Low Alcohol?

[Aquafish]

I just finished my first SAC run using Rads All Bran recepie. All went well, I think. I used approx. 5 gallons of wash and collected a little less than four quarts total. I used a proof and tralle hydrometer to check alcohol content. This was done the following day. My highest reading was 80 proof and the lowest 20 proof. Doesn't seen correct from what I have read any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.

[rad14701]

"Proof" or "Percent"...???

What are you running for a still...???

[goblin]

rad beat me to it.

i did my first SAC run the other day. i used old wine and some vodka, about 4 gallons. my proof was low also. i have a pot still which i ran too hard and too long. i collected down to about 6 proof. i watered my charge down too much. i collected way more that 4 quarts.
what was your abv of your boiler charge?
what type of rig?
btw i dont know s@it

be safe dont tell

[Aquafish]

Rad it was the proof not percent scale. I run a BOKA no packing yet. The temp at top of column was at 177 degrees and gradually went up to about 198 degrees before I stopped didn't want my element exposed.

[Aquafish]

Goblin I forgot to take a measurement before I pitched my yeast. I did let the wash it several days after ferment before using. BTY I know less than you. I didn't taste any of the product but it smelled and burned nicely.

[HDNB]

there are some handy calculators on the parent site to help you better understand all of this and make the math easier for predictable results. i found that when i researched "why" a particular calculator calculated what it did, a lot of other questions were answered. questions i hadn't even thought of.
now i think i know shit. but i probably know shit.

1 quart at 80
1 quart at 60
1 quart at 40
1 quart at 20

thats a total of 200 divided by 4 quarts = average 50 proof divided by 2 is 25%abv
25% of 4 quarts is 1
therefore 1 quart at 100%abv

1 quart out of the 20 quart wash was recovered as alcohol equals a 5% wash

there was probably at least 1% left in the solution that was unrecoverable.

original total wash 6% maybe 7?

lot of broad assumptions here and "average" math to get this ballpark... that where all those notes and documentations you are supposed to be doing would help in the figgerin' and goes-inta's. lots easier if you have a starting gravity and finishing gravity measurement.

all those guesstimates could be skewed by a vapour leak too...have you checked thoroughly?

[HDNB]

and why would your element be exposed after taking 4 quarts out of a 20 quart solution? is it placed at the 3/4 full level of your boiler?
is your boiler grounded?

[Aquafish]

HDNB thanks for the response. My element sits near the 3/4 level because it was a Camco twist type not the straight one. Didn't want to hit the bottom when I installed it. I never intend to do less than a 10 gallon wash in the future, just this 5 gallon SAC, so I don't need to worry about exposing the element. The keg is well grounded. I have read a lot about using my Boka and have read the parent site several times. Husker recommends several stripping runs before a final run but others say it can be done in a single run just takes longer this way. I was just playing with the SAC but from what I have read many people come up with 95% Alc. at some point. I collected in numerous jars. My highest was 80 proof, 40% alc. It was all down hill from there. I'm not to concerned just interested in why my product was so low in % of alcohol. This wasn't a fast run I played with it for hours. Next run will be the exact same RAD recipe only 10 gallon run. Hoping for better results.

[T-Pee]

You can always add water to avoid an exposed element. You'll only get a cleaner distillation out of it.

tp

[underdog]

Hi!
I'm a total newb, but I just did my sacrificial run on my new boka.

I was able to get a little over 2 quarts of 95% ABV from a six gallon Birdwatcher's wash that started at 1.065 SG, but that's because my packing was in.

Without the packing, you're not even going to get close to that. On my still, 173.3 vapor temp is the target for 95% ABV. As long as I kept it there, I made high ABV stuff.

Hope that helps..

underdog

[Tokoroa_Shiner]

Could be not enough packing or reflux. Or not stabilised for long enough.

[rad14701]

I'm still confused by the numbers in the previous posts... Neither a pot still or a reflux column would produce such low %ABV/Proof spirits at the temperatures stated... In reflux column mode the range of 177F - 198F would equate to 84% ABV - 57% ABV, respectively... In pot still mode it would be virtually the same... There is no real way to have temperatures and %ABV/Proof be much different unless the temperatures are actually skewed by something in the still... For example, if reflux was cooling the thermometer, causing it to give lower temperature readings while the vapor condensed was hotter and collected spirits were substantially lower in purity... This one has me perplexed...

[shadylane]

+1 rad
I'm confused also.
Especially since the OP said the 80 to 20 proof "burned nicely"

[Aquafish]

To clarify I burned the 80 proof sample, that would be 40% alcohol. It had a nice blue flame when lit. My proof/tralle scale was brand new and first tested on this SAC run. I have since used it to check a known source and it reads correctly. I have no idea why the alcohol was so low. I probably did something wrong along the way. I'm thinking the wash may have been the problem not the recipe but my execution. Regardless I have two ten gallon batches almost ready to go, Rads All bran again. I followed his recipe to the letter well almost. I will be following Huskers suggestions on stripping. Nothings going to stop me from getting this right I will prevail I will post my findings when the runs are completed.

PS: The SG of the batches in waiting is 1.095

[HDNB]

177F - 198F would equate to 84% ABV - 57% ABV, respectively... In pot still mode it would be virtually the same... this one has me perplexed...

i just ran a 1.5 run and the temp at vapour take off was 178 F outputting 84% steady. on a 54" pot still column ...it seems possible that what your yield was mathematically possible, but improbable. check for leaks.

tons of boka users here that have to have an opinion, so consider this a bump for more answers.

[Aquafish]

I just finished up my first two stripping runs of Rads All Bran. Did much better this time. I collected a total of 25 quarts from a 19 gallon wash. The wash was about 13% ABV. The first quart collected was 70% ABV. The last quart collected was 10% ABV. Does six gallons sound correct for a stripping run from 19 gallons of wash:?: I collected about a quart every 6 minutes on average. Next step I will be using Huskers method for the final collection run using a packed column LM Boka. I plan on emptying all the jars into one container a check for final ABV. If it is over 40% should I dilute it to the 40% mark? Any suggestions would be helpful thanks.

[rad14701]

I just finished up my first two stripping runs of Rads All Bran. Did much better this time. I collected a total of 25 quarts from a 19 gallon wash. The wash was about 13% ABV. The first quart collected was 70% ABV. The last quart collected was 10% ABV. Does six gallons sound correct for a stripping run from 19 gallons of wash:?: I collected about a quart every 6 minutes on average. Next step I will be using Huskers method for the final collection run using a packed column LM Boka. I plan on emptying all the jars into one container a check for final ABV. If it is over 40% should I dilute it to the 40% mark? Any suggestions would be helpful thanks.

Sounds about right for a stripping run...