WIBBLE! T500 & BOTANICALS BASKET - NOT.GOING WELL

[Flybynight]

Ive had my T500 for a fair while now and am loving the results. I recently decided to have a stab at gin so got a botanicals basket and some ingredients to throw into it. Here begins my problems....

Ive produced a lovely clean wash, ran it through once (92%) diluted to 40% then threw it back in to my still, topping up to 25L again. Okay so far.

I put some botanicals into the basket and away we went. At first I saw crystal clear liquor come out. Later it started almost pumping the stuff out at me, coloured by the botanicals. Something's not right - is this puking? never experinced it before! The Still wouldnt produce anytbing til it was much hotter (>60C). Was the botnicals basket too tightly packed? It was stuffed!

Is there anyone out there who can suggest where I went wrong? Ive stopped everything and am about to chuck everything back into the still.

Thanks in advance!

[Klunk]

What sort of basket are you using, be interested to know.

[Flybynight]

Its the official Still Spirits one.

For the record I persevered and took out half the wash and had another go. Much of what I produced was clear but a fair bit of thw cuts I made had a light yellow tint.

Lessons learned: use fewer botanicals. I think filling it up had an effect on how the run went, with surges of liquid (100ml) gushing out from time to time, beforw returning to the expected dribble/fast drip. Im goi g to let the gin rest for a while before serious sampling but Ive enjoyed a quick snifter this evening.

[Mash]

What volume are you doing & what weight of botanicals?

[Flybynight]

I'd made a 25L wash using the still spirits packs. It came out at 14%, went through my still, filtered then back into the still with water added to make it back up to 25L.

Botanicals was 100g juniper, 100g coriander plus a few others at 8g each.

[Capt-Cudellez]

sounds like a classic puke, the puke can be quite high in AVB, as all the alcohol loaded in the column is high strength.
Reconsider the design of your basket, or how full you fill it, blocking the column is baaaad news.

[Klunk]

That sounds a lot of botanicals for such a small basket. Looking at the size of it i'd go half of that, 2/3 at the very most. Like Capt said, it sounds like it's getting clogged up.

[Easydrinker]

I would consider that a lot of botanicals.
But I crush and steep for 10 days, instead of using a basket.
But, hey what do I know?

Robert.

[Mash]

Look at the ratio of Spirit* to bots.

A guide is 30g per liter.

*Not total volume of the boiler. Just the nuetral.

[H12rpo]

I would consider that a lot of botanicals.
But I crush and steep for 10 days, instead of using a basket.
But, hey what do I know?

Robert.

Do you then pass it all through a filter Rob?

[gaza the instructor]

THe SS Gin Basket is designed to be used on
the Ambelic Pothead and Condenser.
It could be that shear weight of Botanicals
is preventing a steady flow of vapour up into the
column.Therefore higher temp more vapour and a
surge.
Try less Bots and crush they first.
Thats what I did on my pilot run. Also just watered to
30% did not top up to 25 lts. Then you can cut down
your Bots ratio.

[Easydrinker]

I would consider that a lot of botanicals.
But I crush and steep for 10 days, instead of using a basket.
But, hey what do I know?

Robert.

Do you then pass it all through a filter Rob?

No, I tip it into the Airstill and run it,collecting in fairly small amounts.
the first 50-100mi is chucked away, just about all of the rest containing alcohol is retained,mixed together and diluted to drinking strength.
The only time that I put 40-45% alcohol in a boiler these days.

HTH

Robert.