Corey Smith

I have a 10 inch column. Flow rate has been approx 6 gal per hour. I do track the deflector temp (not religiously)...

When making whiskey, my SOP (has been) to strip 6 fermenters which gives me about 150 gallons of low wines at around 45% ABV which fills the still. I then do a spirit run through the 4 plate column. Once all plates are have been refluxing for 20 minutes, I lower the defleg temp to allow vapor to start passing. The initial heads start at around 183 proof, drop relatively quicky to 179(ish), and hover there for a long time, then very very slowly drop to 160, then drops pretty quickly to 120. Now it (was) my understanding that we could not collect anything off the parrot above 160. I now understand that it's the collected hearts that must be under 160. From my taste/smell, the hearts seem to begin near the 178 proof range (begins to be very sweet, light, even sippable). Needless to say, my hearts yield has been very low at about 1/2 of the heads volume. If I were to start collecting hearts when I think the heads are done (178ish proof), at the slow pace that the proof drops, I can't believe the combined proof would be under 160, so I have a few questions, and please, I'm very open to any advise. 1- Am I refluxing too much? Should I turn a plate or 2 off, or open the defleg more for more flow? 2- What proof range are others cutting to heads at (running a similar setup)? 3- Should my initial charge be a lower ABV? I'd love to know what a typical run looks like for others running a hybrid still... Corey

It did not scrub off. An hour with the CIP is pretty effortless, so I'm pretty happy with that...

Well, an hour wash at 205 degrees with PBW did it. Thank you everyone... Corey

Thank you for the advise, everyone. I'll talk to Hydrite about a better(stronger) cleaning solution. Thanks for the referral Slick, they are close to us. Also, yes, thanks for the white dog sample. It was very good! I see that I did forget to mention that the mash tun does have a CIP. The pic is of the man door. The film is mostly in a ring around the top, the door, and the mixing paddles, a little in a ring near the bottom, and nothing really on the bottom.

I am starting to get a thin yellowish film/buildup in the mash tun. Some of it comes off with high pressure hot water given enough time. I currently use a 140 degree PBW wash, then a warm citric acid wash. Neither is cutting through the film. When scraped off with my fingernail, the film holds together like a sheet. I am assuming it is proteins that have cross-linked? So far, have only had corn, rye and m-barley in there. Anyone have any insight/suggestions? Left a message with 5-Star to see what they say... Corey

Hello all, Corey Smith here with Altered Spirits Distillery in Slinger, WI.