 Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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"I have the brewhaus pro series II H/C. I made a pot still run on some wine I had made. I forgot the anti foam agent. Also forgot the copper mesh.
All of it smells bad, maybe because I forgot the anti foam agent and it was puking from what I have read here.
The alc % was not what I expected. I threw out the first 150ml.
The next 250 ml was 51%
The 4th 250 ml was 46%
The 8th 250 ml was 36%
The 12th 250 ml was 25%
The 16th 250 ml was 14%
I calibrated the alcahol meter with some store bought and the temp. correction and it is right on, so the meter is ok.
Any suggestions on the smell and low alcahol?"
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 Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/10/2009(UTC)
Posts: 519
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"Can't comment on your smell but if you detuned for your potstill run,,,,,then you sound like your on trck to me.
Remember that stripping is just to shed the bulk amount of water.
Dilute to 35-40% and do your spirit run.
As for foaming agents and all that other superflous expence,,,,,,,,,let your ferment complete,,,,,,charge your boiler 2/3 to 3/4 only and don't overwelm your still with heat. That should take care of your puking.......Boiling chips can help too BTW.
Get yourself a good recipe or two. Ditch the turbos.......IMHO."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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Thanks. The wine was 1 1/2 years old and crystal clear. I had 5 gallons in the brewhaus 30 quart kettle so that should be ok. I have another 5 gallons to strip and then I will make a final run. Maybe what I was smelling was the tails.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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Not sure what you mean to detuned.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: FLBOY  Not sure what you mean to detuned. Sounds pretty much what you did. NO packing, top half only, and no reflux (cooling water at the top). I do however put one coil of copper at the top to catch any sulpher compounds. Your % rates sound fine for a stripping run. The smells will be both the heads (finger nail polish remover) and the tails (wet cardboard, kinda rotted). Make your spirit run slow, collecting as you did before, though its not necessary for the stripping run. Good experiance though. Let your samples air overnight, coffee filter cover then make your cuts. You most likely will want to age it for several months on toasted white oak or apple. Then, perhaps some glycerine formouth feel, and if it needs some extra flavoring a tad of good sherry or other to suite you. Should make a very nice brandy. If you decide to age it, don't be afraid to add a bit of the late heads and early tails for flavor. HTH"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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I am also wondering about my temp. According to the directions I hooked up the cooling water to the condensor. I could regulate the output with this. My temp at the top was 199 deg when I started getting output. It went up about 2 deg every half hour until it reached 210. I am using the 1500 watt hot plate set up to run at full throttle with everything insulated. I thought I have read the temp at the top should be about 173 but I see not way to regulate it with the directions in the book. Do I have to worry about that temp on a pot run or is that just on a reflux run. Or do I have to worry about it at all.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: FLBOY I am also wondering about my temp. According to the directions I hooked up the cooling water to the condensor. I could regulate the output with this. My temp at the top was 199 deg when I started getting output. It went up about 2 deg every half hour until it reached 210. I am using the 1500 watt hot plate set up to run at full throttle with everything insulated. I thought I have read the temp at the top should be about 173 but I see not way to regulate it with the directions in the book. Do I have to worry about that temp on a pot run or is that just on a reflux run. Or do I have to worry about it at all. Those directions are designed for a neutral. Temp. is imortant to those. You are doing a pot still run for flavored. forget the temps. You want to collect in a slow mode, check the posts here. You may want to invest the 20 dollars on ebay for a voltage controlller. To control the rate of vapor flow. Twill make a much better spirit run. The electric guys here can tell you better."
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/10/2009(UTC)
Posts: 519
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"I wanna tell you to wad them directions into a ball,,,,,,but I shall refrain.
Abv of your wash will determine boiler temps. 8% wash will have a higher boiler temp than 12% wash.
And as the alcohol gets depleted from your wash the boiler temp will rise according to the remaining alcohol.
Remember that water boils
212
Alcohol boils at,,,,,,173-174.
So your wash will boil at some point in between.
You use your CM tool to control your head temp. Adjust heat input accordinly. But remember that you can't control your boiler temp."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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I found the link from ratflinger and purchased a router speed controller on ebay.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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"I striped the 2nd 5 gallons of watermellon wine. I decided to practice a spirit run so I ran as slow as I could. After it came to a boil and I got the first 150 ml I turned down the router to the low end of high. It kept it at a boil. The first time I used ice in my 32 gallon cooler. This time I opened the drain and let it flow out gravity flow. I had steady water input from my well which runs about 70 deg coming out. (I ran the output to my orange trees so it wasn't wated) I was getting around 2 tsp per 55 seconds. Same output for about 2.5 hours. When I could smell the tails I cranked it back up to finish. I also put a small amount of copper mesh at the top.
Is 2 tsp per 55 seconds slow enough for a spirit run?
I did not notice the smell of the first run which was wide open. Same wine. I don't know if it was running slow or the small amount of copper mesh at the top.
The other question I have for the spirit run, should I put a packet or 2 of copper mesh for the pot spirit run or stay with what I have with just a little at the top?
I have just short of 11 liters for the spirit run and it shows just under 35%, is that enough for a spirit run."
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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"yes, you can run that. You will need less heat for this run as you have less volume and a higher %. Also, run your fores at a very slow rate, otherwise a lot of your good alchohol will come out with it. You didn't mention a heads smell change to hearts? Your last run was a lot higher proof then your first fast run, which would account for the smell change. The first one would be all mixed together throughout. Collect in small amounts through the run to do cutting later. Copper is ok if you want a bit in there. Originally Posted by: FLBOY I striped the 2nd 5 gallons of watermellon wine. I decided to practice a spirit run so I ran as slow as I could. After it came to a boil and I got the first 150 ml I turned down the router to the low end of high. It kept it at a boil. The first time I used ice in my 32 gallon cooler. This time I opened the drain and let it flow out gravity flow. I had steady water input from my well which runs about 70 deg coming out. (I ran the output to my orange trees so it wasn't wated) I was getting around 2 tsp per 55 seconds. Same output for about 2.5 hours. When I could smell the tails I cranked it back up to finish. I also put a small amount of copper mesh at the top.
Is 2 tsp per 55 seconds slow enough for a spirit run?
I did not notice the smell of the first run which was wide open. Same wine. I don't know if it was running slow or the small amount of copper mesh at the top.
The other question I have for the spirit run, should I put a packet or 2 of copper mesh for the pot spirit run or stay with what I have with just a little at the top?
I have just short of 11 liters for the spirit run and it shows just under 35%, is that enough for a spirit run. "
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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I didn't collect at 250ml, more like 3/4 of a quart. But there was no mistaking the good from the bad even at that volume. Can't wait for the spirit run.
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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I threw out the first 150-170ml on the stripping runs. Do I need to throw anything out on the spirit run?
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/22/2005(UTC)
Posts: 817
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" Originally Posted by: FLBOY I threw out the first 150-170ml on the stripping runs. Do I need to throw anything out on the spirit run? No, just make a good heads/hearts cut."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/14/2009(UTC)
Posts: 92
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"Your run should not be any bigger then a match stick as a rule. Any bigger then that is too fast !
popapina"
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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I finally go to do the spirit run. I collected 15 200ml jars and an additional 2.5 quarts. My first smell test and I am thinking jars 4 thru 10 are what I want. They measure 78% alc. I collected until no liquid was coming out. Ths was from about 10.5 liters of 31%. Does 140ml sound like what I should get in hearts. I still have them airing with coffee filters over them. Made the run yesterday.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/10/2009(UTC)
Posts: 519
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No. 140 ml does not sound right. But 1400 ml may!
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/18/2010(UTC)
Posts: 38
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Well it is obvious I am not a math major. Would 1400 ml seem right for the hearts on this run.
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Rank: Senior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/10/2009(UTC)
Posts: 519
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"hahe  Sounds like your well within range considering results can vary. Ain't worth a dern at math and in this kind of sipherin don't matter much to me as multiple fermenters makes it easy to tust my nose and toss anything questionable into the feins jug. Once you get your drankin stock built up it gets real easy to make those brutal cuts needed to ensure very clean distillate. Fussy makes for outstanding drankin stock. No matter. Good luck."
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Rank: Junior Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/10/2010(UTC)
Posts: 70
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I just made my first run, the first batch that came out was right at 180 Proof, and then it gradually started dropping off. Is this normal? And how much should be expected out of 5 gallond of mash?
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