Question for the experienced distillers

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

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82Winger
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Question for the experienced distillers

Post by 82Winger »

So I just completed my first spirit run of UJSM. I ran 4 strip runs and combined them for the 12 gallon spirit. I collected about 3 gallons. The run averaged about 76% abv. When I shut my still down I was getting 60%. Should I run it more?
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frunobulax
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by frunobulax »

I would run it deep into tails and add it (Feints) in the next spirit run.
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still_stirrin
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by still_stirrin »

82Winger wrote:...I shut my still down I was getting 60%...
What did you do with the backset? You left quite a bit of alcohol in it. If you've still got it in the boiler, fire it up and run until the take off is down to 15%. Then you'll have most stripped everything out. And of course, what you're stripping out should be added to the feints, not your hearts cut.
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82Winger
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by 82Winger »

Another question. I fired up the boiler for another spirit run of the same batch. When I start, stop, and resume do I throw out fores? Or is everything good? Thanks
StillerBoy
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by StillerBoy »

Just fire her up and strip the balance of the alcohol left in the backset.. you are effectively running as if you were stripping, and then mix them with your heads which now become fients, and just add them to your next spirit run.. or better yet, run your fients with your next strip run, splitting them into equal parts of the number of strip runs..

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82Winger
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by 82Winger »

So if I understand this correctly. Each time I start it up, it is essentially a "new spirit run" rather than a continuation of where I left off. A spirit run of 12 gal. takes forever, (20 min. per quart).
seamusm53
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by seamusm53 »

While technically every run should be considered as a new spirit run the amount of heads left after running down to 60% should be very small. You primary goal at this point is to avoid wasting alcohol and usable flavor for future runs. You can still take cuts in a broad sense of the word - just smell what comes off first. If it has much of a heads smell discard it - it may not in which case save it along with the run down to 10-20% for your future feints run.
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Fiddleford
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by Fiddleford »

I would advise you to use the tails to dilute the spirit runs or you'll lose a significant amount of flavor.
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Bushman
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by Bushman »

Fiddleford wrote:I would advise you to use the tails to dilute the spirit runs or you'll lose a significant amount of flavor.
Depends on how deep into tails he collects.
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Fiddleford
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by Fiddleford »

Bushman wrote:
Fiddleford wrote:I would advise you to use the tails to dilute the spirit runs or you'll lose a significant amount of flavor.
Depends on how deep into tails he collects.
Good point, I was more thinking on not putting strong spirits in the still and using tails instead of water or backset, water dilutes flavor and backset may introduce unwanted flavors, or it may not user preference eh
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
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82Winger
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by 82Winger »

Thank you guys for answering my question. I was thinking about the flavor loss, so I wasn't sure if I would be better to wait for a full days run or several small ones. This is my 1st, I'm green, but having a lot of learning.
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Fiddleford
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Re: Question for the experienced distillers

Post by Fiddleford »

If it's your first run I'd suggest not to worrie about a quality product, you may make the best liquor out there but I would be more worried about geting familiarize with what tastes good and what tastes bad. Safety above all
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
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