Is it worth doing a 3rd pot run of a neutral spirit?

[axl617]

Using Air Still Pro for the time being so it takes a long time and it tends to smear.

I did a stripping run and a reflux run. It's nearly drinkable but just a bit headsy. I was wondering if instead of doing a 8-10 hour reflux run again, would it work if I did a quick pot-still run? I already tried leaving it for a week and using carbon, but it's still not quite there.

[RobMichelle]

Keep reading up on cuts mate, don’t go for volume, which we all did at the start I would reckon, small cut jars 100ml each, I used to ditch first 300ml on an airstill , not pro thou , not sure if any different but it sounds like ya cuts might have been the issue, just my 2 cents worth.

[RuddyCrazy]

First what is the wash you are using as that will have some say in the run strategy :handgestures-thumbupleft: and as Rob said cuts, cuts, cuts mate learn to use your nose too as you will soon find out heads do smell like nail polish remover :scared-eek: then hearts have no smell at all where the tails can smell like wet cardboard. Learning where to cut is the key to getting a nice drop.

Cheers Bryan

[axl617]

Keep reading up on cuts mate, don’t go for volume, which we all did at the start I would reckon, small cut jars 100ml each, I used to ditch first 300ml on an airstill , not pro thou , not sure if any different but it sounds like ya cuts might have been the issue, just my 2 cents worth.

Honestly I think I did everything possible to learn about cuts. Used like 14 different jars and tasted everything. Eventually I cut out so much that after 50L of wash I was left with about 2L of 90% ABV. And it still tasted kinda off. My friend says he likes it but I can taste a bit of a leathery note and heat that doesn't remind me of good vodka.

I suppose it could be the wash, I did a 12% ABV using EC-1118 with dextrose and Fermaid-AT. My next wash which is almost ready is the TFFV at 9%.

This experiment didn't do much by the way. The 3rd run didn't create and meaningful separation.

[RobMichelle]

How do you know it’s 9% if it’s not ready yet?
We are not having a go at you at all just trying to help, so you had 14 jars, how many mls per jar?
Stuff happens quickly as you know and with a 4 ltr capacity. I still use 200ml jars with the fsd pot still 2” but after a 18months I am just getting the hang of heads cuts, I’m a slow learner but the more washes you do the better you get at it. I used an airstill for over 12months practise is the only way mate keep at it.

[axl617]

How do you know it’s 9% if it’s not ready yet?
We are not having a go at you at all just trying to help, so you had 14 jars, how many mls per jar?
Stuff happens quickly as you know and with a 4 ltr capacity. I still use 200ml jars with the fsd pot still 2” but after a 18months I am just getting the hang of heads cuts, I’m a slow learner but the more washes you do the better you get at it. I used an airstill for over 12months practise is the only way mate keep at it.

Because SG was 1.060. It can't physically go above 8.5-9.2%.

The jars are 250ml each, and I do samples as it's running. Sometimes I'll rub my hands together and see if there's any scent. When it smells like ethanol and nothing else, and just tastes kinda sweet and boring, then I assume that's the hearts. But even after that I didn't get what I would consider usable drink. I think there's just too little room for error for this machine especially as a beginner. I assume not enough separation and too much room for smearing. But maybe my expectations for a 30cm reflux column are a bit too high.

I'll see how the Teddy wash goes though, I now know to avoid anything above 10% abv.

[RobMichelle]

I normally get my sg to 1080 use 110 grams of bakers yeast hydrated in a 60 ltr ish wash, I will adjust water sugar ratio to reach the sg. Good luck and the Stig is always available if you need to upgrade lol :handgestures-thumbupleft: sometimes Hes even funny :scared-eek:

[The Stig]

using EC-1118 with dextrose and Fermaid-AT.

Thats part of your problem - why all of a sudden are newbies using EC1118 ??

Sometimes I'll rub my hands together

Let me guess, you got this from watching moonshiners TV didnt you ?

I'll see how the Teddy wash goes though, I now know to avoid anything above 10% abv.

TFFV will work out just fine, and you can go above 10%, you just need a good wash as a starting point and good equipment to make the best of it.
An air still is always going to be a compromise, if you learn its abilities and work around it youll be fine.

[TheRealMrMessy]

How recently did you blend and water down? Even the cleanest cuts are harsh for a week or two. To the uninitiated, that harshness may be misinterpreted as headsy.

[Wellsy]

Plus one to what messy said, give yourself time to learn the cuts. All spirit gets a bit firey when you initially water it down after a week it gets better, so when doing cuts you need to allow a little bit for that. It will get easier with practice.
Trying to do cuts on the fly as it comes off the still triples the challenge mate and a lot of what you see on tv etc oversimplifies things and ignores the hundreds of runs some of those guys do, they are so using a much bigger sample than 4 Litres.

Great that you are smelling as well as tasting things are so much easier if you have 2 senses working for you.