 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/20/2011(UTC)
Posts: 5
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"Well my first run exciting. I got 2 1/2 quarts of 180 proof and 1/2 qtr. of tails out of 5 gallons of wash. Not knowing how to taste the difference between hearts and tails I think I ran my tails into the last 1/2 qrt. I knew I was running into my tails when the shine started to get cloudy from the suspended water in it. I also think I ran my still too hot and bleed my heads, hearts, and tails together. I tossed my first shot glass (heads) of shine. My reflux column thermometer got up to 170- 174. I got a good constant flow that lasted for 1 1/2 hours then it when down to 3 drops a second for 3 1/2 hours. I kept tasting the drip to see if I could taste a difference. I couldn"t. I thought to myself "this skill only comes with experience.". So the next day I took a small swig of the 180 proof thinking "Hey I drink bourbon neat or on the rocks all the time. I can take it." Shit... I"m a dumbass. So I got the bright Idea of proofing it to 90 with distilled water. It became cloudy. So I read to freeze it. No change. Well I just run it again to practice using my still, tasting hearts and tails. So my questions are...
How much distilled water do I add to 2 1/2 quarts of 90 proof shine, and 1/2 quart of 100 proof tails so I can distill it again?
Do I want the top of my reflux column to be 174 or only the pot? If the column is 174 god knows how hot the wash/pot is. (And that might be the problem why I"m bleeding my heads/hearts/tails!)
How do yall proof down to 90 without making it cloudy?
Thank you for your time."
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/12/2012(UTC)
Posts: 804
Was thanked: 5 time(s) in 5 post(s)
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"Hi Texas Cigar,
Practice makes perfect -- run it again. You should only need to add about a half quart of water to bring the total down to about 40% abv.
On your next run: leave your column condenser water off (no flow). Then after you start to get some output, back off your heat until you get a very slow trickle then cut in your column condenser water until the output stops ... then let it sit like that for about an hour (or at least 45 minutes). After it sits, start backing off your column water very slowly until you get a slow drip (maybe 2 - 4 drips a second at most) to draw off the heads. Collect in a bunch of jars (maybe 1 cup each) ... keep them numbered (or in order).
Use your nose as you switch each jar ... you should be able to notice when the smell changes ... but if you don't, don't worry just keep collecting. If you do notice the smell change, you can then back off your cooling water some more and collect faster (maybe like a string of beads). You can bump up the power at this point, but don't over do it.
Continue collecting and using your nose. When you smell tails, you can either quit, or crank up the power and stop cooling the column until you're satisfied you squeezed out what you want.
Cover the jars with a coffee filter or piece of paper towel and let them sit a day or two -- to air out. THEN do your cuts. And make sure you dilute before you taste ... get it down below 40%, you'll be able to notice any off flavors & smells much easier. Too much EthOH will just interfere with your nose and pallette.
Don't sweat the specific temperatures so much ... I think it's way over-rated. If you like watching the thermometer, look for changes in temp, not any specific temps.
Regards,
--JB"
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/27/2012(UTC)
Posts: 526
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Hi Texas Cigar, for proofing I always use distilled water. That way if it clouds up you know you have heads and or tails in the mix. I don't know if you are useing a burner or electric but either way bring your wash up to a low boil then turn your heat down so your wash is just simmering. The use of boiling chips, rocks, marbles, etc, helps in hearing what the boiler is doing as well as breaking the bubbles up to mitigate pukeing up the column, especially with AG mashes and rum with mollasis. I do agree with what JB says above except on two points. Not saying he's wrong I just have a differing viewpoint. 1) I always have a small flow of water to the column in the beginning. That way it does'nt take so long to cool the head down. 2) I pay attention to the head temps and notate them for different mash/washes. It helps me remember what to expect next time. Here is a web site to help with proofing your product. http://homedistiller.org/calcs/dilute
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/12/2012(UTC) Posts: 463   Was thanked: 3 time(s) in 3 post(s)
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hey Texas Cigar. Proofing down to drinkable level is pretty easy. Beginning volume times beginning proof divided by desired proof equals total volume. Subtract beginning volume and that gives you the amount of h2o to add to get the desired proof.
example 40 oz. times 160 proof = 6400. divided by 90 proof (or whatever proof you are looking for) = 71.12. minus 40 oz,
(the beginning volume) = 31.12 oz. to add to get 90 proof.
Congrats on our first run. Hope this helps
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/24/2012(UTC)
Posts: 630
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Was thanked: 13 time(s) in 13 post(s)
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 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/28/2012(UTC)
Posts: 77
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Cigar,
Although I'm getting a pretty good hang of turning out good drinkable stuff, I'm still a little green myself, especially when it comes to making cuts. What I personally do is switch out to a new collection jar once I get the current one about 1/4 full, that way there's less chance of running heads into hearts and hearts into tails, it's been working well for me!! That way, after my tails drop off to around 40 proof and the run is done, I can pick and choose what to dump together!!
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
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" Originally Posted by: Tracyman0111  Cigar,
Although I'm getting a pretty good hang of turning out good drinkable stuff, I'm still a little green myself, especially when it comes to making cuts. What I personally do is switch out to a new collection jar once I get the current one about 1/4 full, that way there's less chance of running heads into hearts and hearts into tails, it's been working well for me!! That way, after my tails drop off to around 40 proof and the run is done, I can pick and choose what to dump together!! Thats exactly the right idea Tracyman but you forgot to tell him how big or small your collection jar is. I.M.H.O. he should use half pint jars and only fill em half way up (that would be 8 ozs or so) as he collects that way he can really make good tight cuts tomorrow when goes to sniffin those jars. Cigar until you get the hang of your still and cuts and whatnot its just easier to collect in small quantities and then use your nose to make your cuts in the morning. Of course you will need lots of small jars but a flat of half pint masons is only 8-9$. And you can use em over and over again. At least this way works for me."
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Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/20/2011(UTC)
Posts: 5
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Thanks guys. I was just collecting in quart jars until they were full. I will spread the output out now.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered, Moderator
Joined: 4/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 1,666
Was thanked: 15 time(s) in 15 post(s)
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"Yes spread it out ALOT.....I can almost promise you will learn to make cuts and have better likker with smaller collections and then tomorrow when you start sniffin those jars to find your hearts and the other stuff you want to run next time (heads and tails) its just easier and cleaner to quantify each cut.
What I do is in the morning give a little puff of air in the jar before I sniff it and if its hearts I pour it in a big jug and the ones that smell yucky or gooey I pour out.
Lots of times I dont keep either (heads or tails) but when I do its only tails for the next run.
Now this is how I do it but you will learn what works best for you and thats what this is all about, hope this helps ya some."
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