question about foreshots

by **stupor** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:34 pm

I have a question about foreshots. I understand when using a turbo yeast, you only need to collect about 5-10ml for the foreshots to toss, but what do I have to throwout as foreshots when using the eastystill for:
1. Wine when making a brandy?
2. Store bought cheap vodka that I want to get to distill to about 100proof
3. Any mash made with a non-turbo yeast?
Thanks,
Stupor

by **bluecap** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:58 am

Hi Stupor
Ok well first things first, you should be taking a minimum of 20ml of foreshots, not 10-15ml from the easystill, some do take much more to be on the safe side.
1: When making Brandy still take a minimum of 20ml of first and chuck it, they may be more in red wine so maybe take another 20ml of and see how it smells.
2: Why you would want to distil shop bought vodka is beyond me, it should be pure so technically no foreshots but I have to admit Iâ€™m not sure on that one, also I think you are getting a bit confused, the easystill quite easily does 100 proof vodka, 100 proof is about 50% alcohol. I suspect you mean 100% alcohol, which is impossible with the easystill as I think it is with any still, max with a reflux still I think is about 95% alcohol.
3: A minimum of 20 ml, again use you smell to test it, thereâ€™s no rules set in stone as all washes can be different but even if you chuck the first 50ml itâ€™s only a double shot lol you wont be going short.

by **stupor** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 4:27 pm

Thanks for the info bluecap. I was curious about the cheap store bought vodka since I have about 4 liters left in the basement leftover from a party so I was wondering if redistilling it and then running it through activated carbon would improve its quality for drinking & infusions since it\'s not a vodka that I would want to drink in its current state.

by **Phantom** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:47 pm

Well if you put it through the still, then it would be like a second distillation of a 60% that\'s watered down...
As bluecap says, I\'d doubt whether there\'s any point in binning foreshots, but I\'d just chuck it through the still and then run it through the carbon........it can\'t do any harm and you\'ll end up with something considerably stronger that it is at the moment...