Using the Dreaded Dribble Drop Drop as an indicator

[deerndingo]

Hi, So Yeah, I was watching a YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_un-K1urnxw ) by a guy that runs a whole bunch of different stills and styles. He advises discarding the first 100 or so and flame checking the bit after that to make sure its not methanol. He talks of keeping the alcohol after that that runs from the still in the form of a few drops and then a dribble. He also advises that a sugar wash through a T500 has minimal tails.

I'd be pleased if these points could be discussed.

The reason I raise this is because I have very poor sense of smell and my sense of taste isn't far behind it too. As such, I am concerned about my capacity to perform "cuts" effectively.

[deerndingo]

Here's the video he provides showing him run my still https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-3mb8zz0qk

[Doubleuj]

Hi deerndingo, if old mate on YouTube is using the phrase “dribble dribble drop” then he heard it here first :laughing-rolling: hmm, do I have cause for copyright breach? 8-}
End of the day, don’t follow crap you see on YouTube. Tails are there in any wash, any still.
You’ve said in another post that the turbo you ran smelt crap, this means you can do cuts, it’s really easy once you try and will give you a superior product.
And nothing gets wasted either, the feints (heads/ tails) can be added back to your next run or even saved for an all feints run.

[Doubleuj]

Fuck me, just watched that clip, don’t really know where to start. So many things he did or said are wrong.
-Don’t use the plastic outlet hose, solvents like 90% ethanol leach crap out of the plastic
-Never leave the still alone, he may not have but he did say you could :angry-banghead:
-Run your still on output rate, never by temperature
-the reason that there is “no discernible tails” is that he was running too fast and the tails would be smeared all the way through the run. Run slower and take cuts and you’ll find there’s tails.
- always do proper cuts

[deerndingo]

Fuck me, just watched that clip, don’t really know where to start. So many things he did or said are wrong.
-Don’t use the plastic outlet hose, solvents like 90% ethanol leach crap out of the plastic
-Never leave the still alone, he may not have but he did say you could :angry-banghead:
-Run your still on output rate, never by temperature
-the reason that there is “no discernible tails” is that he was running too fast and the tails would be smeared all the way through the run. Run slower and take cuts and you’ll find there’s tails.
- always do proper cuts

Thanks for your comments on the video.

Is there a YouTube on how you recommend a T500 be run?

[Doubleuj]

Unfortunately no, I’ve got a head for radio, not video 8-}
Did you read the thread about running a t500 the proper way in the newbies corner?
There I give clear instructions on how to set up your still and how to run it.
Best advise I’d give you is to follow these instructions and try a few runs.

[deerndingo]

Unfortunately no, I’ve got a head for radio, not video 8-}
Did you read the thread about running a t500 the proper way in the newbies corner?
There I give clear instructions on how to set up your still and how to run it.
Best advise I’d give you is to follow these instructions and try a few runs.

I'm going to re-distill my first run which I did according to manufacturer's recommendations. I'll re-read this site's suggested method and have a go at that.

I also intend putting down a wash based on the tomato paste. I'll distill that in accordance with this site's recommendations. It's a cheaper way of learning than the Turbo wash route.

Thanks

[Doubleuj]

Sounds like a great plan, you honestly can’t go wrong. I like you started with the t500, as did so many here.
With the proper technique it’ll make you a nice drop :handgestures-thumbupleft: feel free to ask any questions, we’re here to help :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Or even send me a pm if you like.

[deerndingo]

I'll go get a bunch of 300ml jars to move each cut into. Again, my sense of smell is poor so I'll manual cut first and then try to sort out the different jars.

[bluc]

Even if you get rid of the real funk worst of heads/tails you will be miles ahead. Your palate will change and it will get easier to pick stuff. Look for change rather then particular flavours..change is a good indicator..

[The Stig]

Don't just reply on smell, I use taste and feel aswell

[deerndingo]

Hi, So I'm a short way into re-distilling a Turbo wash that I did in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. This second run is being done different.

I diluted the alcohol to 40% ABV. I got it to where it was just giving a drip, say one to two a second, and I adjusted the cooling water to keep it at that flow for about 3/4 of an hour. My theory is that it reduced the potential ethanol and concentrated the bad-enoughs. The Doctor and other informed people were right. I was easily able to make cuts by taste. The first 200ml bit like a snake. I have been cutting thereafter every 150ml for 5 more cuts. I'm now drip-drizzling into a 400ml jar but tasting as I go to ensure similar quality.

The flow rate for the 400ml jar has slowed to a drip - no- drizzle. Tastes good, but different at about 200ml. I cut there and increase the temp just enough to get me back to drip-n-drizzle.

Given I am still dealing with my first wash, I have played with this one. I made up a 40%ABV bottle and carbon filtered it and then added essence of JB. It's OK. I look forward to doing it with this twice distilled.

As an aside, in playing with the first run I added a bunch of orange peal to 600ml of the alcohol and was seeping that for two days. Once I decided to re-distill I chucked that in too. It has given the current run a distinctive but nice orange flavour. I look forward to seeing how that goes with Limoncello and JB. I think it will be nice.

I'll do another post when I have finished this run.

Thanks for all the advice. It has been wroking

[bluc]

oh and when you do cuts you should spit it out not swallow it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[deerndingo]

oh and when you do cuts you should spit it out not swallow it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

bluc, it actually tastes quite nice. I'm doing what someone said and that is just a drip on the finger, but it's nice. If I want to compare between cuts I rinse.

Thanks

[deerndingo]

I note that now that I'm about half way through (I have about one and a half litres of the 3 litres) I'm having to adjust the water cooling temp upto maintain that drip-n-drizzle. It still tastes good. The intensity of the orange has decreased. Must be getting into the heavier end of the molecules.

I also note that I'm a clear 10 to 15C lower in temperature than I was supposed to be using the manufacturer's method.

[Doubleuj]

sounds good, i always ran a lot lower than they recommended

[deerndingo]

So the outflow cooling water temp required to have any appreciable drip-n-drizzle started climbing and got up to 79C. At that point I consider I'm starting to get inclusions from the water.

I just tested the last cut and found it was 85%ABV. So that confirms my thoughts about increased cooling water temp.

Tested the cut 200ml before the last cut and it is 93%ABV. I was running about 45C on that cut.

Later - I initialy shut the rig down and was going to throw out the remaining wash, but have now cranked it back up and will extract the tails and save for next distillation.

I got about 2L of good alcohol out of that initial 3l from the T500 inspired run.

Later - The continued run only produced a few squirts before the required temp would have been too high to be of any value.

Now I'll more closely examine the cuts for quality.

Thanks

[Doubleuj]

Cover your cut jars with a tea towel and let them air over night. Makes it much easier to pick your cuts

[VirtualT]

Cover your cut jars with a tea towel and let them air over night. Makes it much easier to pick your cuts

I have been scared to do this, my experience being that half full glasses of whiskey in the morning taste like water surely you would lose proof from a 90 something percent spirit left open overnight.

[Doubleuj]

Bugger all loss and what you’re losing is the angels share anyway o:-)