I DIDNT WRITE THIS---I COPIED IT FROM SOMEWHERE.


Making the cuts
Probably the most elusive part of the distilling process for making whiskey, is making
the cuts from heads to hearts and then to tails. Making a cut from one phase to the next is
the point where the distiller switches the output so that itís collected in a different receiver
than the previous phase. At the end of the spirit run, the heads will be in one container,
the hearts in another, and the tails in a third one. The question is, when to switch from one
phase to the next?
Experienced distillers do this by taste. Even though there are measurable parameters
like still-head temperature and percent alcohol of the evolving spirit that can be used to
judge when to make the cuts, taste and smell still remain the most reliable method of determining
them.
The empirical parameters for judging the cuts are: the percent alcohol of the spirit that's
flowing out of the still (i.e. the evolving spirit); and, the still-head temperature. However,
these vary from one still to the next, and vary based on the properties of the low-wine (e.g.,
percent alcohol, and quantity). It is possible to develop a consistent process using the same
still and the same quantity and a formulation of low-wine, such that the parameters remain
the same for each run. For example, if a spirit run is being done in an artisan reflux still
with low-wine that is 35% abv, the begin-cut (i.e. the cut from heads to hearts) is usually
done when the evolving distillate is at about 80% and when the still-head temperature is
about 180 degrees. And, the end-cut (i.e., the cut from hearts to tails) is often done at about
65% and when the still-head temperature is about 200 degrees. However, a spirit distilled
from a straight malt wash, can often be end-cut as low as 60%. It's because of these nuances
that smell and taste become the only truly reliable indicators of when to make the cuts.
When making the begin-cut, the taste characteristics that the distiller is looking for are
as follows. When a spirit run comes to boil and the first d istillate starts flowing from the
still, this is the beginning of the heads phase. The distiller can collect a small sample of the
distillate on a spoon or in a wine glass and smell it. At this stage, the distillate will have the
sickening smell of solvents like nail polish remover or paintbrush cleaner. However, before
long this solvent smell will diminish, and even when a sample is tasted these compounds
will be very faint. As the solvent character disappears completely, the distillate will start to
take on a hint of whiskey flavor. This flavor will increase until it becomes very pronounced
and highly concentrated. It's when this flavor is clearly evident (i.e., more than just a hint)
but is still increasing in intensity that the distiller cuts to the hearts phase
To make the end-cut the distiller needs to monitor the flavor of the hearts through the
following changes in taste. At the beginning of the hearts phase, the intensity of the whiskey
flavor will still be increasing, and will continue to do so until it becomes very strong.
However, as the hearts continue, the intense whiskey flavor will fade into a smooth, sweet,
pleasant flavor that will persist for most of the hearts. The flavor will change slightly as the
hearts progress but it will remain sweet and pleasant. Towards the end of the hearts, the
flavor will start losing its sweetness and a trace of harsh bitterness will being to appear in
the flavor. This harsh, bitter flavor is the onset of the tails. While a small amount of this
bitterness is considered to contribute to the "bite" character of the whiskey, the distiller
should cut to the tails receiver before mush of it is allowed to enter the hearts.
The tails can be collected until the evolving distillate is down to about 10% and the stillhead
temperature is about 210 degrees. The reason for doing this is to render all the residual
alcohol that's left in the still at the end of the hearts phase. This alcohol can then be
recovered in a future spirit run.
The tails phase starts out bitter, and the bitterness becomes more intense as the tails
continue, but as the tails progress, the bitterness subsides and gives way to a sweet-tasting
water. This sweet water is called "backins.

"MORE SAVED INFO. i CANT GUARANTT THE EXACTNESS AS ALL THINGS ARE DIFERENT FOLKS EXPERIENCES


1-- FORESHOTS should start to emerge at a head temp of about 174 deg F--discard the first
150 ml

2-heads should start at about 176F TO 195F---collect heads in 8 ounce glasses till %ABV reaches 85% than start collecting main body

3-- from 196F to 201-203F collec the main body----stop collecting main body when %ABV reaches 50 to 65%

4-- Collect tails from 50 to 65% ABV till head temp becomes unstable and rises to the 200+degrees F range.

5-- Stop collecting tails at about 20% ABV

6-- mix heads and tails for the next low wines run

7--always save heads and tails((feints)) to add to the subsequent low wines runs

8-- When you have enough feints to make a run just with feints, do so for a very special result ?????



RUNNING A STILL BY HEAD TEMPERATURE

ON BOTH POT AND REFLUX STILLS , DISCARD ANYTHINH UNDER 75C-167 F.

stop collecting with the pot at --198 F.

stop collecting with the reflux still at 98 C-- 201 deg F"

Thanks for the responses! I guess I will have to use my senses then. But I do have another question that you brought up about the temperatures getting over 200 degrees. Many places I have read say to keep the temperate around 173-190 while distilling. Now as I use low to medium heat do I follow this? Should I kill the heat once it reaches 190+ and let it cool or just let it run naturally and collect the higher temps in different containers?

"
This is a jug of heads and the nasty look and smell of tails. Some like it and some just add it to the next boil. Let your nose be your guide in the morning when you line all those jars up and start sniffin to figger out what is heads - hearts - and tails."

sure has.. appreciate it guys

Yes, that :)

Each container will have less and less EtOH as you get to the end of the run..