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Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 2:54 pm
by fiery creations
I think I'm going to give up on the Middleton process for my Irish pot still whiskey and just run everything I have through my smaller set up. 5 gallons of hearts, 3 gallons of feints, and 6 gallons of an initial strip.
I'm using a 15.5 gallon keg. Since all of this has already been through at least one strip, should I be ok with such small headspace if I run slow? That's gonna fill her up pretty close to the brim.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 2:59 pm
by SW_Shiner
If its all feints/low wines, there shouldn't be any reason for it to foam up and puke. I fill my keg pretty much right to the top and have not had any issues. Only issue may be some spillage if the boil is too rigorous at the start. If you still run with some sort of riser then i don't see splashing to be a problem either.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 3:00 pm
by fiery creations
SW_Shiner wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 2:59 pm
If its all feints/low wines, there shouldn't be any reason for it to foam up and puke. I fill my keg pretty much right to the top and have not had any issues. Only issue may be some spillage if the boil is too rigorous at the start. If you still run with some sort of riser then i don't see splashing to be a problem either.
Yeah I’ve got at least 2’ of riser. Thanks!
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 3:02 pm
by SW_Shiner
As long as the boil isn't so rolling that it manages to splash some up it should be fine, though i just clicked that youre talking about a spirit run so that shouldn't be a problem if you turn down power before it comes over anyway.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 3:06 pm
by fiery creations
SW_Shiner wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 3:02 pm
As long as the boil isn't so rolling that it manages to splash some up it should be fine, though i just clicked that youre talking about a spirit run so that shouldn't be a problem if you turn down power before it comes over anyway.
Yeah final spirit run. Tired of having nothing on oak after spending an enormous amount of money and time on grains and mashing after nearly a year.
I think this process is best left to smaller set ups. It was definitely a stupid thing to try when first starting all grain.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:08 pm
by shadylane
fiery creations wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 2:54 pm
I think I'm going to give up on the Middleton process for my Irish pot still whiskey and just run everything I have through my smaller set up. 5 gallons of hearts, 3 gallons of feints, and 6 gallons of an initial strip.
I'm using a 15.5 gallon keg. Since all of this has already been through at least one strip, should I be ok with such small headspace if I run slow? That's gonna fill her up pretty close to the brim.
My 2 cents.
14 gallons in a keg still is pushing the limits too far and you already have all that work done.
I'd set the feints aside for now. After this spirit run is done you will have more to add to it.
On a side note, what is the abv of everything?
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:12 pm
by fiery creations
shadylane wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:08 pm
fiery creations wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 2:54 pm
I think I'm going to give up on the Middleton process for my Irish pot still whiskey and just run everything I have through my smaller set up. 5 gallons of hearts, 3 gallons of feints, and 6 gallons of an initial strip.
I'm using a 15.5 gallon keg. Since all of this has already been through at least one strip, should I be ok with such small headspace if I run slow? That's gonna fill her up pretty close to the brim.
My 2 cents.
14 gallons in a keg still is pushing the limits too far and you already have all that work done.
I'd set the feints aside for now. After this spirit run is done you will have more to add to it.
On a side note, what is the abv of everything?
Guess it wouldn’t kill me to chuck a gallon of low wines from the strips or feints. Don’t really feel like saving it as I probably won’t be doing this process again.
Hard to know total abv till I mix it. I’m eyeballing volumes in mixed carboys. The hearts are pretty damn high. Stripped low wines are pretty low. Imagine they’re going to even out around 40%, but that’s just a guess.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:27 pm
by shadylane
fiery creations wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:12 pm
Guess it wouldn’t kill me to chuck a gallon of low wines from the strips or feints. Don’t really feel like saving it as I probably won’t be doing this process again.
Hard to know total abv till I mix it. I’m eyeballing volumes in mixed carboys. The hearts are pretty damn high. Stripped low wines are pretty low. Imagine they’re going to even out around 40%, but that’s just a guess.
Are the fients a mixture of heads and tails?
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:36 pm
by fiery creations
shadylane wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:27 pm
fiery creations wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:12 pm
Guess it wouldn’t kill me to chuck a gallon of low wines from the strips or feints. Don’t really feel like saving it as I probably won’t be doing this process again.
Hard to know total abv till I mix it. I’m eyeballing volumes in mixed carboys. The hearts are pretty damn high. Stripped low wines are pretty low. Imagine they’re going to even out around 40%, but that’s just a guess.
Are the fients a mixture of heads and tails?
Yes sir. They are what’s left over from that second “spirit” distillation I separated the hearts from. It would almost be undoing that spirit run by remixing, minus the super low abv tails I left in the boiler.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:41 pm
by fiery creations
If this helps.
6 gallons of low wines. 5 gallons of strong feints. 3 gallons of weak feints and foreshots(from second run)
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:56 pm
by shadylane
Plan B, to decrease the boiler charge.
I'd set a gallon or more of the hearts aside for drinking as white whiskey.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 6:12 pm
by fiery creations
shadylane wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:56 pm
Plan B, to decrease the boiler charge.
I'd set a gallon or more of the hearts aside for drinking as white whiskey.
Haha. I wish I could. But the idea is to make pretty wide cuts on that second run since you’re going to run it again for the final spirit. So it’s… A little icky.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 6:36 pm
by shadylane
fiery creations wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 6:12 pm
Haha. I wish I could. But the idea is to make pretty wide cuts on that second run since you’re going to run it again for the final spirit. So it’s… A little icky.
Forgive me.
I finally read that this a triple distilled Irish pot still whiskey.
But there's still the problem of how much fits the pot. I'd set something aside.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 6:48 pm
by NZChris
One trick I've used successfully is to leave out a gallon, run off a gallon, then add the extra gallon. Ran into small jars and chose my cuts at the end of the distillation, as normal.
Re: Head space question.
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2025 8:49 am
by jonnys_spirit
When filling the boiler I top it up as full as I can. One thing I have found is that volume expands as it comes up to temp so I have a max-fill-level below the throat of my milk-can boiler to prevent it from overflowing as it heats up. I use an 18" riser, whiskey-helmet, sight-glass to provide for any foaming or splashing during the run - more-so for strips though.
Cheers,
jonny