what does a stripping run actually do ??

possum · Post by **possum** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 9:06 am

I think it was about 1995 when I saw Heaven Hill's distillery fire on TV.

That was some extrordinary shit.

I don't think Heaven Hill is great burbon,at least the lower end stuff I have consumed, but that fire was a raging inferno that lasted more than a day.

Things like that make me want to ere on the side of caution.

norcal · Post by **norcal** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 9:18 am

To each their own.

If you want that clean of spirit, why not just run it through a reflux once?

I have full faith in my still building abilities! Thank you.

I think mabey it boils down to comfort (no pun intended). If some one aint comfortable doin' somethin', I'm not going tell them to it's OK and to tell them to go try it. I work around high voltage electricity and I would not tell one of my guys to go do something they are not comfortable with even if I am myself. Same here.

You have to have respect for things that are dangerous. Don't be afraid, just seek understanding and respect for it. To say that runnin' high proof isn't dangerous in the least would be a fib. A calculated risk? Yes, but there are things you can do to minimize the risk (no leaks, proper condenser size, etc.).

I have run high proof, made me pretty nervous, I'll admit. Doesn't leave much in the boiler. I feel that I can get the same result (or better) by cutting down and with a lot less pucker factor. If I were out in the woods cookin' rather than my garage in town, it might be a difern't story. I'd feel pretty stupid tellin the fire department : it's just my still giving off those blue flames, don't worry.

This is just for me, my opinions, you guys go ahead and do it your way.

norcal · Post by **norcal** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 9:21 am

What does a strippng run do again???

I am looking back and trying to figur out how we got so far off topic.

possum · Post by **possum** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 12:15 pm

It is a preliminary concentration of the alcohol in the wash/mash that does not do any cuts, several stripping runs are combined to do a spirit run.

I think this is stated on page one of this thread norcal.

Good luck.

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 12:23 pm

I agree you should never do anything you are uncomfortable with and this post is not meant to convince anyone otherwise. I would side with tater and GP on this subject. To say that you should never put anything in a still that ignites makes no sense. If this was practiced then you should never put any wash in the still at all. I read someone in this thread said they dilute to 100 proof before redistilling. 100 proof ignites quit easily in a spoon. 100% ethanol has a flash point of around 12 C. A 20% ethanol water solution has a flash point of 41 C. 10 % ethanol water solution has a flash point of 57 C. These temperatures are all well below the temperatures we are working with. If you have a 10% abv wash and heat it to running temperature in any still it is well beyond its flashpoint. I don't see any difference in running a 10% wash as to running 50% low wines, its all dangerous. The first run I ever did I was nervous even running a 20% wash and swore I would never do a run of higher abv cause my nerves couldn't take it. Now that I am more comfortable with distilling I don't even think twice about it. I do a safety check to make sure everything is working properly before I get vapor and never worry. Again, I am not trying to convince anyone to do anything they are not comfortable with. Doing something that scares you is even more dangerous.

linw · Post by **linw** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 1:02 pm

golden pond wrote:
tater wrote:What G P said
Tater, it kind of sounds like some of these fellows don't trust their still building. No really it's no more dangerous than having a tank of gas in your car or truck, just remember safety first!!! No leaks in your gas tank, no leaks in your still.

Except we don't usually put a heater into the gas tank or light a fire underneath it!!

But, yes, we just have to be aware of the potential danger and take all precautions. For those a bit more cautious, diluting to 40% would give a higher safety margin.

knuklehead · Post by **knuklehead** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:26 pm

If you toss a lit match in a jar full of gasoline what will happen. It will smother the flame and the match will go out. If you take that same jar filled with gasoline and emptied the jar, then struck a match and dropped it into the jar it would flash instantly. I disagree that by diluting you are actually being more cautious. You may think it but it's no safer in my opinion. The vapour is what is going to ignite, not the wash. The vapour form a 20% wash will ignite just as easily as the vapour form a 60% wash. I feel terrible arguing this but if someone thinks that they are being cautious by diluting alcohol before heating it to well beyond its flash point I feel its a valid point to make that it's no safer.

ponyboy · Post by **ponyboy** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:46 pm

What knuck said.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 10:26 pm

Thanks Possum,

but I was just being facetious. I know well what a stripping run is and does.

Once again, to each their own!

You all have verrrrry valid points and I respect that. I've made a lot of hooch some good, some bad. Most I made before I found this site and forum. I havent killed any one or my self in the process, (thoe there were a few times I wish I had

) and plan to keep it that way.

I'm done with this subject. You guys knuck your self out.

norcal · Post by **norcal** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 10:32 pm

Dawgoneit, that was me. I got signed out again.

Watershed · Post by **Watershed** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 5:47 am

norcal wrote:To each their own.

If you want that clean of spirit, why not just run it through a reflux once?

because I don't have a reflux still nor the resources to build one and since I don't do many neutral runs it's not woth putting the effort in.