Column Still Whiskey Run Questions

[Packersfan1964]

We are making corn whiskey – thanks to all of you who helped us get through our mashing and fermentation issues. I would seriously be screwed if it wasn’t for these forums helping us trouble shoot. By the way, it tastes great!!!!!

We ran our 80% corn 20% barley wash @ 5% ABV through our column still with two plates.

Run started great, we were able to run it @ 160 proof for most of the run – my question comes in as the run started tapering off from 160 proof and down. Do you typically run it at the same temp and just let the ABV decrease and try to keep the flow steady, or would you be willing to run slower and keep it at a higher ABV?

My thought process was that as we will be diluting this to 40-50% ABV, we might as well keep running it down and make cuts as the flavor dictates, but I could also see slowing the run to keep a higher proof distillate.

Also, I couldn’t find many column still operation conversations, so maybe this is a good place to have it?

[Distiller76]

I'm wondering why your proof is decreasing. I'm running a 42' column with 24 plates and my proof is as stable as it comes, But I'm also running 3000 gallons a day through a beer well.  Are you running a beer well, Or are you running straight from the fermenter? If you're running a beer well, It will keep the consistency of the run more stable. Hell, Even if you just agitate the fermenter it should help. 

[indyspirits]

11 hours ago, ColoradoDistiller said:

Run started great, we were able to run it @ 160 proof for most of the run – my question comes in as the run started tapering off from 160 proof and down. Do you typically run it at the same temp and just let the ABV decrease and try to keep the flow steady, or would you be willing to run slower and keep it at a higher ABV?

That's exactly what you should have expected -- each plate enriches the vapor a fixed amount. As the ABV of the pot decreases the amount of etoh in the vapor, and thus the distillate, decreases as you witnessed at the parrot.

There are a couple schools of thought about how to handle tails / the end of a run.  You can increase flow to the dephlegmator and effectively "hold back" heavier components -- those components with a higher boiling point.  You will see a corresponding decrease in takeoff rate.  Alternatively, just let the run go and taste/feel/smell for the tails and take your cut there.

When I first strarted I was a big proponent of running at 100% reflux for 45 mins or so and letting the heads migrate to the top plate, then slowing backing off deph flow, take my heads cut, and then maintain deph flow enough to keep the trays stacked.  Same at the end of the run --- when the temp drops increase deph flow to hold back tails and accept the lower takeoff.

Problem with that is (IMNSHO) it results in a fairly lifeless hearts cut -- clean yes, but without much personality. Probably good for smaller barrels you want to get out the front door ASAP.  Now I run our column still more like a pot -- I run slow initially and take a smaller heads cut -- there's some good flavors in the heads. Same for tails -- I tend to go a bit deeper.   I would NOT do this for a "white" product. Barrel-time does wonders for a dirtier hearts cut. 

More than you asked for!  My distilling process has evolved over five years as I imagine will yours. Keep good notes!

[Packersfan1964]

2 hours ago, Distiller76 said:

I'm wondering why your proof is decreasing. I'm running a 42' column with 24 plates and my proof is as stable as it comes, But I'm also running 3000 gallons a day through a beer well.  Are you running a beer well, Or are you running straight from the fermenter? If you're running a beer well, It will keep the consistency of the run more stable. Hell, Even if you just agitate the fermenter it should help. 

I was thinking about running the agitator, but then chose not too....I'll give it a try next time, it seems like it would potentially cut down the run time as well.

Not sure what a beer well is.....

[indyspirits]

Physics dictates that if you're not modulating flow to the deph your ABV will go down -- you can't get blood out of a turnip.

[MDH]

9 hours ago, indyspirits said:

When I first strarted I was a big proponent of running at 100% reflux for 45 mins or so and letting the heads migrate to the top plate, then slowing backing off deph flow, take my heads cut, and then maintain deph flow enough to keep the trays stacked.  Same at the end of the run --- when the temp drops increase deph flow to hold back tails and accept the lower takeoff.

Problem with that is (IMNSHO) it results in a fairly lifeless hearts cut -- clean yes, but without much personality. Probably good for smaller barrels you want to get out the front door ASAP.  Now I run our column still more like a pot -- I run slow initially and take a smaller heads cut -- there's some good flavors in the heads. Same for tails -- I tend to go a bit deeper.   I would NOT do this for a "white" product. Barrel-time does wonders for a dirtier hearts cut.

I'm a huge advocate of this style too. It's the same with fruits - I've tried a few pretty bland apple and pear Eaux de Vie recently which were made in a heavily refluxed column sort of environment; yet hands down, the best spirits I've ever tasted were made in basic pots and aged for a long period of time. Calvados and Cognac are made in basic pots and are given time.

If you look at distilleries like Lagavulin or Ardbeg, their stills are similarly very short, and are run to no more than 72% alcohol by volume. Such an environment is rife with smearing of the tails, hearts and heads, but the end product is beautifully complex. I wouldn't take Scotch any other way.

[captnKB]

76 is talking about a beer well which is the tank that feeds beer to a continuous column still

 

[Packersfan1964]

Ok I made a heads cut but it was based soley on smell, which was actually pretty easy to wait for the pungent smell to subside to make my heads cut. I'll try and stack my plates for 45 minutes or so and come back with a full report. Should be Thursday or Friday next week.

[TheMechWarrior]

On 6/16/2016 at 0:47 PM, ColoradoDistiller said:

We are making corn whiskey – thanks to all of you who helped us get through our mashing and fermentation issues. I would seriously be screwed if it wasn’t for these forums helping us trouble shoot. By the way, it tastes great!!!!!

 

We ran our 80% corn 20% barley wash @ 5% ABV through our column still with two plates.

 

Run started great, we were able to run it @ 160 proof for most of the run – my question comes in as the run started tapering off from 160 proof and down. Do you typically run it at the same temp and just let the ABV decrease and try to keep the flow steady, or would you be willing to run slower and keep it at a higher ABV?

 

My thought process was that as we will be diluting this to 40-50% ABV, we might as well keep running it down and make cuts as the flavor dictates, but I could also see slowing the run to keep a higher proof distillate.

 

Also, I couldn’t find many column still operation conversations, so maybe this is a good place to have it?

 

All went as expected.

When I first started I'd increase the deph to compensate for the abv drop, drastically extending my run times to recover every last bit of ethanol.

Now, what I find is that drop off in abv is your indicator that you've hit your tails. Do you your cut as soon as your taste buds tell you and then ramp up the heat and turn off the deph. Recycle your fores and feints into your next run and repeat.

 

Cheers,

 

Mech