Home Distiller

I was watching that dirty jobs show the other day and they had him cleaning some shit in some micro-ditillery some where. Any how when the guy was distilling he did an eye ball test. Had different samples of the product coming out at different stages or production into the glasses. At which point he put his eyeball up to the glass, if it watered (or stung??) there was still methanol (or heads) coming out. If it did not water (or sting??) then he has into the hearts....Is this for real?? I always thought it was methanol that damaged the optic nerve if subjected to heavy doses... Seems like he asking for trouble by doing this, is it safe to do...does it really work???

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... e#p6883772

Hope this helps.

From my experience: yes it works. I don't use this method to make cuts, but did use it to helpe me decide if any heads got over in my first products. Now I only use it to judge other drinks. Store bought or home made fruit brandy from Hungary.

Odin.

Yes it works(did it an hour ago, in fact, as I do on all my runs now). But once again, I caution that you don't want the alcohol touching your eye! Just fill a shot glass 1/4 full, tilt your head forward, and bring the glass to your eye(level, so that the alcohol never comes up and into your eye!) for a good seal. The fumes will rise up and if you don't feel a sting within a couple seconds, you're good to go. If you're still in the heads, your eye will sting just about instantly. In the transition from heads to hearts, it may take a few seconds to feel the sting, and this is where you can learn to use this new found sense to fine tune what to toss and what to keep, per your personal tastes. For whiskeys, I like a 4-6 second "sting-free" period, but with rum, I don't want any sting. I like my whiskey with a bit of bite(but not much), but love my rum sweet and smooth....

+1 Barney Five!

This is an interesting concept, I've read about it but never really gave it much thought, I've always relied on my taste buds. Gonna have to give this a try.

Big R

OK, I forgot to do it the last time this topic came up but I am just now into the foreshot of a BW so I will give it a try. BF if this gives me a headache I will probably never forgive YOU!

Thanks for the link kenfyoozed, believe it or not i did do a search....Never realize how many times the word eye and ball (keep you eye on the ball) come up on this site....Gave up after 10 minutes...

I have sensitive eyes when it comes to smoke and smoking but I did this in my heads and did not notice a change maybe I did not get a good seal from the shot class but kept it on for about 20 seconds.

Swirling it around in the glass before "eye testing" it helps!

Odin wrote:Swirling it around in the glass before "eye testing" it helps!

Thanks, didn't try that and I am well into my hearts now!

You only need a little likker. Swirl it to create as much an area for evaporation as you can. What I do, is bring my eye to the glass (a Dutch gin glass is perfect - small opening), put the glass in your fist, looking with my eye downward thru thumb & index. Blowing in the glass (under the tumb) sends out the newly evaporated gasses directly to the eye. You feel the sting directly, if heads are present.

Sorry I didn't catch you sooner in your run!

Odin.

t might also be very possible that some of us are more sensitive to the vapors than others. For myself, my left eye will feel a slight sting that my right eye will not, in the late transition. So, it's very possible that smokers, or painters, or folks working in auto body shops or other places that have a lot of strong fumes every day are so accustomed to vapors that the eyes are no longer very sensitive.

But for some of us, this is a great tool. I can't always trust my nose due to sinus issues, and my sense of taste comes and goes with the sinuses. So now my eyes guide me! It's worth a try for everyone; if it works and you get the hang of it, great, if you don't, just keep doing what you were doing...

Normally my eyes are very sensitive to smoke, onions, etc. I like Odins suggestion and on my next batch I will try swirling it as well, will also alternate eyes to see if that makes a difference. However my taste, smell and touch method seems to work well for me.

Did a spirit run with some rum Low Wines today and gave it a try. Funny, found out my right eye is much more sensitive than my left. I used a cordial glass, it fit very nicely over my eye.

Big R

Works for me, too.
Found that I discard a bit more product (heads) than I did before, but I've gotta say, it works! And I always try both eyes before cutting to hearts, because one eye seems to be more sensitive than the other.

I did see this episode of Dirty Jobs and was wondering the same thing...

I must admit I did my own test at home with a commercial vodka and a bottle of metho :p

Looking at the material safety data sheet for ethanol, it appears that it is harmful to your eyes also in vapour form and the tearing and stinging that is experienced is the beginning of a reaction which can cause corneal injury.

Here's a link to the MSDS:
http://avogadro.chem.iastate.edu/MSDS/methanol.htm

Notice this part...:s

Potential Health Effects
Eye: Produces irritation, characterized by a burning sensation, redness, tearing, inflammation, and possible corneal injury. May cause painful sensitization to light

Obviously the method works, but I don't know if i'd like to be using it long term :S ...may as well be going blind on the ol' moonshine

Ehm ... I think you should do this like a few times per run only. No bad health expected when used in moderation. Nice to see this topic picking up speed.

Now ... what other senses or techniques could play a role in distinguising heads ...

Stay focused Odin, stay focused!

The eye ball test specifically senses the presence of aldehydes (i.e. formaldehyde and acetaldehyde). The presence of aldehydes, even at very low concentrations, will be an irritant to the body's mucous membranes. The eyes' nerves are especially sensitive and will tear rather quickly with low concentration of aldehydes.

I was thinking of modifying my parrot somehow to be able to do ad hoc eye ball testing, but I'm fearful of the hydrometer popping up and poking my eye out!

Wow! To see this thread back alive! Just re-reading it. Big R: I have the same: one eye is more sensitive than the other!

Odin.

MountainWilliam Bill wrote:The eye ball test specifically senses the presence of aldehydes (i.e. formaldehyde and acetaldehyde). The presence of aldehydes, even at very low concentrations, will be an irritant to the body's mucous membranes. The eyes' nerves are especially sensitive and will tear rather quickly with low concentration of aldehydes.

I was thinking of modifying my parrot somehow to be able to do ad hoc eye ball testing, but I'm fearful of the hydrometer popping up and poking my eye out!

That's an interesting idea bill...I think it would work if you put a small tube coming out the side of the parrot, with a cup on top (to put your eye on)...as long as the top of that was higher than your parrot overflow. The only issue being that you would be holding more liquid in your parrot, and more chance of smearing your cuts a little.

Just tried this on my first ever attempt at blending. I would just like you say that you guys are awesome. I tried a middle jar, sure to be hearts, and no burn. Worked my way towards the heads and holy moly! It was night and day. Very helpful for someone who hasn't tasted the difference before. Thanks guys!

MonkeyRumKing wrote: ↑Wed Dec 14, 2022 8:21 pm Just tried this on my first ever attempt at blending. I would just like you say that you guys are awesome. I tried a middle jar, sure to be hearts, and no burn. Worked my way towards the heads and holy moly! It was night and day. Very helpful for someone who hasn't tasted the difference before. Thanks guys!

ya, if you don't have any fruit flys handy, it's the next best way.

yup, if it pokes you in the eye, that means there's a straw in your drink

squigglefunk wrote: ↑Fri Dec 16, 2022 6:57 am yup, if it pokes you in the eye, that means there's a straw in your drink

Lol!

This seems like something worth trying. For those who have tried this, does this test find the same cut point as your smell or taste method, or is it perhaps a leading or trailing indicator of your standard cut point? Does it find your white cut or barrel cut point, or can you find them both with varying degrees of pain? Otis

Im testing this out on an all feints run where im having a harder time telling the heads cut by taste and smell. So far have found my left eye is more sensitive...

OtisT wrote: ↑Fri Dec 16, 2022 11:53 am This seems like something worth trying. For those who have tried this, does this test find the same cut point as your smell or taste method, or is it perhaps a leading or trailing indicator of your standard cut point? Does it find your white cut or barrel cut point, or can you find them both with varying degrees of pain? Otis

I find that as my run through heads progresses the eye sting will take longer and eventually mostly disappear. Coming off the still I can use it to cut to gathering hearts in bulk should I plan to do that (ie don’t want to do flavor blending). To me this is a good white cut and I’m comfortable recommending that.

For the barrel I have been going a little wider and will usually include a jar or even 2 higher after airing as the sting goes away a good bit and I usually like the flavors in those jars for my barrel cut. I have only been doing this recently (4 months) so hard to say it’s the right thing at this point, but I’m liking the progress I’m seeing in tasting so far.

Edit: I’ve used this test on sugar washes, Panela rum, and HBB while learning the recipes doing numerous batches, starting with keeping all jars, tasting them and learning what I liked to keep in the middle for white. The eye test aligns with that heads cut very closely off the still for me on these recipes. I would recommend the taste test though first to confirm that’s where you want your flavor cut point as brandy was a bit different.

D

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