Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi Guys,
I've been using a HBS Still Spirits Super Reflux with the extended column for over 10 years. Stock standard Turbo wash every time, never made any cuts, averaged around 90% ABV using ceramic saddles and made some pretty good booze over the years (mainly turned into bourbon using staves). Can't remember what made me do it, but I found this forum a while ago and have been getting pretty serious over winter (I'm collecting stuff to build a 4" 4 plate bubbler but that's another story for another day!). Anyhoo, I decided to have a crack at trying cuts using Kiwi's guide for beginners tutorial. I mixed a run of turbo wash and a run of stripped TPW and run a spirit run last weekend (results in the attachment). I'm after some advice on my cuts. Did I cut the heads too early? did I run the hearts too long? Why did I get fluctuating ABV readings? Keen to read your thoughts. Cheers.

What took you so long to have a go at cuts? :think:

Your ABV seems a bit low, I'd be running it slower to try to clean it up a bit more :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Did you let the column come to equilibrium before you started drawing off spirit?
Not sure if you can do that with your still but that could explain low abv at the start before some reflux starts to bump up the abv.

The tails would have been well and truly arived by cut 27 :think:

Zak Griffin wrote:What took you so long to have a go at cuts? :think:

Your ABV seems a bit low, I'd be running it slower to try to clean it up a bit more :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Basically lazy mate and NFI :))

I'll run it a bit slower next time too.

warramungas wrote:Did you let the column come to equilibrium before you started drawing off spirit?
Not sure if you can do that with your still but that could explain low abv at the start before some reflux starts to bump up the abv.

What do you mean by equilibrium in this context?

rumdidlydum wrote:The tails would have been well and truly arived by cut 27 :think:

Roger - then I'm on the right track then. Cheers.

warramungas wrote:Did you let the column come to equilibrium before you started drawing off spirit?
Not sure if you can do that with your still but that could explain low abv at the start before some reflux starts to bump up the abv.

Would you have kept that first cut then Warra?

I have the same still as you mate and in collect the entire run in 200ml lots. My normal tpw run goes as follows. 150ml foreshots, 400ml heads, 1.2 litres hearts,,800ml- 1,litre tails.
This all depends on the ferment temp and time. Longer cooler ferment temp and time =,less undesirable stuff in your final product, I have found with this still. I also run it with the cooling water running from the moment I plug the element in. I always get 92-93% on every run.

Plumby wrote:I have the same still as you mate and in collect the entire run in 200ml lots. My normal tpw run goes as follows. 150ml foreshots, 400ml heads, 1.2 litres hearts,,800ml- 1,litre tails.
This all depends on the ferment temp and time. Longer cooler ferment temp and time =,less undesirable stuff in your final product, I have found with this still. I also run it with the cooling water running from the moment I plug the element in. I always get 92-93% on every run.

Thanks Plumby. I've never run the water from the start, always thought that would slow the boil down. I'll give that a crack next time. So, you reckon the ferment temp and time makes a big difference? I ran the TPW ferment at 30 deg., ran for a week and a half and let it settle for a day. Wihat temp and time are you suggesting?

I have a fermenting fridge that I set to 23 degrees, normally leave it for 2 weeks then run it.

Hi Lowie

I also have that still am am really keen on seeing some pics of your extension if thats possible ?

Cheers Al

Plumby wrote: I always get 92-93% on every run.

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Hi Plumby , do you have an extension on your column ? I cant get anywhere near %90 with mine :sad:

Lowie wrote:

warramungas wrote:Did you let the column come to equilibrium before you started drawing off spirit?
Not sure if you can do that with your still but that could explain low abv at the start before some reflux starts to bump up the abv.

Would you have kept that first cut then Warra?

For feints maybe. Otherwise let it settle in full reflux for a while before you start to draw off liquor.
Usually 1/2 hour or so. If you can. Without a pic its hard to see what your dealing with.

warramungas wrote:. Otherwise let it settle in full reflux for a while before you start to draw off liquor.
.

How how how ?

I would love to know how to do this with these stills .

Here you go
You can't get full reflux I've tried its impossible. You can get very close if you run your water from when you start the boiler, adds about 20 minutes to heat up time. Myne gets to 76 degrees then takes about 20,minutes for the foreshots to come through they come at a steady 2-3 drips per second, I then drop the water a poofteenth until I get very fast dripping almost a flow. I then adjust water as necessary to maintain this flow rate taking 200ml cuts l. When I get the distinct smell of tails I switch everything off. From water and power on to water and power off is usually 41/2 hours. Hope this helps :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Plumby wrote:I have a fermenting fridge that I set to 23 degrees, normally leave it for 2 weeks then run it.

I've got one of those too mate. Problem is, me beer's in it fermenting :D

prawnz wrote:Hi Lowie

I also have that still am am really keen on seeing some pics of your extension if thats possible ?

Cheers Al

Same as plumbys mate.

Plumby wrote:Here you go
You can't get full reflux I've tried its impossible. You can get very close if you run your water from when you start the boiler, adds about 20 minutes to heat up time. Myne gets to 76 degrees then takes about 20,minutes for the foreshots to come through they come at a steady 2-3 drips per second, I then drop the water a poofteenth until I get very fast dripping almost a flow. I then adjust water as necessary to maintain this flow rate taking 200ml cuts l. When I get the distinct smell of tails I switch everything off. From water and power on to water and power off is usually 41/2 hours. Hope this helps :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I see you're collecting stuff for a proper still like me plumby :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Yea man, dreaming of a 4 inch bubbler, one day