Calculators for Distilling

[andrew08]

Distilling calculator is helpful in accurately determining how much water is required to dilute a given volume of alcoholic spirits at a known strength down to a desired strength. Any standard values can be used for the calculations just as long as they are consistent. For example, quarts, liters, ounces, or milliliters, as well as % ABV or proof can be used. The calculators default values are in milliliters and proof. Also note that the calculator labeling was worded so as to be a reminder that alcohol should be added to water, not water added to alcohol, to help reduce the possibility of clouding the resulting mixture.

[Silk City Distillers]

Add alcohol to water, why?

 

[Georgeous]

well we added it back to the still along with about 30 gallons from another batch topped it with water to bring volume up to 400 gallons. Pulled a sample and tested with my Snap51 and it was 17.87%ABV distilled it using two plates and no deflag for refluxing. and pulled off about 5.25 gallons of foreshots and heads stopped collecting at 80 proof. We ended up collecting 490lbs / 64 gallons of 118 proof sparkling and crystal clear. 
Question, how many of you actually use deflag for making bourbon?

[glisade]

1 hour ago, Georgeous said:

well we added it back to the still along with about 30 gallons from another batch topped it with water to bring volume up to 400 gallons. Pulled a sample and tested with my Snap51 and it was 17.87%ABV distilled it using two plates and no deflag for refluxing. and pulled off about 5.25 gallons of foreshots and heads stopped collecting at 80 proof. We ended up collecting 490lbs / 64 gallons of 118 proof sparkling and crystal clear. 
Question, how many of you actually use deflag for making bourbon?

I'm not sure I understand the point of using plates without using the dephlegmator. You are creating some passive reflux with the plates but it's not controllable and you can't really do any sort of heads compression. Also, why would you add water to reduce wash proof but then add passive plate reflux to increase the output proof; couldn't you have not diluted your wash and then ran your still as a pot still and gotten a similar outcome?

[Georgeous]

On 3/30/2019 at 9:20 AM, glisade said:

I'm not sure I understand the point of using plates without using the dephlegmator. You are creating some passive reflux with the plates but it's not controllable and you can't really do any sort of heads compression. Also, why would you add water to reduce wash proof but then add passive plate reflux to increase the output proof; couldn't you have not diluted your wash and then ran your still as a pot still and gotten a similar outcome?

well we needed to have at least 50% volume in pot so that is reason for dilution. Yes i probably did not need to use the column but just wanted to try it out. I am still needing to learn how to use a deflag. 

[glisade]

12 minutes ago, Georgeous said:

well we needed to have at least 50% volume in pot so that is reason for dilution. Yes i probably did not need to use the column but just wanted to try it out. I am still needing to learn how to use a deflag. 

I see, thanks for the update. A smaller still would be ideal to practice with dephlegmator operation but overall it's pretty straight-forward. I could send you some info on basic deph operation if you'd like.

[Georgeous]

2 hours ago, glisade said:

I see, thanks for the update. A smaller still would be ideal to practice with dephlegmator operation but overall it's pretty straight-forward. I could send you some info on basic deph operation if you'd like.

sure absolutely, like i mentioned before our small system was 50 gallons with a thumper. This new system is 600 gallons with a 5 plate column after the whiskey helmet. So a bit of a learning curve but we are getting it. We got our mash and fermentation down packed now we need to get the fun part down

thanks Glisade