Brandy: to strip or not to strip?

[Scribbler]

So my big pail of brandy is almost reading zero on the specific gravity tester. my pail is twice as big as my still, so I have two options as near as I can figure: 1) do two stripping runs and then a combined spirits run, 2) just do two spirit runs with the brandy wash I've got and then blend both spirit runs together after they have aired out.


what do you suggest? I am a little worried that doing two stripping runs might lose me too much flavour.... is this a real concern? to avoid this, I could run my strip until it goes way way way into the tails, maybe collecting a litre or so more than I normally would?

I'm a little worried that without doing two stripping runs it will be harder for me to make the appropriate cuts.....


any help would be appreciated!!!

Skoop

[Dnderhead]

Id do two stripping runs, running every thing out you can git(including heads and tails)then a spirits run you will git much more out of it
by not having to take as big of cuts. some run off in one run and comes out good but you have to take big cuts,witch is ok if doing
multiple runs as feints can be added to the next run.

[Scribbler]

thanks dnderhead... kinda what i figured, but i wanted to make sure that stripping a brandy was an established practice.

I've done ujsm since spring (2 gallons of 60% product that to my taste is quite nice) and a run of apple brandy that hasbeen stripped but not run for spirits yet....



it has been my experience that i end up not using a lot of the heads (I usually toss out the first and sometimes second 500ml jar when doing the final run... for my 2 stripping runs do you think it might be safe to skip tossing out the first 100ml on each strip if I promise to toss out at least the first 300ml on the spirit run?

skoop

[Dnderhead]

I do not take any thing out of the stripping run. I fiend it is much easier to take cuts on the spirits run, and seem to have to take less.

[Scribbler]

i suppose there aretwo things here then?

1) so long as you remember how many charges went into a given container of low wines, you would be able to know how much to remove off the top for the acetone and other poisons?

2) when doing ujsm, I found that the stuff right at the beginning had way too much bite for my liking and did not use it anyway.... I guess since I don't have the storage save any of my cuts for future use its safe to assume that all the poisons are getting tossed with the heads that I discard... (the lingo is Foreshots right? that first 60-120ml that contains the ethanol?) methanol=good, ethanol=bad? (or is it the other way around? I keep forgetting!!! oh well, its just a name the important bit is not to drink that first bit!!!)

[blanikdog]

I always do my brandy in one SLOW run. The last run I decided to try a stripping run followed by a spirit run. The wash gave me two gallons of low wines and I'll do the second run next week. It'll be interesting to see the difference.

blanik

[Dnderhead]

fore shots come off first, high in unwanted alcohols,, then heads high in unwanted flavors and some unwanted alcohols, then harts the keeper, then tales more unwanted flavors. heads and tales can be redistilled or added to next run. but fore shots must be discarded.
as a guide-- fore shots are about *3% , heads 1/3 --harts 1/3 -- tales 1/3 they do vary wash to wash and one run to the next.
some of the late heads and early tales can be included with harts, as flavor. that is where it separates the men from the boys.

* some fruit like apple should have more fore shots removed.

[HookLine]

I always do my brandy in one SLOW run. The last run I decided to try a stripping run followed by a spirit run. The wash gave me two gallons of low wines and I'll do the second run next week. It'll be interesting to see the difference.

blanik

It will. Please let us know the outcome.

[snuffy]

with a stripping run, you can use the spirit run to get a sharper cut and less heads. Brandy tends to have a lot of heads. I've used both pot stills with thumper and column VM stills. The product is the same, but with the column, there is more of it.

[goose eye]

ole boys found out a long time ago brandy is all in your wine/cider.
caint make chicken salad out of chicken litter

as far as how many time to charge it. ole boys outfit would have a hard time
getin the proof up on one charge to be concidered hearts range. 1st out about
120 proof. that would make it hearts heads an fore shoot by the numbers on apple. toss enough foreshoots an youd be into tails. thats why them ole boys aint muched worryed bout numbers for makein cuts.
xx

so im tole