Running box wine

[inksanity]

Hi all im a newb at this have read heaps about distilling but not in practice untill today
So i decided to start off with 4l of box white wine ($28) as i dont realy know what im doing i took the first 50 ml put in jar then collected 700ml mixed in 300 distilled water and filtered thru the carbon filter and what i got is a very fruity burn the lips and warm the body sip with a hint of burnt popcorn not in a bad way however
Now i dont know my arse from my elbow when it comes to good home distilled spirits but it does not taste bad my question is this would i lose alot of the flavor by running it again and by using a store bought wine am i getting a better quilty apposed to making my own wine wash

[just sayin']

Welcome, Ink!
If you bring it down the ABV to around 30 and redistill, you will lose some of the good flavor, but you will also leave much of the roughness of the new make behind in the stillI. If you make good cuts to limit ethonal's less desirable cousins, you will greatly improve your product, you will not need to use carbon filtering. The filter not only scrubs congeners (ethonal's ill mannered relatives) from your drink, it also strips the desirable flavors, producing something closer to vodka than the brandy it could have been. You save the good stuff to drink and add remainder, less the foreshots, to your next run, or save it for an all feints run. One run with tight cuts is my preference.
Your results will be fine if you make your own wine. Frozen grape juice works well.
What spirits do you enjoy? Is brandy what you are planning to make? What still are you using? Are you in the UK? The more basic information you give us the better we can answer your questions.
There is a wealth of knowledge here to be gained. Good luck and enjoy the journey you have begun.
Slainte,
Just Sayin'

[Curmudgeon]

4L of wine for $28 seems like a pretty expensive starting point. 4L of sugar wash would be more like $2-3 including power, yeast and sugar

[inksanity]

Thanks guys first im using an airstil. Secondly i live in new zealand.
My logic was not cost for the first run it was more about seeing what i get using a store bought wine if it is good then would make some more brandy. at the end of the day with out going over board with run cost it all about getting a enjoyable drink even if it does cost the same as store bought grog. while i wait for my first wash to finish doing what it needs to do i will run some more wine thru this time using the method described in pdf of beginners will be expensive but i think it could land up being a really nice brandy once aged in a little barrel for a couple mths
The end goal is to make rum and a good "whisky" for irish coffees and just have fun with it all

[Icefever]

Hi ink.... welcome to the forum....just go ahead and enjoy yourself playing & learning what the AS will do.

A whole load of us started off with the AS....looks like you've read the starters info of using the still.

Rum & whiskey we can help you with when the time comes....what's your first wash??? sugar.

Stick with us matey and it'll all drop into place....

[inksanity]

Thanks icefever
yes glucose and the starter pack that comes with the setup
think it going to be a long wait as the room temperature is rather cold at the moment think i might have to invest in a heat pad
yes its all about the fun of it and experimentation i feel

[Easydrinker]

Ink, let this viewtopic.php?f=3&t=765 and this download/file.php?id=60 be your guides.
Throw in a little common sense and inspiration and have a whole lot of fun.
welcome aboard!

Robert.

[inksanity]

So after 3 days now the it tastes much better can only get better
So i tried using red wine not a very pleasent smell not like the white wine
This time however have done a stripping run and will run it all tomorrow to see whats left if it loses all smells and taste and take it from there

[Icefever]

This is what it's all about....try this ....try that...see what you like.

It will be a different outcome when you run your first wash....but it'll stand you well.

[Mash]

So after 3 days now the it tastes much better can only get better
So i tried using red wine not a very pleasent smell not like the white wine
This time however have done a stripping run and will run it all tomorrow to see whats left if it loses all smells and taste and take it from there

The smell is the sulphites boiling off -stronger in red.

[inksanity]

Well.its been two weeks and the brandy from the box wines actually taste like brandy they been aging with oak barrel chips and it looking good with a nice color and no off smells it bloody fantastic in my IMHO can only get better with time now rather chuffed with this outcome loving this new hobby now to start saving for i bigger potstill

[Anavrin]

This is an interesting little page about making brandy, I was going to suggest using white wine rather than red but thought I quickly google the process, what I find most interesting from the description is the cuts made during the first strip run, 1/3 head 1/3 heart and 1/3 tails!

Only the hearts are redistilled for a second time, seems very wasteful to me but it's probably a traditional way of making it.

Have a look
http://www.brandyandginger.co.za/brandy ... ng-brandy/

[Mash]

Off topic, but if anyone fancies some grape pomice to have a second run on - I will have some, any time soo.

[inksanity]

Ok not sure whats going on but the brandy now tastes like shit had to throw the lot out was fine last week now today its all terrible what could have happened any ideas

[Seagull]

Not sure what equipment you're using inksanity, but could you not redistill the grotty brandy into vodka, to at least salvage something from it?