Activated carbon filtering Vodka for Gin production

[DistillateurQc]

Hello fellow distillers,

We have been told that our vodka should be at 40% abv before filtering with activated carbon.

If we want to use our vodka to produce a gin, can we filter it at a higher abv?

We were considering doing a gin run with 65% abv alcool to be more efficient.

Can we filter a vodka at 65% abv?

 

Thanks all

[paulNL]

I don't think it's wise to put 65% ABV alcohol into the boiler for your gin run anyway...

[DistillateurQc]

Thank you Paul. Can you tell me more? Why is it not wise?

[bluefish_dist]

You can filter at higher abv.   I usually filter at 100 proof to allow for dilution as I start with wet carbon and then chase with water.  

The theory is that alcohol starts to burn at around 100 proof, so it's common not to run over that so the liquid won't burn in the boiler.   Due to the heat and evaporation, I am not sure it makes a huge difference in safety, but it can't hurt.  Also some claim you get better cleaning of the distillate if you dilute it more.  

[MGL]

17 minutes ago, DistillateurQc said:

Thank you Paul. Can you tell me more? Why is it not wise?

Greatly increases your odds of starting a rather nasty fire in your distillery.  Good luck extinguishing 100s of gallons of boiling hot, burning ethanol.

[DistillateurQc]

Ok. So, I resume: 

Here's how we should proceed:

Make the low wines;

Dilute the low wines to 50% ABV and make the vodka run (Safer for fire hazard and better cleaning of the distillate)

Dillute the vodka to 50% abv and then filter it with Carbon

Make the gin run with 50% abv vodka.

Does that sounds right?

[bluefish_dist]

Sounds like a much better plan, but I would take the low wines and gin run down to 40-45%.  I find I lose a few points during carbon filtering as it picks up water, so starting at 50% will drop it into the high 40's without any more additions.  

[DistillateurQc]

Thank you very much.

[bluestar]

filter at 50% (be sure everything is very well grounded).

dilute wines to 30-40% for redistillation.