StillSmart

Hi all,

just about to do my first stripping run from my grain wash but....

do I collect all or do I discard any of the heads?

if so how much?

if not

how much would I need to discard on the first spirit run?

cheers

I collect the first bit off both strip and spirit runs. Why mess around? As to how much, that will depend on what you start with. The bigger the run, the more you will pull off. Your head temp will also be an indicator.

@earth,
mate, I've NFI what your after re final product, however its fair to say that with any/all AG strip runs (Other than fores ) it is truly best to collect as much as you can.

Yup collect right down to 10% or less

When you do the spirit run I generally cut the hearts at low 60% area then again run right down with the tails

Next spirit run you do, add the tails (and heads if you like) and this is how the flavour profile builds up as so much of the grain flavour is in the low percentage area

Basically it's what the big boys done and IMHO it's worked for me

thanks guy's for the info.

should have been a bit clearer I suppose.

I'm doing a malt whiskey and thought that I may have to discard the first 30 to 50 ml (per 25 ltr wash) as this maybe methanol (maybe) in other words very very bad for you if left in?

cheers

So you are going to strip run,and then spirit run.
From the strip you will keep everything.
From the spirit run you will make cuts.
Myself,on a flavoured whisky spirit run, I am currently recycling everything but the hearts to a feints receiver and re-running,cut with the next lot of spirit to be distilled.
Some here may advocate chucking the fores.
None of the Scottish distilleries do,and so don't I.

After a Gazillion distillations there is a chance that some higher alcohols may leach through to your hearts,but by then you ought to be able to taste it in your cuts.
Equally,the Angels should be keeping you in balance,if you air the cuts.

Take a Scottish distillery tour and and ask about "fores" and "heads".
And take your childhood comfort piece with you,because if you believe all that you read
on here you may need it.

HTH

Robert.

Yup totally agree with ED. visit a distillery

There you will observe that the moveable output from the spirit still in the spirit safe has only 2 positions Hearts collection and feints so both foreshots and heads plus the feints go into the same tank

Rather than a parrot he can take hydrometer readings inside the safe too it's quite twee but there's probably some electronic gizmo doing that somewhere else !

"it's quite twee but there's probably some electronic gizmo doing that somewhere else !"

LOL

Foreshots and Heads are the stuff of mighty headaches and rumbling, growling, internal body plumbing, make no mistake about it but, in the working of our craft it is completely at your discretion to Cut or Not to Cut.

For me, the discovery that, after years of practice and learning, I can make the types of spirits my family and friends enjoy, and make them discernibly better than commercially produced spirits and that those I produce have little or no 'morning after' effects, was a hugumungus discovery, to say the least. This is achieved by removing the Foreshots and Heads from every batch of spirit I produce.

I have recently taken to running off the first 500ml of distillate from every 40lt stripping run direct to the drain rather than let it into my low wines storage kegs and I do the same again on each spirit run. Overkill? Of course it is but I enjoy the peace of mind that there are none of those nasty elements, that make up what we call Fores, in my finished spirits and that allows me a wide smile whenever someone raises a glass with my spirits in it.

I know there are those who will immediately say that the classic Scotch Whiskies cannot be improved on or beaten by home distilling but I'd give them an argument Not because I think I can do better but because I couldn't care less, I never cared for the taste or mouthfeel of Scotch or Irish whiskies

AidanMac

p.s. If I were making my spirits for profit I too might use every drop from the condenser

+1 Aidanmac
@Earth....: the thing is, you will know (by experimentation and practice) where your personal 'sweetspot' is regarding a regular, reliable, reality-affecting spirit lies.....BUT, here's a great tip from this forum.....
(mate, I assume you would agree that it lies FAR beyond those day-after, head-thumping typical hangover reality scenes)
when you make-your-own....subject to judicious fractions/cuts....you will find yourself and those you choose to share your bounty with in a better place, everytime

OK Frank,please don't take umbrage,but were you on the loopy juice before that post?
We don't have a member named Earth.Was the post directed at me?
I was referring above to flavoured washes,not attempts at "neutrals",where I also throw away "fores".
Equally,take it with as much salt as you wish,but I think that I had a hangover once, Chinese new year,1987,I think it was.
Some may consider it a blessing,for me it is a curse,but if you don't suffer ill effects from excessive alcohol consumption,then my only reasons for not going there are work or driving related.
My experience has shown two types of drunkenness,the aggressive pick a fight person,and the person that wants to embrace the world and sing songs.
Guess which type I am...

"See the little pixie,see his little hat....."

Robert.

FTR"@Earth....." was typed as, I suspect, "@Eatthe....." prior to the wonderous world of android auto-spell correction.
Rest easy, Easydrinker (and feel free to guess which 'type' I am too )

Worry not, Frank, until I saw your post, and then read it probably I thought it was EARTHLIVING too.

I have recently taken to running off the first 500ml of distillate from every 40lt stripping run direct to the drain

AidanMac - What % are your washes?
Am I right in thinking if your wash is 12% and you throw away 500ml then if I have a 6% wash do I throw 250ml away?
Do you still throw any away on your spirit run?

Cheers

@v4mpy: That calc will work. But with only 6%, I would be wondering what the hell I did wrong.