Got in my first run today. Thanks for all who nurse-maided me through it. It went like this. Thankfully since I am old boy scout who believes in being prepared I scrounged up and washed a bunch of fruit jars last night. Today I dumped in five or six gallons of wash (not much telling on the strength but guessing maybe ten or 12 percent tops since it was made with Fleischmans yeast). Hotplate on high. Took about an hour to get to 67 degrees then seemed to stall. Next thing the alarm was going off saying it was at 180. I ran out there and turned on the water it dropped to 178 and commenced gushing more hooch than you could shake a stick out. When it got to 180 I started giving it a little water to the column. It bounced a bit between 177 and 180. I turned down the heat once or twice but prob not really necessary. Anytime it got to 180 I give it a little more water and it go back to 178. Distillate was crystal clear and burned my eyes. At the end it just quit dripping and the temps started dropping. Figgered it was time to quit. Wound up with about 8 jars lined up in order as I was taught 1/4 to 1/3 full including a couple of big ones. Airing out overnight covered with paper towels. Could not believe that wash had that much alcohol in it. I must be a good wine maker:) Anyway I drew off a half cup of foreshots which is what BH Rick said to do. Now this was supposed to be a sacrifice run but thinking I might sacrifice it to myself. Got the fruit jars gathered up for tomorrow because I have six more gallons of the same version of wash and cant think of nothing else to do with it...so may as well run it I guess. Thanks a lot folks.

Hot Dog... You'll be fermenting all kinds of stuff now.. Did a run of All Bran earlier in the week and let it air for three days.. Cut and blended to 80 proof and bottled it.. Liked it white.

Just waiting on Sweet Feed and Rum washes to ferment out.

Congrats on your first run.

"Thanks Doc..couldnt have done it without your help. I aint bought one of the alchy checkers yet but the tail tails off this stuff lights up with pretty blue flame and do not like to go out. I think that is a good sign. Took a little mouth swirl and swear that stuff could make a person real drunk real easy if they was man enough to swallow it. Burns the lips a bit. That might be a bad sign:) Sounds like you are getting those washes nailed. After I get the next batch o shine run I gonna switch over to the pot still mode and make some of those tasty washes. If the Lord's willing of course.


"

Well thats great on the proximity to the home brew place. I have to drive a good way but fortunately it sorta in the general vicinity of the local watering hole where I tend to wind up twice a week or so anyway. Not exactly sure what it was I made yesterday but it smells like tequila. Finally poured it all up today and it made a little over a quart and a half out of 5-6 gals of wash. Thinking I messed up by not letting it reflux for a while before starting to collect. Maybe it was a stripping run or low wines. Who knows? It burns better than any wine I ever bumped into previously.