2-Propanol (also sometimes called isopropyl alcohol, isopropanol or rubbing alcohol) has a boiling point of ~180F and is considered a hazardous alcohol like methanol but it seems it is never mentioned when discussing the distilling process or how it impacts your cuts. I am specifically talking about a pot still process (or even a de-tuned reflux process) for making a Bourbon and not using a full reflux process to make a neutral as that temperature would not come into play.

Clearly the pot still process for a Bourbon collects past 180F so how do you deal with this stuff? 1-Propanol is different and is clearly tails with a boiling point of ~206F.

Do you address it more by controlling the fermentation process?

How does it affect your cuts? do you keep some before, catch and throw away this stuff (like fores) and start collecting again?

Or is this issue is that is just there but insignificant in the overall taste profile and its just ignored?

UPDATE: OK after relying on the a lot of misinformation on the internet I bought the joy of home distilling and Ian Smiley's 2nd book. should have done this a long time ago but really just trying to understand pot stilling. Both of these books agree that the hearts cut does not begin until somewhere in the 190's F when using a pot still or even reduced reflux process so that takes care of the 1-propanol. sorry for the stupid question but there is discussion about taking hearts cut in the 170's using a pot still on several major websites and I was struggling with that.

My next stupid question is both of these books correlate ~80% ABV to a vapor temperature of ~196F which seems like a high temperature based on a correlation chart that I have seen which also matches with what I have seen.

Edited by user Wednesday, November 22, 2017 4:26:42 PM(UTC)  | Reason: update

Chip - no, collecting in small jars and letting them air before diluting down to make cuts based on smell/taste, but I am just a excel spreadsheet guy and like to record as many details as possible to see how things line up against various written material out there.