what next?

[Rambo Nuggets]

Help me,

Have just put down a All Bran wash(12-14%ABV) which is fermenting away nicely at the moment.
Pot still is still under construction and should be finished by the time the wash is finished.
Once distilling is complete what do I do after I cut it to 40%?

Air it?

Flavor it with charred oak chips or store brought essence?

Age it?

Leave as is?

Looking to make Bourbon......
Help please.....

[Tater]

For a bourbon like taste yall have to char it

[rednose]

What about drinking it?

That's it made for or not?

Joe

[Rambo Nuggets]

plan too......


Being a first timer I'm not sure what to expect straight off the still ????

[rad14701]

If you've made enough, and we never do, try sitting a little aside for posterity as something to reference back to once you get really good at the process...

You can either drink the spirits as-is, "on the white", or age with charred oak to make it more like store bought...

[rednose]

Yep, if you tossed the methanol part depending on your quantity of your distilled mash and made other proper cuts I would call it save to drink after you brought it to 40ABV.

I made some proves this week to color the spirit and the fast way is with caramel, but just a few.

plan too......


Being a first timer I'm not sure what to expect straight off the still ????

[carl1078lewis]

I've had best luck, as a noob not sure what heads or tails might taste or smell like, by collecting all output from the still into regularly measured samples, numbering those samples so I know the order they came off the still in, then letting those samples 'rest' for 24 hours uncovered. As I don't have a leibig condenser on my still, depending on the temp I run the boiler at, the distillate can be warm or hot, and I've found it's hard to gauge the smell or taste 'in real time' with those conditions. One accidental whiff of hot heads and your sniffer is messed up for a little while, nothing else will taste or smell right so you can't be sure. If you have a leibig, you can drop the temp of the distillate coming off better than I and this may not be a problem. I run about 16 liters / 4 gallons at a time, and I make my collections in 200ml samples, usually get 9 - 11 samples from a run of 10% ABV sugar wash, and I usually keep samples 4-8 as hearts (about 1 liter total), the rest is feints. As I've run the still several times now, I'm getting more comfortable and going back to smelling/tasting things as they come off the still, and have been able to find the cut-off points lately, but it's taken some time to get good enough to know what to look for/taste for, and I still keep collection in small samples and blending the next day to be 100% sure.

[Dnderhead]

not hard ,,,just cut with water,, and sample,, then go from there, doing experiments with small amounts. trying to achieve the flavor you want.
wood for whiskey, fruit for brandy/cordials or spices and herbs or in combination. flavoring/aging and experimenting with flavoring is as much of this hobby as distilling. this can be both frustrating and rewording.
these are some of the choices .let your taste buds be the guide.