StillSmart

I have to immediately admit that I have no knowledge or experience of the T500 used in any format. Others here certainly have.

For me, as a pot distiller, I was struck by your comment:

2: I did see some small bubbles coming from the seal on the head and dome( not much at all TBH)no steam cloud.

This, for me can only be leakage. Whatever is leaking out is not getting distilled and, therefore not flowing through the condenser. Your results would seem to indicate that any leak gradually got worse so, having got your two litres, whatever was being heated was going to air and not to condenser.

I strongly feel that at least one test run should be made, with water only, checking closely for such
leaks

Once satisfied that you have no leaks at all I do feel another run with your remaining wash wouldn't go amiss.

However, as mentioned in my last post, given your total malts in 23 litres I feel you might have lifted most of the available alcohol, but given the volume of wash and the value of any remaining alcohol, it could be well worth while starting a run and test reading every 200ml.

For a strip run, it is normal in most instances (opinions vary on this) to run until a reading of below 20%abv , or even down to below 10%abv is achieved.

If your early reading indicate no worth while distillation then switch off. Little, other than effort has been expended, but at least you will know you have solved the leak problem.

thanks matey.

will post tomoz with an update

IMHO,Toper has just given the best response that anyone could.If I could award him a Gold Star,I would.
I had a minor vapour leak recently,I couldn't immediately see it,smell it or hear it.
It was the unusually slow collection rate that alerted me.
It took two more turns of tightening down the still lid for me to stop it,and that gasket is now due an inspection.
I suggest it wise to sort any leak before proceeding.
Equally,if you have that much alcohol left in the wash,it may be worth re-running,but it may well turn out to be mostly Tails,due to the particular quirkiness of this particular run.
Whatever you decide,do let us know the results.

ATB
Robert.

well guy's I must say..... I bow down to all your superior knowledge.

got home this afternoon, tightened up the gasket screw and fired up the still.

after about an hour or so... hey presto little drips of liquid gold.

I'm just getting towards the 20% proof as I type this.

it looks like I will have somewhere in the region of 5 to 6 litres of strip

YIPPEE

thanks everyone for your guidance and patience.

I am glad you got it sorted.
Little vapour leaks can be a bugger to spot.

Robert.

Easydrinker wrote:I am glad you got it sorted.
Little vapour leaks can be a bugger to spot.

Robert.

thanks Robert.

the final tally is:

just under a gallon of strip at approx 50%.

is that good?

Without doing the math,I think it really is.
I hope the final product is worth the grief!

Robert.

spirit run at the weekend then

That gives you 2.2 litres (roughly) of pure alcohol from 23 litres of wash.
Which means, so far as my maths go that your wash was in the region of something over 10% abv as there will still be some residual alcohol in the remaining wash.

You did ok.

In my experience, using that quantity of LME (6kg) in 23 litres I never appear to ferment out fully. This I think is because the sugars profile in the LME is already set, so the hydrometer readings after fermentation are distorted by residual non-fermantables.

That level of return thoroughly justifies the cost of ingredients.

You are going to dilute before the spirit run?

Toper wrote:That gives you 2.2 litres (roughly) of pure alcohol from 23 litres of wash.
Which means, so far as my maths go that your wash was in the region of something over 10% abv as there will still be some residual alcohol in the remaining wash.

You did ok.

In my experience, using that quantity of LME (6kg) in 23 litres I never appear to ferment out fully. This I think is because the sugars profile in the LME is already set, so the hydrometer readings after fermentation are distorted by residual non-fermantables.

That level of return thoroughly justifies the cost of ingredients.

You are going to dilute before the spirit run?

hi Toper,

yes mate.

Down to 30% isn't it?

28-30% is the way most distilleries do it.

Robert.

I hope you weren't too confused with the well intentioned but rather conflicting advice you were given as to grain treatment.

If you had been 'mashing', most would have been correct. You weren't. You were following exactly the instructions in 'CLONING GLENMORANGIE' by Harry Jackson,

“...add 2 kg peated malt grain, put a lid on it and wrap the pot in towels to hold in the heat. Let it sit for about 1/2 an hour....”

Here, the grain isn't actually mashed, but steeped as a flavouring adjunct only.

The recipe was intended for those without mashing skills/equipment, or didn't have the inclination to go down that path. I quote:

“...The second is for the many that have difficulty with conversion of starches, or just plain don't like the work, mess and fuss attached to all-grain (that's most of us). ...”

Mashing does add more fermentable sugars to your wash and, I think intensifies flavour extraction.

However, I have followed the same recipe, in the same way as you have done, and was very pleased with the extremely good results (In my opinion as the guy who drank it.)

Toper wrote:I hope you weren't too confused with the well intentioned but rather conflicting advice you were given as to grain treatment.

If you had been 'mashing', most would have been correct. You weren't. You were following exactly the instructions in 'CLONING GLENMORANGIE' by Harry Jackson,

“...add 2 kg peated malt grain, put a lid on it and wrap the pot in towels to hold in the heat. Let it sit for about 1/2 an hour....”

Here, the grain isn't actually mashed, but steeped as a flavouring adjunct only.

The recipe was intended for those without mashing skills/equipment, or didn't have the inclination to go down that path. I quote:

“...The second is for the many that have difficulty with conversion of starches, or just plain don't like the work, mess and fuss attached to all-grain (that's most of us). ...”

Mashing does add more fermentable sugars to your wash and, I think intensifies flavour extraction.

However, I have followed the same recipe, in the same way as you have done, and was very pleased with the extremely good results (In my opinion as the guy who drank it.)

"and the truth shall set you free"
thanks Toper.
How long and what did you age this with?

There are many suppliers of suitable materials, and others on the Forum would have different opinions, whilst a number make their own.

After trying products from a variety of sources, I finally settled on Distilling Dominoes:
http://www.distillingdominoes.co.uk/

For their products, they advise as follows:

The ideal size of domino to put in a half litre of spirit is
125mm x 20mm x 20mm
If you are using a one litre container then the ideal size would be
250mm x 20mm x 20mm


The above recommendations indicate the surface area to which a given quantity if spirits should be exposed to, using his dominoes.

Remember though, these are 'recommendations' only, taste is a very subjective thing.

From the list of available products, I chose to order his 5. American White Oak Dominoes 8/10sec Flame. See : http://www.distillingdominoes.co.uk/dom ... nd-prices/

Not having specified a size, I received (B) 175mm x 20mm x 15mm.

I had to use the recommendation mention above, to calculate how much to use for the amounts I was ageing. (i.e. 250x20x20 = 10,000 sq. mm per litre.

Rightly or wrongly, after calculating the quantity, I cut my dominoes in half, thus increasing the total surface area.

Here I have to admit that the speed with which the colour saturated the spirits had me over react I think. Not wanting too dark a finish, I took it off the oak far sooner than I night have done.

The initial flush of colour slows down to an almost imperceptible level, whilst the taste continues to progress.
I now leave 4/5 weeks on the dominoes at least. Then, should you have the time, inclination and patience (too often I don't ) leave the resulting whisky for as long as you are able. Allowing all the various elements of ageing to unify.

If you have ever brewed your own beer you will know what I mean. Whilst drinkable, quite often you are a third of the way through a barrel when your taste buds tell you this is how long you should have left it initially.

Hope you spirit run goes ok.

thanks Toper.

just ordered my oak for ageing and will post over the weekend when I done the spirit run.

thanks to everyone for getting me through this and hopefully ....in a few months I will be toasting you all on a job well done.