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This is my first post here, so hello to everyone.

If anyone is interested, I have made a couple of Excel spreadsheet calculators for corn whiskey spirit runs. They are based on actual spirit runs from Ian Smiley's book "Making Pure Corn Whiskey".

I'm hoping the attachments will upload OK.

Ahh..no it won't let me upload xlxs. documents! How can I post them?

convert them to jpeg

No problem with jpeg, but they need to be Excel worksheets, if you want to use them.

If anyone wants to try them, I suppose I could email them. I've attached a snapshot of the one with feints, there is another without feints.

Thanks, but there's so many variables in this process, still types, mash and ferment quality, and differences of opinion on flavor components that I dont see how a chart is very helpful at all. I suggest forgetting about verbatim rote dictate, collect in small jars, and do your cuts by what you nose and taste buds tell you. Even if you use the same equipment, process and recipe, your outcome will be completely different if your ferment temp is 5 degrees higher the next time. Change a yeast and forget everything. Different corn or barley source or strain, forget it. You get the idea.

xls files can be zipped and uploaded... And as an alternative to jpeg's you can also upload PDF's...

OK Rad, thanks for that. I just thought it might be handy for a novice with a fractionating/reflux still, especially if he/she has the Pure Corn Whiskey book.

Hope this works, I've attached a couple of zip files.

Ahh, sent two the same, this is the other one.

HI John
Very nice spread sheets (I down loaded them both). I run a pot still so it will be interesting to see how my different spirit runs compare.

It might be interesting to make the percent alcohol in the report section variable so that it is not locked at 95%. That way the predicted volume of fore shots,heads, tails, etc could vary with the observed ABV at collection.

Perhaps with very little effort these could be the basis for an electronic notebook/logbook. Then a comparison could be made from run to run to see just how consistent an individuals results are.

Thanks
FD

So let me get this straight.

You are relying on an Excel spread sheet to tell you where to make your cuts?

How does the speed sheet know what tastes and smells good? How does it compensate for different recipes and or different fermenting conditions? Different yeasts? How does it compensate for different stills and their drivers?

I'm cornfused?

Not sure if meant you me but....

Personally No,
I would never let an excel sheet tell me where to make any cuts. To do so would be a major mistake In my opinion. Certainly taste and smell and experience would dictate where cuts should be made. I would simply be curious to see how my results would vary from Smileys predictions and more importantly how consistent my results are (for a given recipe, fermentation conditions, still type and run conditions) from one run to the next. That's why I keep a written notebook now. I just thought a digital notebook would be nice. Recording and comparing notes from different runs helps predict how things might turn out in the future.

Sorry hope that clarifys it

No it was towards the op who provided it.

I agree that I based on multiple variables I would not base my cuts on predetermined targets however I can see the utility of something like this for newbies trying to determine what might be expected of a run.

The only reason I provided this, was to make life easy for novices using Smiley's book to make corn whiskey. If you stick to it, you are probably unlikely to produce s**t, but you will learn a lot, and then be confident about making your own cuts. It is not meant as a hard and fast method.

Having spent the last week or so soaking up information on here, I can see the faults in using a spreadsheet to govern the cuts on a spirit run. I still think it may be a good aid for a novice though.

I've nearly finished my 'Boka", just waiting for a couple of bits for the condenser to arrive. After the spirit cleaning run, I will do a corn whiskey mash, but will keep the cuts in a series of smaller jars (except foreshots), and will chuck/blend afterwards.

The condenser I'm making is the same as I had on my old still, and it worked exceptionally well. It consisted of a water jacket formed around the outside of the top of the column, and large diameter cold finger inside the top of the column, the two are piped in series, and fed from a water reservoir, pump and cooling system. I found it easier to make than a coil condenser in a 42mm column. I originally found the info for this type of condenser years ago on the web, but can't find it now, and it doesn't appear to be on here either. I'll have a go at doing a drawing of it.

Nice spread sheet needs lots added to it and shows newbies like me roughly wat when to look for