on proof alone. But that is discussed in the other thread.

Keep all of your heads (and tails if you want) and rerun them. There is still good alcohol in them both but they need to be rerun to clean them up.

I would also like to know how many gallons you ran to collect 3 gallons of heads. Was this one run or multiple runs? How big is your still/boiler?

[Otis Campbell]

I stripped (2) 12 gallon washes giving me 8 +/- gallons 80 proof low wines with very little tails.
Also added 2 gallons of very heady spirits.

[Prairiepiss]

Feints to some mean both heads and tails. Some consider it just tails. The word was derived from the word faint. As in faint taste. And like many words it evolved. Think mountain man making moonshine. And how he would have talked back in the day.

How much usable alcohol is left in either the heads or tails. Is up to your cuts. If you are making tight hearts cuts. Then there is probably quite a bit of good alcohol left in them. If you are making lose hearts cuts. There will be less usable alcohol.

I personaly make very tight hearts cuts. Knowing well I am adding good alcohol to the feints jug. Yes I call both together feints. But I do so knowing that I will be recovering most of that alcohol in an all feints run. I personaly use a reflux still for the all feints run. And I get a damn nice neutral out of it. And quite a bit of it. The trick is you have to collect enough to do a full run. Let's say you get a gallon of feints from each run you do. In that gallon mite be a qt of good alcohol. But the single quart would be hard to remove from that gallon. But if you add 10 gallons of feints. Now you have 10 quarts of good alcohol. And its much easier to pull the larger amount out.

Now feints can be ran in a pot still also. If you are running say a bunch of UJSSM runs. And you collect just the feints from it. When you run them in a pot still. You will get a maybe lighter and or different whiskey out of it. Or you can run it multiple times for a vodka. Big R has a good thread about that. Running feints in a pot still.

I use feints from everything I run. Rum, neutral wash, UJSSM, and whatever else I run. The mix makes for a good neutral in the end.

Now there is no right way or wrong way. Only the way that works best for you. And the only way to figure that out. Is to experiment with different methods. Till you find the one you like.

[Otis Campbell]

What about in the UJSSM thread where he recommends very generic cuts 160-140.
And also whiskey MUST be collected under 160 proof. Does anyone practice this?

[Boda Getta]

"Correct me if I'm wrong...
But I'm most certain I read somewhere on this forum that feints "pronounced (Faints)" is actually Tails, not heads and tails combined."

The old time moonshiners referred to tails as feints, a few on this forum do the same, but most folks on this forum and others usually refer to the collection of heads and tails as feints.
Doesn't matter; the advice I gave you on making a feint run will apply to an all heads run, an all tails run or a combination of heads and tails.

"Also, why are we collecting fores on an all feints run when they have been removed in previous spirit runs?"

The foreshots should always be discarded (unless you are saving them for paint thinner, fire starter, ect) I run a lot neutral runs in my pot still and often run it 3-5 times; I discard the "foreshots" on all but maybe the last run. It's probably true that after the third run or so, the "foreshots" were actually early heads. Doesn't matter, I still don't want it in my final blend. The more times you run in a pot still the amount of heads and tails will decrease, but you should take care.

BG

[Otis Campbell]

Thanks folks for all this useful information!
Keep it coming!

[woodshed]

What about in the UJSSM thread where he recommends very generic cuts 160-140.
And also whiskey MUST be collected under 160 proof. Does anyone practice this?

I can't speak to the UJSSM but unless you are following the law no reason to run at 160 or under.
I do but my recipes are set up to gain the most from running @ 80 abv. Cuts are very specific for me and doubtful they would fit into your program. Happy Runs, WS

[WERAT]

Dont rely on just one post someone said. If there are multiple people telling you to do something different, which one would you choose? Every post on here is not 100% accurate. listen to what people tell you, we are here to help not hender.

Good Luck,

[Otis Campbell]

I agree!
I like to get all the input from as many folks as possible then make MY best decision.
Also, I have tasted MANY MANY MANY folks whisky over the years, 99.9% of it is garbage yet everyone thinks theirs taste the best. I will assume many use this site..
I would like to share something I live by..
Practice does NOT make perfect.. PERFECT practice makes perfect!

I have been making poor cuts for years.. I finally make my cuts by proof and I have something quite nice..
I probably could have went a little both ways and gained a bit... But the 1.5 gallons I have is beautiful!
I microwaved a pint on oak chips and it rivals most store bought whisky. And it's only a couple days old!

Anyhow... I have made some good progress yet miles to go!

Thank all you folks for your time and comments!

OC