How much to collect off a 25 litre stripping run

[Anavrin]

Hi guys

I'm back from my hols, and I've got a 25 litre wash on the go that's been finished for two weeks so I'm running it through as a striping run, it's 14% just wondering if anyone knows off the top of there head how much in litres I should collect?

[RumJohn]

@Anavrin: You should have 3.5L of alcohol to work with. If your low wine finishes at 50% that will give you 7L of low wine. If your final product is at 40% ABV, you should get around 6.5 - 7L.

Your 14% ABV might be a little generous. If not it's all up to your skill and the equipment. You will not be able to use the whole 25L wash. Please let me know what the result is.

[Anavrin]

Hi Rumjohn

I collected down to 30%, think I'd read something somewhere to collect down to 20% with a pot still but I was getting some reflux, it started off at 80% plus.

I had no packing in my column but there's definitely some thing going on in there, I got about 6 - 7 litres, I say about as it's in two half full demijohns at the moment I'll measure it out later.

[Anavrin]

Just measured up, I have just over 6 litres at 55% by my quick calculation I've collected about 3.3litres of alc from the wash, so if there was about 3.5 in there to start with, that sound pretty good to me :-)

[RumJohn]

@Anavrin: The 50% ABV low wine was the measure of all. Not at what point you stopped collecting. Then to collect 6L at 55% - I would say you did fine and my calcs were within range.

A few pointers if I may: Don't collect down to 20%. There is no way to justify the time, taste or expense. That final bit can stuff up a whole run and at 20% you are basically getting back the wash in the boiler.

Don't use packing in a stripping run and don't attempt arriving at equilibration. Save all that for the spirit run.

You collected 6L at 55% At 50% that equals 6.6L which is 3.3L at 100%. Your right on the money.

[Anavrin]

I think a parrot will be my next acquisition, maybe have a go at making one, might also help determine cut points between heads, hearts and tails with a bit of experience

[packapoo]

@Anavrin: You should have 3.5L of alcohol to work with. If your low wine finishes at 50% that will give you 7L of low wine. If your final product is at 40% ABV, you should get around 6.5 - 7L.

Your 14% ABV might be a little generous. If not it's all up to your skill and the equipment. You will not be able to use the whole 25L wash. Please let me know what the result is.

Thanks RJ you've answered something that I've often wondered over, not exactly ever having achieved - correlation between wash ABV and collection @ still.
Must pay closer attention.