Cornflake cuts

[Ronker]

Gday all,

ok so ive got my reflux still skills well sorted, make great neutrals:)

But expanding into pot still skills,

So I have my first cornflake attempt.

2 x strips and around 6ltrs at about 40%

I run a spirit run with a controller on the still with it ramped back, keeping boiling but not raging, pot head temp around 85 deg c

I make 200ml cuts and harvest 24 jars before unmistakable tails smelt, I turn off etc.

24 hrs later I start to analyse the cuts, but seems very heady, and I'm struggling to get hearts beyond jar 8 to jar 16...

Does this sound about right for a yield?

cheers

[woodduck]

I wouldn't panic mate, better to be safe than sorry. At least you wont get a headache in the morning :handgestures-thumbupleft:

You haven't lost anything by cutting hard in the heads. You can run all the stuff you cut with the next run anyway.

[Whiskey Baron]

Sounds like you do your CFW runs similar to how I do it. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I use 2 25L fermenters, strip fermenter 1 & 2 then combine the total (once I water down to a safe 30%) for a spirit run.

It's been ages since Ive used the numbered jar mehod - I now just collect 300ml in a jar - then check ABV till I hit my personal sweet spot to separate heads & collect hearts & then cut for tails.

But back when I did use the numbered jar method (after stripping 2 25L fermenters & then a spirit run) I started with around 10.5/11L of watered down spirit (after strip runs) to 30% in the still. When collecting in 300ml jars & using my nose on them 24hrs later, jars 1-4 were heads, jars 5 - 11 were hearts and jars 12 on were tails. After sum 5 consecutive runs like this I took note of the ABV of jars 5 & 11 & their ABV has since then been my cut point for heads/ hearts & hearts/tails.

And what is my personal hearts range for CFW in my Pure Distilling pot still - it's 75-55%. Leave what hearts you collect on oak for a min of 6mths & you will have some A grade stuff that will be head & shoulders above any commercial bourbon :music-deathmetal:

[Ronker]

OK thanks for the replies and advice.

At least I'm not miles off the mark with it..

cheers

[fizzix]

If you toss it into an oak barrel, those heads can actually pay off, flavor wise.
I've cut into heads (on a tip by others) for anything destined for a barrel.
Takes a year, yeah, but the product is exceptional.

[Sam.]

If you toss it into an oak barrel, those heads can actually pay off, flavor wise.
I've cut into heads (on a tip by others) for anything destined for a barrel.
Takes a year, yeah, but the product is exceptional.

Heads are heads, you might be able to make them taste ok but the poisoning and hangover will remain.

[fizzix]

Well I'm new and certainly not going to argue with an Administrator (or anyone else).
But let me clarify that I'm just talking about a small jar or two right before the hearts come through.

I'd contend that there is a benefit to overall flavor, and the cornflakes I'm making are pretty pain free.
But I will yield for the common good of this great site

[Sam.]

Well I'm new and certainly not going to argue with an Administrator (or anyone else).
But let me clarify that I'm just talking about a small jar or two right before the hearts come through.

I'd contend that there is a benefit to overall flavor, and the cornflakes I'm making are pretty pain free.
But I will yield for the common good of this great site

Yeah that's fair enough mate, thank you for clarifying. I agree that a barrel will clean up late heads fairly well.

Still want to emphasise that this will not hold true for all heads.