 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/18/2012(UTC)
Posts: 5
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New to group (Texas) first post. I've mashed and ran the following: Sweet Feed, Chicken Scratch (1st couple runs) , moved on up to flaked maize, rye, and lastly potato/rye/barley for vodka. I just finished a corn/rye/barley batch that I locked away in an oak barrel with charred(black as night)chips . With the Pro Series II in reflux I usually get 160 to 186. Now my product ain't aweful but also not as smooth as I would like. Up til now haven't given Ph much thought. I use a carbon filter system that helps with taste but hoping to get a better booze with proper Ph and also using only distilled H20 to hopefully ease up on the burn. I have gotten to where I don't usually need or use dextrose. But any advise on how to ease the burn and schmooth the sipping out would be appreciated from some of you experience folks. I realize that 160 to 180 isn't Smooth and gonna stop using tap for mash and down proofing . Anyway, thanks for reading, and look forward to any tips. A family who drinks together...... Stays together . Txlawman70
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/27/2012(UTC)
Posts: 526
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Hi TxLawMan, in reflux try turning your heat down as low as you can and still maintain product flow. Then turn your column water up to where there is no product flow, that will force reflux. Hold the reflux for an hour or so. Then slowly start slowing the water flow to the column a little at a time, waiting 3 to 5 minutes between each valve movement to let your column settle. When you start to get product flow somewhere between 2 and 4 drops/second that's where you leave it.
I use a Blichmann propane burner and find that powering the flame to where it's barely on is the sweet spot. A lot of folks use electric burners and can tell you more about those than I can. And then again some folks use heat adjustments more than I do but this is what works for me. I'm on average getting 92 to 94% on my vodkas in reflux.
Hope this helps.
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/18/2012(UTC)
Posts: 5
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Thanks bushy that does answer a few questions about stabilizing the column during reflux .
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 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/9/2013(UTC)
Posts: 56
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When I read about the burn, I immediately thought about how you are doing your cuts. I do my runs into pint mason jars and only file half full. The fores go into a bottle saved for use as solvent. I save the heads and tails and put them into the next batch before running. The hearts are very smooth. A lot smoother than commercial. Now I'm working on oak barrel aging. Just no way to hurry that. Cheers.
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