This was timely for me, I recently got an air still, just fermenting my second sugar wash at the moment, and going to double distil this time. All the more beginner-oriented videos are really helping me out.
I have this set up also - for a sugar wash, 2x is advisable (with my 6 months of experience). For flavored spirits (i.e. whiskeys, rums, etc...) make sure you save your feints from the spirit runs to add back into future runs! Also check out Odin's 1.5 distilling technique on HD forum.
@@Rubberduck-tx2bh bearded and bored made a video where he adds sodium carbonate to neutral spirits before the second distillation for a bigger hearts cut and it actually works pretty well too!
I'm just getting into the craft, and although I've been watching a lot of videos up to this point, this one has taken me aside, laid everything out in front of me and cleared up quite a few things that I wasn't exactly sure about what they meant. Thank you very much!
I love how you clear things up for new people. Experienced people would have worked these things out and even though i am new to the hobby my family does produce single distilled grape brandy from muscat wines that you cant keep the aroma and flavour by double distilling(but you cant do that with an inferior starting point or low abv mash), so clearing up the basics and then going for something more funky when you get the experience is essential! Thanks for the patience and great content!
As a new junior Distiller at a Nevada distillery you help a lot a expanding principles I'm learning and doing every day. We use column to strip and pot to cut
New to the channel, my partner just got me a t500 for my birthday and I have no idea what I'm doing so watching these videos is giving me plenty of ideas for the future! Cheers mate
I follow George, Bearded n Bored, and yourself. I just started the craft in June of 2019. I won't even attempt to say I know what I'm doing. But in these 4-5 months I've bn doing this my overall product has made leaps and bounds. I just wanted to tell all 3 of you gentlemen how much I appreciate all of your guidance through MY incredible(so far), journey. There is no way to measure my appreciation or my gratitude for all 3 of you. Happy distilling
You could do a 1.5 distillation also. Add the low wines from your first stripping run to your second wash. Then do a spirit run on that combined wash with the higher abv.
@@robertlewis3336 a 1.67 distillation 😉 should work out well. This way users less power, less time and yields a flavourful product. Cuts are easier because of the higher starting abv in the wash 👍
Funny. Only after binging your content for months picking up newby stuff here and there but mostly learning the basics from other channels, only now that I know most of this, is the algorithm showing me your beginner content. I know you did recently did a beginner video, and I did learn a little from this video, just thought it was funny how that turned out.
Hey Jesse, Thank ypu for the video, I always find myself explaining the difference between low wines and feints, because we or atleast me find people tend to place them in the same camp, that is why I always ask when questions pop up regarding second distillation are you running after a strip or is it your left over stuff after your blend. One of the big questions that comes up with regards to stripping runs are how low do you go, I personally try to go down to below 10 even if I have the time down to 0, as you said the flavor is hiding in the wash and you need to get to that even if you are stripping.
Ever since I saw one of your previous videos I changed my process. Now I strip two still batches and then added these low wines to half a batch of wash. An example being, if I make a 170L beer, I'll strip 120L and add those low wines to the remaining 50L of beer for the finished spirit run.
Saying low wines sounds cool and important 😎 thats a great point about two people may say what sounds like the same thing but they are saying something very different. As always when someone watches one of your videos they get to walk away being a expert on that subject thanks for all the great info as always.
Great vid !! I would love to see a video where you compare a heart portion of the low wine (just grab a half glass) with a heart portion of the same batch after second distillation.
Now I get it. Have a smoked single malt that got lacto and went Blue Cheese. Damn it's really good. Shame on you Jesse for planting the grunge is good seed in my brain. Lol. Cheer mate and keep on keeping on.
You need to do a Mezcal/Tequila/Blue Agave start to finish. The fermentation and organisms used are so important and it's not just regular sacchromyces to break down the sugars. Plus I've never seen someone talk about tequila cuts for ageing. Totally novel stuff. Dispel the mystery.
Great vid! Will be doing my first ever stripping run tomorrow in a Brewzilla 4 65L and Alcoengine pot still, on a 20L wash...and some really important concepts for me. I completely underestimated the extent of fermentation (I'm only used to fermenting beers from malt extract kits, for many years), and ended up creating an All Grain Mash (with much Dextrose added to compensate for my poor grains extraction) 17% ABV wash from 1.080 to 0.950 (I've never seen my hydrometer drop below 1.005...was scary) via 4mL of Gluco Amylase, 1/4tsp yeast food, and standard Whiskey Distillers Yeast. I'll merge these low wines with the low wines coming from my second all grain mash (same grain bill as the first) where I ramped it up to a lower SG of 1.070.
Jesse, No need to feel like you are being pretentious or anything else when discussing flavors and the reasons for the hows and whys of making a quality home distillate. The bottom line is to produce a quality product at home. Whether that quality product is similar to a commercial product, or unlike a commercial product doesn’t matter. Simply producing a product makes no sense, when you can pick up 1.75 liters of a product for $20. Compare that how many hours one invests say a 20l wash and at least one distillation that will produce at most that same 1.75 liters but at a minimum of a solid day of labor over many weeks simply making a product is foolish. Your videos are entertaining and educational. I’ve been watching them over the past year and am finally getting pieces and parts to dive into the craft.
This is clearing some stuff up for me. Good to know that strip running about 3 times the still volume with 3 runs can get you close to the still volume.
that is, from my experience not just a rule of thumb but mostly what will happen anyways with sugar(y) water...you´ll get out about 1/3 until the heat is too high to meaningfully transfer alcohol over...smaller amounts might go a little longer but not by much (as in just a couple of liters of wash, say...5-10 liters) my latest wash was the same...figured I´d try and re-use the leftovers...added some more sugar and a tad bit of yeast...prolly too sour in there, but I´ll see/smell soon enough
I only distilled once with a pot still. This weekend I'm planning to do my first double ( stripping run and spirit) for the CoLab. The reason is I usually make a 18-20 liters of wash so I will end up after a stripping run with around 4-5 liters and I don't have a fitting for my column to a regular stove pot. for the CoLab I made 38 liters. I hope I'll end up with enough whiskey for my neighbors to taste.
I've only distilled whiskey once, a few months ago, but I started with about 30-ish liters of 6.8 ABV base. After a stripping run and a spirit run I got 3.5 liters of 40% alcohol out, but I probably wasn't selective enough with my tails, so I hope I don't end up with any weird off-flavors. Anyway, it all depends on the initial ABV, but hopefully these numbers help with your planning. Man, I need to distill again sometime soon, and then again, and again... :P
Great video. When you rerun your low wines do you combine it with your wash again or do you do only the spirits in the distillation? If it’s the later how much of the original volume can be expected?
Brother I collect my spirit run down to 30% and even use backset to proof down low wines if need be. I'm a sweaty sock flavor guy to. Esp when you throw those funky flavors on wood interesting things happen
Hi Jesse, could you discuss what can be done with an airstill for those of us that have no other options for equipment. I'm finding I have a lot of adapting to do to get clean products that are drinkable. Liquors for example as they are quite forgiving on taste.
Way back b4 covid you recommenced some other channel’s, I want to give you a huge thanks, you were my first channel subscription, I love the fact the you got me into gorge, bearded and the vault/tribe or back then whiskey biscuit. I’m sure there are other channels worth watching but if you watch all of theses there is no need for more. I have an issue, I’m a bourbon guy, due to the channel’s I now enjoy peat. Yes it’s wrong but can you please make a pleated bourbon. And when you have a spare 5 min finish the trim on the right side of the bench. 😷
(this is meant to be humorous) "pleated bourbon" -- sounds fancy! I've been working from home so long during COVID, I forget what office apparel looks like!
Jesse. Excellent choice of topic! Im currently running my 2nd distilling run from a 10gal mash. I have a tiny pot still (1gal) so without the 2nd run making cuts is nearly impossible.
Got the first bit, but as just got into whisky's I previously thought they came out the pot once, it was only yesterday I noticed that some was double or triple distilled. Which made me think they are not to far off from being vodkas.
Okay I had a question. I made some wine then after a year I threw it in my pot still. I started out with three and a half gallons of wine and got 1100 ml after throwing away the first 180 ml. If I was to redistill the 1100 ml do I throw away the heads again?
Great Video! If you wanted to eventually create gin and need to macerate botanicals at a high ABV, can you split your low wines into 100 proof and the rest?
I when doing a double distill, could you keep back some of the low wines, full of flavour, and add that when the spirit run has finished, so basically at the end of the run? Would that add more flavour?
Ok probably gonna take some flack for this but here it goes. I’ve run the still (hypothetically) really low and slow and made appropriate cuts and made some nice product. Am I missing out on something here though? What will improve on it? I don’t want to sacrifice flavor, like you Jesse
Hi Jesse.... Somewhat new to distilling can you please clarify running multiple distillations (i.e., Stripping then Spirt run) vs using a thumper? Using a thumper is really giving you that second distillation. Are products produced with a thumper as good as products that have been double distilled?
I have a question! I ve seen the videos from the Tech Ingredients channel (especially the banana brandy) and he made a simple run, slow, cuts, in a pot still totally normal and that was it. What does it change to make a second run? Thanks! :-)
I have a column still (an extremely cheap vevor one) and I'm wondering how many runs would I need to do if I'm looking for the more mellow flavours of whiskey, would it still be 3 ?
Hay Jesse would you mind doing a time laps of a full striping run with a clock on the side and one for the final distillation run ta . Keep up the grate work love what you do 👍🤘🤙🤪🤪🤪
I have a problem with my fermentation, I did all the steps 62 degree mashing then once it cool down adding yeast .... perfectly few days later hygrometer show that was time to add them in the still but didn't get any alcohol only water. I guess I'm having a problem getting the sugar .... Many batches went garbage any suggestion
If you always do a spirit run can you have a 2nd still setup with distilled water (to cover the heating elements) and just keep adding the spirits to the distilled water over and over with out changing the water? Or will the ph or off flavors start to contaminate the once pure h2o?
I make applejack the old-fashioned way: smashed up apples in a bucket, some turbo-yeast, a bag of sugar, and some warm water, then wait a week. Freeze-distill to half its volume and then enjoy in small enough quantities not to blind myself.
@@wanderer10k Applejack was made this way for centuries. They'd do a whole barrel at a time and leave it outside in the snow over the winter to go through freeze and thaw cycles to get it more and more pure, then pull out the ice. And yes, it gave people horrible hangovers. And blinded and/or killed a few folks who indulged too heavily.
Great vídeo!! I wonder the impact of a double destination is the first run was not a stripping run but ran as slowly as the second one (if your ferment volume fists all in one go).. How must flavour are you actually losing by ran a very fast run. Thats the essence of the query.. Thanks
@@petermackintosh9826 for what I know the slower the destillation the more refined and smother the product. In case of the first run I think it would be a very interesting test to do.. My heat source is not that powerful then all my runs are at spirit run speed and I end up with very smoth e refined notes on my gins and masserations..
Good point. It depends. I usually make stripping and spirit runs because it takes less time than making spirit run at first distillation. I don’t think it removes a lot of flavor , anyway you can add some dunder from the first distillation to the spirit run, this gives more flavor
So team. If I have say 4lts of low wines at 80%, and put it back through Mt t500, take 100mls as feints, what volume of heads hearts and tails should I receive?
Question for everyone , when doing a double distillation do you just run just the distilled product or do you add water to cut it ? Not trying to have an explosion lol
Hey Jesse, this topic may or may not have been inspired by the Whiskey Tribe newsletter, but, if a larger distillery is supplying Low Wines to a smaller distillery, isn't that reducing the volume that the larger distillery can then turn into its own product? I assume, if the output of the supplier is massive, then removing a small portion of the total Low Wines, for use by another distillery, would not have a great impact on the suppliers production. I think I just answered my own question, but am I correct in my reasoning? Thanks for clarifying the Low Wines thing though, it had me a little confused as to where it came in the process, especially considering the above situation.
I'm a complete newbie at this had a couple runs on a 25l still when you put your low wines in off the stripping run do you then add water to a certain abv or do you just put it in at the abv it comes off
So far I like all your videos . I have not run any of my runs two times . And they seem to turn out hot to taste -- would running it two times remove the hot bite ?
That hot bite is what he is referring to when he talks about the prickly sensation. It’s because you have a lot of heads in your spirit. If you do a second run (don’t throw out any of the first one) then just don’t mix in the first bit that you get the second run, and you should end up with less of that. I assume you’re using a pot still, so the purpose of that second run is to condense the heads more so you can actually end up with the same amount but it’s just better. Say you do just one run and get a gallon of product. The heads are going to be more spread out into each collection jar, but when you put it back through and do a stripping run then you’ll have more of the sharp hot bite condensed into the first bit that comes off so you can dispose of it or whatever and then you can also just have your good ethanol more condensed so you’ll have less tails in your distillate and even though you end up with a little less it will be higher ABV and you can just proof it down and end up with about the same amount.
@@brandongreene9615 ha thank you for the reply . You All are great for the new to this hobby . I made sure to keep up with all 3 that have supported each other hear - I just got 4 of the 5 gallon fermentation . So my next run will be all corn in all 4 .
Im a new distiller, I have done a couple sugar washes years ago with my father in laws home made still. I cant get my head around what u mean for a stripping run by "running it faster"? Do you mean run the heating element hotter and just boiling it??? Mabe im struggling because the still i used had no temperature monitor for the element, it was just a plug in and leave deal, but the water flow had adjustment (at the tap). Like i dont get how your running quicker to slower and its getting under my skin, I dont want to go buy a still (or follow a guide and make one) and just hope it makes sense to me when i can see it.
After your third stripping run do you add that to fresh water or the previous wash? If you are making rum do you add that back to the dunder you just stripped? Thanks for help!
My question double distillation what are you doing with the back set from your stripping run? And the backset from your spirit run? I have heard of people pouring their collected spirit run and blending it back with the backset? Then doing the spirit run Some people dilute it with water Just seems like so much extra work and loss of good spirit!
Nice work. As a former professional brewer in soggy Washington state (although originally from TX so love the shirt) who is fairly new to the distilling world, I have a potential topic for a video. I am using the grainfather and got the alcoengine pot still top from Kegland. While I understand stripping and second runs, my question is this: the setup doesn't really seem like it would work with a thumper. However, do you think you could approximate the effects of a thumper or second run by stuffing a few copper scrubbies into the column? I know it's not exactly the same, but it seems for a chuggin' bourbon kind of thing where you want some flavor still intact, maybe it would be a simple and efficient compromise. Thoughts?
Hi Jesse, fairly new to distilling and I have learned alot from you, George, and bearded. I have only been distilling for about 6 months now. I feel my process is pretty spot on and come out with some great product. I have tried to do a stripping run to cut down my volume but it still takes me to long. What temp in farenheit are you cranking it up to? By the way, I followed your recipe for limoncello and it turned out amazing!!!!
Hi - I am making gin - I have done 3x stripping runs from my FFV wash and have approx 6ltrs of 40% low wines. Do I now put this back through the still as another hard and fast stripping run - or do I do a slow “spirit run” before the final spirit run (with botanicals) for a cleaner product?? Thanks for your help.
@@jacobthompson1682 ???? (That show is crap) No! Using a thumper, or a "retort" opens up a new world to flavor on many levels... One can "shoot" (adding) flavors in the thumper with wash in the boiler. You can steam on the grains in the thumper, with water/wash in the boiler. Or use a thumper as a "doubler" with wash in the boiler and in the thumper... I can ramble on.... Jacob - Please read this thread: homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6084 >>> When a "thumper" or "retort" is 1 to 1 the world of possibilities are endless. Cheers Jacob!
Personally, thumpers are a waste of time and cause many problems if not run correctly, which is difficult. If you think piling a bunch of fruit into a thumper is going to yield a nice fruity flavor to your spirit, you are going to be greatly disappointed. Old moonshiners used them because they could not precisely regulate boiler temperature. A thumper could help and it can raise proof, but today we can use electricity and temperature control is not a big problem.
@@rocketsroc It's not just about adding fruits for flavor. I did it with hard cider in the boiler, regular cider in the thumper along with a jar of applesauce. Turned out great! I run a 15.5 boiler and 15.5 thumper. So I load 13 gallons in the boiler and as much as 12 gallons in the thumper. Thumpers or Retorts are all about options: Water in the boiler, dirty grain wash in the thumper. No scorching. Low wines in the boiler, high wines in the thumper. Rum style. Low wines in the boiler, fresh wash in the thumper. More flavor. Low wines in the boiler, water in the boiler. Super cleaning. I do get it about adding fruits but experimentation with small amounts during the run "shooting" is the best way to find out. Cheers Skyhook!
Hey man, just saw your "how to make vodka" video and i wanted to ask you, where do you learn all the process? Like just investigating in knternet/books or you take a course? Greeting from chile🇨🇱
Hey Jesse, if I could add to the "haze" on the # of distillations: have you tried the 1.5 technique as described by Odin on HD forum? I am a fan of this, as I'm using a small pot still set up. As you mention @9:05 the wash has a ton of flavor, which sometimes you WANT it to carry over vs a 2x distillation process.
This was very informative for me. Answered a lot of questions I had. I'm just wondering if I'm running plates should I run it again? I am happy with what I'm getting on one run but it can always be better, right?
Hola. Greetings from Venezuela. Congrats on 110k. You deserve it. I’ve learned a lot from you and your ability to communicate with a totally distillation ignorant person like myself 😂 Once I weld my 4 in ferrule into my keg I’ll do my first strip. Thanks to stuff I’ve learned from you and B n H. Have you ever distilled anything with a Bret fermentation? I wonder how the runs would come through?
NEVER distill a spirit at 40% ABV or higher. I think this point needs to be reiterated. If you do 3 runs of 150mls each and combine those low wines together, and the ABV is 80 proof or higher, you must add water to bring the abv down to below 80 proof or 40%. Good stuff Jesse keep it coming.
This was timely for me, I recently got an air still, just fermenting my second sugar wash at the moment, and going to double distil this time. All the more beginner-oriented videos are really helping me out.
I have this set up also - for a sugar wash, 2x is advisable (with my 6 months of experience). For flavored spirits (i.e. whiskeys, rums, etc...) make sure you save your feints from the spirit runs to add back into future runs! Also check out Odin's 1.5 distilling technique on HD forum.
I’m in that position right now
@@Rubberduck-tx2bh bearded and bored made a video where he adds sodium carbonate to neutral spirits before the second distillation for a bigger hearts cut and it actually works pretty well too!
Never knew what low wines were! Now i know its what i drink lol!
So I'm guessing mess like Aristocrat, Skyy, and Svedka are the low wines lol
@@kingmason4336 are they really? I thought they said they distill multiple times
Hilarious, that's exactly what I thought when he said it.
I'm just getting into the craft, and although I've been watching a lot of videos up to this point, this one has taken me aside, laid everything out in front of me and cleared up quite a few things that I wasn't exactly sure about what they meant. Thank you very much!
I love how you clear things up for new people. Experienced people would have worked these things out and even though i am new to the hobby my family does produce single distilled grape brandy from muscat wines that you cant keep the aroma and flavour by double distilling(but you cant do that with an inferior starting point or low abv mash), so clearing up the basics and then going for something more funky when you get the experience is essential!
Thanks for the patience and great content!
As a new junior Distiller at a Nevada distillery you help a lot a expanding principles I'm learning and doing every day. We use column to strip and pot to cut
New to the channel, my partner just got me a t500 for my birthday and I have no idea what I'm doing so watching these videos is giving me plenty of ideas for the future! Cheers mate
Thank you sir i learn something new every time I watch one of your videos.
Thank you Jesse. Cleared up some of the things I've been doing which has made this part very tedious.
I follow George, Bearded n Bored, and yourself. I just started the craft in June of 2019. I won't even attempt to say I know what I'm doing. But in these 4-5 months I've bn doing this my overall product has made leaps and bounds. I just wanted to tell all 3 of you gentlemen how much I appreciate all of your guidance through MY incredible(so far), journey. There is no way to measure my appreciation or my gratitude for all 3 of you.
Happy distilling
You could do a 1.5 distillation also. Add the low wines from your first stripping run to your second wash. Then do a spirit run on that combined wash with the higher abv.
That's a good idea.
I’m in the middle of doing that, sort of. It’s 2x low wines & fill up the rest of the still with a wash. Would you call that a 2.5 distillation? 😁
@@robertlewis3336 a 1.67 distillation 😉 should work out well. This way users less power, less time and yields a flavourful product. Cuts are easier because of the higher starting abv in the wash 👍
Love your work man you are the reason why I started thanks
Funny. Only after binging your content for months picking up newby stuff here and there but mostly learning the basics from other channels, only now that I know most of this, is the algorithm showing me your beginner content. I know you did recently did a beginner video, and I did learn a little from this video, just thought it was funny how that turned out.
Hey Jesse,
Thank ypu for the video, I always find myself explaining the difference between low wines and feints, because we or atleast me find people tend to place them in the same camp, that is why I always ask when questions pop up regarding second distillation are you running after a strip or is it your left over stuff after your blend.
One of the big questions that comes up with regards to stripping runs are how low do you go, I personally try to go down to below 10 even if I have the time down to 0, as you said the flavor is hiding in the wash and you need to get to that even if you are stripping.
very happy and appropriate the videos you make. I like to request a real detail video for the process double distillation
Ever since I saw one of your previous videos I changed my process. Now I strip two still batches and then added these low wines to half a batch of wash. An example being, if I make a 170L beer, I'll strip 120L and add those low wines to the remaining 50L of beer for the finished spirit run.
Saying low wines sounds cool and important 😎 thats a great point about two people may say what sounds like the same thing but they are saying something very different. As always when someone watches one of your videos they get to walk away being a expert on that subject thanks for all the great info as always.
Congrats on 100k! I really appreciate the hard work you put in and cannot express how much you've inspired me!
Thank you, I'm a newby and this really helped.
Great vid !! I would love to see a video where you compare a heart portion of the low wine (just grab a half glass) with a heart portion of the same batch after second distillation.
Was about to ask why.. then you explained. Congratulations on 100,000 subscribers!
A beginner here, so all the info is great!
Congratulations on break through 100K brother!!!
I fought against double distilling for a long time, but it really does help:-)
Now I get it. Have a smoked single malt that got lacto and went Blue Cheese. Damn it's really good. Shame on you Jesse for planting the grunge is good seed in my brain. Lol. Cheer mate and keep on keeping on.
Hahahahah yeeessss! Come to the funk side!
Congratulations on hitting over a hundred thousand subscribers. Long time listener
You need to do a Mezcal/Tequila/Blue Agave start to finish. The fermentation and organisms used are so important and it's not just regular sacchromyces to break down the sugars. Plus I've never seen someone talk about tequila cuts for ageing. Totally novel stuff. Dispel the mystery.
This was an extremely helpful vid. Thanks J!
Great vid! Will be doing my first ever stripping run tomorrow in a Brewzilla 4 65L and Alcoengine pot still, on a 20L wash...and some really important concepts for me. I completely underestimated the extent of fermentation (I'm only used to fermenting beers from malt extract kits, for many years), and ended up creating an All Grain Mash (with much Dextrose added to compensate for my poor grains extraction) 17% ABV wash from 1.080 to 0.950 (I've never seen my hydrometer drop below 1.005...was scary) via 4mL of Gluco Amylase, 1/4tsp yeast food, and standard Whiskey Distillers Yeast. I'll merge these low wines with the low wines coming from my second all grain mash (same grain bill as the first) where I ramped it up to a lower SG of 1.070.
That was funny. Union Pacific was blowing his horn right when you were talking about waiting for the train to go by.
Jesse,
No need to feel like you are being pretentious or anything else when discussing flavors and the reasons for the hows and whys of making a quality home distillate. The bottom line is to produce a quality product at home. Whether that quality product is similar to a commercial product, or unlike a commercial product doesn’t matter. Simply producing a product makes no sense, when you can pick up 1.75 liters of a product for $20. Compare that how many hours one invests say a 20l wash and at least one distillation that will produce at most that same 1.75 liters but at a minimum of a solid day of labor over many weeks simply making a product is foolish.
Your videos are entertaining and educational. I’ve been watching them over the past year and am finally getting pieces and parts to dive into the craft.
Great Vid Jesse but i don't know about whiskey with flavor of blue cheese lol Cheers!!
Maybe bleu cheese in a thumper??? Lol
Awesome video and a wonderful refresher! Thanks my man!
This is clearing some stuff up for me. Good to know that strip running about 3 times the still volume with 3 runs can get you close to the still volume.
that is, from my experience not just a rule of thumb but mostly what will happen anyways with sugar(y) water...you´ll get out about 1/3 until the heat is too high to meaningfully transfer alcohol over...smaller amounts might go a little longer but not by much (as in just a couple of liters of wash, say...5-10 liters)
my latest wash was the same...figured I´d try and re-use the leftovers...added some more sugar and a tad bit of yeast...prolly too sour in there, but I´ll see/smell soon enough
That’s at least 2 things I’ve learned from you today 🤙🏼 rock on. Thanks your the man!
Great way to explain it. Helped me out!
I only distilled once with a pot still. This weekend I'm planning to do my first double ( stripping run and spirit) for the CoLab. The reason is I usually make a 18-20 liters of wash so I will end up after a stripping run with around 4-5 liters and I don't have a fitting for my column to a regular stove pot. for the CoLab I made 38 liters. I hope I'll end up with enough whiskey for my neighbors to taste.
I've only distilled whiskey once, a few months ago, but I started with about 30-ish liters of 6.8 ABV base. After a stripping run and a spirit run I got 3.5 liters of 40% alcohol out, but I probably wasn't selective enough with my tails, so I hope I don't end up with any weird off-flavors.
Anyway, it all depends on the initial ABV, but hopefully these numbers help with your planning. Man, I need to distill again sometime soon, and then again, and again... :P
Great video. When you rerun your low wines do you combine it with your wash again or do you do only the spirits in the distillation? If it’s the later how much of the original volume can be expected?
Thats what I'm trying to figure out
Thanks, I’m learning !
Learned I don't want to follow your taste lol 😂, ty for the great channel 👍
Jess!!!! Another AWESOME video!! CONGRATULATIONS on the 100K subscribers!!! I remember when you hit 1K!!
Thanks Jesse!
Brother I collect my spirit run down to 30% and even use backset to proof down low wines if need be. I'm a sweaty sock flavor guy to. Esp when you throw those funky flavors on wood interesting things happen
Do you add any backset or mash when you make your spirit run? I was told not to put high percentage alcohol in the boiler to make a spirit run.
Hi Jesse, could you discuss what can be done with an airstill for those of us that have no other options for equipment. I'm finding I have a lot of adapting to do to get clean products that are drinkable. Liquors for example as they are quite forgiving on taste.
@Still It - PLEASE discuss milk clarifying your shine. Aka, milk washing the alcohol to reduce tannins.
Way back b4 covid you recommenced some other channel’s, I want to give you a huge thanks, you were my first channel subscription, I love the fact the you got me into gorge, bearded and the vault/tribe or back then whiskey biscuit. I’m sure there are other channels worth watching but if you watch all of theses there is no need for more. I have an issue, I’m a bourbon guy, due to the channel’s I now enjoy peat. Yes it’s wrong but can you please make a pleated bourbon. And when you have a spare 5 min finish the trim on the right side of the bench. 😷
(this is meant to be humorous) "pleated bourbon" -- sounds fancy! I've been working from home so long during COVID, I forget what office apparel looks like!
Ha ha, I had a few too many apparently, I mean peated. It was all auto spell checks fault. 😂
thank you i just asked you about this in one of your other videos and totally great
Fab video. Thank you. Would love to see you do a little bit more with the Air Still. A Gin maybe?
Stripping Runs In a small still! Yer it takes time.... BUT it is really worth your while to do.......
Love your content Jesse. Would love to see more about double v triple distillation.
Jesse. Excellent choice of topic! Im currently running my 2nd distilling run from a 10gal mash. I have a tiny pot still (1gal) so without the 2nd run making cuts is nearly impossible.
Is your still a Chinese stove top still?
Got the first bit, but as just got into whisky's I previously thought they came out the pot once, it was only yesterday I noticed that some was double or triple distilled. Which made me think they are not to far off from being vodkas.
Great T shirt. 👍
Okay I had a question. I made some wine then after a year I threw it in my pot still. I started out with three and a half gallons of wine and got 1100 ml after throwing away the first 180 ml. If I was to redistill the 1100 ml do I throw away the heads again?
Great Video! If you wanted to eventually create gin and need to macerate botanicals at a high ABV, can you split your low wines into 100 proof and the rest?
I when doing a double distill, could you keep back some of the low wines, full of flavour, and add that when the spirit run has finished, so basically at the end of the run?
Would that add more flavour?
Ok probably gonna take some flack for this but here it goes. I’ve run the still (hypothetically) really low and slow and made appropriate cuts and made some nice product. Am I missing out on something here though? What will improve on it?
I don’t want to sacrifice flavor, like you Jesse
Did you mean you run without a strip? It allows you to gain a higher ABV and get more volume through the still. I definitly think its worth a try man.
@@StillIt yes without a strip. Ok, it’s on. Got a dirty Buccaneer Bob rum sitting there in wait ready to go. Thanks Jesse
Hi Jesse.... Somewhat new to distilling can you please clarify running multiple distillations (i.e., Stripping then Spirt run) vs using a thumper? Using a thumper is really giving you that second distillation. Are products produced with a thumper as good as products that have been double distilled?
I have a question! I ve seen the videos from the Tech Ingredients channel (especially the banana brandy) and he made a simple run, slow, cuts, in a pot still totally normal and that was it. What does it change to make a second run? Thanks! :-)
Awesome been waiting. If your low wines need to be knocked down to below 40% do you gradually reduce the ABV or do you just know down and go?
Great vid thx! Max ABV of low wine safely placed in pot with element in the pot?
I have a column still (an extremely cheap vevor one) and I'm wondering how many runs would I need to do if I'm looking for the more mellow flavours of whiskey, would it still be 3 ?
Grettings from Poland bro ! ;)
Hay Jesse would you mind doing a time laps of a full striping run with a clock on the side and one for the final distillation run ta . Keep up the grate work love what you do 👍🤘🤙🤪🤪🤪
I have a problem with my fermentation, I did all the steps 62 degree mashing then once it cool down adding yeast .... perfectly few days later hygrometer show that was time to add them in the still but didn't get any alcohol only water. I guess I'm having a problem getting the sugar .... Many batches went garbage any suggestion
If you always do a spirit run can you have a 2nd still setup with distilled water (to cover the heating elements) and just keep adding the spirits to the distilled water over and over with out changing the water? Or will the ph or off flavors start to contaminate the once pure h2o?
I make applejack the old-fashioned way: smashed up apples in a bucket, some turbo-yeast, a bag of sugar, and some warm water, then wait a week. Freeze-distill to half its volume and then enjoy in small enough quantities not to blind myself.
I made this and it gave me such harsh headaches.....tasted great though 😂
@@wanderer10k Applejack was made this way for centuries. They'd do a whole barrel at a time and leave it outside in the snow over the winter to go through freeze and thaw cycles to get it more and more pure, then pull out the ice. And yes, it gave people horrible hangovers. And blinded and/or killed a few folks who indulged too heavily.
Did not know I was going to need to double distill with my pot still. Just trying to make a nice sipping brandy
Great vídeo!! I wonder the impact of a double destination is the first run was not a stripping run but ran as slowly as the second one (if your ferment volume fists all in one go).. How must flavour are you actually losing by ran a very fast run. Thats the essence of the query.. Thanks
Great question, I have also been thinking about that.
I think I remember Jesse talking about it before in a video but have no idea which one.
@@petermackintosh9826 for what I know the slower the destillation the more refined and smother the product. In case of the first run I think it would be a very interesting test to do.. My heat source is not that powerful then all my runs are at spirit run speed and I end up with very smoth e refined notes on my gins and masserations..
Good point. It depends. I usually make stripping and spirit runs because it takes less time than making spirit run at first distillation. I don’t think it removes a lot of flavor , anyway you can add some dunder from the first distillation to the spirit run, this gives more flavor
Awesome Jesse, thx!
So team. If I have say 4lts of low wines at 80%, and put it back through Mt t500, take 100mls as feints, what volume of heads hearts and tails should I receive?
Question for everyone , when doing a double distillation do you just run just the distilled product or do you add water to cut it ? Not trying to have an explosion lol
Hey Jesse, this topic may or may not have been inspired by the Whiskey Tribe newsletter, but, if a larger distillery is supplying Low Wines to a smaller distillery, isn't that reducing the volume that the larger distillery can then turn into its own product?
I assume, if the output of the supplier is massive, then removing a small portion of the total Low Wines, for use by another distillery, would not have a great impact on the suppliers production.
I think I just answered my own question, but am I correct in my reasoning?
Thanks for clarifying the Low Wines thing though, it had me a little confused as to where it came in the process, especially considering the above situation.
I'm a complete newbie at this had a couple runs on a 25l still when you put your low wines in off the stripping run do you then add water to a certain abv or do you just put it in at the abv it comes off
So far I like all your videos . I have not run any of my runs two times . And they seem to turn out hot to taste -- would running it two times remove the hot bite ?
That hot bite is what he is referring to when he talks about the prickly sensation. It’s because you have a lot of heads in your spirit. If you do a second run (don’t throw out any of the first one) then just don’t mix in the first bit that you get the second run, and you should end up with less of that. I assume you’re using a pot still, so the purpose of that second run is to condense the heads more so you can actually end up with the same amount but it’s just better. Say you do just one run and get a gallon of product. The heads are going to be more spread out into each collection jar, but when you put it back through and do a stripping run then you’ll have more of the sharp hot bite condensed into the first bit that comes off so you can dispose of it or whatever and then you can also just have your good ethanol more condensed so you’ll have less tails in your distillate and even though you end up with a little less it will be higher ABV and you can just proof it down and end up with about the same amount.
@@brandongreene9615 ha thank you for the reply . You All are great for the new to this hobby . I made sure to keep up with all 3 that have supported each other hear - I just got 4 of the 5 gallon fermentation . So my next run will be all corn in all 4 .
Great video as always! Cheers
Say I've got a 30l still. But I have only got 23 liters of 9%abv wash, can i just do a single distillation? What benefit is there of a stripping run?
For example I did this down to about 35% and it tasted good, I put it back in for a spirit run and I couldn't get it to taste anything but harsh
Hey Jesse, do you add Bicarb of Soda to your low wines when you make a gin, ect?
Im a new distiller, I have done a couple sugar washes years ago with my father in laws home made still. I cant get my head around what u mean for a stripping run by "running it faster"? Do you mean run the heating element hotter and just boiling it??? Mabe im struggling because the still i used had no temperature monitor for the element, it was just a plug in and leave deal, but the water flow had adjustment (at the tap). Like i dont get how your running quicker to slower and its getting under my skin, I dont want to go buy a still (or follow a guide and make one) and just hope it makes sense to me when i can see it.
After your third stripping run do you add that to fresh water or the previous wash? If you are making rum do you add that back to the dunder you just stripped? Thanks for help!
My question double distillation what are you doing with the back set from your stripping run?
And the backset from your spirit run?
I have heard of people pouring their collected spirit run and blending it back with the backset? Then doing the spirit run
Some people dilute it with water
Just seems like so much extra work and loss of good spirit!
Do you take foreshots out of a stripping run,or just spirit run?
Nice work. As a former professional brewer in soggy Washington state (although originally from TX so love the shirt) who is fairly new to the distilling world, I have a potential topic for a video. I am using the grainfather and got the alcoengine pot still top from Kegland. While I understand stripping and second runs, my question is this: the setup doesn't really seem like it would work with a thumper. However, do you think you could approximate the effects of a thumper or second run by stuffing a few copper scrubbies into the column? I know it's not exactly the same, but it seems for a chuggin' bourbon kind of thing where you want some flavor still intact, maybe it would be a simple and efficient compromise. Thoughts?
Hi Jesse, fairly new to distilling and I have learned alot from you, George, and bearded. I have only been distilling for about 6 months now. I feel my process is pretty spot on and come out with some great product. I have tried to do a stripping run to cut down my volume but it still takes me to long. What temp in farenheit are you cranking it up to? By the way, I followed your recipe for limoncello and it turned out amazing!!!!
Do you take the 100ml methanol out of each distillation or only on the 4th one?
Love your content!
What abv is your ccvm capable to run when you run whisky and neutral spirit etc?
Hi - I am making gin - I have done 3x stripping runs from my FFV wash and have approx 6ltrs of 40% low wines. Do I now put this back through the still as another hard and fast stripping run - or do I do a slow “spirit run” before the final spirit run (with botanicals) for a cleaner product?? Thanks for your help.
Jesse You need to experiment with a thumper or two for flavors.
Ever thought about piping your big still into to keg still as a thump?
Cheers Jesse!
I agree, I would love to see you do a run with a pot still into a thump keg and a copper worm, like the old timers did.
Keep watching Moonshiners you two, you only need a thumper when you're running over a hard to regulate open flame.
@@jacobthompson1682 ???? (That show is crap) No!
Using a thumper, or a "retort" opens up a new world to flavor on many levels...
One can "shoot" (adding) flavors in the thumper with wash in the boiler.
You can steam on the grains in the thumper, with water/wash in the boiler.
Or use a thumper as a "doubler" with wash in the boiler and in the thumper... I can ramble on....
Jacob - Please read this thread:
homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6084
>>> When a "thumper" or "retort" is 1 to 1 the world of possibilities are endless.
Cheers Jacob!
Personally, thumpers are a waste of time and cause many problems if not run correctly, which is difficult. If you think piling a bunch of fruit into a thumper is going to yield a nice fruity flavor to your spirit, you are going to be greatly disappointed. Old moonshiners used them because they could not precisely regulate boiler temperature. A thumper could help and it can raise proof, but today we can use electricity and temperature control is not a big problem.
@@rocketsroc It's not just about adding fruits for flavor. I did it with hard cider in the boiler, regular cider in the thumper along with a jar of applesauce. Turned out great!
I run a 15.5 boiler and 15.5 thumper. So I load 13 gallons in the boiler and as much as 12 gallons in the thumper.
Thumpers or Retorts are all about options:
Water in the boiler, dirty grain wash in the thumper. No scorching.
Low wines in the boiler, high wines in the thumper. Rum style.
Low wines in the boiler, fresh wash in the thumper. More flavor.
Low wines in the boiler, water in the boiler. Super cleaning.
I do get it about adding fruits but experimentation with small amounts during the run "shooting" is the best way to find out.
Cheers Skyhook!
So it’s basically all the different volatile compounds combined into one bucket?
Nice job
When you do the spirit run, you are just putting in the low wines right? You are discarding the mix left in the still?
Oh, if you like grungy flavors, you should've tried my first version of Goatka! LOL!
Hey man, just saw your "how to make vodka" video and i wanted to ask you, where do you learn all the process? Like just investigating in knternet/books or you take a course? Greeting from chile🇨🇱
I would like to now after you stripping run your ABV is above 40% how much to dilute to do your final run.
Hey Jesse, if I could add to the "haze" on the # of distillations: have you tried the 1.5 technique as described by Odin on HD forum? I am a fan of this, as I'm using a small pot still set up. As you mention @9:05 the wash has a ton of flavor, which sometimes you WANT it to carry over vs a 2x distillation process.
I've got one hole bucket of honey I want to make some honey brandy what would be the best yeast to use and easiest way to still it can you please help
I just used some "Red Star Premier Classique" (because I had it) and I found out today I've got almost 12%
Made some nice brandy
This was very informative for me. Answered a lot of questions I had. I'm just wondering if I'm running plates should I run it again? I am happy with what I'm getting on one run but it can always be better, right?
Don’t run plates on the stripping run
Go hard and fast
Hola. Greetings from Venezuela. Congrats on 110k. You deserve it. I’ve learned a lot from you and your ability to communicate with a totally distillation ignorant person like myself 😂 Once I weld my 4 in ferrule into my keg I’ll do my first strip. Thanks to stuff I’ve learned from you and B n H. Have you ever distilled anything with a Bret fermentation? I wonder how the runs would come through?
I'm asking do I put the low wines directly back into the pot and run it without adding anything else?
Well that's clear as mud now :)
NEVER distill a spirit at 40% ABV or higher. I think this point needs to be reiterated. If you do 3 runs of 150mls each and combine those low wines together, and the ABV is 80 proof or higher, you must add water to bring the abv down to below 80 proof or 40%. Good stuff Jesse keep it coming.