My first spirit run

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

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sadie33
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My first spirit run

Post by sadie33 »

I finished my first spirit run yesterday, all the jars are airing now.

I started 1/26, but ran out of time and had to shut my still down. I started collecting 300 ml in each jar. When I started again on 1/27 I decided to collect a less in each jar. I started collecting 150 ml then went down to 50ml.

As I was doing it I was smelling them, feeling it as it came off the spout, tasting it (around 40%). Everything smelled the same to me, kinda like sweet corn and molasses. I could taste a bit of difference and I think I could tell when the hearts were coming and noted it in my notes.
My husband came up at one point and said it smelled fruity, but I couldn't smell it. I collected till it got cloudy then shut it down. I know I could have collected a little longer, but I was starting supper and my crew was coming home and I couldn't do it all.

My rig is running so smooth and efficiently now that I am getting to know it. It was almost effortless.

I will start my final cutting tonight and this batch I will make into blueberry muffin moonshine. I will sample some tonight, but thinking of letting it soak for a week, then straining it.

thanks to EVERYONE who helped me get this far.
Spirit run C 1.27.23.JPG
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by Deplorable »

Well done.
If you intend to make more sweet feed, after you select your final blend, save all but your first jar and add those to the stripping runs on your next ferment. It will stretch your hearts keep a little.

This your spirit so you, and your husband, decide what is heads, hearts and tails. Be careful choosing your final blend.
If you don't dump the boiler contents and you stuff up your final blend, dump it all back in and do it again.
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by zed255 »

And I'm sure you have likely read already, start evaluating where you can reasonably guess the middle of your hearts might be and work your way towards tails, then heads. If you start in the heads you will numb your palate and will have difficulty assessing your cut points. Use your husband or other folks you trust as a sanity check before blending.
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by sadie33 »

Deplorable wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:31 am Well done.
If you intend to make more sweet feed, after you select your final blend, save all but your first jar and add those to the stripping runs on your next ferment. It will stretch your hearts keep a little.

This your spirit so you, and your husband, decide what is heads, hearts and tails. Be careful choosing your final blend.
If you don't dump the boiler contents and you stuff up your final blend, dump it all back in and do it again.
thanks. I do intend to keep making the sweet feed. I LOVE the molasses that comes through. I just started my first UJSSM that is fermenting now. I think I will "play" with these two recipes for quite a while.

I think I have some wiggle room for messing up the cuts as I will be flavoring this batch, but maybe not. :think: We shall see :wave:
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by StillerBoy »

sadie33 wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:13 am ran out of time and had to shut my still down. I started collecting 300 ml in each jar. When I started again on 1/27 I decided to collect a less in each jar. I started collecting 150 ml then went down to 50ml.
What was your take off rate during the run ?

What was the size of your low wine boiler batch "

What was the ABV of the batch ?

Mars
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by sadie33 »

StillerBoy wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:32 am
sadie33 wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:13 am ran out of time and had to shut my still down. I started collecting 300 ml in each jar. When I started again on 1/27 I decided to collect a less in each jar. I started collecting 150 ml then went down to 50ml.
What was your take off rate during the run ?

What was the size of your low wine boiler batch "

What was the ABV of the batch ?

Mars
I turned my stove on low at 6:00, turning it up a click about ever 5-10 minutes. At 7:00 it came out in a stream, I turned it down to low and was getting 2-3 drips per second. It was hard to find the right power at first, it would either stream out or stop dripping. It took me 45 min to get my first 300ml.

By the 2nd jar I found a pretty good spot where it would be 2-3 drops per second or a bit slower. My second jar took me about 30 min to collect 300ml. Then I turned it up a bit so I was getting 2-3 drops a second, then really fast drops. My next couple jars took me 27 and 25 min with jar #5 taking 30.

My first 5 jars came off the spout at over 85%.

The next day when I started it up, I went a little quicker and collected smaller amounts 150ml and 50ml. Around jar #10 (2100ml collected) It went down to 72%. by jar 23 I was at 35% when it started getting cloudy. I collected 200ml more then shut it down.

For my boiler charge I was 2 cups shy of 2 gals of low wines at 46%. I added enough H2O to get 2 gals at 36%

I don't know the BATCH ABV because I haven't combined them yet. I am still taking notes for cutting.
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by sadie33 »

zed255 wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:21 am And I'm sure you have likely read already, start evaluating where you can reasonably guess the middle of your hearts might be and work your way towards tails, then heads. If you start in the heads you will numb your palate and will have difficulty assessing your cut points. Use your husband or other folks you trust as a sanity check before blending.
yes, I have read a few things about making cuts. I started this afternoon with taking notes of smell/taste. I would take jar #1 and make a "sample"; mix a few drops with H2O and put some in my spirit refractometer. While that was acclimating (30sec) I would smell jar #1 and write down what I could smell. When I reached 40% with my sample I would taste it and write down what flavors and sensations I felt. Then I walked away for about 15-20 min and did the same thing with the next jar. I did this most of the day today. :D

Tonight I will sit down with my husband and my notes and we will start in the middle where I think the hearts are (I made a note) work toward the tails then the head. Hopefully find a nice blend.

thanks
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by Saltbush Bill »

It's probably easier for beginners to start by smelling the middle jar.....then jump all the way to the first jar for a smell .....then to the very end jar.......the different smells that you are looking for become more obvious that way.
After that try smelling and tasting every third jar.....again differences should be more obvious to a learner.
Once you think you have the hang of the smells and tastes your looking for then go do the individual jars.
There is no rush.....you can let the jars breath a day or two....and take your time deciding.
Dip a couple of fingers in the end tails jar.......and rub them hard on the palm of your other hand....rub hard and fast smelling as you do....keep at it till it feels dry or oily.....this for me brings out the damp musty smell of tails.
Doing it that way I find it easy to detect even tiny amounts of tails.
Keep what is obvious hearts for your early attempts......you can play around with adding heads n tails....or making blends after learning the basics.
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Re: My first spirit run

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Saltbush Bill wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 2:10 pm It's probably easier for beginners to start by smelling the middle jar.....then jump all the way to the first jar for a smell .....then to the very end jar.......the different smells that you are looking for become more obvious that way.
After that try smelling and tasting every third jar.....again differences should be more obvious to a learner.
Once you think you have the hang of the smells and tastes your looking for then go do the individual jars.
There is no rush.....you can let the jars breath a day or two....and take your time deciding.
Dip a couple of fingers in the end tails jar.......and rub them hard on the palm of your other hand....rub hard and fast smelling as you do....keep at it till it feels dry or oily.....this for me brings out the damp musty smell of tails.
Doing it that way I find it easy to detect even tiny amounts of tails.
Keep what is obvious hearts for your early attempts......you can play around with adding heads n tails....or making blends after learning the basics.
I was kinda sniffing them as I was taking them last night and they all smelled the same. :roll: This morning, they all smelled a little different. Not each jar, but a big difference between jar #1 and #10. I don't know if it's because they "aired" or you know how if your baking a cake or bread, you can't really smell it, but when someone walks in the house they're like "it smells so good in here!"

I did read about doing every 3rd jar and forgot about it! I hadn't gotten all the way through my jars yet, so I stopped doing it in order of the jars and started more in the middle then to tails and back in, if that makes sense.

I STILL haven't finished all my jars. I am taking my time. I have never heard about rubbing it on your palm hard and fast, I'll have to try that.

thanks
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by NZChris »

My method involves a lot less sampling as it concentrates on choosing a nice heart cut blend, rather than tasting individual jars then guessing whether, or not, they should be included.

viewtopic.php?p=7689296#p7689296
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Re: My first spirit run

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sadie33 wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:13 am
My rig is running so smooth and efficiently now that I am getting to know it. It was almost effortless.


I will start my final cutting tonight and this batch I will make into blueberry muffin moonshine. I will sample some tonight, but thinking of letting it soak for a week, then straining it.

thanks to EVERYONE who helped me get this far.

Spirit run C 1.27.23.JPG
Congratulations to ya Sadie33! What a great experience to get your first spirit run under your belt :thumbup: I still get giddy whenever I fire up my rig.

Stilling is by far the easiest part of this whole hobby. :lol:
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by sadie33 »

Stonecutter wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 3:07 pm
sadie33 wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:13 am
My rig is running so smooth and efficiently now that I am getting to know it. It was almost effortless.


I will start my final cutting tonight and this batch I will make into blueberry muffin moonshine. I will sample some tonight, but thinking of letting it soak for a week, then straining it.

thanks to EVERYONE who helped me get this far.

Spirit run C 1.27.23.JPG
Congratulations to ya Sadie33! What a great experience to get your first spirit run under your belt :thumbup: I still get giddy whenever I fire up my rig.

Stilling is by far the easiest part of this whole hobby. :lol:
thank you :thumbup: I'm not so sure stilling is the easiest, I'm thinking tasting is pretty easy :lol: Just kiddin. So far I have enjoyed EVERY part of this hobby. It was a little bumpy at first working out the right language and I am pretty dense when it comes to learning. I think I get it, but realize I don't get it. :crazy: But once I really did get it and things clicked it has been really fun.
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by Stonecutter »

Haha yeah, the drinkin’ part is pretty damn easy.
Some people seem to struggle at it :sarcasm:
Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
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Re: My first spirit run

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sadie33 wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 1:06 pm I turned my stove on low at 6:00, turning it up a click about ever 5-10 minutes. At 7:00 it came out in a stream, I turned it down to low and was getting 2-3 drips per second. It was hard to find the right power at first, it would either stream out or stop dripping. It took me 45 min to get my first 300ml.

By the 2nd jar I found a pretty good spot where it would be 2-3 drops per second or a bit slower. My second jar took me about 30 min to collect 300ml. Then I turned it up a bit so I was getting 2-3 drops a second, then really fast drops. My next couple jars took me 27 and 25 min with jar #5 taking 30.

My first 5 jars came off the spout at over 85%.
My reasoning for the questions was to make you think what occurred or happen during a spirit run, which is different than a stripping run..

You experience having difficulty with power management, which is an issue most beginner have.. why.. because they don't relate to the fact that there is a lag time in power management adjustment.. meaning a power adjustment requires time to be reflexed in the vapor behavior..

Any power adjustment always require one to factor the lag time involved, before making another adjustment..

Another point is one should always get in the habit of using a method of measuring take off rate instead of drops per second or so.. drops per second is not repeatable, whereas a proper measuring method does, there by making life easier..

Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "

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Re: My first spirit run

Post by sadie33 »

StillerBoy wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 4:44 pm
sadie33 wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 1:06 pm I turned my stove on low at 6:00, turning it up a click about ever 5-10 minutes. At 7:00 it came out in a stream, I turned it down to low and was getting 2-3 drips per second. It was hard to find the right power at first, it would either stream out or stop dripping. It took me 45 min to get my first 300ml.

By the 2nd jar I found a pretty good spot where it would be 2-3 drops per second or a bit slower. My second jar took me about 30 min to collect 300ml. Then I turned it up a bit so I was getting 2-3 drops a second, then really fast drops. My next couple jars took me 27 and 25 min with jar #5 taking 30.

My first 5 jars came off the spout at over 85%.
My reasoning for the questions was to make you think what occurred or happen during a spirit run, which is different than a stripping run..

You experience having difficulty with power management, which is an issue most beginner have.. why.. because they don't relate to the fact that there is a lag time in power management adjustment.. meaning a power adjustment requires time to be reflexed in the vapor behavior..

Any power adjustment always require one to factor the lag time involved, before making another adjustment..

Another point is one should always get in the habit of using a method of measuring take off rate instead of drops per second or so.. drops per second is not repeatable, whereas a proper measuring method does, there by making life easier..

Mars
That's so funny. If that was your reason, it went right over my thick head. :roll: Thanks for trying though.

I think another reason beginners have a hard time with power adjustment is because it's their first time. I wrote down at what point in my run I changed the power and wrote down the outcome as well. I think the next run will go smoother and each run after as I gain experience. I know each batch will be different.

I also was wondering if some of the issue was my tube between my boiler and condenser. It's not a solid pipe, I think vapors can pool in the slightest bend and then come out when there's a build up. I was thinking that during the run so I didn't change the heat right away when it did stream out. I waited a bit to see what would happen.

I also know it's my stove. It's a glass top that heats up then cools down, drives me crazy. Someone here mentioned in another post it might be a problem. I thought it might be too, but have had good luck pressure canning so I was hoping it wouldn't be. It is.

I don't exactly know what you mean by measuring take off, but every time I changed the power, I wrote it in my notes, what time in the run I did it, how much I changed it (usually just by one click) and the outcome and how long it took to see that outcome.

thanks for your input and advice. :thumbup:
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Re: My first spirit run

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sadie33 wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 5:36 am I don't exactly know what you mean by measuring take off,
Your stove is not the issue.. it's the lag time (It's slower to react} and the lack of understand such..

The take off rate is a measurable task, and used to monitor the activity of a still performance at the spout (in a pot still manage by the amount of power used)..

The common ways is promoted, for a pot spiriting run, is to measure the take off rate in "drops per sec" or a " pencil lead like stream".. that does work but it's a crude way of taking a sample, as it's does not provide a very reliable process for a repeatable run..

A better method of measuring take off rate is done by measuring in millimeters (ml)l per sec/min.. by using an instrument that provide a reasonable accuracy, any run preformed will be within the take off rate that is required for the task and repeatable from run to run..

I prefer to use a 50ml graduate beaker, taking sample of 30 sec or one minutes, depending where I'm in the run, providing the data/info required to stabilize the take off to the rate of task..

Mars
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by sadie33 »

In doing it that way, what is your take off rate you aim for?

I use a similar glass to yours when I collect. It's a bit bigger and holds 150ml. I am going to pick up another one to make collecting easier.

thanks
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Re: My first spirit run

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sadie33 wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:04 am In doing it that way, what is your take off rate you aim for?
Providing a take off rate number would be somewhat misleading.. why do say such.. cause the take off rate is affected by boiler size and content.. the large the content of the low wine (a somewhat faster take off rate can be used), plus the ABV of the content also as an effect..

Being mindful that your runs will be small (under 12L) and for you to experiment and develop experience as a starting point, I would recommend (due to the smaller batches of low wine runs) say 5 -7ml per sec or ( 75 - 100ml per 15 min) for the early part of the run (heads), a little faster for the next section (body) say 10 - 13ml per sec or (150 - 195ml per 15 min).. as to the later part of the run (tails) about the same as the heads section for a few jars, then increasing the speed for the rest.. personally I don't harvest much tails after a few jars, as I view tails a waste..

Be mindful that the number quoted above are just reference for a starting point.. the point is to establish a process that can be used for future runs.. and keeping note of the rates will guide to be able to reproduce the same behavior..

Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "

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Re: My first spirit run

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StillerBoy wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:36 pm
sadie33 wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:04 am In doing it that way, what is your take off rate you aim for?
Providing a take off rate number would be somewhat misleading.. why do say such.. cause the take off rate is affected by boiler size and content.. the large the content of the low wine (a somewhat faster take off rate can be used), plus the ABV of the content also as an effect..

Being mindful that your runs will be small (under 12L) and for you to experiment and develop experience as a starting point, I would recommend (due to the smaller batches of low wine runs) say 5 -7ml per sec or ( 75 - 100ml per 15 min) for the early part of the run (heads), a little faster for the next section (body) say 10 - 13ml per sec or (150 - 195ml per 15 min).. as to the later part of the run (tails) about the same as the heads section for a few jars, then increasing the speed for the rest.. personally I don't harvest much tails after a few jars, as I view tails a waste..

Be mindful that the number quoted above are just reference for a starting point.. the point is to establish a process that can be used for future runs.. and keeping note of the rates will guide to be able to reproduce the same behavior..

Mars
that all makes sense, thanks.
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Re: My first spirit run

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sadie33 wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:46 pm that all makes sense, thanks.
Stilling is all about management of vapors, be a pot still or a reflux column, be a stripping run, whiskey (flavor) run, or using a reflux column for neutral..

Understanding how and why of the importance of such is what stilling is all about.. the rate of take off is the fundamentals that are created by the management of vapors..

Mars
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Re: My first spirit run

Post by sadie33 »

I'm hoping to run my fruit cordial experiment thing today or tonight. I am hoping to apply all you have said here. We'll see how it goes.
thanks again
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