Only 110 Proof and alittle cloudy

[bshack618]

Hey guys so Im still getting use to using this still, I am using COB w/ Molassses What I did is I made the sweetcorn recipe where you lay 4 inches of sweetcorn on the bottom of 5 gallon bucket and then I used 5 pounds of sugar and 4 gallons of water and 1 yeast package and I did use bread yeast. I do not have a proofer to see exactly when its ready but I let it bubble for 7 days and then racked it and cooked it today. Well when I was cooking it had a thermometer at the top of 2inch column and when it was coming out it was reading 162 is that to hot as the wash was prolly over 190... I would turn the heat down slightly and then it would quit droping instantly and once I turned it back up slightly it would puke and then drip for alittle and puke again. After making my first jar it was clear and I proofed it and it was sitting at 110... 2nd jar was slightly cloudy and still at 110 but then started to go down in proof from there. What do you guys suggest im slowing learning and also I relized my water source was not very cold so I forsure am looking into getting a pump and recirculating water from an area so my coil can stay cooler. Thanks guys any info would be helpful!!

[bshack618]

I also have a thumper for it but Im waiting till I get some good low wines to add to it to use on a run..

[skow69]

You seem to think that 55% ABV is low for your product. It is impossible to say without knowing the SG of the wash, but for 5 lbs of sugar in 4 gallons of water it doesn't sound bad. Your flake stand looks way too small. If you didn't change the water in it I am a little surprised that it actually condensed the whole charge. That might have something to do with the surging you described. Also make sure the worm has a continuous downward slope. Any bellies in the worm will make it surge.

[bshack618]

Yeah I just feel I should be getting 130 proof atleast and yeah i changed the water along the way but ran out of Ice so next time I need more and also gonna get a pump and cycle the water beter and thats one thing i was thinking about I checked the warm and everything looks good

[skow69]

What is your feeling based on?

[bshack618]

As the still I used before I was getting 130 and then my buddy that shares the same still he got 130 out of it.

[skow69]

Product ABV is determined by the wash. Get a hydrometer so you can tell how much alcohol you are starting with.

[rad14701]

Stop watching your thermometer...!!! You don't need one in a pot still as it will just confuse you, as you have proven to yourself already... Regulate power to attain the output rate you desire - period...!!! What you get for %ABV throughout the run is what you get and no other adjustments are going to change that...

Basic theories and fundamentals... Perhaps you should revisit some of the research here on running a pot still...

[bshack618]

Yeah Im going to do some research and figure out how to make my wash stronger and gonna look into getting a proofer also. Thanks guys!

[bshack618]

Where can I find more info on a pot still?

[bshack618]

Nvm I found it

[Bigbob]

Sounds like not enough sugar, and without checking your SG you might have distilled before it was done fermenting. Also you might have puked with unfermented sugar. What size is your pot? If it's small check my post in my signature, it will tell you how I run a small still. Good luck on the next run!

[whistlewetter]

if you don't have a hydrometer yet, get one. That will give you valuable info, too much sugar...not enough...still fermenting...done fermenting. All of which will have a direct impact on the amount, quality and final abv of your end product.

[Hound Dog]

Yeah Im going to do some research and figure out how to make my wash stronger and gonna look into getting a proofer also. Thanks guys!

Making your wash "stronger",as you say, is a piss poor way to go about making better liquor. Stressing yeast makes for poor flavoring. By "proofer", I guess you mean a hydrometer? This would be a good investment. Withot really knowing if your wash was done, the puking could have been from the unfermented sugar left. Also, molassesin wet COB tends to promote puking a bit if you are not careful.

As Rad pointed out, you can't control the temperature of the vapor in the still head by adjusting the heat from your burner. Physics does not allow for this. There is much written about this in the forum. This is a good place to start.... http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16635

[NZChris]

Double distill, or use the thumper. There are people around who reckon they can make drinkable likker with a single run without a thumper. I'm not one of them. Get a big fermenter and ferment enough for three or four stripping runs, then combine them to do a spirit run and do your cuts on that. You'll make better likker, and fill your cellar a lot quicker, than you will messing about with singles.

[FullySilenced]

If you drink it in the dark... you will never know it's a little cloudy...



happy stillin,

FS

[rnw349]

+1 fully, beauty is only a light switch away. Hahahaha