How to do a Spirit Run

[karrotbear]

Okay guys, first and foremost hey, how you going?

Now that we have that out of the way, I finally have enough stripped to do a BWKO spirit and McRum Spirit run using my pot with shotgun. I am currently doing the vinegar run to clean it out a bit. I have 2x 2400w elements at my disposal and an element controller.

I have read through kiwi's guide in the newbies section, however for pot spirit runs do we need the element controller? Do we want to run it through slowly (say 1 x 2400 element with the controller, or is it sufficient to just have the element at full power the whole time?

Also from a 40L spirit run how many L do you end up collecting? Just so I have enough jars/containers to take the full 40L. I'm guessing that we would be collecting at between 80% and 50% so I should need a minimum of 20L worth of containers correct?

any help/tips appreciated

[Tsv Stiller]

Hey Mate,

Im new to this but to my knowledge the second element is only really used to get up to boiling point quickly and then you would turn it off. From that point you will still need to control the heat on the other element because once at temp even one element at full power will be enough to keep the boil going flat out so you will still need to turn it down.

I only use one element and once boiling a dial it back to about 3/4 power seems to give me just the right stream but its noticeably slower than when the element is going flat out. My advice is Boil it up then as soon as your foreshots start coming turn one element off then slowly and in small increments start reducing the power on the element, you need to wait between each adjustment to give the still time to adjust and then you can work out where the sweet spot is.

Once you have the power at the right point you should be able to touch the condenser without it being hot (careful), at least i can on mine when im doing the spirit run. Its just another practical way to check the temp on a spirit run when using a pot, i imagine that if you cant touch the condenser than your still running to hot. Might not matter like i say, but you want to run it as slow as you can and the temp of the condenser and stream is a good indicator that im in the zone.

i do 23 litre wash's generally and i take off about 6-7 litres and i collect until its dropped to about 30% and then i just cant be fucked anymore. Mac's rum is a cracka too i collect way more of that on my spirit run then say a TPW or WBAB, i assume thats because the ABV is higher but i dont know i dont care for why i just know it does :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Hope that helps some mate, im sure the guru's will set you right.

[Andy]

with a controller the slower the better, most people don't go for the spirit dripping, but aim for very thin stream.

TSV has given a good description of what to do.

also best to have your stipping runs to below 40%. keep in mind that a pot drop ABV over time. so if u were to get 80% in the heads, maybe little less in hearts, dropping down in the tails, 20L wont be enough. 25L would be better. can always have some left over, but running around looking for jars cos your using your last one is no fun. that being said once i smell definite tails i just collect straight into a feints container. so if you want to do that 20L will probably suffice.
generally people still chuck out foreshots (hopefully you did this during stripping runs as well)- its unlikely (like 99%) that there is nothing dangerous in there as it went with the stripping run, but its not something you will ever use/drink.

[SBB]

If its your first spirit run I'd be going nice n slow, just the one element. Take off speed of product seems to be a much debated thing, some say the slower the better, others say a pencil lead stream, other say get a nice twist going.....confused yet?
Best bet is to learn slow I would say, walk before you run kinda thing. The slower you go the better separation of the fractions you should get ( in theory).
I dont use a pot much, but when i do I try n keep it down to drips or a slow dribble early in the run until i get the foreshots out. Then a bit quicker for the heads n hearts.
What ever you try,lots of small cuts will teach you a lot and be easier to sort out when your finished the run rather than larger cuts.