Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

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Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

Postby Hick1960 » Mon Mar 14, 2022 11:28 am

For any maths gurus out there, I’m trying to find the alcohol content of a 1 and a half x boiler charge. I have 75 ltrs of tpw which I plan to strip 45 litres then add that to the other 30 litres for a spirit run. My question is, say if the 75 ltrs has a 10% alcohol content to start with. I strip 45 litres and end up with roughly 10lts of 40%. I then add this back to the left over 30 lts at 10%. What is the overall alcohol content now of the second charge. Figures aren’t exact, but for the life of me I can’t seem to get my head around it. Somehow I’ve come up with 40 lts at around 13%.
I’ve checked out the calculators but can’t seem to work out how this equation could be made using them. I apologies if there is a simple solution, but does anyone know how to work this out.
I seem to be having a brain fart. :angry-banghead:
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Re: Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

Postby Professor Green » Mon Mar 14, 2022 11:55 am

Calculate the total alcohol volume in each batch, sum the results and divide by the total combined volume.

10 Litres @ 40% = 4l of Alcohol
30 Litres @ 10% = 3l of Alcohol

in total, 7 Litres of Alcohol in 40 litres total volume = 17.5%

But, why are you adding the results of a stripping run of part of your wash back into the remainder of the wash?
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Re: Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

Postby Hick1960 » Mon Mar 14, 2022 12:03 pm

Professor Green wrote:Calculate the total alcohol volume in each batch, sum the results and divide by the total combined volume.

10 Litres @ 40% = 4l of Alcohol
30 Litres @ 10% = 3l of Alcohol

in total, 7 Litres of Alcohol in 40 litres total volume = 17.5%

But, why are you adding the results of a stripping run of part of your wash back into the remainder of the wash?



Thanks professor.

I have 75 ltrs to run. Am going to strip 45 litres then add it to the remaining 30 litres then do a spirit run. My boiler is only 50 ltrs. Just trying to bump up the alcohol of the boiler charge. I have a new FSD Neutralizer and found it runs better with a higher alcohol volume in it. ( for neutral anyway, I haven’t done a flavoured run). I realise I could just do 2 stripping runs then dilute enough to cover the elements, but thought I’d gives this way a go.
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Re: Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

Postby Professor Green » Mon Mar 14, 2022 12:36 pm

I see. The neutraliser is capable of producing good neutral in a single run, that is what it is designed for but I think you'll get even better neutral results by stripping your wash in two separate batches followed by a combined spirit run. Just my opinion of course, you can use any run strategy that works for you. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

Postby Hick1960 » Mon Mar 14, 2022 12:49 pm

Professor Green wrote:I see. The neutraliser is capable of producing good neutral in a single run, that is what it is designed for but I think you'll get even better neutral results by stripping your wash in two separate batches followed by a combined spirit run. Just my opinion of course, you can use any run strategy that works for you. :handgestures-thumbupleft:



Yeah I was very happy with the results I got first couple of runs but I seemed to be chasing reflux , flow and a nice toothpick size stream a bit. I read bigrigs post where he mentioned low alcohol content running a little erratic so I stripped a wash and bumped up the alcohol of the next run. It ran a lot better. That’s why I was wondering how to calculate the alcohol volume. I knew there was an easy way somewhere.
I now have a 220 litre olive drum for larger fermentations so I’ll be able to strip a few runs then run a spirit run.
All practice.
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Re: Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

Postby RuddyCrazy » Mon Mar 14, 2022 1:52 pm

G'Day Hick,
Just just do a rough workout of the dilution amount needed of the volume and percentage of the wash, now when I do my TPW to date I have done 2 runs and it tasting pretty good but a third run with the packed section will be the final run.

Now lets say you have 20 litres of 80% so to temper down to 40% add 20 litres, now if it's 60% then I add 10 litres then as the boiler is getting filled I take an ABV reading, the 50ml measuring cylinders are a good fit for the alcometers so just a 40ml or there abouts is needed to check :handgestures-thumbupleft:

for piece of mind it does pay to take a reading before sealing the boiler to ensure the boiler charge is no higher than 40%.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

Postby Hick1960 » Mon Mar 14, 2022 2:03 pm

Thanks Bryan.
I only had a 30 and 60 fermenter so that’s why I was looking at adding a stripped run to the remainder, trying to get some finished product while the next lot fermented.
Now I have a 220 ltr olive drum to ferment in, I can strip the lot and end up with enough low wines for a full spirit run.
I bought the new rig only to find I was now waiting for fermentations to finish. :))
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Re: Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

Postby MarkA » Mon Mar 14, 2022 3:51 pm

Hi Hick,

I've been using an app on my phone called "Alco Calculator" for temp conversions for hydrometer and alcometer. It also has water dilution,
and for your question, mixing alcohol. There's a ton of stuff in it. Might be worth a look.

It also aligns with Professor Greens answer, so I reckon it must be close :handgestures-thumbupleft:


Regards
Mark
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Re: Alcohol content of 1.5 boiler charge.

Postby Hick1960 » Mon Mar 14, 2022 3:55 pm

MarkA wrote:Hi Hick,

I've been using an app on my phone called "Alco Calculator" for temp conversions for hydrometer and alcometer. It also has water dilution,
and for your question, mixing alcohol. There's a ton of stuff in it. Might be worth a look.

It also aligns with Professor Greens answer, so I reckon it must be close :handgestures-thumbupleft:


Regards
Mark


Thanks Mark
I’ll check it out :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Hick1960
 
Posts: 167
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:19 am
Location: Gippsland, Victoria
equipment: Turbo 500
2” pot with Shotgun condenser
2” Boka
1” gin pot still
4” FSD Neutralizer


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