Still output not adding up

by **H2SO4.5** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 8:24 pm

A question I\'d like any help with. I am very new to the hobby.
First I put a sample of 2 litres from a brew which had finished at 14% alcohol into my pot still.
By my maths 14% of 2litres is 282ml so that is what I was expecting out.
What I actually got out was 400ml of alcohol. I know it is alcohol because it burns with a blue flame.
How can I possibly be getting more alcohol out than what I am putting in the still?
I\'ve checked it a few times and the results are the same.
What is going on?

by **MrCat** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 1:48 am

You are right with the theoretical 282 ml of ethanol in your wash but it\'s not 100% pure alcohol you are getting out. Even with the best still the maximum you could get out it 95(.6!)% out. With my super reflux I get about 92/93% out
To get over 50% on a pot still on a single run ain\'t bad.
If it burns on a spoon then it\'s above (about) 55%.
When you get your spirit hydrometer you can check the ABV (alcohol by volume) which will tell you how much ethanol you\'ve actually got out.
Does that make sense ??

by **H2SO4.5** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 2:40 am

It does indeed make sense thanks. Hopefully the meter will be here by tomorrow and then I can ask my next question which will be what formula to use to adjust the result to 40% by adding distilled H20 and how much to add.
I could of course just add the water until the meter reads 40% but I\'d rather try to get to grips with the maths\'.

by **MrCat** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 5:35 am

You need a dilution calculator.
Home Distiller\'s handy dilution calculator
I used to work it out manually but it\'s much quicker to use those

by **optic** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:25 pm

the amount of spirit in litres or mls times the abv of your spirit devided by the abv you want gives the total amount you will end up with,then just subtract the amount of original spirit from the result to give the a

ount of water to add.Takes seconds to do on a calculator.

Optic

by **optic** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:25 pm

the amount of spirit in litres or mls times the abv of your spirit devided by the abv you want gives the total amount you will end up with,then just subtract the amount of original spirit from the result to give the a

ount of water to add.Takes seconds to do on a calculator.

Optic

by **optic** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:26 pm

the amount of spirit in litres or mls times the abv of your spirit devided by the abv you want gives the total amount you will end up with,then just subtract the amount of original spirit from the result to give the amount of water to add.Takes seconds to do on a calculator.

Optic

by **optic** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:26 pm

the amount of spirit in litres or mls times the abv of your spirit devided by the abv you want gives the total amount you will end up with,then just subtract the amount of original spirit from the result to give the amount of water to add.Takes seconds to do on a calculator.

Optic

by **Andy** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:54 pm

Had a few there optic??? LOL

by **H2SO4.5** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:39 pm

Brilliant. All working out fine. Thanks all

by **MrCat** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 4:34 am

Did you get your spirit hydrometer ? what ABV did you get ?

by **optic** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 7:42 pm

Sorry about the repeat posts chaps,I was posting on my mobile wasnt sure if it had posted.Was at work at the time and was jober as a sudge honest....lol

by **H2SO4.5** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:10 pm

I ordered it from ebay first class post on 8 september. It still (pun) hasn't arrived yet. My luck.

Sitting here twiddling my thumbs dieing to know the answer myself. Mixed with distilled water to the mix of 60/40 (40 alcohol) it certainly tastes very nice and like it's up in the 40's especially after I've sent one batch through the still twice.