First likker run

[cornlikker]

Just competed my first run.
Here is what I did.

About 5 gallons of spring water
8 lbs of flake corn
2 lbs of malted 6 row
2 tbs of fleischmann's active dry yeast
OG - 1.056
FG - 0.996

I used an amazon pot still for distillation.

Threw out 200ml of foreshots which were 120 proof.
Kept the next 1200ml that turned out to be about 100 proof with no dilution.

Here is some information on the collections. ( 1-6 were all 100ml collections)

Foreshots - 200ml - 120 proof
1 - 115 proof
2 - 112 proof
3 - 112 proof
4 - 110 proof
5 - 108 proof
6 - 105 proof
7 - 300 ml - 101 proof
8 - 300 ml - 95 proof

I have a couple questions/notes

1. Is 120 proof low for the foreshots?
2. Is the overall proof low?
3. The product has a smell that is like an amplified version of the mash. I don't know if I would call it a corn smell but somewhat sweet.
4. Shouldn't the product have a neutral smell to it? Even the hearts ( collection #7 ) still had a strong "corn?" smell.
5. I feel like there are a lot of other congeners but it is hard for me to identify what they are by scent.
6. I really like the product, but since is has a strong scent im just curious as to why it doesn't have a neutral ethanol smell.

Any comments, discussions, insights, etc would be greatly appreciated

[still_stirrin]

I have a couple questions/notes:

1. Is 120 proof low for the foreshots? <— No, considering the “potential” from your ferment.
2. Is the overall proof low? <— Pretty much typical from the 1st run through the potstill.
3. The product has a smell that is like an amplified version of the mash. I don't know if I would call it a corn smell but somewhat sweet. <— Esters (fruitiness), from the ferment.
4. Shouldn't the product have a neutral smell to it? Even the hearts ( collection #7 ) still had a strong "corn?" smell. <— For the 1st pass through a potstill, it’s gonna have quite a bit of flavor and aroma from the mash. It’s normal.
5. I feel like there are a lot of other congeners but it is hard for me to identify what they are by scent. <— Cuts? Did you make them? Best thing is to put all your collection back into the potstill and rerun it. Make cuts from that.
6. I really like the product, but since is has a strong scent im just curious as to why it doesn't have a neutral ethanol smell. <— Because you’re a ROOKIE. Your expectations are different from your experience. Neutral alcohol is much harder to make than you think.

Any comments, discussions, insights, etc would be greatly appreciated

Practice, practice, practice.
And keep reading. Read as many threads as you can. Make time to do it and you’ll be making top shelf spirits soon.
ss

[sadie33]

when I was making my cuts on my first spirit run the other day I collected small samples as you did. I let them air for 24 hours with a flour sack towel over them. The next day I smelled them one at a time. I was amazed at how different they smelled. I was told to start in the middle (I didn't at first and it made a HUGE difference when I did start going from the middle to the tales etc).

In some of them I could smell something but couldn't identify it. It was sweet (I did a sweet feed mash) maybe a little fruity? But I just couldn't tell either.

[cornlikker]

Thank you for the feedback!
I will continue to practice.
I do really like the taste and smell of the final product. Is there any benefit to making a more neutral spirit other than taste and smell? There is no difference in "hangover potential" between mine and a more pure neutral spirit is there?

[Deplorable]

Thank you for the feedback!
I will continue to practice.
I do really like the taste and smell of the final product. Is there any benefit to making a more neutral spirit other than taste and smell? There is no difference in "hangover potential" between mine and a more pure neutral spirit is there?

Without proper cuts, you will get a banging hangover. Them heads are called heads for a reason.
Ironically so are the tails.
Be careful with how much of each you let into your final blend or you'll find out the morning after why too much of either (or both) needs to be avoided.
Not everything that comes out after "foreshots" should be consumed...

[cornlikker]

Thank you for the feedback!
I will continue to practice.
I do really like the taste and smell of the final product. Is there any benefit to making a more neutral spirit other than taste and smell? There is no difference in "hangover potential" between mine and a more pure neutral spirit is there?

Without proper cuts, you will get a banging hangover. Them heads are called heads for a reason.
Ironically so are the tails.
Be careful with how much of each you let into your final blend or you'll find out the morning after why too much of either (or both) needs to be avoided.
Not everything that comes out after "foreshots" should be consumed...

Is there any evidence supporting the idea that liquor with more congeners increases the intensity of a hangover?

Maybe ill have to self test it with mine and some top shelf spirits.

[jonnys_spirit]

Double distillation is the typically accepted pot still protocol for flavored spirits.

First distillation - Stripping run
Mash -> Ferment -> Strip -> Low wines - Do this three to four times which will then yield enough low wines to fill the boiler for your spirit run.

Second distillation - Spirit Run
Low wines -> spirit run -> collect in approximately 20x numbered jars aka: "fractions" -> choose your cuts and blend fractions for heads, hearts, and tails.

Age/Oak your hearts. Tighter hearts cut for drinking white, wider hearts cut for aging on oak.

Cheers!
-jonny

[Twisted Brick]

Congrats on completing your first run, cornlikker.

As you continue to read and digest, things will become more clear to you. Like ss has 'outlined', corn likker, or any whiskey, is commonly double-distilled which becomes more refined (pure) with a higher ABV on the second distillation. The product of your second (spirit) run has a much more pronounced aroma and flavor. Note that these two attributes are tradeoffs and as one increases the other decreases.

Also, dig into what a 1.5 distillation is, and what happens when you triple-distill a whiskey. Mostly, if you haven't already, read through this until you have it down. Then go practice!

[cornlikker]

Congrats on completing your first run, cornlikker.

As you continue to read and digest, things will become more clear to you. Like ss has 'outlined', corn likker, or any whiskey, is commonly double-distilled which becomes more refined (pure) with a higher ABV on the second distillation. The product of your second (spirit) run has a much more pronounced aroma and flavor. Note that these two attributes are tradeoffs and as one increases the other decreases.

Also, dig into what a 1.5 distillation is, and what happens when you triple-distill a whiskey. Mostly, if you haven't already, read through this until you have it down. Then go practice!

Thank you!
All this amazing information in this thread has got me pumped for round 2

[Buffalo]

Welcome Cornlikker. I think it's great you could drink your first run, especially being corn since it gets so thick.

[Deplorable]

Thank you for the feedback!
I will continue to practice.
I do really like the taste and smell of the final product. Is there any benefit to making a more neutral spirit other than taste and smell? There is no difference in "hangover potential" between mine and a more pure neutral spirit is there?

Without proper cuts, you will get a banging hangover. Them heads are called heads for a reason.
Ironically so are the tails.
Be careful with how much of each you let into your final blend or you'll find out the morning after why too much of either (or both) needs to be avoided.
Not everything that comes out after "foreshots" should be consumed...

Is there any evidence supporting the idea that liquor with more congeners increases the intensity of a hangover?

Maybe ill have to self test it with mine and some top shelf spirits.

All the answers are here within these hallowed pages. I can promise you this, if all you tossed out was 200ml of foreshots and plan to drink the remainder at 50% after 1-and-done distillation, you're not going to feel all that great the next morning. Especially if you overindulge.

[cornlikker]

Thank you for the feedback!
I will continue to practice.
I do really like the taste and smell of the final product. Is there any benefit to making a more neutral spirit other than taste and smell? There is no difference in "hangover potential" between mine and a more pure neutral spirit is there?

Without proper cuts, you will get a banging hangover. Them heads are called heads for a reason.
Ironically so are the tails.
Be careful with how much of each you let into your final blend or you'll find out the morning after why too much of either (or both) needs to be avoided.
Not everything that comes out after "foreshots" should be consumed...

Is there any evidence supporting the idea that liquor with more congeners increases the intensity of a hangover?

Maybe ill have to self test it with mine and some top shelf spirits.

All the answers are here within these hallowed pages. I can promise you this, if all you tossed out was 200ml of foreshots and plan to drink the remainder at 50% after 1-and-done distillation, you're not going to feel all that great the next morning. Especially if you overindulge.

That would explain why I had a screaming headache the next morning after a night of overindulgence.

[cornlikker]

Welcome Cornlikker. I think it's great you could drink your first run, especially being corn since it gets so thick.

I think using 2lbs of malt to 8lbs of corn helped liquify it pretty good with all those enzymes. I also fermented off the grain.

[cornlikker]

Double distillation is the typically accepted pot still protocol for flavored spirits.

First distillation - Stripping run
Mash -> Ferment -> Strip -> Low wines - Do this three to four times which will then yield enough low wines to fill the boiler for your spirit run.

Second distillation - Spirit Run
Low wines -> spirit run -> collect in approximately 20x numbered jars aka: "fractions" -> choose your cuts and blend fractions for heads, hearts, and tails.

Age/Oak your hearts. Tighter hearts cut for drinking white, wider hearts cut for aging on oak.

Cheers!
-jonny

I looked up "low wines" and wiki said its a liquor that is 20% ABV.
The distillate coming out of my first run was about 50% ABV.
Is this still considered a "low wine"?

[jonnys_spirit]

Double distillation is the typically accepted pot still protocol for flavored spirits.

First distillation - Stripping run
Mash -> Ferment -> Strip -> Low wines - Do this three to four times which will then yield enough low wines to fill the boiler for your spirit run.

Second distillation - Spirit Run
Low wines -> spirit run -> collect in approximately 20x numbered jars aka: "fractions" -> choose your cuts and blend fractions for heads, hearts, and tails.

Age/Oak your hearts. Tighter hearts cut for drinking white, wider hearts cut for aging on oak.

Cheers!
-jonny

I looked up "low wines" and wiki said its a liquor that is 20% ABV.
The distillate coming out of my first run was about 50% ABV.
Is this still considered a "low wine"?

Low wines is the term to describe what is produced by the first stripping distillation. Typically run fairly hard and fast. eg; distillers beer of approx 10%abv is stripped hard and fast until the total abv of the output is about 30%abv (25-40% depending on what you want to do). It is often noted that when the low wines receiving vessel is about 30%abv it also starts to get cloudy and the output at the spout is closer to 0-5%abv range... You;re basically stripping all the ETOH out of the beer (wine, wash, whatever) plus water and flavor until the average ABV is about 30%abv... This invariably is about 1/3 the volume of the boiler charge when charged with a 10%'ish "distillers beer"...

https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Low_wines
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Stripping_run

Three-four low wines strips approximately produces enough to fill the boiler for a spirit run:

https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Spirit_run
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... stillation

Some folks like to do one or two strips and then top up with fresh fermented beer in what we might refer to as a 1.5 run - slightly less than a full double distillation...

Main idea is that the spirit get's cleaned up a ton when using double distillation whether it's a 1.5, double, recycling feints in a "triple distillation", or some combination...

Cuts are way easier when dealing with the higher volume of ETOH and the product comes out much better quality as a result. Within those double distillation guidelines there exist numerous ways to skin that cat but the essence of it is basically similar..

Hope that helps and there's tons more reading in numerous threads on this topic which can be quite deep yet also very simple at the same time...

Cheers,
jonny

[cornlikker]

Double distillation is the typically accepted pot still protocol for flavored spirits.

First distillation - Stripping run
Mash -> Ferment -> Strip -> Low wines - Do this three to four times which will then yield enough low wines to fill the boiler for your spirit run.

Second distillation - Spirit Run
Low wines -> spirit run -> collect in approximately 20x numbered jars aka: "fractions" -> choose your cuts and blend fractions for heads, hearts, and tails.

Age/Oak your hearts. Tighter hearts cut for drinking white, wider hearts cut for aging on oak.

Cheers!
-jonny

I looked up "low wines" and wiki said its a liquor that is 20% ABV.
The distillate coming out of my first run was about 50% ABV.
Is this still considered a "low wine"?

Low wines is the term to describe what is produced by the first stripping distillation. Typically run fairly hard and fast. eg; distillers beer of approx 10%abv is stripped hard and fast until the total abv of the output is about 30%abv (25-40% depending on what you want to do). It is often noted that when the low wines receiving vessel is about 30%abv it also starts to get cloudy and the output at the spout is closer to 0-5%abv range... You;re basically stripping all the ETOH out of the beer (wine, wash, whatever) plus water and flavor until the average ABV is about 30%abv... This invariably is about 1/3 the volume of the boiler charge when charged with a 10%'ish "distillers beer"...

https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Low_wines
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Stripping_run

Three-four low wines strips approximately produces enough to fill the boiler for a spirit run:

https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Spirit_run
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... stillation

Some folks like to do one or two strips and then top up with fresh fermented beer in what we might refer to as a 1.5 run - slightly less than a full double distillation...

Main idea is that the spirit get's cleaned up a ton when using double distillation whether it's a 1.5, double, recycling feints in a "triple distillation", or some combination...

Cuts are way easier when dealing with the higher volume of ETOH and the product comes out much better quality as a result. Within those double distillation guidelines there exist numerous ways to skin that cat but the essence of it is basically similar..

Hope that helps and there's tons more reading in numerous threads on this topic which can be quite deep yet also very simple at the same time...

Cheers,
jonny

Thanks you so much jonny. That was very clear. I will dive into those reads shortly.