TPW Cuts Mistake?

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TPW Cuts Mistake?

Postby indenial » Thu May 06, 2021 3:05 pm

I did my first ever spirits run a couple of days ago.
TLDR: My hearts now taste like rocket fuel.

I ditched 250ml of foreshots (didn't mean to do so much, but it was running fast than I meant to at the start.)
I then took 200ml cuts into glass jars and let them sit for 48 hours.
I then smell and taste tested each one. I combined 1 teaspoon of spirit with 2 teaspoons of filtered water and smelt and tasted it before spitting it out. I rinsed glass each time and drank water between each taste.

Jars 1-5: Smelt like fake banana and had a really harsh burn. Ditched into the feints bottle. As I mentioned earlier I was running a bit fast early on so expected plenty of heads.
Jars 6-10: Very little nose, a touch of warmth, but not harsh in the mouth. Struggled to describe any particular taste. I thought this was my hearts. Ended up combining these in a glass bottle - combined were 89% ABV. Diluted down to 65% ABV with filtered water while I decided what to do with it.
Jars 11-13: Had pleasant slight fruity smell (not tomato) and maybe a slight burn in the mouth but nothing like the heads I ditched. Wasn't sure what to do with these so kept em separate.
Jars 14+: Wet cardboard and into the feints.

Fast forward 24 hours and I thought I'd show the Mrs I'd made some nice clean neutral spirirt. Diluted a shot down to 40% ish ABV. The look on her face said everything. Rocket fuel. I had a taste as I couldn't believe it. Tasted like the cheapest store bought vodka you can imagine. :angry-banghead:

What happened?
Was my palette already burned out by the first 5 jars?
With the transferring and combining did I oxygenate some stuff that I couldn't taste before?

Other info:
Yes, had done vinegar and sacrificial run prior.
Fermentation ran a bit hot for the first 36 hours or so. I pitched yeast at 34 degC and it rocketed up over 38degC
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Re: TPW Cuts Mistake?

Postby BigRig » Thu May 06, 2021 4:05 pm

I aint an expert but i would say you did blow the taste buds out if u started tasting at jar 1. You should start in the middle jar and work your way slowly till u hit the wet cardboard. Then go back to the middle jar and work your way until you hit the harsh burn / taste of heads.

I find the bigger the dilution the better i am able to taste different flavours, i dilute to 25%. When i do cuts i let everything air for 24-48hrs. Then i select what i want and dilute it, then i let it sit again for 24-48hrs before i call it drinkable. Everything takes time in this hobby.
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Re: TPW Cuts Mistake?

Postby FatManDancing » Thu May 06, 2021 7:03 pm

That was my experience as well at the beginning

I think this is pretty common with a sugar head recipe like TPW or what I have done TFFV. The spirit it produces is so different to what we are used to from store bought we think we made a mistake. It does not sound like you made a mistake

Coupla things that have worked for me though

Redistill. A long process again but I have found the more times you run your neutral, the cleaner it will be

Invert sugar. I am 100% in the invert sugar camp. It is an extra step but it is easy and I am of the opinion it improves the final product by such a considerable margin that to not do it is a waste of time


Practice, practice and pragmatism. The more you do it, the easier it gets but how many times have you stilled before? You will learn and grow and there are a bunch of people here who want to see you succeed

Hope this helps
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Re: TPW Cuts Mistake?

Postby RC Al » Fri May 07, 2021 7:15 am

If I had to guess, I would say that you ran too fast for the whole run

How long did it take to collect what you did?

250ml fores dosent matter, first few jars are junk anyways
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Re: TPW Cuts Mistake?

Postby Dancing4dan » Sat May 08, 2021 12:42 am

“ I thought I'd show the Mrs I'd made some nice clean neutral spirirt.”

Oh boy….

:silent:
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Re: TPW Cuts Mistake?

Postby indenial » Sat May 08, 2021 12:59 am

Thanks for all the advice. Yes starting cuts assessment in the middle makes way more sense. I'll try diluting more next time too.

Whole run took 6.5 hours. I went pretty slow after initial chaos.

I obviously need me practice at everything, including posting on this forum without any potential innuendo :))
I'll leave it sit and check again in a couple of weeks. If it doesn't settle I'll re-distil.
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