How fast to run 2nd run

Enlikil · Post by **Enlikil** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:34 am

I have a reflux still, I stripped off my last 3, 5 gallons washes.
Very fast... the final result is 5 gallons of 80% abv.

I equlized my column for 1.5 hours. at 173 degrees
Pulling foreshots off right now at 100 ml an hour or so.

Going to toss out 300 mls of those then crank it up for the heads.
My question...
How fast do any of you run your second run?

I stripped successfully at 5000 ml's an hour

My normal reflux run in one pass runs i usualy get about 600 ml an hour at 95%>.... Can i run faster since i striped it first?
Thanks

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:09 am

For sure if you were pulling 95% @600ml /hr with a wash, you can pull off your stripped wash at least that fast. It's been a while since i've used my reflux still...but I think I was pulling about a litre in 40 minutes with no problem (with a stripped wash). Play with it, gradually increase your pulloff and keep checking your av%, if it starts dropping cut it back a little.

Enlikil · Post by **Enlikil** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 12:15 pm

OK... So, Would 3000 liters an hour be to fast?
Now that the Foreshots are gone and im' into the heads now about 200 mls

basicly now that i'm doing a rectifying run after a stripping run, DO i just wanna run at a good abv?

Also, if i'm cutting it down to 40% abv, is pulling off at 80% ABV ok? i think i can do 80% abv at 2500 ml's an hour....

what do ya think?
right now i'm at 1800 an hour and its far less smelly then my last run when i ran at 500 ml an hour for 20 hours. and i'm still in the heads..
Strippin runs rock

Enlikil · Post by **Enlikil** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 1:01 pm

Pulling off 95% abv at 3000 ML an hour... second run through my reflux.
Smells better then my last run that i did at 500 an hour.

I slowed it down to 100 ML an hour and get the same smell.. but its getting less and less now that the heads are past..

I'm guessing by running it so fast i'm giving up a little bit of purity.....But the time saved is Oh my god..

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 1:30 pm

95% is as good as it gets...if you can pull it off at 3 litres per hour go for it. The only reason to reflux slow is to achieve 95%. And your right strip runs do rock and save a whole lot of time. Sounds like you go a good still, I can't pull it off of mine that fast and get 95%.

Sounds like you got a good handle on things now..just don't be greedy with the tails cut...remember you can throw all heads and tails in your next run, or save em up till you got 10 gallons or so and then run em through the reflux again.

Good luck to ya!

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 5:08 pm

3 liters an hour is pretty fast, but I can see it... I run a little slower. Doing multiple stripping runs and then one combined spirit run seems to me to get the best yield and efficiency.

Enlikil · Post by **Enlikil** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 5:20 pm

OK.... Well, I learned Some very kool things today.
1) I can honestly say that I know the differnce between HEADS and TAILS
(which i didn't notice before with justa reflux run of turbos)(stripping gave me the experiance).

2) I could not maintain 3k per hour. I settled to about 1 800 ml mason jar every 22 minutes. I want to say almost 2300 Ml per hour. of 95%

3) I was able to get 1 gallon of Pure No smell, no tasting 95% ABV From my Run.

4) and a lot of heads hehehe.

Now, I have some questions that i'm certian someone here has incounted before.
Now that i know that smell of heads, Why did it last so long Is it becuase it had many runs of heads (3 liters worth) from previous runs in it?
or is it becuase i only let my column Equilze for 1.5 hours upon reaching 172 F.?
OR do turbo's have a linger Smell to them that smells simular to heads?
I really dont know what else it could be (perhaps becuase i didn't let my washes ferment out all the way?
Or even possibly all of the above.

ANyhow, I Really enjoyed the speed of the stripping run at 80-85% at Easily over 5,000 an hour.

and really enjoyed having a much shorter run, with better puritiy then my last runs.....

Anyhow.. I am thinking I am ready for a pot still, and Uncle Jesse's Sour mash made easy LOL hehehe

Thanks everyone..

markx · Post by **markx** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:50 pm

1.5 hours is a surely more than enough to equalize any hobby column. I let mine stabilize for about 30min and that does the job.
The smelly part will last longer if you add the heads of perviuos runs.....they have to come off somehow

But IMO there's no point in adding the previous heads to the next run because they tend to come off in the same state as they went in when mixed with the next run and you gain practically nothing. Instead of that collect the heads of several runs and give them a private run trough the reflux.....no tails or anything else added, just the heads. That way you can reclaim a serious amount of pure alcohol. Depending on circumstances you can get 2/3 of the heads as drinkable alcohol.

Enlikil · Post by **Enlikil** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:14 am

Ahhh.
that makes sense.. ya know all the heads (that i called them) pretty much came out just like they were + the new runs heads.
I can't tell the turbo smell from the heads smell .LOL