Spirit run fore shots?

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realtree71
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Spirit run fore shots?

Post by realtree71 »

I’m running 5 gallon spirit run mixing with 5 gallon water. Each stripping run I collected & dumped fore shots.

Is it necessary to collect 1st 500ml again or are they all gone from the stripping runs?
Last edited by realtree71 on Sat Jun 10, 2023 9:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Spirit run fire shots?

Post by realtree71 »

Fore Shots. Sorry
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Re: Spirit run fire shots?

Post by Wildcats »

This topic had been discussed here in HD a lot. The search function is your best friend. Have fun and stay safe.
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Re: Spirit run fire shots?

Post by realtree71 »

I’ve searched for about an hour before I posted was hoping for a simple yes collect and dump fore shots again or nope your hood.

Thank you for your help
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Re: Spirit run fire shots?

Post by zed255 »

In short there will always be incomplete separation so I say to collect a foreshot on the spirit run. Alternatively you can lump them with early heads since you won't be drinking then anyhow. At least I hope not.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by realtree71 »

Thanks zed. That’s what I’m doing. It’s coming off now.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by LordL »

realtree71 wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 8:59 am I’m running 5 gallon spirit run mixing with 5 gallon water. Each stripping run I collected & dumped fore shots.

Is it necessary to collect 1st 500ml again or are they all gone from the stripping runs?
To remove half a liter on each 5gal strip sounds terrifyingly much!

If you must, remove half a dl on the strip and maybe 1-2dl on the spirit. The point being that you will not collect it as hearts anyways. The heads after fores can be saved with tails and chugged into your next spirit run. Rinse, repeat forever. Just taste your way forward to the hearts and don't blend in too much of the feints, they will be re-run anyways. :)
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by zed255 »

Yes, 500ml as a foreshot is quite a bit. I find the character of fores is gone at about 100ml from a 50l boiler charge and I'm into much better heads. I remove any concentrated fores and will recycle pot distilled heads. Reflux heads are always used as cleaner or fire starter. For me, I usually end up with 500-600ml of true foreshots from a full 210l ferment after both stripping and spirit runs.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by jonnys_spirit »

I always end up taking a low and slow foreshot fraction on strip and spirit runs that gets added into my "solvent jugs" for other uses. The first few jars do - foreshots and early heads are typically not what I'm interested in drinking but I do smell and taste them.

I'd ask you to fraction it into numbered jars and taste it. If it adds a desirable quality to your hearts blend the use it. If not then don't use it. For all of your spirit run fractions.

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Re: Spirit run fire shots?

Post by Twisted Brick »

realtree71 wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 9:06 am
I’ve searched for about an hour before I posted was hoping for a simple yes collect and dump fore shots again or nope your hood.
Here is a recent (5 days old) post that may help answer your question.

viewtopic.php?t=90341

Check out the threads on how to conduct a Forum search. Using the tips that members have shared will certainly shorten your search times and relieve the Forum from previously questions repeatedly asked and answered.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by still_stirrin »

realtree71 wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 8:59 am I’m running 5 gallon spirit run mixing with 5 gallon water. Each stripping run I collected & dumped fore shots…
Do I understand correctly: you diluted the 5 gallons of low wines with 5 gallons of water? If so, why would you do that? Did you learn that from Youtube or the “Moonshiners” TV show? Either way, it is not the advice you’d get here.

We recommend stripping until the collection is 25-30%ABV, not a reading from the spout, but the overall average of the collection. In other words, when stripping collect into a single (large) vessel. And as far as taking fores from the strip, I’d suggest you can skip it.

On the spirit run, collect in properly sized jars so you have 20-25 jars. Then you can decide what are foreshots or heads (& 7 tails) from your collection.

Don’t plan for a specific volume of fores now or later. Use your senses to tell you what to keep and what to discard.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by Saltbush Bill »

realtree71 wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 8:59 am Is it necessary to collect 1st 500ml again or are they all gone from the stripping runs?
still_stirrin wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 3:13 pm Don’t plan for a specific volume of fores now or later. Use your senses to tell you what to keep and what to discard.
I think SS has the right approach , personaly I start any run Strip or spirit of slow n steady, don't go by Volume , let you nose be the judge of what is fores.
Yes learning to do that takes a little practice and time but the sooner you start the learning the sooner you will get it ........rely on volumes and you never will.
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Re: Spirit run fire shots?

Post by Wildcats »

Twisted Brick wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 1:28 pm
realtree71 wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 9:06 am
I’ve searched for about an hour before I posted was hoping for a simple yes collect and dump fore shots again or nope your hood.
Here is a recent (5 days old) post that may help answer your question.

viewtopic.php?t=90341

Check out the threads on how to conduct a Forum search. Using the tips that members have shared will certainly shorten your search times and relieve the Forum from previously questions repeatedly asked and answered.
Exactly what I was saying. Plus 100
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by realtree71 »

still_stirrin wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 3:13 pm
realtree71 wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2023 8:59 am I’m running 5 gallon spirit run mixing with 5 gallon water. Each stripping run I collected & dumped fore shots…
Do I understand correctly: you diluted the 5 gallons of low wines with 5 gallons of water? If so, why would you do that? Did you learn that from Youtube or the “Moonshiners” TV show? Either way, it is not the advice you’d get here.

We recommend stripping until the collection is 25-30%ABV, not a reading from the spout, but the overall average of the collection. In other words, when stripping collect into a single (large) vessel. And as far as taking fores from the strip, I’d suggest you can skip it.

On the spirit run, collect in properly sized jars so you have 20-25 jars. Then you can decide what are foreshots or heads (& 7 tails) from your collection.

Don’t plan for a specific volume of fores now or later. Use your senses to tell you what to keep and what to discard.
ss


I put 5 gallons of about 135-145 Proof into 5 gallon good water. The 5 gallon of 135-145 were reruns of 10gal beer batches about 3 different runs. The wash is crack corn and sugar. The still is a 16gal 3” column with 4 copper mesh stages and 1 ceramic bead filter.

After the first initial run any product was put back into the subsiquent next runs until I’ve collect the 5 gallon of product.

So I did a slow run with the 145proof in the with 5 gal clean water. The result was 6 - 2500ml at over 165 and 2 - 2500ml at about 125-140.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by Saltbush Bill »

realtree71 wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2023 10:47 am The still is a 16gal 3” column with 4 copper mesh stages and 1 ceramic bead filter.
Ok , now I'm confused, " 4 copper mesh stages and one ceramic bead filter are both terminolgies that I've never seen before.
What is a stage ? And what is a ceramic bead filter?
Some photos might help.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by Wildcats »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2023 1:27 pm
realtree71 wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2023 10:47 am The still is a 16gal 3” column with 4 copper mesh stages and 1 ceramic bead filter.
Ok , now I'm confused, " 4 copper mesh stages and one ceramic bead filter are both terminolgies that I've never seen before.
What is a stage ? And what is a ceramic bead filter?
Some photos might help.
Rite.... I thought the same thing. Wth?
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by Twisted Brick »

Ok, I think I understand (a little) of what you have going on. Correct me if this is way off.

You 'made' a wash of cracked corn and sugar. Did you convert (properly mash) the corn or combine sugar with cracked corn and ferment it all?

You stripped batch 1 of the fermented corn wash, then added the low wines to batch 2 for stripping, then repeated this process until you had five gallons. You removed 500ml of fores from each of these stripping runs. That's a lot of 'fores' removal.

After diluting your 5gal of 135-145pf 'liquor' with 5gal of water, you conducted a 'spirit' run through a 3" riser with a layer of ceramic beads and 4 layers of copper mesh (order of layering unknown). By chance did you employ a reflux condenser on top of your packed 'riser' during the spirit run?

To answer your original question, it is advisable to remove fores from any spirit run, but 200ml for a batch your size is appropriate.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by lest1 »

using a 100l boiler i take at least 1ltr of " feints" with stripping or final run

its very over the top but why not theres nothing there you want to keep

but if others have advice id be keen to here
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

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Twisted Brick wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2023 3:22 pm Ok, I think I understand (a little) of what you have going on. Correct me if this is way off.

You 'made' a wash of cracked corn and sugar. Did you convert (properly mash) the corn or combine sugar with cracked corn and ferment it all?

You stripped batch 1 of the fermented corn wash, then added the low wines to batch 2 for stripping, then repeated this process until you had five gallons. You removed 500ml of fores from each of these stripping runs. That's a lot of 'fores' removal.

After diluting your 5gal of 135-145pf 'liquor' with 5gal of water, you conducted a 'spirit' run through a 3" riser with a layer of ceramic beads and 4 layers of copper mesh (order of layering unknown). By chance did you employ a reflux condenser on top of your packed 'riser' during the spirit run?

To answer your original question, it is advisable to remove fores from any spirit run, but 200ml for a batch your size is appropriate.
This is what I was picking up as well.
Given the proof he was referring to after several "stripping" runs (which is closer to an extremely loosely defined 1.5 run) with the ABVs he's talking about, it sounds like there isn't a RC in his system. Unless it's just not set up or run properly, which is more likely.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by Twisted Brick »

bcook608 wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:47 am
This is what I was picking up as well.
Given the proof he was referring to after several "stripping" runs (which is closer to an extremely loosely defined 1.5 run) with the ABVs he's talking about, it sounds like there isn't a RC in his system. Unless it's just not set up or run properly, which is more likely.
Thanks. It took a bit to decipher, emphasizing the importance of proper terminology. The other approaches that need 'debunking' are really bad practices, wherever they came from. Diluting 5gal of low wines with 5gal of water and the removal of 500ml of fores must have been picked up somewhere unreliable and clarified.
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Re: Spirit run fore shots?

Post by bcook608 »

Twisted Brick wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 9:08 am
bcook608 wrote: Tue Jun 20, 2023 5:47 am
This is what I was picking up as well.
Given the proof he was referring to after several "stripping" runs (which is closer to an extremely loosely defined 1.5 run) with the ABVs he's talking about, it sounds like there isn't a RC in his system. Unless it's just not set up or run properly, which is more likely.
Thanks. It took a bit to decipher, emphasizing the importance of proper terminology. The other approaches that need 'debunking' are really bad practices, wherever they came from. Diluting 5gal of low wines with 5gal of water and the removal of 500ml of fores must have been picked up somewhere unreliable and clarified.
Yeah, I'd be willing to be "The Tube" is responsible for that one.
Good luck with your endeavors Realtree
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