My first...run.

[Power_Man]

Started a sugar wash three weeks ago just because sugar washes seemed easiest for my first couple batches.

So after it finished fermenting and clearing i did the first stil cleaning run. quite surprised in how it turned out.

My new alcometer was broken when i took it out of the pack, so i don't know if i ran all the way through, but i got about 6 x 300ml of "booze" and then shut it down.

Picked up a new alcometer yesterday and tested what i got and it ranged from 50%-40%, but what i found odd, is that it would all light on fire. I thought for it to burn it needed to be higher proof.

Now i just need to find an easy recipe to make corn whiskey.

I have two more 4 gal pails of sugar wash I'm going to run this weekend. i will run it a lot slower maybe?

edited the amount i collected

[Danespirit]

How big is that potstill Power man?
Alcohol only needs to be around 50% to burn.
That's why it's recommend that people dillute their alcohol before making a spiritrun, to around 40% vol.

[Power_Man]

How big is that potstill Power man?
Alcohol only needs to be around 50% to burn.
That's why it's recommend that people dillute their alcohol before making a spiritrun, to around 40% vol.

Its a standard 15.5 gal Keg

is it needed to dilute it down if its not an open flame potstil?

[Danespirit]

That 300 Ml seems way to low for a 15,5 keg still.
300 Ml should be the foreshots and a part of heads, not even starting to draw of hearts.
I would expect rather 3 L or more from a run like that still. It seems to me something very strange is going on there.
Maybe you could provide us with some datas about your wash?
It doesn't matter if there is a open flame or not, standard procedure is always to dillute to 40 % vol or even lower.
There are two good reasons to do so:
1 by dilluting you are absolutly sure not to boil a flammable liquid, thus beeing on the safe side.
2 If you dillute and redistill that way, you will end up with a cleaner product.
Also it gives you the possibility to test taste the product at normal drinking strenght, thereby you will decide if it suits your taste or if you will run it again.

Edit: Please take a look at the link in my signature "kickstart for newbees". It's well written and provides you with all basic information.
Oh..almost forgot..a picture of your still would be very helpfull.

[still_stirrin]

You only got 300ml from a 5 gallon run? 300 ml is your foreshots. The rest of the run is still in the boiler. How long did you run it (to collect 300ml)?
ss

[Power_Man]

That 300 Ml seems way to low for a 15,5 keg still.
300 Ml should be the foreshots and a part of heads, not even starting to draw of hearts.
I would expect rather 3 L or more from a run like that still. It seems to me something very strange is going on there. im sorry guys, 300 ml was wrong. i collected 6 x 300ml. i used old clear glass whiskey bottles. and filled them half way each.

Maybe you could provide us with some datas about your wash? my wash was basically Wineos Plain Ol Sugar Wash with out the gypsum.

It doesn't matter if there is a open flame or not, standard procedure is always to dillute to 40 % vol or even lower.
There are two good reasons to do so:
1 by dilluting you are absolutly sure not to boil a flammable liquid, thus beeing on the safe side.
2 If you dillute and redistill that way, you will end up with a cleaner product.
Also it gives you the possibility to test taste the product at normal drinking strenght, thereby you will decide if it suits your taste or if you will run it again. Okay, good to know. Thank you!

Edit: Please take a look at the link in my signature "kickstart for newbees". It's well written and provides you with all basic information.
Oh..almost forgot..a picture of your still would be very helpfull.


I have read it a few times. i have done a lot of reading, and still continue to read and learn every day. my brain can only comprehend so much before it says it needs to do it, to fully understand it. thats kinda why i started simple with a sugar was. also not having a alcometer i couldn't tell if i was still getting ethanol or not out of stil.

i ran the still for about 45 min at 3/4 throttle. i don't have a picture of it right now.

[bellybuster]

no need to get all bold and underliney........ The guys just want to help you out

[Power_Man]

no need to get all bold and underliney........ The guys just want to help you out

i went bold and underline, because i was replying in his quote so he knew my responses to his question. the bottom one i though i was still in his quote.

Ill edit it so it doesn't look at "rude".

[bellybuster]

all good

collect in smaller increments, for a 5 gallon charge I'd be going 200ml or less. I do 250ml for a 12 gallon charge. yes its allot of jars but sure does make cuts easier and more defined. Once you run the same recipe a few times the hearts jars can be bigger with smaller on either side.

You can use the run calculator on the parent page to give you a ball park estimate on how much of what you should be getting out of a run.

[rad14701]

I have read it a few times. i have done a lot of reading, and still continue to read and learn every day. my brain can only comprehend so much before it says it needs to do it, to fully understand it. thats kinda why i started simple with a sugar was. also not having a alcometer i couldn't tell if i was still getting ethanol or not out of stil.

That right there is part of your problem... We constantly have members stating that they can only read so much, have reading comprehension issues, etc., etc., when the truth is they are just to impatient to do enough research into the theories and fundamentals... There's no excuse for not slowing down and doing the research... What if your dentist or heart surgeon had excuses for not knowing what he or she was doing before going to work on you or a family member...??? Interesting how an alternate perspective brings reality to light, eh...???

[Power_Man]

I have read it a few times. i have done a lot of reading, and still continue to read and learn every day. my brain can only comprehend so much before it says it needs to do it, to fully understand it. thats kinda why i started simple with a sugar was. also not having a alcometer i couldn't tell if i was still getting ethanol or not out of stil.

That right there is part of your problem... We constantly have members stating that they can only read so much, have reading comprehension issues, etc., etc., when the truth is they are just to impatient to do enough research into the theories and fundamentals... There's no excuse for not slowing down and doing the research... What if your dentist or heart surgeon had excuses for not knowing what he or she was doing before going to work on you or a family member...??? Interesting how an alternate perspective brings reality to light, eh...???

On the flip side of that coin, do schools not do internships, so they have hands on experience?
You don't know exactly how much or how long i have been reading.

some one with "book" smarts doesn't come close to someone with street skills. when i hire someone, i will take someone with 2 years experience hands on, and no school training over some one who has been in school for 20 years.

yeah, when i first got the idea to make booze, i was excited and bought all the stuff for a still, only to come on here and read that everyone says slow down. and that's what i did. my first http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 27&t=52572 post was 4 months ago.


Interesting how an alternate perspective brings reality to light, eh...???

all good

collect in smaller increments, for a 5 gallon charge I'd be going 200ml or less. I do 250ml for a 12 gallon charge. yes its allot of jars but sure does make cuts easier and more defined. Once you run the same recipe a few times the hearts jars can be bigger with smaller on either side.

You can use the run calculator on the parent page to give you a ball park estimate on how much of what you should be getting out of a run.

Okay, i will go buy a couple cases of small canning jars. Thanks for the tips.

[bellybuster]

getting your panties in a knot ain't gonna help you here, folks don't go back in time to see your first post.

Just relax and take in what folks say, if you don't like what they have to say ignore it. Easy

details are important in posts when looking for help. The more the better. 300ml is a long ways off from 6X300ml hence the replies. Most everyone here is here for 2 reasons... to further their own craft and to help others do the same.

[Power_Man]

getting your panties in a knot ain't gonna help you here, folks don't go back in time to see your first post.

Just relax and take in what folks say, if you don't like what they have to say ignore it. Easy

details are important in posts when looking for help. The more the better. 300ml is a long ways off from 6X300ml hence the replies. Most everyone here is here for 2 reasons... to further their own craft and to help others do the same.

Panties in a knot? not really. but i take offense when someone basically calls me lazy/impatient for thinking i haven't read or done the work needed when they don't know me or what i have done. it take 3 clicks to go back and see when someone first joined, you don't have to go back in time to see when the first joined though. its under my screen name.

I have been taken in what most say, you have been helpful except for thinking I'm raging behind my keyboard.

i apologize for my misleading details. my brain types faster than my fingers and don't always type what i want.