Containers for making cuts

by **Grandvewe** » Thu May 30, 2013 3:19 pm

Thanks everyone for your advice,
I think u have all persuaded me to buy some standard jars and write the measurement markings myself.
Thanks team, u saved me some cash!

Since I have not got my still yet, Can anyone clarify the quantity (approx) of product I would get from a 40L wash. This will help me figure out how many Jars to get and their size. From what I have read it would be about 6L in total of Heads, Hearts and Tails?

:text-thankyoublue:

by **Camikaze** » Thu May 30, 2013 3:49 pm

Approximate haul would depend on the type of wash, how deep it was run and whether it was dry to begin with etc etc...

Do yourself a favour and buy a carton of your favourite ale. Use them (empty..) until you get the hang of your new still/favoured washes etc.

Worked for me.

Tell your missus the beer is for research purposes...

:handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Grandvewe** » Thu May 30, 2013 4:14 pm

Haha, once again great advice Camikaze :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **BackyardBrewer** » Thu May 30, 2013 4:17 pm

A 10% wash run through for as close as you can get to 90% is 6litres at best I'd say. My old reflux with a 22L charge of TPW delivers 2L of hearts.

by **Grandvewe** » Thu May 30, 2013 4:37 pm

Thanks Byard Brewer - I have read that u get approx 10% of your wash for the hearts but what do you approx get in Heads and tails?

Lets assume im using a TPW, my assumption was 1L for heads, 4L for Hearts and 1L for tails. Thats how I got to the total of 6L

by **Urrazeb** » Thu May 30, 2013 5:39 pm

Depends on the still, pot much less hearts, more heads and tails due to smearing, bubbler thats about right as it can compress the heads and tails fractions of the run

by **BackyardBrewer** » Thu May 30, 2013 6:49 pm

Grandvewe wrote:Thanks Byard Brewer - I have read that u get approx 10% of your wash for the hearts but what do you approx get in Heads and tails?

Lets assume im using a TPW, my assumption was 1L for heads, 4L for Hearts and 1L for tails. Thats how I got to the total of 6L

Nah I reckon 10-12% total. Don't focus on heads or tails, whatever you get save it for a feints run rather than adding to each consecutive run.

Also you're looking at this as very exact and black&white...each wash, each run, each cut is different every time. A slight variation in wash abv% or in ambient stilling temp or in coolant flow will affect output.

You want a good half dozen runs under your belt with your washes, your still and your conditions to be worrying about what these "absolute" numbers are you're after.

It's very much a guess-timate at this stage. Just get more containers than you could need in your best case scenario and you're covered.

But you're not going to know what normal or average is for your abv until you have a good few runs under your belt.

by **Grandvewe** » Thu May 30, 2013 10:26 pm

BB - thanks for clearing that up and appreciate u taking the time to write all that u did. I guess I'm jumping the gun a little here trying to figure out how my future still will operate before I get it. Lots of variables I didn't consider but this has given me some good averages to aim for and prepare as best I can equipment wise.

Thanks again.

by **BackyardBrewer** » Thu May 30, 2013 11:08 pm

No worries mate, I've had 22L runs thru the reflux where you think everything is the same and had a 1.8L yield and the next week a 2.2L yield. Small things make a big difference and it will be a very organic and unique thing for your still and your wash and your technique.

Enjoy the ride of getting booze out of it first - that's the fun part!

by **SBB** » Thu May 30, 2013 11:45 pm

It all becomes sooooooooo much easier to understand once you get hands on ;-)

by **BackyardBrewer** » Fri May 31, 2013 7:42 am

SBB wrote:It all becomes sooooooooo much easier to understand once you get hands on ;-)

This plus 1,000.

Also to start to "get your hands on" you don't need every whizz bang bit of kit to start with either. Do it on the cheap and easy and build up slowly.

DISCLAIMER: I actually *do* need to have every bit of whizz bang kit I see but that's a mental problem not related to distilling:-)

I want the stainless funnels and the gin baskets and the laboratory beakers and ...oh the list goes on and on!

by **JayD** » Fri May 31, 2013 7:55 am

Grandvewe wrote:BB - thanks for clearing that up and appreciate u taking the time to write all that u did. I guess I'm jumping the gun a little here trying to figure out how my future still will operate before I get it. Lots of variables I didn't consider but this has given me some good averages to aim for and prepare as best I can equipment wise.

Thanks again.

as you have regular money cow...pardon the pun, quantity should only be in the back of your mind as you will need to focus on quality, as a quality spirit will bring in customers from around the world...we only keep the best from our runs. If your customer sips your product and thinks to himself "this has been made in the dunny" it will travels fast as, this sort of goss travels very fast. So quality first then once you have your method sorted go for quantity.imo...bot...we also use coffee jars for collection.

by **BackyardBrewer** » Fri May 31, 2013 8:15 am

JayD wrote:If your customer sips your product and thinks to himself "this has been made in dunny" it will travels fast as, this sort of goss travels very fast. So quality first then once you have your method sorted go for quantity.imo...bot...we also use coffee jars for collection.

:laughing-rolling: I've had some commercial spirits and thought "This was made FROM the dunny not just in it!"

by **kiwikeg** » Fri May 31, 2013 8:35 am

A local dollar shop had 20 2 cup sized borosilicate coffee plunger for $1 each my mate grabbed them all, chucked away the plunger bit inside and was left with very nice borosilicate beakers for making cuts.

by **Camikaze** » Fri May 31, 2013 8:42 am

Thats a good score.

Thinkin outside the square. Love it. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Geezaboy** » Fri May 31, 2013 10:09 am

I buy my tomato paste in glass jars. Every couple of neutral runs I have another cuts jar. And as has been said I now shop for other store items with this in mind.

Geezaboy

by **Urrazeb** » Fri May 31, 2013 10:57 am

Ahh distillers vision.. I love it! Started work at a factory and they have their own engineering workshop :drool: Too bad I'm the safety advisor... cant even tell anyone I distill yet, let alone bring my keg in to get pimped out :shifty:

+1 on stubbies, work a treat, compact and couloured glass is easier to clean up if ya smash one :)

by **Grandvewe** » Fri May 31, 2013 10:11 pm

kiwikeg wrote:A local dollar shop had 20 2 cup sized borosilicate coffee plunger for $1 each my mate grabbed them all, chucked away the plunger bit inside and was left with very nice borosilicate beakers for making cuts.

Now thats creative! :clap: