First run, comments/advice welcome.

[Inky]

Hi All, I have been reading as much as I can since my wife surprised me by buying a T500 and have learned heaps here as well as enjoying the friendly and helpful vibe. So thanks for that.
I just ran my first wash through the new still. First time distilling. I followed the directions in the kit for the most part. Pretty happy with the result even though it wasn't a perfect run by any means.
If anyone would care to take a look and give some feedback that would be great.
Sorry it's so long...

Ambient temp low 30's celsius.
About a 23 litre wash, % abv unknown but was at the green ring on hydrometer for 2 days and no more bubbles. It was the sugar and turbo yeast brew from the T500 kit. With the carbon.
Turned cooling on full when thermometer began rising faster (at about 35 minute mark)
First drips at about 42 deg C. Left cooling on full for another 10 minutes
Turned cooling down, reached 50C quickly and a steady stream of distillate began. Collected 200mL foreshot to be safe. High 90s abv. Paint stripper.
Moved outlet to a large container and let temperature rise slowly. Collected about 2 litres. It was smelling quite good, but then...
Sudden temperature rise due to a water pressure drop. The still spewed and about 2 litres of wash ran into the container.
Brought the temperature back to about 60C and once I was sure the product was running clear again I started collecting in a new container.
Finished the run, won about 750 mL of 94% . Set aside. About 3 hrs total from cold.
(Measured the leftovers in the still at 0%)
Diluted the messed up distillate/wash mix to 30% and re-ran it without dramas to win about 2.5L of about 94%
Noticed it was much easier to control temperature on the second run with only 8.5 litres in the boiler. 1 hour and used about ⅕ the cooling water for some reason. (Ambient had dropped to about 28 deg C)
Added the 2 runs together and diluted to 40%. 6 and a bit litres all up. Happy days.
Cheers, inky

[Anavrin]

Hi Inky

Although you had to resistil one part you mainly only distilled once and you didn’t make any cuts!!

Now your using a packed column so you should be able to bet something drinkable straight off the wash but in future you would be better to first run maybe two washes through collecting everything, then combine and water your results down to 30% for a second distillation this will produce a much better quality spirit.

Also on this second run you need to be more careful, adjust your water to control the speed of the still, if you aim for 1-1.2 litres an hour you should be spot on.

Also collect in jars of say 200ml-300ml, you can throw the first one, call it foreshots if you wish, the point of collecting is jars is to enable us to make cuts, which is the process of separating the not so desirable chemicals like acetone and Ethel Acetate, lucky for us these chemicals boil off first as they have a lower boiling point than ethanol, you should let your jars air for 24 hours, this will enable you to find the cleanest alcohol, it’s take a bit of trial and error but it’s just as important as learning to run your still correctly.

Have a search on here about making cuts.

[Inky]

Hi Anavrin, thanks for the reply.
Re cuts, yes I have read about them and in fact did collect the re run in cuts- but big ones. I suppose my reasoning in combining them was about it being a sort of familiarisation exercise, and I had decided to do it the way the instructions said. (Such as they are...) Plus the wife was keen for a result and I didn't do a very good job of explaining the whole cuts thing. Not my strong suit I'm afraid.
I have another wash going so will do a better job next time. That's if the wash works-it's just 6kg raw sugar, Vegemite and bakers yeast in 27 litres. Complete guesswork based on stuff I've read on here. It was bubbling like a mad thing when I left it so I live in hope.
Cheers, inky

[Brewhunter]

Sounds like you are on the right track, Anavrins advice will serve you well.

I usually aim for around 65c for stripping and 57c or below for spirit runs on the T500.

[Inky]

Thanks Brewhunter, great to have that info. I did wonder about what temperatures to aim for. I have so many questions but seem to become completely inarticulate when typing. I think I have overloaded on information and need to keep it simple.
One thing I'd like to confirm is whether to discard the first 100mL on a re run, when the methanol etc was removed the first time? For that matter, on a stripping run is the foreshore discarded, or just take the lot and get rid of it on the spirit run?
I'm thinking I might run the lot again and make the cuts. Otherwise I won't get to play until the wash finishes and I'm off fishing next weekend.
Cheers, inky

[Brewhunter]

personally I only remove the foreshots on the spirit run, others remove on the stripping run but either way it only needs doing once.

[Easydrinker]

Inky, pour your lady a drink.
Dilute the rest to 30% and run again.
Make some cuts.
Pour your lady another drink.
Your product will be that much better.
She will make you special sandwiches for the fishing trip.


Robert.

[Inky]

Damn I wrote a reply but it didn't submit apparently.. Too late to pour her a drink- I did as you have suggested and have almost finished the run with cuts of 100,200,300,700,300,200 and 200mL so far. Mid 40's to 50 deg C. Definitely a difference in the nose.
By my calculation there should be 2.4L of alcohol so once I reach about that I thought I will bump up the temp to get anything remaining for the next boil? Thanks again for the advice it's really appreciated.

[Inky]

...i bumped up the temperature just after writing the above and got about six drops more so called it quits. I blended into the hearts and think I came up with a decent drop. I have given my lady a drink and got the seal of approval and a kiss so it looks like I'm on a winner. I must say the whiskey and rum flavours from the kit aren't top shelf, but are certainly drinkable; the whiskey more so. I have done a bottle of rum with a sliver of the bourbon stave, one with about 5 times as much stave and one with a single clove, just for the hell of it. We shall see. I think after a few more washes through the refractive column I'd like to have a crack at making something with some flavour so have begun my campaign for approval to buy the alembic kit. Great hobby, this. Cheers, inky

[Mash]

Well done. I didn't rush to another still. You might find perfecting to one you have will be more much more rewarding. Good Neutral + flavours does work very well. You need to get boss of the recipes.

Millling flour and making cakes are 2 separate jobs.

A lot of commercial product is made this way, because its more controllable.

[Inky]

Yep may have got a bit carried away there after the sampling session. I do like the idea of the alembic though and will work my way towards one after a self imposed apprenticeship. And now the good lady is asking for beer as well so back to washing bloody bottles. Much prefer the distilling in that regard, but mustn'tcomplain, I have basically got a licence to drink, which, if you knew my wife, is somewhat a miracle. As the song says, I'm a happy slave. Cheers all

[Brewhunter]

The flavour from essences will improve a bit after a week or so in the bottle, also I always use 1 litre of neutral per essence rather than 700mls.

[Mash]

... washing bloody bottles...

You now have a solution to battle washing. A still.
Once you have emptied one, wash it out and then put a quick squirt of 40% in it and cork. Next time you are bottling, drain and use. No more washing up required.

[Inky]

That's good to hear Brewhunter I did wonder if they might develop with a bit of time. Mash- that's a good use for the paint stripper no bug could survive that surely...

[Easydrinker]

Inky, welcome to something to do when not fishing.
Much playtime with a still.

Robert.