Stripping run

Vapor, Liquid or Cooling Management. Flutes, plates, etc.

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Shark
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Stripping run

Post by Shark »

I built my Reflux Still with a 4 foot colume. Packed with copper scubs a nd marbles. Worked awesome. Stripping run got 80%. Mixed back with water and got 94%. Question is should I use packed colume for Stripping ? Also is it beneficial to distill more than once when I get 94% one time. Will spirit get more neutral?
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Chauncey
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Re: Stripping run

Post by Chauncey »

Stripping should be hard and fast with no reflux, and down to 40% or you're losing ethanol there.
Last edited by Chauncey on Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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jonnys_spirit
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Re: Stripping run

Post by jonnys_spirit »

Hi Shark, You usually strip hard and fast without reflux and down to about 40%abv average total - that's called "low wines". In general three strips will make enough low wines to fill the boiler for your spirit run. For the spirit run you then run with reflux much slower and collect in 20-30 numbered jars... We call those "fractions". Once you have (say 25 numbered jars) your fractions you can then decide which to keep for your hearts cuts. Make your cuts choice with a little spirit diluted down to about 30%abv using your smell and taste - feel it between your fingers... Keep your hearts to dilute down to 40%abv for drinking - or maybe 53% or 35%... Not too high because it will damage your esophagus/mouth/etc...

At the bottom of every page here on HD there is a section called "Required Reading" - more details there about cuts and everything else as a starting point...

If you're after neutral you can make it very neutral. This starts with a good ferment and ends with good cuts - a couple other things inbetween..

Cheers!
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subbrew
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Re: Stripping run

Post by subbrew »

As for additional runs it is up to you. Is it neutral enough as is? Yes, if you dilute it back down to 40 with good water and run it again more flavors will be left in the water so you will get less flavor in your neutral.
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Salt Must Flow
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Re: Stripping run

Post by Salt Must Flow »

As most people have already pointed out, most strip fast as possible with no reflux, dilute and do a slow spirit run with the reflux column. I've tried it different ways. I've stripped with 'some' reflux at 100% power, it comes out at higher % ABV therefore less water and cleaner so to speak. Once diluted and you do a spirit run, it could be argued that this way could result in cleaner product. Some people strip like this with more reflux (takes longer), but comes out at even higher % ABV. I've also used my reflux column to strip by removing the reflux condenser, cap it, strip at full power and quite late in the run I reinstalled the reflux condenser and finished the run with some reflux to remove 100% of what alcohol is left in the boiler. Doing this removes significantly more from the boiler in comparison.
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Yummyrum
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Re: Stripping run

Post by Yummyrum »

For the sake of this topic , it’s worth mentioning that Shark has a VM still . The takeoff valve is smaller than the column so there will be a lot of refluxing going on even with the valve wide open .
It will also take possably 4x longer to do a stripping run than if it was just a Pot still .

viewtopic.php?p=7719244#p7719244

Shark , I think it was mentioned in your build topic that maybe your condenser was a little on the small side for use as a full blown stripper . That and safety aspects of having a valve and possably removing reflux coil and capping top for full stripping .

You should consider building a dedicated stripping head .
Best thing I ever did . And in my opinion , stripping and refluxing will get you as good as you can .

You can then use the Pot still for making Whisky's, Rums , Brandys etc if you wanted . Which all of cause are done witha stripping and spirit run .
Shark
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Re: Gin

Post by Shark »

I like Odins mux of botanical. What I need to know is maceration or vapor infused better. I want to make more than a litre. Does anyone have a recipe putting botanical in the boil on a spirit run and maybe vapor infusing?
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EricTheRed
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Re: Gin

Post by EricTheRed »

Shark wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:59 pm I like Odins mux of botanical. What I need to know is maceration or vapor infused better. I want to make more than a litre. Does anyone have a recipe putting botanical in the boil on a spirit run and maybe vapor infusing?
I've scaled OEG up to 4 litres no problem
Maceration with 93/4% - 2 litres
Leave out the citrus
Let sit 24 to 96 hrs
Strain into boiler
Add citrus
Add water 2L

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Yummyrum
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Re: Gin

Post by Yummyrum »

Shark wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:59 pm Does anyone have a recipe putting botanical in the boil on a spirit run and maybe vapor infusing?
Generally a bad idea .
You need to be making Gin with a Neutral hearts cut .

Either in a Pot still or a teflux still spirit run , you will be making a fairly large heads cut before you get to the clean stuff you need for your Gin base .

If you had your Botanicals on either the boiler or an infusion basket , all the good Gin oils would be lost in the heads cut before the hearts had come over . However , it would be pointless running Botanicals in the boiler of a reflux still as they won’t let them up very well.

Normal proceedure is make your clean stuff first , then do a Gin run .

There are exceptions with some setups (usually CM reflux stills ) where after heads have been removed , the still is held in full reflux . Then a Gin basket after the Deflagmator ( called a Carter Head) is loaded with Botanicals and the run allowed to proceed .

You need to be reasonably experienced to be able to determine the heads/hearts cut point on the fly to run this way .
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