First real run

[earthbound0729]

Hello everyone. earthbound here.
Looking for advice-suggestions to assist a newbie.

Here's what I'm doing.
I am working on my first run today through my boka reflux with a top mounted, single-wound condenser, using my low ABV rum wash, approx 4-5%.
My cold water is recirculated with a small submersible pump in a 5 gallon food grade poly bucket, using polyethylene tubing. I add ice as needed

I'm running the machine at a fast clip, ie, high heat, but not max.
Foreshots-I collected approx 100ml-slightly sweet odor, definitely had some alcohol and acetone in it-maybe this was too much to collect.
Heads and hearts- Using quart glass mason jars--1st one has about 400 ml and tested about 130 proof, then I switched to a 2nd quart jar and it has tested at about 120 proof.
Working on about 1 1/2 hours worth of run so far.
Haven't got to the tails yet. Working on it. Temp is still steady, but not accurate.

Seems like one of the things I'm seeing which I've read about here is that my thermometer is off. I can live with that for now. I didn't think of trying to
calibrate with boiling water first--only now occurred to me-so I'll have to see about that some other time.
I'm only using 4 gallons of wash, since I only have a 5 gallon still base, so I calculated what I should be seeing for my actual max alcohol, which should be 4- 5% of 4 gallons (15140 ml) more or less, or about 600- 750 ml.
alcohol if extremely pure, which mine isn't. I expect I'll be collecting more output than earlier expected, but of a less than 95% purity, which is fine.

Another thing I would like someone to comment on is this--I tasted several drops of the ETOH output and it felt like liquid fire, and clean. Best way for me to describe it I think.

Thank you for reading and commenting. Helpful hints, etc.
earthbound

[S-Cackalacky]

Have you detuned the boka to run in pot still mode? Don't know if that's even possible because I don't use a reflux still. Anyway, if you're trying to make rum, a reflux still probably isn't the best choice. Folks usually use a pot still for rum.

For a 4 gallon charge, you should use smaller collection jars. I would go with no more than 6 or 8 ounces per jar. Number your jars 1 through whatever, cover them with coffee filters (or other), and let them air out for a day or two before attempting cuts. There's a good tutorial on cuts over in the New Distiller's section.

BTW - your wash ABV is very low. You should shoot for something around 8 to 10 percent. There are some good rum recipes over in the "Tried and True Recipes" forum that will produce a good product if you follow the instructions.

Hope this helps.

[bellybuster]

For a 4 gallon charge, you should use smaller collection jars.

right here

[earthbound0729]

Hello again S-Cackalacky. Thank you for the suggestions and the question about the boka.

Have you detuned the boka to run in pot still mode?

From what I've read concerning rum washes, using the pot still is the best way to preserve the original essence in the rum wash.
I have parts coming in the mail to do a pot still only off my base, since the boka column is easy to remove. I'll be running a 12" long, 2" copper mini-column, topped off with a copper reducer that will neck down to 1/2"
tubing or less and run through a gravity fed condenser. Would you recommend the 1/4" or 3/8 tubing off the reducer S-Cackalacky?

There's a good tutorial on cuts over in the New Distiller's section.

Yes, I read that last week. Very informative and easy to understand.

BTW - your wash ABV is very low. You should shoot for something around 8 to 10 percent. There are some good rum recipes over in the "Tried and True Recipes" forum

I will go over there today and look at that. I'm just finishing a simple sugar wash, which I actually set the SG at 1.06, so based on that I also expect to get higher starting ABV values S-Cackalacky.
I'm looking forward to making more rum washes with a better ABV value.

you should use smaller collection jars. I would go with no more than 6 or 8 ounces per jar

Yes, I think jelly jars are around that size. TY. I can see the rationale for that since a smaller run will have smaller proportions of distillates, which would be harder to actually separate out using larger jars.

Thank you for sharing your expertise S-Cackalacky. I appreciate it.
earthbound

[S-Cackalacky]

Would you recommend the 1/4" or 3/8 tubing off the reducer S-Cackalacky?

It's the general consensus here that 3/8" is the absolute minimum and most members wouldn't use less than 1/2". There's a safety issue with 1/4". It's believed that it can easily clog if the still pukes.

[earthbound0729]

It's the general consensus here that 3/8" is the absolute minimum and most members wouldn't use less than 1/2".

easy enough to do for me since my parts haven't arrived yet. i definitely don't want to create
a situation with a puking still plugging its tube.

Also, S-Cackalacky, I forgot to ask last time, what is the purpose for the resting the cuts?

I did follow up with my thermometer and it only maxes out at 195 degrees F for a full boil. A whole 17 degreees off. Good to know.

TY,
earthbound