StillSmart

I am starting to build up my stock of 'decent' spirit for (sorry!) Christmas. Having never done a double distilled run before, I am keen to get a decent neutral for flavouring (Gin etc). So, as I need to plan ahead, how long will it take and what should the yield be? (2 runs combined, total 6.2 litres at 93% of spirit, watering down to 28%, running at approx 57 degrees).

Last time I did a double run it literally took double the time, well over 5 hours

In general, double or even treble distilling is generally only necessary for pot stills.

If you're making proper cuts from a reflux column and your distillate output is 93%+ABV then double distilling is not a necessity but will produce cleaner spirits.

Reflux columns are for making neutral alcohol only. If you get 6.2lt at 93% from a combined run and you dilute that to 30% for a second distillation you should end up with approx 5.7lt at 95%. In other words, the loss is miniscule but the spirits will be much better.

With an Airstill you must either double distill or have tiny hearts cuts.

With a standard Pot Still double distilling is favoured by those who know what they're doing

With a Reflux Still a second distillation is optional, it depends on how pure you want your neutral

AM

Thanks very much for your replies. Thinking about it, it would take approximately double the time (obviously not double the heating up time!). I am after a cleaner tasting spirit, which is why I was going to give double distilling a go. I have tried a couple of the 'tried and tested' recipes, but I can't actually tell the difference between them and (please don't shout at me) Vodka Star (halved, making two washes from one packet, no carbon, spirit filtered through an Essencia). I guess my taste buds are getting old too!

I use the full pack of Vodka Star with 6kg of sugar. 8L of boiling water onto the sugar (4 x 2L kettle fulls) then stir until dissolved as I don't fancy stirring 26L of hot water.

5 weeks or so later it gets run at a low cooling temp, 40/42'C until I have collected 500ml of fores/heads. Then I up the temp to 50/52'C, collect 3L of hearts and turn the T-500 off. No heads or tails get re-run, I'm too lazy. Besides, I don't want loads of non drinkable alcohol cluttering up the place.

It's an all day run, 9 or 10 hours and gives me just over 7L at 45% abv which I think is fair value for ~£10 inc leccy.

I don't filter and have had only compliments from those that have tried it but to me there is the faintest teeniest smell to it but not enough for me to bother filtering. Taste is neutral, when using tap water as a mixer it's just holy water.

Very interesting John. However, I thought that it should be run at 55-65C? I panic every time that it drops to 55 or less as I had the impression that any less is where the nasties are produced. If it is as neutral and clear tasting as you say, I would be eager to give this a go too. One question though, why 5 weeks or so later? If I use the whole packet it takes a week, but if I halve it, it takes 2 weeks.

If you run the strip at the same temps as you run a wash it will come off quicker due to the higher ABV.
I suggest timing how quick it is coming off and adjusting the temp to reduce the take off speed to close to 1L if it is coming off a rate higher than that.

You will get a better spirit than running it too fast, based on a temp that you use for wash.

I learned many years ago that slower runs give better quality. I tried a makeshift Burco boiler pot still using masking tape to seal the lid. lol

No power controller so I had to sit by it and listen for when the seal was about to blow. Turn off, cool down some and start again. 25L of coffee wine took 16 hours.

Lovely product, a bottle given to a friend was kept by him for special occasions only. I soon found a better way to seal the lid.

The 5 week ferments are due to me avoiding unnecessary effort. The extra time clears the wash and mostly degasses it. Pouring the syponed wash into the still completes the degassing. I bought a fermenter every payday until I had enough to do a run a week although I sometimes skip a week.

Once the wash is syphoned, the oldest wash then takes its place giving it a week (or two) to clear again after being moved.

Best mod of all is the mains water pressure control valve, lets me do more surfing during a run.