Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I did my second spirit run of this recipe last week, after stripping 3x25L batches. This time I ran the final spirit run of about 20L at 40%, compared with the first time I ran nearly 30L at 30%. I'm just using a simple pot still, 600mm 2" column on my 44L electric homebrew urn.
I ran it really slowly this time, 1.25L/hr and ended up with quite a difference in the quality of the output. Most of the run came out at 80-82%, and after discarding the first 500ml, collected in 24x250ml jars, with 2L of tails for the big bucket.
What I noticed compared with the first time I spirit ran this is the smell after airing was really consistent and nice over most jars, and the jars kept ended up being a much larger volume, with a really nice subtle flavour in the best of the hearts jars. I ended up with 4.5L @ 40% of nice vodka, and 3.5L @ 40% that is on oak to have a couple of essences (a rum & a bourbon one) added.
Does anyone think the improvement is down to more likely the slow run (which was painful! 7 hours!) or the higher starting ABV? I see 40% is the max you can run, but is there any risk of flash over at 40%?
I'm wondering when it comes time to spirit run my Pugi-rum whether the same results are going to show up, is it better to run at 35-40% rather than 30%, and if running very slowly is going to pull out too much flavour?
cheers

oglennyboy wrote:I did my second spirit run of this recipe last week, after stripping 3x25L batches. This time I ran the final spirit run of about 20L at 40%, compared with the first time I ran nearly 30L at 30%. I'm just using a simple pot still, 600mm 2" column on my 44L electric homebrew urn.
I ran it really slowly this time, 1.25L/hr and ended up with quite a difference in the quality of the output. Most of the run came out at 80-82%, and after discarding the first 500ml, collected in 24x250ml jars, with 2L of tails for the big bucket.
What I noticed compared with the first time I spirit ran this is the smell after airing was really consistent and nice over most jars, and the jars kept ended up being a much larger volume, with a really nice subtle flavour in the best of the hearts jars. I ended up with 4.5L @ 40% of nice vodka, and 3.5L @ 40% that is on oak to have a couple of essences (a rum & a bourbon one) added.
Does anyone think the improvement is down to more likely the slow run (which was painful! 7 hours!) or the higher starting ABV? I see 40% is the max you can run, but is there any risk of flash over at 40%?
I'm wondering when it comes time to spirit run my Pugi-rum whether the same results are going to show up, is it better to run at 35-40% rather than 30%, and if running very slowly is going to pull out too much flavour?
cheers

As I run a column still I am not really qualified to respond to you other than to say I "dream" of running at 1.25L an hour - I consider I am pushing it at 1L an hour, and I do find the slower I run it the better the results, certainly the slower I run it the further the tails are pushed down towards the end.

Lols, less than half a liter an hour here

The good thing about the small setups is that you can run small batches of 25 or so liters comfortably and try new things.
With big setups like 4" columns you really need a minimum of 50+ liters of wash to make it worth your while and while they're faster at 2+ liters an hour you've got more to get out. My 100 runs take around 5 hours plus heat up.
Same for a 25 liter with a slower takeoff rate.
I just get more bulk product.

Heh, that's a 5L boiler - I have around 2-3 hours in a finished 700ml made from double distilled neutral
As much as I knock it, considering my missus swapped it for some cat/house sitting, it owes me nothing, has given me a heap of runs worth of experience and led me here and a few other places, I'm certainly the richer for it.

going to try this recipe today probably 2x50L versions i read the thread all the way through twice a month ago and re-reading it again now how important is leaving the lid off for 36hrs ? i have 60L fermenters and usually have 10cms-14cm of height from the lid to the top of the wash

You should be fine to lid and airlock those Just monitor it and be prepared

assuming you can double up on the water and bran and do 500g boiled and simmered ?

also when its finished i dont drain it do i ?, just pour it straight into the fermenter

Correct on birth

Teddysad wrote:Correct on birth

Are you saying distill the whole ferment Teddy - bran and all?
I have always strained off the bran first and ditched it... :think:

No I believe he is talking about the ferment stage - putting the simmered bran and water into the fermenter. Not the distilling stage.
After ferment is finished rack off and leave the trub etc behind.

Teddysad wrote:No I believe he is talking about the ferment stage - putting the simmered bran and water into the fermenter. Not the distilling stage.
After ferment is finished rack off and leave the trub etc behind.

Just as an aside Ted, have you ever taken note of how much yeast there is left, after clearing, in a finished wash? It's unbelievable, those horny little buggers sure do enjoy your recipe!

Teddysad wrote:ng to try this recipe today probably 2x50L versions i read the thread all the way through twice a month ago and re-reading it again now how important is leaving the lid off for 36hrs ? i have 60L fermenters and usually have 10cms-14cm of height from the lid to the top of th

yeh that was what i meant thanks

Bundaboy wrote:Just as an aside Ted, have you ever taken note of how much yeast there is left, after clearing, in a finished wash? It's unbelievable, those horny little buggers sure do enjoy your recipe!

.

Yes ! that is the key to a good ferment. I have harvested and reused but at the price of the new yeast have found it is not necessary. Not like some of the more esoteric varieties I have used on other ferments.

Teddy i did your tomato paste vodka and ran it through the still 6 times holy moly ten points cheers for a gr8 recipe.
Save heaps of $$$
Its better alternative to turbo ingredients which are exspenive.
Can i make other flavours with this nuetral spirit by adding essence?

You sure can
I recommend however that you check out the recipes section, my personal easy to make faves so far are the G dropper and Mrs Mac Khalua
http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewforum.php?f=32

:text-+1:

Love doing the G-Dropper with different fruits - Ladies love that stuff!!! And it gains you plenty of browny points since you can do your own stuff!! :handgestures-thumbupleft:

ok so i've had this recipe going for the last week (2x 50L washes) wouldve put it down last thursday and i think it'll come close to finishing over the next day or so i'm guessing the reason is heat, up until a week or so ago my TPW where staying at a constant 30 degrees all the way till .990 but the sudden cold snap in brisbane has seen my starting ferment temp at 34- 36 drop down to 22-24 as of last night.

next week when i get paid im going to buy some aquarium heaters (100W x2 from ebay for 22 (11 each)) and i will let you guys know what the final verdict is after the 2nd trial of this recipe for me goes

atm i'm throwing the fast ferment not completing as fast down to not being warm enough

i could've bought the aquarium heaters 2-3 weeks ago but at that stage i was getting my ferments completed at 30 degrees still and didnt want to buy aquarium heaters unless i needed too i'll update after the next batch finishes on aquarium heaters (hopefully 4 days)

Shaki123 wrote:Teddy i did your tomato paste vodka and ran it through the still 6 times holy moly ten points cheers for a gr8 recipe.
Save heaps of $$$
Its better alternative to turbo ingredients which are exspenive.
Can i make other flavours with this nuetral spirit by adding essence?

I assume by that you mean you have adapted Ted's FFV to TPW for a fast ferment? Interesting, can you elaborate on why you prefer tomato paste to bran?

I always (sadly) add essence to my FFV, alas it is still the HBS variety as, as far as I know, no one has come up with a whisky recipe as yet.

If you are a whisky person the Still Spirits Whisk(e)y profile kit is a goer, but I always recommend the Still Spirits Irish Whiskey (it's been renamed to some silly thing like Shamrock Whiskey), it's a very versatile essence as you can add a little peat essence to make it taste like a Scottish single malt IMHO.

Any reason you ran it 6 times though the still Shaki123? That seems a bit excessive to me. I would have thought a double distillation on a T500 with good cuts would have provided more than satisfactory results. I think you're wasting time and money on the extra 4 runs for very little benefit.

Any appropriately diluted neutral, can be flavoured with HBS cordials however they're never really going to match up to a specifically distilled and aged product. Given you're neutral didn't cost much to make, you can afford to experiment with some HBS flavours and see if you like them. I suspect you're going to be disappointed with the results but everyone's taste is
different.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.