Distill

[boudreaux]

Recently I had a batch that I was not sure had fermented correctly so I set it up and left the pot open and started the fire, Got the rest of the still up but didn’t assemble it. I measured the temp of the wash at 70C, 80C, 85C and 89C. At this point I figured I had a dry batch. But it came to a boil. I fired up a blowtorch and put it in the pot, it flamed up a blue flame.

I knew the wash had something. I assembled the Still. I got a liter out but no smell. I later redistill the stuff I had saved. I let the still open until the liquid came to a boil; I did not set this on fire. Again the wash came out without a smell.

I have been reading this site for 6 months and I have seen no mention of this, A lot about activated carbon but nothing about leaving the minor gas boiling off before starting your run.

Would someone try this and tell me how this compares to what you have been doing. I would like to find out how this compares to activated carbon.

Also this compares to the time frame I changed from bakers Yeast to EC-1118 I have to make a proving run the cool weather is here so I still need help.

[pothead]

If you have been reading for 6 months, do you mind me asking what it was you were reading? was it a porn mag?
you know all that steam that was coming off the liquid in your "open" pot before it started boiling? Well, my friend...THAT WAS THE ALCOHOL.

when you pour your mash into the still.....you are supposed to assemble it. THEN turn on the heat, and cooling water.

Forget the carbon....you need to learn how to distill before you can treat a spirit. READ!!! don't just say you are reading...actually try it.

Recently I had a batch that I was not sure had fermented correctly so I set it up and left the pot open and started the fire, Got the rest of the still up but didn’t assemble it. I measured the temp of the wash at 70C, 80C, 85C and 89C. At this point I figured I had a dry batch. But it came to a boil. I fired up a blowtorch and put it in the pot, it flamed up a blue flame.

I knew the wash had something. I assembled the Still. I got a liter out but no smell. I later redistill the stuff I had saved. I let the still open until the liquid came to a boil; I did not set this on fire. Again the wash came out without a smell.

I have been reading this site for 6 months and I have seen no mention of this, A lot about activated carbon but nothing about leaving the minor gas boiling off before starting your run.

Would someone try this and tell me how this compares to what you have been doing. I would like to find out how this compares to activated carbon.

Also this compares to the time frame I changed from bakers Yeast to EC-1118 I have to make a proving run the cool weather is here so I still need help.

[boudreaux]

Pot head, I have read” http://homedistiller.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow “ not a porn mag. When a bottle is opened alcohol begins to evaporate, I understand that, I thought it would not be a very good idea to distill if there was no alcohol in the mix as I say above I brought it to a boil within seconds I lit it. Mostly heads I would believe but it ignited. Then I set up the still and took off the alcohol.

If your still lends it to this action leave it open till after a boil starts then shut down see if what you get is not better. By the way no need for fire if you think you have alcohol.

[trippvc]

WTF? let me get this right,...you weren't sure if your mash had fermented so you put it in a still w/o lid, brought to a boil then lit it on fire? just to see if it had alcohol? where may i ask have you read this process on this site? if you wondered if your mash had alcohol why not dip finger in it or use alcohometer? i've reread your post a few times trying to figure out whether your english isn't so good or you are a very young person,..haven't come to a conclusion yet. r

[Bujapat]

Boudreaux,
When heating your wash without lid, you loose the spirit that evaporates before the T° reaches 89°C (ethanol boils at 78°C).

Do you have a densimeter?
If you have one, read the SG before fermentation AND after. The difference will tell you if you've alcohol (and howmuch) in the wash... Then, distill it (with a lid and condenser), you'll get spirit, sure!

[boudreaux]

“When heating your wash without lid, you loose the spirit that evaporates before the T° reaches 89°C (ethanol boils at 78°C).”

That is the way I figure it. I loose whatever boils at a lower point then ethanol. Probably some ethanol also but as I said as soon as the boil started I stopped it and assembled the still so little was lost. But what I noted is all the bad smell was not in batch. Also smell left s batch of re distilled spirit that smelled.

Now the mash I did was made with EC1118 and maybe would not have had a smell, The other stuff I had was Bakers yeast.

trippvc
I just figured if no alcohol I would just abort the distill. BY the way I hope everyone understands I was outside.

[Rocky_Creek]

Put a teaspoon full on your tunge breath in slowly, if there is alcohol there you will know it. Othewise try smelling it. At least you haven't burned the house down, yet.