Parrot

[Admiral Toad]

Hi all
Just took the plunge and ordered T500

Interested in making a parrot someone mentioned on the site
Anyone got any tips/designs or photos

Also other than taste and smell roughly what percentage would be the start of the tails from a sugar wash ?
Any advice appreciated cheers !

[i dont drink]

i use a t500 and turbo washes..... its up to you but all i can say is fill it, then run it until it produces spirit and catch it..

i use wine glasses that are about 250ml in size and i usually catch the first two glasses full...

the first 200ml smells like nail varnish remover and the next 200 ml isn't that better so i bin the first 400ml..

now thats MY personal preference and i can then after that tell the hearts and the end run as it slows down towards the end and tastes bad..

you can have my number if you need a chat.

hth
al.

[Admiral Toad]

Cheers Al
Good advice thanks
I doo like the idea of watching the alcohol % but if it's that obvious maybe just taking samples with the alcohol hydrometer will do
I will be using sugar turbo yeast watch like you
What's the typical run time on average
This is 1st t500 my local guy has sold so we are entering unknown !
John

[Capt-Cudellez]

Ahoy Admiral (does that make you my boss?) A parrot is an essential bit of kit if running a pot still, or stripping wash. For running a column it’s less of a necessity, but still a useful tool, I use mine to check I’m pulling off at the highest ABV and not running too fast – but your top thermo will also indicate this, so a parrot is not completely necessary.

You also need to use a parrot along with a thermometer – the alcoholmeter is calibrated for 20oC so if your distillate is coming off hot, then the % will read high.
For instance, when I’m doing a strip on my pot still – the distillate comes off around 40oC depending how much cooling I’m running – I can drop this by increasing cooling, but I believe the warm distillate looses some off the other alcohols that evaporate off and helps clean up the spirit prior to the spirit run. I stop collecting at 20% (at 40oC is actually between 10-15%) for a strip.
When I’m doing a spirit run. My distillate is around 18oC due to the large condenser I use, this means the parrot is pretty accurate during the run. If I run way to fast I can see the difference in the ABV on the parrot, or I can see it drop when I’m into tails.
That said I can still pull around 95% at the onset of tails, so your nose and taste a day or 2 after doing the run, is still the best tool for making the cut, I use the column temp more as a guide of when to reduce the take off speed and switch to small jars as I’m coming out of the hearts.

If you are planning on only running wash in your column and not stripping wash down – a better investment IMO would be a good 0.1oC thermo to replace the top probe – the ones that come with the T500 are a bit crappy so you know for certain what’s going on at the top of the column.

That said, I'd just get a couple of runs under your belt, be safe, and have fun before changing anything
CC

[Admiral Toad]

Cheers Capn !

I bow to your experience lots to learn but a big thank you for that

Should do 1st run on the weekend so I will see how it goes

ive heard the thermometers arn't to clever but as you say will give them a try

Bet Im back with more questions !

thanks again !

[Admiral Toad]

One further thought guys

I've seen much mentioned about not using plastic products when distilling ie containers etc

I've been using a standard HBS type hydrometer jar (ie 100ml or so) to float the alcohol hydrometer when using air still plus standard syphon pipe to take samples from the collection jug

Will this be ok with the 90 odd % output of the T500 or should I use something else ( for testing)

Was planning to collect in demijohns prior to diluting/filtering of course

Cheers again

[Capt-Cudellez]

You really need a glass trial jar for measuring mate - most plastics with a few exceptions are just not up to dealing with solvents.

As for collecting in JD's you'll only collect around 3lts of 93% alcohol from 25L of 14%ABV wash - so one JD would do if your not making cuts - however I would suggest collecting in several small containers (330ml beer bottles are ideal) and you'll soon see the difference in the product throughout the run.

[Admiral Toad]

Thanks again

Think I've found a supplier on web 'Leyland home brew '

100mm graduated

Really appreciate your help

Gonna be a fun weekend

[Jimmy]

Leyland Home Brew are OK, that's where I bought my original SmartStill which kicked off this whole hobby and website! It was one of the first ones, they'd got it in to test and run it once or twice. He gave me a drink of this chocolate liqueur thing which tasted amazing and I was hooked!

[Admiral Toad]

Hi Jimmy

Ironic bit when I tried to order they said they would not supply any orders under ten pounds !

Needless to say I found another one from an amazon seller and got it next day

Like you it was a visit to the HBC up here to buy a couple of bits to make plum wine that started me on this route. Now as I am about to fire up the T500 the plum wine is still sitting ,cloudy in 2 demijohns !!

Here goes
AT

[Admiral Toad]

Well guys sitting here nearly at end of first run most impressed with T500

Got water flow right after a few twiddles it actually fitted our (howdens) mixer tap

Did I read somewhere about a pressure compansator so all other water related activities in house don't come to a halt ( her indoors not too impressed)

Cheers again

[Jimmy]

LOL, my pumpkin wine is sitting there neglected too, as is the apple stuff and the other random experiments I have on the go! T500 is way more fun, at least for the impatient!

Like you I just did my first run and it went well except for when my other half forgot and flushed the upstairs loo, it went a bit bananas then (we have an old house and plumbing) so might need to try and figure something out, let us know if you beat me to it!