StillSmart

Ok so i think i am doing the stripping runs wrong , (im on my second kale wash )
i have been collecting from the air still on the stripping run until the collected amount measures 30% not the actual spirit coming out of the still..
so by the time i have about 1500ml this equates to 30% but the spirit coming out is virtually water is this wrong ,basically i let the container collect the 1500ml and then i sample out of that and its about 30% .should i collect the spirit from the still until what % and then add water to make it 30% ? sorry but im confused here..
i followed this guide.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=765#p6738

Ok so ive just re read alamanacs great piece again viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1216#p9758and i now know ive cocked it up,i colleced until it diluted itself down to 30% from the still,can i still do a spirits run with this ? ive checked what i have and its 30% but its all out of the still i have not had to add any water as i let it water itself down (doh)
what a plonker...

I think that I may have tried to answer this in another thread already?
Don't get hung up on quantities and %.
A guide is a guide, not a Gospel.
Anyone able to question, should be able to make the next step themselves.

Your spirit run should be charged to something under 30%, for a neutral spirit.
How you accomplish that is your call, dilute with water, or collect low from the strip.

Robert.

I use a refractometer and when the drops coming out of the AS are 30% (ish) I stop.

Just me.

Easydrinker wrote:I think that I may have tried to answer this in another thread already?
Don't get hung up on quantities and %.
A guide is a guide, not a Gospel.
Anyone able to question, should be able to make the next step themselves.

Your spirit run should be charged to something under 30%, for a neutral spirit.
How you accomplish that is your call, dilute with water, or collect low from the strip.

Robert.

Thanks Robert. i just had a smell of the batch i collected as it diluted itself from the still and another batch i collected down to 20% from the still and then diluted with water .they smell so different .so ive mixed the whole batch together now at 30% ready for spirits run.the batch diluted with water and not from the still smelled cleaner..ive no idea what made me do it the way i did as i know i did it different before.(a lot on my mind very poorly mum and dad in hospital) ,i will see what its like when its done the stripping run and through the essencia after the weekend .

Mash wrote:I use a refractometer and when the drops coming out of the AS are 30% (ish) I stop.

Just me.

can you recommend one please mash ?

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... ID=EBAY-GB

Got mine from there. Under a tenner and works like a dream .......blx to all that hydrometer faff

H12rpo wrote:http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=282019811441&globalID=EBAY-GB

Got mine from there. Under a tenner and works like a dream .......blx to all that hydrometer faff

sounds promising ,i see there are loads on amazon various prices as well as ebay.
how accurate are they when compared to your spirit hydrometer ?
and is it possible to hold it under the drip from the still and take an instant reading ?

Accuracy is plus or minus 1%
You can't actually hold it under a stream of spirit but just take a drip and put it on the glass and look through the lens and you see the reading ....it's that instant

H12rpo wrote:Accuracy is plus or minus 1%
You can't actually hold it under a stream of spirit but just take a drip and put it on the glass and look through the lens and you see the reading ....it's that instant

Cool sounds great ,would love one for my beer making as well ...

There are different calibrated versions but the one I linked to will do beer wine and spirits so you'll only need the one

H12rpo wrote:There are different calibrated versions but the one I linked to will do beer wine and spirits so you'll only need the one

cheers

I manage with my cheapo hydrometers.
If cash allowed, then I personally would pour it into a set like I believe Capt.C. owns.
Lush!
It is the end product that marks your talent, not the way that you measure it.

Robert.

Cheapo ones work well. Compare well against cheapo hydrometers.

I have 2 of them.
One for finished alcohol as above.
Another with a brix / potential alc scale. These as brilliant for the start of ferment.

Mash wrote:Cheapo ones work well. Compare well against cheapo hydrometers.

I have 2 of them.
One for finished alcohol as above.
Another with a brix / potential alc scale. These as brilliant for the start of ferment.

Cheers Mash just ordered one for the use with the airstill,if its any good i will get a brix version for my beers and ciders...