E43 Let's Talk Stripping Runs

[@toddlenz3617]

Good information the way you explain is vary clear and approachable with no hipe

[@stephenswanson533]

Like my grandpappy told me: A stripping run is like catching fish, where you quickly haul the entire thing out of the muck and water. A spirit run is like cleaning fish, where you carefully remove heads and tails, saving the delicious middle. Happy stillin'.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

sounds like grandpappy is a smart man Cheers!!

[@Paul-nn9oj]

Thanks for answering what most videos dont...- dilute it

[@stillworksandbrewing]

no problem

[@Stewbphoto]

I worked in a small distillery in England and we only did stripping runs to get our larger fermenters down to a managable size. We would do about 3 distillation in a catchment tank and then distill that and make our cuts. I would say for the home distiller stripping runs are not necessary.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

yes a manageable size is the key cheers

[@6527mjap]

I would like to add a point of view is that if you redistill your strippings, even if you bring it to a low abv, for most new distillers will follow what they’ve learned. Depends on your still setup. If you are using propane or table top elements it’s ok to follow what Randy said. But for some that uses those rippled elements, you have to submerge your element with water before adding your strippings. My reason for that is, as the alcohol evaporates the volume of liquid in your boiler is less, adding water keeps your element wet reducing the risk of burning out the element.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

yes, thank you cheers!

[@christophergear9406]

I am new to distillation. I want to understand the stripping run. what does it mean to do it Hard and Fast? What temperature do I set my element to for a stripping run and do I step it through the different temp steps?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Great question a stripping run is used for to reduce volume of fermented mash lets say you got a 8 gallon still and 16 gallons of mash so you would do 2 stripping runs then 1 spirit run the stripping run you run as fast as your condenser can handle dripping no vapor coming out don't worry about cuts or anything after that put all back in still add clean water to below 40abv then run your spirit run hope this helps

[@christophergear9406]

@@stillworksandbrewing I don't understand at what temperature I set my still so as to preform stripping run. Do I set it to 204(boiling at 4600MSL) and let it run its course for the stripping run?

[@glendavis8361]

Makes sense. Thanks for the info. Very informative!

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gearhead391]

Do you just add the stripping run to the left over mash in the pot from striping and run for spirit run as long as it is under 40% or empty pot and spirit run just the stripping stuff?

[@ayseedthebuilder2135]

Great stuff randy. Thank you

[@tedbullpit6164]

A question about the 4shots if you're doing a stripping run and you get standard 200mls of 4shots and you let that go into your bulk collection when you re-run and you take 200mils of your 4shots from your final run wouldn't that leave 200mils still in your final product🤔

[@stillworksandbrewing]

A stripping run you run as fast as your condenser will let you then on spirit run you run normal and that is when you get that 200 mil out

[@brianhatt]

i have a vervor 10 gallon pot still im wonder why it always run around the 195 degree at the head im worry about making fuel ?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Every still has its sweet spot I run by out put

[@Brumasterj]

Randy is run a pot still ans have never done a second distillation I have been considering it just to see how things go! I always hear people doing the spirit run ans throwing the collected back into the still My question Say i have a 15 gallon still that i only fill 12-13 gallons I have 25 gallons of wash I run the first strip And then the second strip Maybe i collected 6 gallons total do i dilute this with the backset or water to try and get my 40% plus volume for my still? Whats the advantage of diluting with backset vs water?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

In my opinion I want to refill the still with clean water then redistill to get a cleaner product in my opinion the only thing a sprit run is for to cut down on volume let’s say I got 26 gallon mash and a 10 gallon still see what I mean me my self I do 6 gallon mash and I got a 8 gallon soil most of the time I do a one and done hope this helps

[@Jay-bv6dr]

Hi! Thanks for the awesome video. Quick question .. I use a T500 with a copper column condenser and a dome alembic top. I have 25 L of wash. Should I strip using the alembic dome? If so, how many times should I strip. Secondly, should I then run this through the column as a spirit run, cut it, and collect the hearts to achieve a nice neutral, before diluting and macerating using the dome top again for the final run? Thank you!

[@stillworksandbrewing]

What is the wash if you can fit the wash in still all at one time and you want some of the flavor to come over i would run one and done but slow and use small cuts

[@Jay-bv6dr]

@@stillworksandbrewing so, strip fast using the alembic dome? then run through the column slowly as a spirit run and cut?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

@@Jay-bv6dr may i ask what are you making

[@Jay-bv6dr]

@@stillworksandbrewing Gin 😅

[@stillworksandbrewing]

@@Jay-bv6dr so it sounds like that process should be ok let us know how it turns our the last gin i made was ok i would like better

[@boharris8179]

Brother this is a tight nit community and I don't know if your as far along as most that make videos for education but hey we all start somewhere. 3 generation hand and been around and seen alot. I'm going to subscribe simply because of the brotherhood and comradery. Cheers

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Cheers!!

[@bobnewhart4318]

Great video very informative I have two quick questions: 1. When you're doing your stripping run for example if you're using a reflux column as a pot still do you have to have any copper plates in the column or do you just run it straight through with no copper plates? 2. After your stripping run when you're about to put the liquid back in to be redistilled seeing that you're going to have wash left back in your boiler from your stripping run can you just pour the alcohol directly back in to the boiler to get diluted by your wash, or do you definitely have to dilute the solution before putting it back into your still?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Hi Bob I run as pot still and i have a couple rolls of copper mesh in column after each run i clean out boiler add liquid back dilute with clean water to no more then 40 abv the reason I do striping runs is to reduce volume and some times to get the most pure distillate as i can get. Cheers!!

[@bobnewhart4318]

@@stillworksandbrewing Thank you for the reply

[@hurcellwilson212]

I need info please from the community. I'm building a still from a 16quart pressure cooker, I am building a 2 inch x 2 foot tall copper column from lid, that reduces down to 1/2 inch copper tubing that condenses through a 15 foot copper coil. Is this sufficient?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

i don't know but sound ok

[@brandaddy5150]

what temp does the alchohol have to be during spirit run since you now have a higher abv?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Hi Brandon Alcohol will sill boil at around 174 deg. around and about depending how far you are above sea level cheers!!

[@charlesdeshler202]

Good info

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Glad it was helpful!

[@hammondcheesa-angwich6009]

Gold information

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Cheers!!

[@theghostofsw6276]

What would the hazard be putting an ABV above 40% if you had a jacketed boiler? Isn't the purpose of a jacketed boiler (with water) to never reach above 100 C...providing it's "open", not pressurized? Chemists seem to do well distilling higher ABV's. Just wondering.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

I think the purposeof jacketed boiler is to eliminate hot spots so with that said i would guess that you could put higher abv in

[@MOTOMAN1032]

How long can I store my stripping run before I do the final distillation.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

a long time as long your in glass and sealed the abv is a preservative

[@bobnewhart4318]

@@stillworksandbrewing what if your in stainless steel and sealed, will the alcohol be corrosive to the metal after period of time?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

@@bobnewhart4318 I would think you would be ok in SS

[@ronhallard3228]

Tomorrow I am doing my first stripping runs. Have about 25 gallons of home brew beer I was not happy with, so will strip it all first then run it through the reflux for Vodka. No point wasting good alcohol.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

some freinds and i had some beer that we did not care for i mixed it all together and distilled useing a pot still then put on some oak like a whiskey it turned out nice I like it have fun Cheers!

[@ronhallard3228]

I watched that video when you distilled the beer. That encouraged me to do the same with the beer I have. Thanks for your video's 👍🇭🇲

[@anthonyking2540]

Know it's Jimmy,what's intro song?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

It's a song I got from duty free list called "campfire" don't know artist Cheers!!

[@toddbiskupiak7170]

What is the problem with running a Spirit run with a abv higher than 40?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

it is dangerous to put anything over 40ABV into still pot so i read and have been told cheers!

[@ammerudgrenda]

When I do gin or vodka, my second run typically start out with about 60% abv in my pot. I never heard about that 40% rule. I run electric and have never had any problem. I wonder if heating with gas (open flame) is the concern here.

[@BigEdsGuns]

@@ammerudgrenda It is the risk of running a high wattage heating element in a high abv environment which "Could" be a source of ignition and subsequent explosion of the boiler. Has it happened? Not to my knowledge. But it has been an important safety rule for anyone starting out in this hobby to follow.

[@robsalvv5853]

I use an induction hob as a heat source on a 5 gallon pot still. No reason for the 40% max ABV rule for spirit runs.

[@BeerWineandShine]

I have another question for ya randy. I am running a UJSSM style mash, my stripping runs have come off half way threw started getting a yellow tent to it. A friend of mine has the same issue but threw the entire run. Have you ever run into this? Thoughts and causes?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

yes i have my guess would be that you are flirting with a puke i think when you do spirit run it will clear up

[@dewaynereid4839]

I’m a little confused so be patient with a newbie. When you get through with your stripping run and ready to do a spirit run. Do you take out all the backset out of still b4 making your spirit run . In other words , your spirit run will just be what you stripped off your first run

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Yes take out all back set clean still when ready add in all stripping’s make sure to reduce ABV less than 40abv then run low and slow. By the way we all are newbies we all like helping each other out cheers

[@grantfittock4969]

Hi totally new to this beining at tight Ass Scottish blood what can we do with all the by products of distilling / brewing eg heads, tails, mash , can they be used again, really don't throwing stuff out when they could be used again, please make a video on reusing this stuff Thanks

[@stillworksandbrewing]

great idea Cheers!!

[@hurcellwilson212]

Great info.ty

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Thanks

[@garryknash7025]

I"m starting off with 25 litres of wash and if I wanted to do stripping runs the unit i would use only holds about 5 litres, would I need to worry about the discarding the ethanol from each run or would I just discard it when I do all the stripping runs in the turbo 500?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

did you mean methanol if so wait and discard when you do your spirit run

[@garryknash7025]

Yes I meant Methanol. Tks for the quick reply

[@stillworksandbrewing]

@@garryknash7025 Cheers!!

[@danssv8]

Your spirits will just be cleaner by doing a second run.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

thanks

[@boharris8179]

At 100 proof or 50% is technically where you are starting into tails

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Thanks for your input