fore shots

[NIGHTOWL]

In a 15 gal. keg ,for a pot still with a 3gal. thumper,is a pint of fore shots enough to toss out if your wash is 8 to 12 gal.
Thanks
NIGHTOWL

[35mastr]

Most seem to chuck 200-250 ml per 5 gallons...

[ga flatwoods]

Nightowl I usually take a pint out for mine that size and it is almost always into the heads at that point.
GA Flatwoods

[NIGHTOWL]

On a 12 gal run on that set up,say after the pint of fore shots is tossed and you got 8 quarts of keeping stuff.
The first qt.at 140 pr. the 8th qt.at 80pr. then a couple qt.at 65pr. and 50pr. for tails.
Would you blend the 8 qts. with water to get the proof you want say 80 to 110 for drinking, or leave out no.1 or add alittle of the 65pr.
Just wondering what the old timers done,my Grandad and Great Grandad did it a little before my time and I think they made one run then blended most of it down to the proof they wanted then started drinking!
Thanks
NIGHTOWL

[ga flatwoods]

Nightowl it is hard to say for me without seeing it to taste and smell. Seems as if mine is through heads most times at four quarts including foreshots before the heads are done. The center of the runs usually has about three jars of near the same proof. I will usually go down to about 80 proof and start looking for tails. Also helps to use only half of the qt jar.
GA

[Scarfinger]

this was posted in a similar thread. I think this is from the parent site:


gs_moonshine wrote:
I found this on the parent site. I compared with my notes and its pretty darn close if you keep track of how much you regard as foreshots ,heads,hearts, and tails.

Jack compares the cuts ...

The "middle cut" proportions that are listed in Ian Smiley's corn whiskey book mathmatically conform (almost exactly) to the yield data I sent you out of that Japanese Scotch book - About a 57% middle cut.

I also learned that these "middle cut" numbers are good for any volume, and any still- I have made a corn whiskey and have "made the cut" according to Ian Smiley's numbers- but I did this with an ice-water-wok still, and only 2-liters of freeze-concentrated mash (equal to 4 liters unfrozen). It comes out to:
Foreshots 23 ml (3.1%)
Heads 130 ml (17.4%)
Middle Run 428 ml (57.1%)
Tails 168 ml (22.4%)

all adding up to the 750ml bottle I normally get of pretty rough stuff out of this still. Just by applying the middle cut numbers, I get just over half as much- but it is a LOT better.

[MitchyBourbon]

Its ok to use someone elses formula if if it gets you started. However, I think it's best to go by taste and smell than by any general formula. No two runs are ever exactly the same.