Jars - how many, what size?

[cdbrown]

In the near future I am hoping to finally do the spirit run of 5gens of low wines combined with 6th gen wash as per posts in the McStills UJSM thread. What is quite evident is that I don't have anywhere near enough jars to do the suggested 200ml cuts (well at least I don't think I do).

So lets say I have 15L from the 5 gens and add another 5L of 6th gen wash to a pot still for the spirit run. What sort of volume of spirit would you expect to get out of the pot before shutting it off? I'm trying to plan ahead so I get enough jars for the event. Surely I wouldn't need to collect all 20L into jars = 100 jars. I've seen people stopping around 20% is that about right?

kiwistiller recommends getting 500ml jars and am looking at these http://www.kitchenwaredirect.com.au/Kit ... -Set-500ml. I didn't notice any that size in the reject shops last time but will look again before jumping in. Another reason I'm looking at that site is these http://www.kitchenwaredirect.com.au/Kit ... ar-Herm-5L which I plan on using for aging as the reject shop only seem to have 2L as the largest size. The wife got 6 the other day for other purposes and I've been able to nab 2 so far. For the ageing volume is it just 20L at 40% = 12.3L @ 65% and use that as a rough volume for ageing? Or is it a little more complicated than that due to only keeping the hearts for ageing and therefore the volume is much smaller?

Btw I am picking up a 50L keg on the weekend and will get onto the plumber for some copper so I have my own proper pot still.

[bt1]

try

http://www.plasdene.com.au/category/product/cat1/Food/cat2/Glass/cat3/Jar/cat4/Square/total/25/page/3/code/IM-4.25LTR-1455-FL

cheers
bt1

[kiwikeg]

I use RTD stubbies,2/3 fill them put the caps back on loosely and the bugs stay out and the cuts air out nicely.

[stubbydrainer]

I use fowlers preserving jars 600ml and 800ml from the secondhand shop, I got a 2 dozen ( 800ml ) for 5 bucks and another 17 ( of 600ml ) for $8 . they have a big opening at the top for airing , covered with coffee filters, and I find that they suit the job at hand :handgestures-thumbupleft:

cheers

[Frank]

I use http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/80165855/ mainly because I bought a truckload of them some time ago. All I did was mark off 500ml and 1000ml and number each bottle (I use 1-20 on a 40l lowwines).
Re quantities...well, the 20%ABV cutoff is a good idea. After that, you are likely to be 'wasting your time/money/enjoyment factor for little return IMHO.
Personally, I haven't used a parrot during the spirit run (smearing etc) as the realtime 'smell' alone should give you an idea when its low ABV%, however your call, of course.

The acutal number of litres (in cuts) that you collect is very subjective and debated... and dependant on the ABV%/quality/quantity of the lowwines as well as the takeoff rate etc etc, I think. My guess was/is, If you expect to take cuts until its too much tails...then expect to take half of your lowwines and I reckon you'll be close(ish).....mind you, I've NFI really.

As an aside...a related question about jars/cuts etc is......once you have done a few spirit runs with cuts in such small quantities (aired and tested etc) AND you have got to know, typically, where the fractions are.....what size cuts can you reasonably take for future spirit runs (eg 1 litre, how about 5 litres when you are confident it is hearts :shock: , or what)????

[grehund]

I've had too many drinks right now to comment quantity wise, but as for how many & what size:

I do 20L washes. I have 3x 800ml jars, I use 1 at Start of Heads, 1 at Start of Hearts, and 1 at Tails. I have 14x 200ml jars, I use these in between the 800ml jars.

So my run looks like this:

Foreshots, 800ml Heads, 200ml, 200ml, 200ml,etc, Heads 200ml, 800ml, 200ml, 200ml, etc, Tails 200ml, 800ml, 5L carboy (if I can be bothered going that long). :smile:

I buy the cheap ass "preserving jars" from Sam's Warehouse and throw away the dodgy plastic seals. Hope that helps. ;-)

[law-of-ohms]

Used wine bottels, have ~100 of them.

Dont pay the HBS $2 for a bottle when you can go to safeway liquor and get 6 for $12 with wine in them!

[Sam.]

V8 juice bottles can buy them in 1L or 1.5L work at a treat and cost nothing I'd u like bloody
Mary's

[MR-E]

I keep our empty 200g Moccona coffee jars, stick paper coffee filters with rubber bands on them for airing.

Cheers :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[R-sole]

12 jim beam bottles with a stack of gallon carboys for hearts and bulk tails.

[Sam.]

V8 juice bottles they do a couple of different sizes and easy to pour out of

[Rumdrinker]

V8 juice bottles they do a couple of different sizes and easy to pour out of

X2, they are great to use

[cdbrown]

Shit - now I'm more confused than ever. I figured everyone would be doing 200ml cuts for the whole run. I do have a variety of jars ranging from 2 and 1L preserving jars to the 750g macconna and nescafe and then various smaller ones.

This will be my first go at spirit runs and the only idea about where heads, hearts and tails all start is based on kiwi's guide to cuts. I'll try and get 20 or so 500ml jars and use the larger jars like grehund.

[grehund]

You'll be able to pick the changes in Heads, Hearts & Tails as you go.

I only use the large jars when I know things aren't going to change. You can always start with a small jar & transfer that to a larger jar once you're confident it's all Heads/Hearst/Tails.

Tails is the easiest to recognise. I was surprised just how accurate the description of "wet cardboard" was the first time I smelt & tasted tails.

It'll be fine. Relax & enjoy the experience. Worst case, throw it all back in & go again. ;-)

[law-of-ohms]

Taste and smell is how I do my cuts. not by measuring volume.

[adama]

Personally I'd recommend collecting the first couple of litres of your initial spirit runs in small jars.
3 or more 100ml jars first; then 200ml jars until you've got two or three litres out; use wine bottles ect up to the point where the thermometer starts moving up . . . go back to collecting in 200ml jars to the end.

That way you'll have a wide spread of "drinks" that you can taste when you're comfortable and relaxed.

I use a parrot and record the abv % on each jar - later I use a clean glass with a teaspoon of hooch and sufficient water to mix-up 40% "tasters" = an easy way to determine the transitions.

It would be the best way to educate yourself about how your still works. Keep doing that until you can confidently predict what your still will deliver. :dance:

[cdbrown]

I just dropped into the reject shop and grabber 10 x 500ml glass lollie jars for $1.50 each. There's more there, but 10 was enough to be carrying around the middle of perth during lunch hour and that amount will fit nicely in the back pack. Will get more next week.

The pot still does have a temp gauge on it, but I haven't paid any real attention to it as it normally shoots up to about 90 and just stays there the whole time in a stripping run. I do pay attention to the alcometer in the parrot and the temp of the liquid out.

[adama]

The pot still does have a temp gauge on it

Ah I see now; my mistake. I assumed you were refering to a reflux column. For a strip run of, say 35L; what I tend to do is:
1) chuck the first 100ml
2) put aside into my Feints container the next 1.5L
3) keep the next lot until the alcometer reads 40% abv ~ this will end up becoming vodka after I've got enough for a reflux run
4) put aside into my Feints container the remaining stuff until I'm down to something like 20% abv

Regards

[squid]

You don't really need a crazy amount of jars. You should be able to identify the hearts of the run and keep those in larger containers, then switch back to small ones when the abv drops and temp increases. If you have a glass condenser you can actually see the condensate form small droplets vs rings as you near the tails (in my experience anyway).