Grappa cuts

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
hawkwing
Swill Maker
Posts: 230
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:57 am

Grappa cuts

Post by hawkwing »

I started a run of grappa. I have several more suns to make. First time distilling since spring. :D

I made wine from grapes and used the pressed skins to make a second wine with sugar.

Now that I’m running it I was wondering if I should collect down to low ABV like 5% like I do for bourbon?

Also when I go to do the spirit run my understanding is that the flavor is more in the heads unlike bourbon?
zach
Swill Maker
Posts: 387
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 8:42 am

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by zach »

When I'm making a pomace brandy, I usually end the stripping run between 10 and 20%.

I don't cut much from the front end. I had a 5 gallon charge at 40 % on my last spirit run and I believe I cut out 400 ml of foreshots and heads. If the ferment has been well cared for , I'll dilute the spirit run with some fresh wine/pomace mix.

The tails cut last batch was at 50% by taste. I prefer white, but I'll go a little deeper if it's going to be on wood. I save the feints for a future brandy.
User avatar
jonnys_spirit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3630
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 7:58 am
Location: The Milky Way

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by jonnys_spirit »

I haven't done a grappa head for a while but have a good amount of pomace, feints, a few wine kits, and sugar to put approximately 45 gallon batch together for strip / spirit. I'm going to save some pomace and macerate either low wines or white cut for an additional distillation.

Probably include late heads and minimal tails in the cut but we'll see.

I like the grappa white, oaked, and for further macerations like rakki/etc.. Expecting probably 2.5-3 gallons after cuts depending on how it all goes..

Cheers!
-j
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13062
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by NZChris »

If I want lots of flavor, I put the heads and tails from the brandy run into the still for the strips.

For light flavor, I stop the strips while the low wines collection is 30-40%, for lots of flavor, 24-27%.

I choose the hearts by making up prospective blends for sampling, starting with a sample of the combined most odorless middle jars, then adding to it from the jars at either end until I identify the jars that are one too far.
User avatar
Demy
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3084
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2020 1:45 pm

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by Demy »

My Grappa is 100% grape marc, no sugar, the steam passes through the skins and extracts aromas and the little alcohol ... this is the first phase .... the second step is redistill, the cuts were very careful otherwise the taste Is bad, tight cuts. Perhaps the members who make "large" cuts use sugar and this dilutes the flavor.
hawkwing
Swill Maker
Posts: 230
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:57 am

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by hawkwing »

I didn’t know if I had enough to get much from just the pressings. Also I don’t have a steam still just a copper alembic. So I thought I’d try the second wine. I erred on the side of not trying to press the ABV too high and diluting the flavor too much.
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13062
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by NZChris »

It's useful stuff. I use it for gin, Absinthe, Ouzo and anything else that can benefit from some grape flavor, but doesn't need the intensity of a brandy or true Grappa.
User avatar
Demy
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3084
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2020 1:45 pm

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by Demy »

hawkwing wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 1:47 pm I didn’t know if I had enough to get much from just the pressings. Also I don’t have a steam still just a copper alembic. So I thought I’d try the second wine. I erred on the side of not trying to press the ABV too high and diluting the flavor too much.
Don't get me wrong, what you did is not wrong, I just described my procedure ... Incidentally, real grappa is made 100% from marc, here in Italy there is a regulation on this. Before building my little steam jacket, I mixed the marc with water .. then I changed the method: inside the boiler I inserted a basket to separate the solid part from the water and it worked well. Finally I built the vapor jacket. Any method is good as long as you have fun and get something good.
hawkwing
Swill Maker
Posts: 230
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:57 am

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by hawkwing »

I’d like to make real grappa. But this shouldn’t be too bad. I got about 40 gallons of the stuff. I got 600 lbs of various grapes this year to make wine. My still is 20 L / 5 US gallons. I did one run and got about a third of a carboy going down to 5%.

I am converting my electric mash kettle into a stripping distiller. It’s a Grainfather S40. I think it’s capacity is in the 46 L range. I’m hoping I can use the grain basket and distill on grain. Just waiting for a bulkhead 2” tri clover fitting. Will hole saw a hole for it. I figure I could plug the pump inlet and then isolate the silicone hoses too. Not sure if it would be bad if the pump was dry while heating or not. I was going to use that for just grain but it’s all stainless so shouldn’t take on flavors.
hawkwing
Swill Maker
Posts: 230
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:57 am

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by hawkwing »

So far so good. Just starting my fourth batch and last of the first 20 gallon fermenter. The third run was too thick and burn a bit on the bottom. So I added a little water to the final run to thin it enough so that it shouldn’t burn. The first two runs were thin enough.

There is definitely some flavor coming through. I’m looking forward to the spirit run. I probably will have two full 23 L / 6 gallon carboys or a little more of low wines.

Maybe next year I’ll press less and try making true grappa.
hawkwing
Swill Maker
Posts: 230
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:57 am

Re: Grappa cuts

Post by hawkwing »

Well that didn’t work. Burnt the shit out of it and was nasty smelling. Glad I collected to another container. What a pain to clean.
Post Reply