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My wash is ready, but my alembic is not.
So as a tie over i got myself a column still with a 50L beer keg.
Can i do a brandy run on this by running it fast? I'm looking for a post cut of 60%
It will get oak chips at 60%, then diluted after 3 months.

What kind of column still? Plated , Packed ? Either of those you could run in pot still mode, just empty the water from the reflux condenser and let it run.

corene1 wrote:What kind of column still? Plated , Packed ? Either of those you could run in pot still mode, just empty the water from the reflux condenser and let it run.

It is packed with copper mesh.



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Take the packing out and run it as a pot still. You can strip or single run it, as long as your condenser can keep up.

You can also run it as is with the copper packing but don't use the reflux condenser on top, it does have a reflux condenser on top , right? Without any forced reflux it is just a pot column. Remove it or take the coolant water out of it either way and it will work . Not talking about the product condenser. The copper packing will adjust to vapor temperatures and aide in the removal of sulfides with the added copper contact with the spirit vapors.

When making flavored likkers with a reflux you'll be working with blending flavor back in...usually from some good-smelling and tasting tails.
Apple brandy however can be tricky because you have to add some heads back in because that where the flavor and nose comes from. The trick is not to add too much back in.

Like Prairie Piss, I run at about 80% to avoid having to do too much blending.

tp

T-Pee wrote:When making flavored likkers with a reflux you'll be working with blending flavor back in...usually from some good-smelling and tasting tails.
Apple brandy however can be tricky because you have to add some heads back in because that where the flavor and nose comes from. The trick is not to add too much back in.

Like Prairie Piss, I run at about 80% to avoid having to do too much blending.

tp

I was hoping for 60% after run, then age at 60, and dilute after a couple of months.
Run will happen this Saturday morning. Got 50L to process.

60% might be a bit low and a couple of months on oak is bugger all for a brandy.

If you are in that much of a hurry, maybe you should be looking at the 20 years of aging in 6 days thread.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 44&t=55301

NZChris wrote:60% might be a bit low and a couple of months on oak is bugger all for a brandy.

If you are in that much of a hurry, maybe you should be looking at the 20 years of aging in 6 days thread.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 44&t=55301

Thanks
For the percentage i followed the generic guidelines for cognac. Ie 9% wash, distilled at 60, then aged. (Wikipedia)
The bulk of the brandy i can age for as long as needed. However i've got a hunt end of may, and promised to bring some along.
I will study your link in depth. Thanks for sharing.



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Looking forward to hearing your results

What recipe are you using ?

CraftyZA wrote:

NZChris wrote:60% might be a bit low and a couple of months on oak is bugger all for a brandy.

If you are in that much of a hurry, maybe you should be looking at the 20 years of aging in 6 days thread.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 44&t=55301

Thanks
For the percentage i followed the generic guidelines for cognac. Ie 9% wash, distilled at 60, then aged. (Wikipedia)
The bulk of the brandy i can age for as long as needed. However i've got a hunt end of may, and promised to bring some along.
I will study your link in depth. Thanks for sharing.

I don't use Wiki as a resource, just a guide to point me in a direction, but all the same, today it says 70%.

Pikey wrote:Looking forward to hearing your results

What recipe are you using ?

I use an old family recipe for marula wine.
Marula. I was the 1st one to take that recipe and distill it.
Had a sample the other day from this run, and it was kind of epic. Slight yeast aftertaste. Hoping it will dissipate, with time.
I know what i did wrong, so will correct that the next time.
A healthy dose of the yeast cake went into the boiler. Not ideal. Will filter it out through some cheese cloth next time.

CraftyZA wrote:

Pikey wrote:Looking forward to hearing your results

What recipe are you using ?

I use an old family recipe for marula wine.
Marula. I was the 1st one to take that recipe and distill it.
Had a sample the other day from this run, and it was kind of epic. Slight yeast aftertaste. Hoping it will dissipate, with time.
I know what i did wrong, so will correct that the next time.
A healthy dose of the yeast cake went into the boiler. Not ideal. Will filter it out through some cheese cloth next time.

Just let the wash completely settle out for a few days before racking into the boiler. Is that what you did wrong?

tp

T-Pee wrote:

CraftyZA wrote:

Pikey wrote:Looking forward to hearing your results

What recipe are you using ?

I use an old family recipe for marula wine.
Marula. I was the 1st one to take that recipe and distill it.
Had a sample the other day from this run, and it was kind of epic. Slight yeast aftertaste. Hoping it will dissipate, with time.
I know what i did wrong, so will correct that the next time.
A healthy dose of the yeast cake went into the boiler. Not ideal. Will filter it out through some cheese cloth next time.

Just let the wash completely settle out for a few days before racking into the boiler. Is that what you did wrong?

tp

Well with the combination of lalvin and marula pulp, you end up with this solid crust at the top. The idea is to carefully remove it when running. But disturb it too much, pieces breaks off and sinks to the bottom. Those then end up in the boiler.

I think what i'm gonna do in 2 weeks is to break all of it and mix in some bentonite clay. That will pretty much ensure the most buoyant bits goes down.
Next run will be insane. Got some runoffs that i will mix in as well.