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G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 9:58 pm
by Micksta
Gidday all, ive been reading the posts on here for a while, and joined up a couple of weeks ago. ran my used t500 reflux last night for the first time, with a 25l tpw (from the tried n proven recipes here) and with the mods from doubleuj - ss scrubbers/copper output pipe.
I've taken 200ml cuts, and after 150ml of foreshot, I've collected 14 x 200ml jars @92% (2.8l) then a couple more at lower %, and turned off the boiler (all up just over 6hrs...)
Did I stop too soon and miss the end of the run? The output water temp was pretty steady, sat at 52.7 for most of the collection...

Re: Running a T500, the Proper Way - Discussion Thread

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:48 am
by Zak Griffin
Welcome mate!

Sounds pretty much bang on to me.

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 7:46 am
by Sam.
Moved your post here as it's your first mate, so welcome here :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 10:18 am
by woodduck
G'day mate, welcome :greetings-waveyellow: sounds like your on the right track to me :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:59 pm
by Micksta
Thanks guys ;)
Gonna give them a try tonight n see if I can tell the difference... then onto the bourbon chips ...

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:25 pm
by woodduck
Good stuff :handgestures-thumbupleft: just remember to water down to 65% with nice clean water like bottled or filtered water for aging. Also try get yourself some oak "dominoes", I recon you'll get better results with them over the chips. The chips have alot of end grain which release tanins and age your spirit quickly with less desirable flavours. Please remember that a T500 although a reliable rig will only give you neutral/flavorless spirit so while you will get a nice drink it may not be exactly the whiskey you were hoping for.

Good luck with the cuts and remember, don't be greedy, you haven't lost anything you've cut because you can run it back through with the next lot you distill :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 10:25 pm
by Micksta
Thanks Woodduck, unfortunately I had already taken 1.5l and diluted it with 2l of distilled water before I saw your reply (to make it 40% before putting on the chips - that was the advice from the hbs...)- I'm guessing the higher proof will extract the flavours quicker? Are there other benefits?
Also I've kept the rest of the heads/tails for future use - is it better to run another 2 washes without making cuts and then charging the boiler with these at 40%
Cheers for your time and advice ;)
I've got my second tpw on atm, should be ready in 10 or so days

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 10:44 pm
by woodduck
No probs mate, glad I could help.
40% will be ok but it’s just said that 65% is the optimum for aging, not sure of the science sorry (it would be in the oaking and aging section somewhere if you would like to know).

I think you can get away with single runs with the T500 but yes double distilling will defiantly give you better/cleaner results.

Keep up the good work mate, it gets easier each run :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 1:26 am
by tipsy
woodduck wrote: but it’s just said that 65% is the optimum for aging, not sure of the science sorry


Theres a chart around herer some where wich suggestesn 65% gives agood balance of all flavours. Vanilla ect

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 7:41 pm
by Micksta
So, a few weeks ago, I ran another tpw through, this time took around 8hrs at 47°, for the same volume of 92% neutral.
Smells and tastes a lot better than the previous run... I've replaced the ss scrubbers with the ss saddles, possibly this has made the difference in time and quality?
My next tpw is ready, and I want to do a stripping run, I've read around 58-60° so will see how that goes.
When diluting from 92% to 40 for the second run, do I just use tap water? Or better to use distilled water? And foreshot removed from all runs?
Cheers for the advice ;) this place is a wealth of knowledge!

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:12 pm
by Oldhoon
Im also running a T500 for the first time. :)

I noticed on my first that the optimum temp where the most distillate produced was around 60 to 63 deg? is this normal or ok?
Or is that giving me poor quality spirits?

cheers

BM

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2017 4:48 am
by scythe
It will produce spirit at about 50°c which will actually be better.

That temp IIRC is cooling water temp and not actually indicative of anything really apart from that.

Hot coolant means you are running the still quite hard, and the t500 can deform if it gets too hot.

Running it colder will take longer but you will get a nicer/cleaner output.

Re: G-day and Running a T500

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 5:17 pm
by Kenster
Micksta... tap water may be a bit too chlorinated and taint the overall flavour... Depends where you live and your water supply. Most use shop bought spring water to dilute but i make my own distilled, works well for me.
If u want to try to 'clean up' yr tap water, you could always remove chlorine and chloramines by adding a few ml of potassium bisulphide to a 40 lit container of tap water. That should remove traces of these elements within a very short time, less than 30 min.