First run!!! and a lot of doubts

[mndvtn2020]

Hi!!!!!! This is my first post here and I want to share my experiencie. First of all, I´m from Argentina and I speak spanish, so, appologies in advance for any gramatical mistake! lol

Last year a bought a 30 litre pot still

I want to make a spirit made of cider (AKA: Calvados in France, Applejack -I think- in USA), so, I bought a lot os apples and made a 6,55% ABV homemade cider.

The result was 19 litres of cider. After that I started the firts Run.

I collected aproximatedly 1,95 LTs of spirits, I separated them in

300 ml 64% abv
150 ml
300 ml 55%
300 ml 53%
300 ml 50%
300 ml 45%
300 ml 39%

Just for precaution, I don't have the equipment to analyze the fractions to saparate them in the next run.

I wonder if it's ok to collect that quantity of spirit from 19litre of 6,55% abv cider.

Any advice is appreciated in advance!!!!

[rubberduck71]

MND, I may be doing the same! Please keep us updated on your progress/results. I have a dual-keg system in my garage fridge for hard, carbonated ciders, but am very eager to distill a batch.

What kind of yeast are you using? I've found that Nottingham Ale returns a nice flavor, but after a recent trip to wine country in upstate New York, there was a delicious cider made with Belgian Saison yeast. I found some online and will be trying that soon.

Also, check link below, or just google "calvados + homedistiller" and you'll see a few discussion threads already exist that will help you.

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=20971

[mndvtn2020]

Thanks for the link!!!!!! The main idea wasn't make a drinkable cider, so I used a proportion of 2/1 Granny Smith and Red Delicious. The yeast used was

SAFCIDER from Fermentis Lab (made in France)

[bluefish_dist]

I would aim for a minimum of 10 lots and probably more. That means 150-200ml per fraction. Makes it easier to do cuts. Once you get a few runs done, you can use larger containers in the hearts.

[SaltyStaves]

If its a first pass through the pot still and you intend to do a spirit run, then it seems like a very conservative take to me.

From my notes, I had a 6.7% ABV Cider and collected (minus the foreshot) 2.7L @ 34%ABV from a 17L strip.

Nice pot still BTW. Though I'm not a fan of what looks like an EPDM gasket.

[mndvtn2020]

I would aim for a minimum of 10 lots and probably more. That means 150-200ml per fraction. Makes it easier to do cuts. Once you get a few runs done, you can use larger containers in the hearts.

Thanks! The main Idea was to send to analyze in a lab the samples, so I can determinate how much methil do I have in first place and then with the experience make differents cuts, the problem is that in my country, the goverment Institute of wine and alcohol (INV) demands a minimum of 200ml per sample... I don't want to send that amount! lol

If its a first pass through the pot still and you intend to do a spirit run, then it seems like a very conservative take to me.

From my notes, I had a 6.7% ABV Cider and collected (minus the foreshot) 2.7L @ 34%ABV from a 17L strip.

Nice pot still BTW. Though I'm not a fan of what looks like an EPDM gasket.

How much foreshot did you throw away? adn, btw, I think that an "EPDM gasket" is the stainless stell part of the pot still, isn't it? there was a big difference between 100% cooper still and 50-50 in the final price

[SaltyStaves]

How much foreshot did you throw away?

Not much and I didn't throw it away. It was recycled back into my 'Sugardos' which I made with all the leftovers from the Calvados. Then it was discarded with the foreshot take from that run.

I think that an "EPDM gasket" is the stainless stell part of the pot still, isn't it? there was a big difference between 100% cooper still and 50-50 in the final price

How is the copper dome and the top of the stainless steel pot sealed?

[_Merlin_]

Your output is dangerously close to your open flame heat source.

[mndvtn2020]

Thanks! I'll try to change it for the next time, but this is the only place where I can distill