Distilling

[0127frey]

I have not been doing this very long and some of the jargon is confusing me,What is "Cutting,Heads and Tails"and there are others that i can't remember.

[Mash]

Think of it like a fish.

You don't eat the heads

You don't eats the tails

You cut 'em off.

[Toper]

Under 'Resources' in the Index, you will find Distilling Booklets. One of these which might have some answers for you is :

Distilling Cuts for Beginners

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3436

[0127frey]

Thanks,Got that "Spirit Cuts for Beginners".But do i have it wrong thinking that its what Filtering is for,to take out these unwanted parts?.

[Mash]

Keeping with the fishy theme.. lol.

Filtering is more like gutting.

You are polishing the best bit (hearts) after cutting.

[YHB]

There are three distinct filtering systems, people often get them confused when asking / answering questions.

1) Mechanical Filtration.

Use a coffee filter paper / cotton wool etc. in a funnel to remove sediment, debris, bits of oak etc. etc.

2) Removal of unwanted tastes.

Use activated carbon to remove unwanted off tastes.

3) Addition Of desired flavours.

Passing spirits through some substance such as charcoal as used in the Jack Daniels Process.

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It is always helpful when posting to state which type of filtering you are refering to.

[Easydrinker]

Mash made a couple of confusing posts there for a newbie, though not wrong.
You make your cuts to get the best spirit that you can produce.
If you are trying to make a neutral, i.e. Vodka, then you may choose to "polish" it by carbon filtration.
If you run a reflux still, you may decide this step is not needed.
If you run a pot still, (airstill), it is pretty much needed, IMHO, although that is a bone of contention.
I can only suggest that you dive in, try it and make it work for you, in some safe way.

Robert.

[Curmudgeon]

When distilling, the first product is foreshots, which is a small amount you really don't want to drink. It probably does not include methanol (the stuff that makes people go blind), but it's not a risk we take, so first "measure" is always poured down the sink. Next is "heads" which is like nail varnish remover etc. It won't kill you but will give you a bitch of a hangover. We suggest keeping it out of your booze and dumping or re-using it. After that is hearts which is the good stuff. It's way better than any shop bought alcohol if you get it right. At the end is tails which is drinkable, but may give you a dodgy stomach and certainly has a dodgy flavour.

[Easydrinker]

If you read the last two posts together, you probably have what I was trying to say.

Thanks Curmudgeon.

Robert.

[0127frey]

How do you know how much a Measure of a "Foreshot" is,or a "Heads" Measure,to throw away,is there a certain amount that you take out?.

[Easydrinker]

How long is a piece of string?
You have not said that you have an airstill, but I will assume that you have.
If you read and re-read Toper's posted link, download/file.php?id=326
then you will have some idea of how to progress.
Some of this you have to figure out for yourself.
All washes and stills are not the same, no advice holds true for all.
Read a little more and figure where your situation relates to others.

ATB

Robert.

[Casper]

It also depends on your wash/beer the amount of each cut. If your fermentation went well and there was no temperature changes at all, overnight, start to finish. That gives more nicer alcohols.
And if you rack before secondary is done, and if fermentation is above or below 20°C you will have more, or less complex compounds in the wash. Above 20° it takes a few days but you get the extra flavours beer swillers prefer, below 20° it takes weeks but the beer is cleaner and that's how lager is done. You want to brew a weak beer, less than 8%. Too much sugar with turbo Yeast and your beer is full of whatnot.

I would make my first run fast with no "cuts" This is the stripping run. Look, touch, smell, taste, measure constantly. This is the best way to learn. All the lightest alcohol and volatiles come first. This will be high ABV, above 80% All the heavy alcohols come over last. this cut is above 55% ABV down to zero, its the cut from heads to tails. Some great whiskies like Glenmorangie make this hearts to tails cut at 65% ABV
From 55% to about 40% is strong TAILS. from 40% to 25% is weak TAILS. Below that, it's you choice, taste v energy use. I usually strip to 20% or 15% although sometimes I keep all the tails in the wash and use that, the waste, now called backset, I use it to improve my next mash, and to use as below to dilute my strip to 25% for the second run. It boosts flavour.

These are your "low wines".use your senses. Touch. Let the drops onto your hand. Rub palms together. How does it feel, dry, wet, smooth as oil? Bring to your nose. Sharp and woody, sweet, fragrant, wet cardboard, pungent? From start to end you will feel and smell these and more. You are learning about all the range of constituents, there are at least half a dozen different alcohols in there. If it smells and feels good, then taste it.

Now water down your low wines to about 25% ABV. This helps clean up the spirits. When you do your second run, go slow, very slow at first. Ethanol is by far the largest product. But a few degrees cooler, before ethanol boils, you get methanol. It smells woody, feels dry on the skin. So let it drip on your palm, rub hands, smell hands. DO NOT TASTE. These are your foreshots (a few teaspoons) leading to Heads (a few tablespoons). If you go slow there's a quite sharp transition between cuts. Soon the feel gets less dry, oily, smells sweeter. Ethanol is coming now. When there is no smell or feel of heads, you should now taste a few drops diluted on a spoon. Start collecting your HEARTS now. But keep smelling, touching, looking, tasting. Every 100ml will progress thru a range of tastes. If it's a sugar wash, fruitbor molasses, the range is fascinating, moving from vodka, floral, vanilla, liquorice, toffee. Gradually after a few litres the heavier alcohols arrive as ethanol diminishes. You will detect Hearts are ending and TAILS are approaching. For grain washes this is where your best flavours are hidden.
There are not much tails nor heads by volume when compared to the hearts. But EVERY time you detect a change, start a new collector cup or bottle.
First the strong Tails. Sugars like molasses, or fruit brandies, these tails are not good. Dump or better, keep and re-run these. Their best tails are hidden till later. After strong are these weak tails.
Keep your bottles unstoppered for a few days. Then taste and start to blend all your favourites for ageing.
I always recycle the cuts or bottles I don't blend, the ones that don't make the cut go back into my next stripping run.