? about proof

[sadie33]

I start by writing up a method for whatever it is I'm making before I buy the first ingredient. This is what I do now. I made my first mash before I found this site and made a few mistakes. It was VERY challenging going forward with that (my sweet feed mash). Then my husband is like-hey, let's throw this gross cordial into the still, which started this crazy journey. Both I must say have been informative and I learned a lot.

As I do the research, I edit my notes, constantly massaging them into a workable plan, including noting any reasoning so that I don't forget any of the logic needed for success. During the runs, cuts, aging and sampling, I edit my notes. Those notes eventually become my guide for making that particular product. I actually keep really good notes and I have been doing this all along (even on my mistake mashes and this crazy cordial adventure.

Doing research includes making sure that the provider of the advice that you are reading knows their stuff and that you understand what they are saying. When you first join a forum, you don't know anyone. You can see they have made a ton of posts, but don't know if the advice they give is good or not.
By reading through all the threads here, you get to know a little bit about the giver of the advice, but it takes a bit to know who you want to totally listen to, who might have a good point every now and then and who to NOT listen to. Though honestly I think most everyone here (regulars) know their stuff, they just have different opinions and the same thing can be done differently. Which makes everything a bit harder for the newbie like me.

[jonnys_spirit]

I collected 11 cups of low wines. Boy does this stuff taste GOOD! I wasn't sure what to expect. My husband really likes it too.

I have 3 jars jars filled.
8 cups collected down to 40%
1.5 cups collected down to 30%
1.5 cups collected down to 20%

some said to collect to 30% some said 20% so I did both and can figure it out tomorrow. I will let them air for now.
fruit cordial low wines.JPG

Your average ABV if you blend all of this should be 11 cups @ ~36%. If you continued to strip to about 25-30% you'll end up with more volume of low wines, you'll capture that extra bit of flavor, and your spirit run hearts cut will be a bit lower so you will either be adding less water to proof it down to barrel strength or perhaps no water addition..

Using 36% low wines isn't wrong in any case neither is 26% or 40%. I'd just move on to the next ferment/strip and continue to experiment I find the whole process fairly forgiving..

If you're making a neutral it might make sense to strip to average 40-50%abv and dilute with water to 35-40%abv for the spirit run to use the water to "wash" the low wines since it;s a neutral... The reasoning being that water will hold back some flavors in the backset and the last part of a strip is more tails which you probably don't want anyway....

Just guidelines anyway to manipulate the process but keeping your boiler charge 40% or under is also a safety point.

Cheers!
-j

[sadie33]

I collected 11 cups of low wines. Boy does this stuff taste GOOD! I wasn't sure what to expect. My husband really likes it too.

I have 3 jars jars filled.
8 cups collected down to 40%
1.5 cups collected down to 30%
1.5 cups collected down to 20%

some said to collect to 30% some said 20% so I did both and can figure it out tomorrow. I will let them air for now.
fruit cordial low wines.JPG

Your average ABV if you blend all of this should be 11 cups @ ~36%. If you continued to strip to about 25-30% you'll end up with more volume of low wines, you'll capture that extra bit of flavor, and your spirit run hearts cut will be a bit lower so you will either be adding less water to proof it down to barrel strength or perhaps no water addition..I think this is what I want to do. I am going to strip lower. thanks

Using 36% low wines isn't wrong in any case neither is 26% or 40%. I'd just move on to the next ferment/strip and continue to experiment I find the whole process fairly forgiving..

If you're making a neutral it might make sense to strip to average 40-50%abv and dilute with water to 35-40%abv for the spirit run to use the water to "wash" the low wines since it;s a neutral... The reasoning being that water will hold back some flavors in the backset and the last part of a strip is more tails which you probably don't want anyway....

Just guidelines anyway to manipulate the process but keeping your boiler charge 40% or under is also a safety point.

Cheers!
-j

[sadie33]

when I put all my low wines in my ss bucket, I had 55%. When I gave those % above, it was 40% at the spout, 30% at the spout, 20% at the spout.

Now I am going to strip it to 25% in the receiver.

After this I am sticking with TRIED AND TRUE recipes. (though this wasn't a recipe, it was a - why don't we do this?)

this is the last of my crazy ways before joining this site. Can't wait to have it all behind me.

[still_stirrin]

… Now I am going to strip it to 25% in the receiver …

BINGO! That’s the way to do a stripping run … into your collection vessel. Pulling a foreshots is considered “optional” as well.

With low wines at 25 to 30%ABV, you’ll get a hearts cut at a proper cask strength to “age on wood”, be-it in glass or in a barrel.
ss

[sadie33]

… Now I am going to strip it to 25% in the receiver …

BINGO! That’s the way to do a stripping run … into your collection vessel. Pulling a foreshots is considered “optional” as well.

With low wines at 25 to 30%ABV, you’ll get a hearts cut at a proper cask strength to “age on wood”, be-it in glass or in a barrel.
ss

thanks, it takes me a bit, but I can get there.

[jonnys_spirit]

this is the last of my crazy ways before joining this site. Can't wait to have it all behind me.

Just to be clear - stripping to 35% certainly isn't wrong by any stretch of the imagination and neither is stripping to 25%..

Good luck in any case!

Cheers,
j

[sadie33]

this is the last of my crazy ways before joining this site. Can't wait to have it all behind me.

Just to be clear - stripping to 35% certainly isn't wrong by any stretch of the imagination and neither is stripping to 25%..

Good luck in any case!

Cheers,
j

thanks

[sadie33]

I made all my cuts tonight on this crazy cordial...it was sooooo worth doing! I let the jars air out for 2 days this time. I took my time, starting in the middle and working my way to the tails then the heads. This was only my 2nd time doing cuts. Toward the last jar it smelled like dirty socks, but tasted sweet and smooth, and just a hint of sock...but I liked it. I had my husband taste it and he liked it. I didn't throw it in the batch right away, I held it off, but did end up putting it in and the whole thing tastes so good! I made up some peach ice tea and put a shot of this in and it was delicious! This will be so nice on a hot summer night...if it makes it that far.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

[sadie33]

I don't know why my picture is sideways...oh well.

[NZChris]

Congratulations on a job well done.

I add to my sample by alternately adding from each end, a trick I came across on this forum years ago. I don't know how much difference it makes and if the final selection would be different, but it works for me.

[sadie33]

Congratulations on a job well done.

I add to my sample by alternately adding from each end, a trick I came across on this forum years ago. I don't know how much difference it makes and if the final selection would be different, but it works for me.

thanks. I did read that too, but for some reason with my first cuts I started at jar #1 and was going to go straight through, until you and someone else suggested I start in the middle and work out. so I switched to that. this time I dove right in the middle and worked my way out. It does work better.

[Deplorable]

If you're adding pictures from your phone, take the picture first, edit it on your phone and save the file. Then add the photo from your gallery and it will be properly oriented. At least, that's how I have to do it.
When ever I try to add a photo from my camera directly into the post, it will turn it sideways.

[zed255]

Note on smartphone cameras:
They record orientation information with the photo. Try taking pictures with the phone oriented 'sideways' with the side keys on top, to give a traditional aspect ratio and see how they upload.

[sadie33]

I don't have a smart phone, guess I'm not smart enough

I use a real camera (I'm old school even though I'm not old)

thanks though. I try not to take pictures that way for that reason.