hagar681 Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I'm curious as to how most peoples stripping runs are running time wise. Our stripping runs go very smoothly, but they always seem to run for about seven hours. We are using a 300 gallon still. Most every class I have attended said that stripping runs would average about 4 or 5 hours. I am wondering if I am just being overly cautious and running too slow, or if others have had their runs last this long. The distillate usually starts coming off at 110 proof and we run it down to about 40. We get good yield and good ABV and even gas costs are not a big concern. Our last bill was so low it surprised me. I'm curious if there is a way to trim a couple hours off the process, or if the old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes into play. Quite frankly, everything is great except the amount of time....especially if I want to do two stripping runs in one day. Any feedback would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffw Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Why not try to run it as hard as your condenser can handle? I don't see the downside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natrat Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 How much time between turning on the still and seeing the first distillate drop off the parrot? On my old steam still, I could strip a batch in 120-180 minutes. On the one I'm using now it's an all day thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteB Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 In my opinion run a stripping run as hard as is convenient. But depending on your mash, it may produce foam and puke if it boils too hard. Puking and not condenser overload is my limiting factor with rye. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dehner Distillery Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 It is all in the still design! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Nutt Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 I strip 900 gallons at 8.5-9% ABV down to <1% coming out of the still in 7 to 8 hours. After the hot break I incrementally ramp up the steam as much as I can. I take 1.5 hours to bring my wash to a boil in order to get the entire still hot; then another 1.5 or so hours waiting for the hot break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffw Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Never heard of a hot break...what is it for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Nutt Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Never heard of a hot break...what is it for? When you put beer in a pot still and bring it to a boil, the proteins in the beer cause a great deal of foaming. If this foam rises too far up the still's neck there is the possibility of the foam (followed by beer behind it) to make its way down the lyne arm and into the low wines receiver and thus spoiling the run. This is why wash stills have a sight glass one third up the neck; when the foam gets over half way up the sight glass the distiller turns down the heat source. The proteins, causing the foam, breakdown after being boiled for a while and the head collapses. This collapse is the "hot break." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natrat Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 If you're pushing a foamy wash hard, antifoam helps. A sliver of soap in the wash does wonders, though commercial antifoams based on silicone or simethicone are available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dehner Distillery Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 an agitator helps speed things up a lot. I saw a 150 gallon still with 250,000 but steam boiler and agitator do a stripping run in 2.5 hours. (Carl still) side note turn the agitator up to 650-800 rpms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick260z Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 In addition to running to the fastest the condenser can handle,we run down to the point we see waxy flakes coming from the parrot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scutter Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 A couple references in this string to the impact that the still design has on the efficiency and speed of the stripping run. Anyone have any specific recommendations with regards to still design or specific still builders that are better than others? To take it one step further, are there specific stills that effectively eliminate the need or benefits to doing a stripping run all together? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StonesRyan Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 How far are you all pushing your stripping runs? Are you running them until ALL alcohol is out or just to a certain proof/ ABV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MG Thermal Consulting Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 an agitator helps speed things up a lot. I saw a 150 gallon still with 250,000 but steam boiler and agitator do a stripping run in 2.5 hours. (Carl still) side note turn the agitator up to 650-800 rpms Hey bud, a question for you ...what was his condenser flow (city water) or the size of the chiller on this. Mike G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dehner Distillery Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 It was when I was in Toronto, Canada at Still water distillery. Super nice folks up there. I could not tell you, I was not trying to be to nosey. I bet if you e-mailed them they would let you know. They had a 250,000 BTU three-phase electric steam boiler. Take care. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryankf Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 On 8/1/2014 at 1:04 PM, Micah Nutt said: The proteins, causing the foam, breakdown after being boiled for a while and the head collapses. This collapse is the "hot break." The foam comes and goes on my rye wash stripping run. As pot temp climbs the foam rises and then diminishes and then rises again. Having a tough time figuring it out. Have tried knocking it down with extra reflux - only works temporarily. Shouldn't the proteins eventually be breaking down and stop foaming? Thanks for any feedback/thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrounge Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Pull back the throttle when the foaming starts, and stay with the still till u get through it. In my experience, rye is the worst to deal with. My rye foams pretty bad, but I can always get through it with heat management. It would puke all up in my column and cause a hazardous situation if I didn't manage it. Can take up to a 1/2 hour for me to get past it sometimes. That's just rye, as far as I've gotten to know it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteB Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 As Scrounge says cut the heat back as soon as foaming starts, then you should be able to increase again later. If your heat is way too high it can still foam even towards the end of the run when the protein issue should be well gone. I have a lot more foaming problem with 100% malted barley wash than my rye, least problem is with apple and grape wine. For anti-foam I use pure soap, about 2 grams per 100 litres 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coriolis Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Foaming on a molasses wash is pretty bad. I use a silicon anti foam which really seems to help. I'm assured that none of it passes through to the distillate. My understanding is that it's pretty common practice in larger distilleries even if they don't admit to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertS Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 Anti-foam here, too. Sometimes I add not quite enough, just dial it back until the foam breaks and gently bring it back up. I think multiple foam-ups happen when different proteins break down? Stripping time is just a matter of size and power, our 90 gallon stills strip in 3 hours with 12 psi of steam passing through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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