Parrot for Pot Still

[Andrew_90]

I built myself a Parrot which I had planned on using with my spirit runs. Having done two spirit runs so far, I am unsure as to the necessity of a parrot for this purpose so school me.

So I can see with a stripping run how it could be convenient as it would give you a measure as to where to cut off the to total run.

There are articles on Parrots and how they “smear” the distillate in the parrot which does not lead to a definite cut off in the fractions. None of these articles are really conclusive in their findings as to the degree of “smear” and whether the “smear is actually material to the collection of fractions.
So given the fact that I am planning on taking fractions of circa 500ml on as spirit run of 25 litres of low wines at 40%, I am wondering just how useful a parrot is in this application.

I am of the opinion that even as an inexperienced distiller, that a parrot will add no value to the process of producing fractions.

[Bryan1]

I built myself a Parrot which I had planned on using with my spirit runs. Having done two spirit runs so far, I am unsure as to the necessity of a parrot for this purpose so school me.

Stand alone parrots are good when doing spirit runs, just use a 50ml measuring and 50ml beakers so each cut can be taken

So I can see with a stripping run how it could be convenient as it would give you a measure as to where to cut off the to total run.

There are articles on Parrots and how they “smear” the distillate in the parrot which does not lead to a definite cut off in the fractions. None of these articles are really conclusive in their findings as to the degree of “smear” and whether the “smear is actually material to the collection of fractions.
So given the fact that I am planning on taking fractions of circa 500ml on as spirit run of 25 litres of low wines at 40%, I am wondering just how useful a parrot is in this application.

A parrot on a bubbler is the norm and the good ones have a drain at the base of the parrot where the fores and the heads run thru the drain, when the hearts start a small portion of it flush's the lines so theissue of smearing is a myth if it's done correctly.

I am of the opinion that even as an inexperienced distiller, that a parrot will add no value to the process of producing fractions.

Time to research and learn to use a parrot corretly

[NZChris]

Sorry, but I can't school you on how to use a parrot for any kind of pot still run unless you want to go commercial and want to run the still automated, or with unskilled staff, making repetitive products, in which case, you would be better off using an inline refractometer.

[Saltbush Bill]

I am unsure as to the necessity of a parrot for this purpose so school me.

I think you have already come to the correct conclusion, they are ok if you need some bling hanging off the end of your still....otherwise completely unnecessary.
There was a time when hardly anyone bothered with them, they seem to become common with the rise of the plated column from memory. Maybe cause they look cool hanging from the end of a shotgun PC.
For what its worth I own 2 free standing ones......use one once in a blue moon on a strip run even then its just out of curiosity, can strip just as good without it.

[Demy]

I believe it can be useful in various situations and useless in others. You will decide the cuts of a spirit run but for example the parrot could be useful to understand when to finish a stripping. I use it for example to cut high alcohol spirits by filling it with the diluted product (I make small quantities of distillate).

[freebase]

I always use a parrot.
Never thought of 'bling', or bothered about what anyone else thinks.

I use it primarily to correlate ABV to head temp to what the distillate smells and tastes like.
At a certain temp, and ABV, there can be a sweet spot.
Match flavour profile to mash bill to temp to ABV and you may end up getting something worthwhile.

I would guess that if you are doing the same wash over and over again, then maybe a parrot would become unnecessary.
You may never look at it.

However, i find it useful.
1) You can see on a strip run what your initial distillate comes out at.
Not always the same, and will vary mash to mash depending on mash bill.
2) It (further) cools the distillate, so a hydrometer reading/refractometer is more accurate
3) The hydrometer stays where it is protected, rather than rolling around the bench
4) It is further copper contact, which can't hurt
5) You can tell the temp of the distillate from the parrot body
6) You can easily see when entering tails and just keep collecting until its just water...

Only my opinion.

[jonnys_spirit]

A parrot with a 100ml volume will smear 500ml fractions in the 20% range if not fully emptied for each fraction if you want a metric. I purchased an SS parrot with my still and made a copper one and don’t use either anymore. I do use a thermometer at the top of the pot still riser to estimate ABV and measure/mark each fraction with an appropriate hydrometer. Plenty of time during a spirit run to stay attentive and take measurements and notes as you see fit. I don’t see a reason to introduce any additional smearing.

Cheers,
-jonny

[v-child]

You came to the same conclusion I did. Small multiple samples checked with a hydrometer, nose and taste. My parrot is a really nice conversation starter in the shop.

[still_stirrin]

A parrot is useful for measuring the progress of a run, be-it a fast stripping run or a slow spirit run. I don’t believe you can (effectively) use one for making cuts, however. But, the depth the hydrometer sinks into the parrot will indicate production through the run and (visually) show you when you’re nearing the end as the hydrometer floats higher and higher.

Personally, I don’t have a parrot (never needed one) because I measure and record the “average %ABV” of each jar, after all, each jar holds the integration of the differential measurements a parrot would measure....the sum of a collection of small samples. And when blending, you’re averaging even larger collections of samples any way.
ss

[zed255]

I'd say don't bother with the parrot. I built one, tested it and decided not to use it after all. I grab a few drops with a glass eye dropper / pipette off the stills spout at any point I'm curious about and use my spirit refractometer to read it. It's fast, easy, minuscule sample size, temperature corrected and causes no concern over smearing.

[Deplorable]

Like some others, I use mine for stripping only. Otherwise it sits on the fireplace mantle in my living room as a curiosity.

[Windswept]

I use mine to determine the stop for stripping runs, and I use it in Spirit runs to let me know when I'm getting close to the tails. After a bunch of similar distillations (think UJSSM), I know to start collecting into jars when it hits 55% abv, and I can be pretty sure that I'll stop collecting my final product when it hits about 44%, but that's the result of a lot of data collection and comparison. So, I had to run it with a parrot in order to be able to run it with a parrot. I can do it the other way, but now, with the proper dataset, I can do it this way too and don't need to switch jars for the middle part of my run. Does it smear? Yes. Does it smear a meaningful amount? Not in my case.

[NZChris]

So, I had to run it with a parrot in order to be able to run it with a parrot.

If you are making the same product over and over, you can use the abv from a parrot or process refractometer, or a temperature in the boiler, gooseneck, whatever, but those numbers are only useful for you and your ferments and stills, not for anyone who asks for your help.

I strip to collect my desired low wines abv for the spirit run. That can only be done by watching the abv of the total low wines collection, not from watching anything else.

Once the first strip is done, the abv at a parrot, the temperature of the charge, the temperature at the top of the gooseneck, can all be used to shut down the still and get close enough to the abv of the first strip that any error doesn't matter and that is what I do.

But.... the numbers that work for me in my shed, might not be the best for you in your shed, in your climate, for your product, etc..

[NineInchNails]

Parrots are ok for convenience IF you can sample then drain them quickly. I have one, but never really use it. I just collect a sample in a small jar, pour it into my tall vial and see what the spirit hydrometer reads. I imagine parrots that are convenient when attached to the take-off of a still and have a valve to drain them quickly and easily close the valve for sampling. I have no hate for parrots. Whatever you prefer and whatever is convenient for you, I'm all for it.

[acfixer69]

I think it's good for a pot and plate stills. It's not a where to cut or a true ABV tracker but it does track changes and in the early runs was very helpful. I may have missed the opportunity to look at changes that were happening when just changing jars. Was fun too. Must have no.

[Setsumi]

i run a flute/plater. i collect small, decide on cuts with taste and then test the collection with an alc hydrometer to proof down. a parrot seems just a novel way to break an alc meter. but i never ran with a parrot and never will.

[Andrew_90]

Have just checked the volume of my parrot, it is 220ml. So far I have been collecting in 375ml jars but filling to 350ml. So at any one point in time 63% of one jar has "smeared" product. This may well explain why I battled to figure out the difference between fractions.

By my reasoning the smaller the fraction the more impact the parrot will have, so taking 1l fractions the effect of the "smear" in my case drops to 22% etc.

For the foreseeable future I plan on taking 500ml fractions and will not be using the parrot. I believe this will present me with a better chance of identifying the difference between fractions.

I will however use the parrot on stripping runs to indicate the "when to stop" point.

[NZChris]

Be careful that you don't shut down too early or late, because you've been watching abv at the parrot instead of aiming for a desirable abv for the low wines.

[Andrew_90]

I have been shutting down when the hydrometer in the parrot reaches 20% ABV. I see some run down to 10%. There is absolutely no reason for the 20% it was an arbitrary number derived from lack of experience. I think my next run will go to 10%.

I did notice that cutting off at 20% my low wines come out slightly above 40% so will require dilution. However was thinking if I cut off at 10% ABV I may not need to dilute making the process a little easier.

[NZChris]

I haven't got a clue what my abv is at the spout when I shut down for the various products I make. It's not important so I haven't measured it for years.

[v-child]

By the time I get to 20%, the output seems pretty swampy.

[jonnys_spirit]

Temp at the top of the riser and I strip unitil the output is close to zero % ABV or close to 212*F at the top of the riser. This reliably provides low wines that don't need to be diluted with water in the 35-40%ABV range depending on the mash. I may start stripping a bit further to get the total low wine ABV a little lower.

The low wines do end up pretty manky which I can appreciate.

Cheers!
-jonny