Copper on distillate?

[sober_ruski]

Hi.
From my last run i noticed some odd floating in the tails. Looked brown and heavy.

I strained, dried, burned pieces of filter paper, and once in a while got a green tinge. There was also a brown sticky substance left.

My wash had brown sugar in it if that matters.

"Tails" came out at about 30 abv in the stripping run.

I bought a test kit (because autism) and seeing between 2-5 ppm in this run, as well as my previous stripling run control.

I checked some gin i made a white ago and that has about 2ppm.

Checked my tap water and it shows 0.

My still (t500) copper torpedo inside was very dirty.... it looked silver. Took me many vinegar rinses to even see copper again.

What ya all think?

Previous run was ok to drink... im still alive haha

I used some amazon heavy metals test kit.

Pics attaches
Water from tap.
1st batch thats been sitting and looks clean.
Control with left over double distilled gin ive been drinking from 2 years ago.
2 of the jars with floaties.

Maybe test strips false positive in ethanol?

Anyone tried to measure it before?

Oh. I also treid to test for copper oxide by adding hydrogen peroxide to a small sample and there was no reaction.

[OlympicMtDoo]

I don't know anything about your test strips sober but it sounds to me like you have a cleaning issue. Use some citric acid and you can even mix in a little hydrogen peroxide with it with some water, use this to clean your copper. Soaking it in this solution is best, doesn't take long a few minutes should do it. Just clean the holly shit out of everything, keeping all you stuff clean is very important in this hobby for both safety and quality. Clean everything and use approved materials and you'll be fine. Good luck OMD

[sober_ruski]

Thanks.
Im having a hard time soaking my t500. No matter how much i tape it off it leaks haha.

Im wondering if i can still use this batch. Is there expected copper leeching into the spirit from regular process?

Up to 2ppm is apparently acceptable in drinking water.

My next run is supposed to be combining the 2 batches and running it in full reflux mode slow and steady.

For all i know i just ran my brownish wash too fast and too long and pulled stuff up. Indicator i taped to the lid was in 90C range (covered in towels to stay hot).

[MooseMan]

Is it possible that you've got copper acetate in the still from vinegar cleaning that has not been rinsed enough?

[OlympicMtDoo]

If you run it again in reflux you should be able to leave any unwanted material in the boiler.

[Salt Must Flow]

"Tails" came out at about 30 abv in the stripping run.

Unrelated to your issue, when I strip, I usually find that my total collected Low Wines is approx 40% ABV when product is exiting at approx 10% ABV from the spout. My point is, if you stopped your stripping run while it was exiting at 30% ABV, you likely left a good bit of product in your boiler.

[greggn]

What ya all think?

I think you're just seeing oils coming over in the tails. Do they soak up into a paper towel ?

[shadylane]

Im wondering if i can still use this batch. Is there expected copper leeching into the spirit from regular process?

If it makes you feel better.
Copper leaching is probably inevitable.
If possible, use a brush and water to clean the inside of the condenser.

[sober_ruski]

What ya all think?

I think you're just seeing oils coming over in the tails. Do they soak up into a paper towel ?

Yes. When i filtered it out, dried, and burned the paper towel it left sticky residue.

[sober_ruski]

"Tails" came out at about 30 abv in the stripping run.

Unrelated to your issue, when I strip, I usually find that my total collected Low Wines is approx 40% ABV when product is exiting at approx 10% ABV from the spout. My point is, if you stopped your stripping run while it was exiting at 30% ABV, you likely left a good bit of product in your boiler.

I hope not.
It started to feel and smell very .... not good. Figured there was no point collecting stuff i was going to toss anyways later.

[sober_ruski]

Is it possible that you've got copper acetate in the still from vinegar cleaning that has not been rinsed enough?

I didnt see any floaties on the first batch i did in .... last november haha... (life is busy)

I do get some faint light blue floaties sometimes and i usually toss those batches.

[Salt Must Flow]

"Tails" came out at about 30 abv in the stripping run.

Unrelated to your issue, when I strip, I usually find that my total collected Low Wines is approx 40% ABV when product is exiting at approx 10% ABV from the spout. My point is, if you stopped your stripping run while it was exiting at 30% ABV, you likely left a good bit of product in your boiler.

I hope not.
It started to feel and smell very .... not good. Figured there was no point collecting stuff i was going to toss anyways later.

I'm talking about a stripping run. No one drinks anything from a stripping run. Low Wines aren't nice. The end product is later produced with the Spirit Run.