StillSmart

@Ninja. Quit your run ealier. Dont try and get all the alcohol out of a run. You are putting too much crap in your wash.

RumJohn wrote:@Ninja. Quit your run ealier. Dont try and get all the alcohol out of a run. You are putting too much crap in your wash.

When you say quit your run are we talking the spirits run or stripping ?

Stop stripp @30
spirit @40

gaza the instructor wrote:Stop stripp @30
spirit @40

Hi gaza thanks for the advice ,on the next run i will try that .
i always stop the strip at 20 so maybe that's the issue ?
i can smell the off content after the strip that's for sure....

No point in collecting something you will not use
or want to.

@Ninja: Stopping your run at 20% is way too late - in my opinion.

Consider this: a liter at 20% contains 80% of what you are trying to distill. No point in that.

The run at that stage will contain an abundance of nasty shit. When you bring the spirit run down to 40%, it will be cloudy and not have a wonderful smell. The amount of energy required to produce that 20% is substantial, as is the time.

The last 30 minutes or an hour, can taint a whole run. Aim for quality, not quantity.

It is easy to make good alcohol. It‘s even easier to make bad.

RumJohn wrote:@Ninja: Stopping your run at 20% is way too late - in my opinion.

Consider this: a liter at 20% contains 80% of what you are trying to distill. No point in that.

The run at that stage will contain an abundance of nasty shit. When you bring the spirit run down to 40%, it will be cloudy and not have a wonderful smell. The amount of energy required to produce that 20% is substantial, as is the time.

The last 30 minutes or an hour, can taint a whole run. Aim for quality, not quantity.

It is easy to make good alcohol. It‘s even easier to make bad.

many thanks ,so strip down to just 30% ? not 20% on the airstill

@ Ninja: A strip run will usually finish in the area of 30%, but I don‘t use that method to determine when to stop. I know before I start how many liters I should be able to pull off. But temperature at the column head is the main factor that determines when a run is to be terminated. Having said that, I still ignite the odd teasoon full toward the end of the run.

As Robert so often says, there is no one right way.

RumJohn wrote:@ Ninja: A strip run will usually finish in the area of 30%, but I don‘t use that method to determine when to stop. I know before I start how many liters I should be able to pull off. But temperature at the column head is the main factor that determines when a run is to be terminated. Having said that, I still ignite the odd teasoon full toward the end of the run.

As Robert so often says, there is no one right way.

Ok as i am using just an air still do you think i should just try the stripping run to 30% to see if that improves things ?

Ok as i am using just an air still do you think i should just try the stripping run to 30% to see if that improves things ?

Thats what I do.

@ Ninja: Asked and then answered by Mash.

I have never used or even seen an Airstill so cannot be objective. However, basic rules will still apply when distilling. The chances are your technique of today will be different from this time next year. You will become more familiar with your equipment and develope a better understanding of what the relationship of one action has on the effect of another.

Nice and steady is the key. Dont be impatient . Aim for quality, not quantity.

Mash wrote:

Ok as i am using just an air still do you think i should just try the stripping run to 30% to see if that improves things ?

Thats what I do.

Thanks Mash

RumJohn wrote:@ Ninja: Asked and then answered by Mash.

I have never used or even seen an Airstill so cannot be objective. However, basic rules will still apply when distilling. The chances are your technique of today will be different from this time next year. You will become more familiar with your equipment and develope a better understanding of what the relationship of one action has on the effect of another.

Nice and steady is the key. Dont be impatient . Aim for quality, not quantity.

Thanks Rum John

Rum John's post says it all really.
Agreeing with a possible change of M.O. due to a learning curve.
If you are not doing it for quality, then why invest the time?

Robert.

Easydrinker wrote:Rum John's post says it all really.
Agreeing with a possible change of M.O. due to a learning curve.
If you are not doing it for quality, then why invest the time?

Robert.

Not bothered about quantity just quality