Success!! Now distill
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2025 10:03 am
Hi. First of all, thank you for all your help in this TOPIC, finally the fermentation went well and I got a decent amount of alcohol.
I have make a first distillation with this setup
The total capacity of the boiler it is 6,3 liters (filled totally). The problem is the temperature for the cuts.
First run 2,5 liters. I discard firts 75ml as heads
I got around 200ml of hearts (i forgot to measure it) and I keep collecting the tails till the AVB drops to 35%
The second run is with 1,9 liters and the tails
I dicard again the head and it stabilizes at 89C (194F) and I got a total of 250ml 60,3ABV (smells very well) wich I consider the hearts
My second cut is between 89C (194F) and 92C (198F) and I got 225ml 58,9ABV (smells almost like the first cut) so I think are still hearts
The third cut is till the temperature raises to 94C (201) and I got 250ml 43,8ABV
I have read some topic in the forum, like this one, and my temperatures are a bit high, (I´m sea level and the thermometer it is calibrated).
So now I have 3 questions
1) Is there any problem with my temperatures or they make sense?
2) I´m thinking on make a destilation only to purify mi alcohol, but I´m thinking of doing it in a laboratory glass still. With a precision thermometer. What do you think about that? Mix the heart and the tails to have a better alcohol or just the tails? The amount is too small and with the glass still will be very easy to control the remaining amount before stopping the distillation
3) I have a regular copper still, I can´t separete the botanicals from the alcohol during destilation. I have read if I heat it directly, I can ruin the distillation. Should I make it putting the boiler in a boiling water pot or can I heat it directly?
Thabk you
nest regards
I have make a first distillation with this setup
The total capacity of the boiler it is 6,3 liters (filled totally). The problem is the temperature for the cuts.
First run 2,5 liters. I discard firts 75ml as heads
I got around 200ml of hearts (i forgot to measure it) and I keep collecting the tails till the AVB drops to 35%
The second run is with 1,9 liters and the tails
I dicard again the head and it stabilizes at 89C (194F) and I got a total of 250ml 60,3ABV (smells very well) wich I consider the hearts
My second cut is between 89C (194F) and 92C (198F) and I got 225ml 58,9ABV (smells almost like the first cut) so I think are still hearts
The third cut is till the temperature raises to 94C (201) and I got 250ml 43,8ABV
I have read some topic in the forum, like this one, and my temperatures are a bit high, (I´m sea level and the thermometer it is calibrated).
So now I have 3 questions
1) Is there any problem with my temperatures or they make sense?
2) I´m thinking on make a destilation only to purify mi alcohol, but I´m thinking of doing it in a laboratory glass still. With a precision thermometer. What do you think about that? Mix the heart and the tails to have a better alcohol or just the tails? The amount is too small and with the glass still will be very easy to control the remaining amount before stopping the distillation
3) I have a regular copper still, I can´t separete the botanicals from the alcohol during destilation. I have read if I heat it directly, I can ruin the distillation. Should I make it putting the boiler in a boiling water pot or can I heat it directly?
Thabk you
nest regards