3 different colors in one run

Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Calamity Jane
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:55 pm

3 different colors in one run

Post by Calamity Jane »

We just ran 5 gallons of mash consisting of old wine, apple juice concentrate, grape juice, sugar, bread yeast and water, strained through cheesecloth. Put some of it in thumper with neutral tails from previous run. Here is what we got in first 3 pint jars:
IMG_20210529_164623_629.jpg
There was a bit of copper oxide residue in copper pipe end of worm condenser that we didn't catch beforehand, so we're thinking that is cause of green tint in heads pint (the green particles settled to bottom of jar after a while). Then second pint came out clear. We then got about 4 pints of the amber color. We had some issues keeping condenser cool enough. There was a point where condenser water got pretty warm, but not hot. Could that have been the problem? Did the steam somehow scorch? The last jar of hearts and the tails came out clear, after we corrected the temp problem.
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 10441
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Saltbush Bill »

I'd say the thumper puked on the one far right.
stillanoob
Rumrunner
Posts: 740
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:15 am

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by stillanoob »

Looks pretty clear for a puke. Mine are always cloudy.
Calamity Jane
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:55 pm

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Calamity Jane »

Sorry, what does puke mean? The 5 gallon mash pot was pretty full. 2 gallon thumper was filled no more than 2 inches from bottom.
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10372
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by still_stirrin »

My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13797
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by NZChris »

I run my condenser water so hot that I can't hold my finger under the outlet. I've never noticed any problems.

Running it again will tidy it up.

If you are adding tails from a previous run, add them to the main pot unless you actually want them smeared into your new product.
Sporacle
Distiller
Posts: 1227
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2021 10:45 pm

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Sporacle »

Calamity Jane wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 4:44 pm Sorry, what does puke mean? The 5 gallon mash pot was pretty full. 2 gallon thumper was filled no more than 2 inches from bottom.
This is a stripping run from a molasses wash that puked
1622338132585.jpg
" you can pick your nose and you can pick your friends; but you can't always wipe your friends off on your saddle" sage advice from Kinky Friedman
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 10441
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Saltbush Bill »

It means to much heat was applied , the wash frothed and foamed up, it then worked its way through the system and ended up in your Jar.
Running low wines instead of single running will avoid this problem.
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13797
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by NZChris »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 5:58 pm It means to much heat was applied , the wash frothed and foamed up, it then worked its way through the system and ended up in your Jar.
Running low wines instead of single running will avoid this problem.
Jane was running a thumper, so it's a pretty rare problem. Was something in the thumper that shouldn't have been there, or was it being run far too fast? Would it still have happened if the tails had been put in the pot instead of the thumper?
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 10441
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Saltbush Bill »

NZChris wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 11:04 pm Jane was running a thumper, so it's a pretty rare problem.
Rare but possible ....a thumper isnt a slobber box,.....have a look at the ingredients of the wash ....are you saying its impossible ?
Calamity Jane wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 4:44 pm Sorry, what does puke mean?
My second answer was in relation to the above anyway.
Justinthunder
Swill Maker
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:50 am
Location: Alberta

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Justinthunder »

Was your thumper plumbed in properly? I had this issue on my first run because I had my thumper backwards.
Calamity Jane
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:55 pm

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Calamity Jane »

NZChris wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 5:29 pm I run my condenser water so hot that I can't hold my finger under the outlet. I've never noticed any problems.

Running it again will tidy it up.

If you are adding tails from a previous run, add them to the main pot unless you actually want them smeared into your new product.
We were worried because worm water (5 gallon paint bucket) was getting warm. We have another 5 gallon reservoir next to worm with pump to recirculate water, while having ice packs floating in it. There was a point where we ran out of ice packs. We're thinking worm bucket is too close to thumper, which is acting like a radiator, it gets so hot! Gonna extend distance with some extra pipe.
Calamity Jane
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:55 pm

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Calamity Jane »

Thank you for this, it confirms what happened to us. I feel we also went too hot and fast on boiler.
Calamity Jane
Novice
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:55 pm

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Calamity Jane »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Sun May 30, 2021 5:47 am
NZChris wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 11:04 pm Jane was running a thumper, so it's a pretty rare problem.
Rare but possible ....a thumper isnt a slobber box,.....have a look at the ingredients of the wash ....are you saying its impossible ?
Calamity Jane wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 4:44 pm Sorry, what does puke mean?
My second answer was in relation to the above anyway.
Now I'm thinking we might have had leftover sugars in mash, didn't put enough yeast, not enough time. It was a very sweet wash.
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 10441
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Saltbush Bill »

That was partly my thinking too......wash not fully fermented.
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13797
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by NZChris »

Calamity Jane wrote: Sun May 30, 2021 12:27 pm
NZChris wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 5:29 pm I run my condenser water so hot that I can't hold my finger under the outlet. I've never noticed any problems.

Running it again will tidy it up.

If you are adding tails from a previous run, add them to the main pot unless you actually want them smeared into your new product.
We were worried because worm water (5 gallon paint bucket) was getting warm. We have another 5 gallon reservoir next to worm with pump to recirculate water, while having ice packs floating in it. There was a point where we ran out of ice packs. We're thinking worm bucket is too close to thumper, which is acting like a radiator, it gets so hot! Gonna extend distance with some extra pipe.
Heat rises, so any condenser works better if you add cold water to the bottom and overflow the hot water from the top.
User avatar
Boozewaves
Swill Maker
Posts: 232
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 6:16 am
Location: Wales , UK , 3rd planet , milky way

Re: 3 different colors in one run

Post by Boozewaves »

Calamity Jane wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 4:44 pm Sorry, what does puke mean? The 5 gallon mash pot was pretty full. 2 gallon thumper was filled no more than 2 inches from bottom.
just wanted to add on to the other replies if your still boiler was pretty full that could be the reason for the puke , I put 85 percent of the total volume in when I do UJSSM or Shady's and its fine , any more and it will puke , different recipes can foam more as well , I have read here banana brandy foams a lot

the only other puke I got was when I turned on the hose for my condenser but it was not connected :oops:
Become a distiller : start here viewtopic.php?t=52975
Post Reply