Newbie on board

[Kiwi123]

Hi Folks. Many thanks to the organisers of this forum. Its such a bank of knowledge and experience. Almost overwhelming.
Have started out now with a 2" SS304 and getting great results with first stripping runs from a basic tomato paste wash. Although everything is very clean, wash was clear etc I am still getting a slightly cardboard note in the output at all points. Am wondering if using Dextrose instead of just sugar is causing this? Any tips much appreciated.

[The Stig]

Welcome.
In all honesty dex is a massive waste of money , it won’t help.
If you’re getting “wet cardboard” that’s tails and is normal in a stripping run.
And if you do your cuts right on the final spirit run you won’t have this in the hearts

[Wellsy]

Welcome aboard kiwi.
As Stig said the spirit run will enable you to do cuts. The stripping run is simply the process to get the volume down and keep as much alcohol as possible.

[TDick]

Welcome Down The Rabbit Hole!

FWIW I've never run TPW - just don't like the idea of Tomato Paste in my booze.
I'm working on a WPOSW.
I'd be thinking the cardboard is more from stripping deep into tails than anything else.
Not a problem. I use a small air still so I do a slow strip down to 5%.
As better stillers than me have said, the spirit run should solve your problems.

Since you're just learning, make sure you run SLOWLY and also make small cuts while you're learning.
Good Luck!

[TheRealMrMessy]

Welcome Kiwi!
Everyone but me seems to rag on dex. All I can suggest is trying it, it's really not that expensive at 3 bucks a kilo vs 2ish. Regardless, don't start with dex. Start with sugar. Learn lessons the cheapest way. Then do the same recipe with white sugar and dex. Do it a couple times each to experience any variance in your own skills on the still. For me, I prefer dex in a neutral because it *does* have a cleaner flavour - just depends whether you care, whether you are mixing it with essences, etc. What you want from it is entirely personal. For me, I tend to avoid added sugar to anything partially because of the taste it imparts.

FFV - I prefer dex because it doesn't add that weird taste to the back end of a pleasant wheaty hit. I don't use this for sugary stuff.
TPW - I prefer sugar because I use it for all the sweet essence blends, so who cares?! Cheapest!!!
WBAB - still figuring that out.

If I'm doing a grain mix, not hit my gravity target and can't just mash some more, I'll bump it up with dex as the least flavour impact on the result.

[Wellsy]

Just a word of warning Kiwi, don’t confuse yourself by mixing techniques.
A stripping run is simply to reduce volume, doing it slowly will just make it slower. Trying to do cuts on a massively mixed output is most likely just going to confuse you.
Keep your cuts for when you have separated the spirit properly by doing a spirit run. Practise by doing more spirit runs so you will end up with,ore product :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Kiwi123]

Thanks all for your responses.
Its a long road ahead of experiments. Partly why I like doing this. Takes a bit of brain work.
Second gin run this week after a very successful first last year. Sadly that's all gone. Haha