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Producing Gin from NGS


EDG

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What proof NGS are you putting in the still when Redistilling with botanicals to create a gin?

I know this seems to be a taboo/volatile topic from prior discussions I have read, but would appreciate answers on a pure safety level. I am not looking to steal recipes or bottle GNS. A range of safe proofs to blend down to would suffice. I am doing product development to see how different botanical flavors come over through distillation.

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It depends on your still, if you are running a steam jacket, oil jacket or hot water jacket it doesn't matter you can run any proof you want, although you'll run your still dry if you're doing high proof. So if you are distilling 190 NGS and don't add water then you'll not only run your still dry, but you'll carry over a lot of crap at the end, not to mention baking all your botanicals to the inside of your still.

The only time you don't want to run high proof is if it's direct heated still, such as electric elements in DIRECT contact with your wash. Typically the safe factor for this type of still is 40% ABV.

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It depends on your still, if you are running a steam jacket, oil jacket or hot water jacket it doesn't matter you can run any proof you want, although you'll run your still dry if you're doing high proof. So if you are distilling 190 NGS and don't add water then you'll not only run your still dry, but you'll carry over a lot of crap at the end, not to mention baking all your botanicals to the inside of your still.

The only time you don't want to run high proof is if it's direct heated still, such as electric elements in DIRECT contact with your wash. Typically the safe factor for this type of still is 40% ABV.

I'm running a 2.5L Copper Alembic from Copper-Alembic.com on an electric hot plate

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  • 1 year later...

i know this is a very old topic... but i am interested in the reasoning for a 40% (and below) ABV charge when using direct fire (gas flame, direct immersion.... or perhaps this is only the case for direct immersion?!).

would 55% ABV be significantly more hazardous than 40% ABV?

with flash points at 23oC and 26oC respectively, there isn't too much difference (sorry for using Celsius.... but I'm from England).

any views on this would be great. thanks

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i know this is a very old topic... but i am interested in the reasoning for a 40% (and below) ABV charge when using direct fire (gas flame, direct immersion.... or perhaps this is only the case for direct immersion?!).

would 55% ABV be significantly more hazardous than 40% ABV?

with flash points at 23oC and 26oC respectively, there isn't too much difference (sorry for using Celsius.... but I'm from England).

any views on this would be great. thanks

You answered your own question. You are getting the flash point closer to room temperature. You don't want that.

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i understand that working with - transferring and moving around - spirit at a higher ABV spirit is more hazardous due to the lower flash point. and that it is much better to work with an ABV with a flash point above room ambient temperature....

but when the spirit is actually in the pot, i don't see the difference between 40% or 55% ABV charge when it is being heated up anyway. perhaps i am being stupid, but i wondered if it is complete lunacy to use a 55% ABV charge with a direct gas fired still.... or in fact, quite normal, and no different to using a steam-heated still.

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It is about the handling. If you are handling a certain proof alcohol near a source of flame, or if it leaks, then the likelihood of explosion or massive fire goes up as the proof goes up, especially above the flash point. It is not about what is in the pot, contained.

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