Proofing & Diluting Containers and temps

[muckyfingers]

Hi All,

This is my first post after saying hello so go easy/ flame on!

I have a question that I wonder you could help me out with.

But first, my equpiment: T500 boiler/ copper reflux, jars for making cuts, and some glass demijohns for diluting.
What I'm making is gin (Odin's recipe)

I've been recently practising making cuts/ dilluting down with a TPW wash, and as my yield of 90-93% is always about 2- 2.5Litre (Approx half gallon) I use a 4.5Litre (1 Gallon) Glass demijohn to dilute down to 42% - I always try for 42% simply to get my consistency in

After trying different methods of this (IE water to spirit, sprit to water, each liquid at different temps) just to get an understanding of how thinks affect the process.

My question is what do the other members use to hold the volume when diluting larger volumes (IE 25Litre/ 5 Gallon)?
I would like to do a larger batch, but simply have nothing thats not plastic that could hold this amount (unless I add back to the T500 boiler, then dilute)

Also, when diluting my ambient temp is alwasy around 15-17 degrees celcius (59f), but the spirit hydrometer is calibrated to 20 degrees c, so do people heat the water with fermenter heat mats or something.

My biggest hurdle so far has been getting consistent with the ABV%
(Cutting is still a beast of its own!)

Many thanks in advance

[still_stirrin]

If you're "anal" about your tempered proof, then get "anal" about the temperature as well. Specific gravity (proof on a P&T) can be temperature corrected. Or, you can put your collected spirit in a temperature controlled environment and stabilize it before proofing. Your choice.

And as far as tempering volumes larger than your demijon, why not temper it a "little at a time"? I keep my spirits high until I bottle them, keeping them at cask strength...which also is aging strength. I temper to drinking strength as needed when bottling. Using a graduated cylinder, I always measure both spirit and RO water. It keeps me confident of the serving strength with the accuracy that allows me to sleep at night.
ss

[muckyfingers]

Hi SS,

thanks for the point in the right direction, I will now work on temperature correction as I have zero experience with it.
Usually just a spray and pray method!!

As silly as this sounds- with all my focus on Making cuts, keeping the alcohol a "pencil lead" stream etc, I've totally overlooked keeping my spirits high to use as/when needed!


thanks for your reply, I really appreciate the input.

[BDF]

If you're worried about temperature correction you could always use a refractometer to proof instead:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018LSMI34/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

As long as you allow the glass slide a few seconds to acclimate to the same temp as the drops of spirit you put on them it has a large and accurate temp range. Only limitation is that the tool is only good up to 80%. I run a pot still myself so I never get that high of % in the first place, and even when being careful have had my share of broken glass beakers. If you're diluting down to 42% however, you might find it useful.

[dieselduo]

there ya go BDF. I have been using one similar for years and vary rarely have to recalibrate

[muckyfingers]

Thanks guys, I will look into the refractometer now!
Thanks
Rob

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[NZChris]

There is a calculator on the parent site.
http://homedistiller.org/calcs/husker_temp_convert.php