Is There A Different Way To Make Cuts? Distilling Technique
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- čas přidán 3. 07. 2024
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I guess I have been a little naive about the breadth of the audience that are watching these videos. I really shouldn't just assume that people are in a position to understand where I am coming from.
So, its time to re-visit my position on cuts. Do you REALLY need to do them based only on flavour and smell? Spoiler, no! But . . . also yes!
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This video is the exact reason why when I get comments asking "but how did you actually distill the XYZ" I send them to your channel. You're so good at teaching:-)
Been making a bourbon style whiskey for years, at least 50 runs with the same recipe. Usually make cuts based on volume for that as my fermentation hasn’t changed, and have only modified my existing still head once. Recently I’ve started adding a lot of rye to the recipe substituting the cracked corn and barley to an extent. Really enjoying the flavor change, still base my cuts the same way, but have begun tasting and smelling to be sure. Once I upgrade my still head to a 3”, I’ll have to re-evaluate the process, but based on my experience I doubt much will change other than speed of production. Cheers, keep on keepin on.
Brand new distiller who just put together a still with a buddy and have made 4 whole runs. A cleaning run. A sugar run. An apple Brandy run and an old wine and feints run. Have watched you and George a bunch. So, we taste a lot, and use temperatures a lot. When we know we have hearts, we watch the temp on the still and just collect hearts. As we notice the temp rising we start to make more cuts and then go back and check and recombine later. So far so good. We're babies at this but we have drinkable product, at least to us. Thanks so much for all you do.
You are ahead of your league when it comes to anyone in this category of distilling videos they are concise well put together with good key information And more importantly you keep it entertaining keep up the good work and May You along with the whole community Grow in accordance😃
So true Just wondering upon his channel I’ve learned more than I did Scatter researching every topic willy-nilly He’s really helping the next generation of distillers to get into the hobby
I learned more from George…
But, Jessie’s channel is really freaking awesome!
I came here to check for the video. Didn't see it. Then busy on phone and see the notification pop up..... which is great cos that means my weekend has just started! ;-) Been making cuts lately on my new still only by volume - so needed this video.
I make my own malt corn for a single malt likker. I absolutely love the malt flavor of it. I use ferment temp water for my malt to hold all the flavor I can.
I started bout 4ish year ago watching you, George and Bearded.
Been doing non conversion style mashes 2 years prolly.
I don't care about converting grains I use 1lb sugar per gallon for the alcohol part. I'm after flavor
Hi Jesse from across the ditch! I have an air still and have made a bad gin, a mediocre but drinkable gin, a whiskey and a rum. (Neither of those ready - on oak in jars) the rum seeded a dunder for next time. I’m glad u posted this as when trying to make cuts I have no idea what I’m tasting, and can’t make the link between what you describe and what I taste. Like you said your equipment is way ahead of my easy setup, but all I can taste is ‘wateryness’ of the tails after a while. Maybe with an air still I am wasting my time looking for cuts?
@@1itim yes, you're wasting your time with cuts using an air pot still
George has a great video or 2 about how to make cuts based on several fundamental factors which I as a very new distiller at home have used to begin with and learn the craft of distilling. I've made several batches with the exact same recipe and my 2nd batch and cuts were much better than my 1st batch and cuts. Every batch after my 2nd seems to be on point. Then I started experimenting based on what i've learnt by widening the cut slightly for tails and heads to do a smaller sample tester to verify what the impact if a bit of tails and a bit of heads does to the final product. This exercises teaches you more both in fundamentals and in practice what the final product will be like. Keep in mind the recipe (Wash or Mash and volume) you have to do several times to perfect the cuts prior to any additional experimentation. You have to learn what the base product will be like before you start playing with it.
The fundamentals that George covers on his cuts follow very simple points and it's a great guide on what to do. 1. The column temp. 2. Is it a reflux or a pot still. 3. Proof coming out part of the 4 shots, heads. Followed by hearts and tails. 4.1 For a reflux. 4.2 For a pot still. 5. The volume of the cuts for ie. 25L volume and ABV Potential alcohol by volume.
These fundamentals don't change, but once you start "experimenting" then you're opening a whole wide range of craft distilling which is what Jesse does with his own senses, taste and feel etc etc..
I don't even drink and I watch every show .... I like the chemistry of it and love the fun cooks you come up with
Oh, I run a hand made traditional 30 gallon copper pot, 10 gallon, single corn malt, 2year aged, barrel mill whiskey barrel thumper and 20 foot of 1/2 flex copper worm in a 7.5 gallon Bucket
Hi Jesse, this was an awesome video! In my two and a half years of distilling alcohol (and reading a bunch of books), I have learned the same. And I totally understood the aim of this channel as different products have different distillation profiles and of course, you can't use "instruments" as the only guide to fly your plane.
I have a little distillery at home in Chile. With the focus on producing apple distillate, but doing the fermentation in the traditional way they do it here....very artisan style! That being said, I also produce gin....cuz I have to make this stuff work and brandy takes years to be done (I'm producing only 900 lts of cider this year).
So talking about gin...I got to a pretty good recipe, that I, and many customers, like and find amazingly good (feeling really happy with the result). I only use temperature to define the cut point, because I know my still pretty well and the recipe is extremely precise and consistent (the same botanicals from the same producers and 96° alcohol). To get to the temperature, was tricky though, cuz every botanical distilled separately has its own perfect cut point, but by making everything together you have to come to a decision point....an agreement that takes the best of everyone and nothing disgusting from anyone. So, it's not probably the most profitable cut point but is the one that produces the best result... an intense and thick gin that I enjoy neat!
On the other hand....apples change from tree to tree....during the season there are changes, across seasons there are changes... every barrel I use for fermenting produces different results. That makes reproducibility pretty complicated. So I need to use as many instruments and tastes and flavors combined to make the cuts in the first batch. I usually do the striping run from the beginning to 4% alcohol and recycle the first 200 ml in the next stripping run. The spirit run is treated differently...I combined all the low wines from all the stripping runs, to make a more reproducible result. With that, I do one first spirit run, taking fractions and analyzing them after...based on taste and flavor I decide where to do the cuts... I use ABV and temperature for the second spirit run...but, as I recycle the feints...the second spirit run also changes a little bit... so I do fractions on the "transition points" and decide afterward if it goes into hearts or feints. Then I do a third spirit run recycling feints and adjust again the cutting point. In the fourth run, till the end, I have reached a steady state where the low wine plus the feints from the previous run produce reproducible results by using cuts based on instruments (ABV and Temperature). All the above is decided on what I am going to do with the spirit....Am I bottling after some month of maturation in stainless steel or is it going into "aging".
Sorry for the extension of the text...but I thought it was a good story to share.
Again....thanks a lot Jesse!!! :)
New distiller (2 cleaning runs and 1 sugar shine spirit run under my belt)
13 gallon pot still
Love your videos
I'll admit, I didn't heed your advice about cuts...and regretted it.
I tried doing "rolling" cuts...but without having the experience...I took way more "heads" than I should have... then only collected about 500ml of hearts before it went to super funky.
Next time I'm going to do the full Monty of waiting a day and separating all the jars to train my senses.
That being said...it would be uber helpful to get some ball park numbers to help people like me avoid a newbie goof like I did.
Temp seems too still specific...but statements like..."if you have 10 gallons of 10% abv...you can expect ??ml to ??ml of heads...but on a pot still its more blended so you may want to collect ??ml more to avoid funky flavors"...etc
running over a few scenarios and talking in ranges...would be real helpful to a newbie like me.
I know George did one video talking about foreshots/heads volumes you might be able to expect in a 5 gallon batch...but it seems like all the videos I watch...people collect significantly more heads then he approximated.
All that being said...I have no doubt once I do the formal cuts process a few times...I'll figure out my setup and then I can start using other indicators.
My advice to other newbs...don't be in a rush/lazy like I was...go through the process...learn your still!!
Another great presentation. Don't let the thought of who my audience is affect your content, stay the course. I think the issue with most beginning distillers is the desire for a formulaic approach to running their still and making cuts and there is just no shortcut to making runs and making cuts using their equipment and mashes. As they gain experience and make more products and then they can look at using some formulaic approaches.
I primarily like to make small batches of custom gin. I’ve made basically the same recipe more than 50 times but enjoy mixing up the botanicals a bit. I don’t consider myself an experienced distiller but I have learned how to adjust on the fly to accomplish my goal. I feel knowing what to do when things aren’t the same as the last batch is the beginning to mastering the craft. Cheers to all that enjoy the hobby as much as I do! 😊
Great job on the video Jesse.
I discovered your channel about a year ago. I have been homebrewing for about 6 or so years. Love your videos!
I'm one of those subscribers that doesn't distill, never has, and probably won't and Im not even that big of a drinker BUT I know that if I were to start, I'd have a great foundation with the knowledge that I've gained from watching your videos. The craft is absolutely fascinating. The energy of how you present it coupled with your attitude and your passion for distilling is quite entertaining and makes digesting the information that you are presenting that much more easy to understand. the thought of being able to make your own fermented and distilled beverages is also very freeing. Keep on chasing and we'll keep on watching. Cheers!
Been watching for years... never plan on distilling anything as I am in the states lol. Just enjoy your content and well drinking.
In Sweden it's not legal to make your own spirits. So I'm just watching your videos for you and the content. So keep doing your thing and have a great weekend.
I started off as a home distiller (I'm in New Zealand, so completely legal) about 2 years ago by finding and watching Still It videos. I'm now in the process of launching a commerical distillery making Gin. When I first started, everything was smell and taste (that's what the videos said to do). For my Gin, I have it down to numbers now (power[watts], temperature, abv, and nearly time). But each time I changed parts of my still, I've gone back to used smell and taste to adjust the numbers if needed. The number in summer and slightly different to the numbers in winter. I'm starting to play around with bourbon style whisky (can't call it Bourbon, I'm not in the USA). This is still mainly smell and taste, with the numbers as a guide.
Makes sense mate. You do you and we will watch and learn. A lot of us are probably ready for a gear change and the new folk can catch up with the back catalogue. You might be surprised how well we keep up or how much our questions excite you.
Though it's illegal to home still in the states, I like the combination of artistry and science and I think your channel explains that. I enjoy cooking for the same reason, and honestly, this is just cooking.
You are sooooo right!!!! That's exactly how I approach it
Jessie lives in New Zealand. One of the very few countries in the world where home distilling is completely legal. You don't need any licences or registrations. Just make or buy a still and off you go.
Thank you Jesse. Keep on being you. I'm just waiting on my pot. Thanks for all you have done for me, without knowing 😉
I love my tomato wash with whiskey 😋
Wow!!!!! Thank you for this very informative video!!!..... I love your channel because of how "real" you really are !!!!
Love your content, your passion is intoxicating to me, I do mobile bottling in the wine industry, been tasting on and tasting off wines entering the bottling line for 25 years, I only make my cuts with my nose, I have a very fine sense of smell, all day everyday nosing wine has afforded me a sensory ability that comes with time. Keep up the good work.
Sith life is were it is at! Be a legend! Love the flavors that you like and build upon it! I am extremely new. Just about to start my first batch of rum. I have a nice small 1 gallon pot air still. The dunder pit is daunting. I mean..... Yeah. The look of of dunder pit. Still going to give it a go. Not pooping in mine LOL!
Hi Jesse, been watching/stalking your channel for a year or so now, this is my first 'comment', on your brilliant introduction to this hobby and as you say and very correct everything and everyone's starting point, equipment and ingrediencies will/are different. Let alone experience, expectations and the products individuals are after.
I have just started distilling last month or so with 20/30lt batches mostly beer/grain based, I took a long time putting this beautiful bit of equipment together, along the way, was confused, as to build a pot or reflux, and ended with a barstadised mix up.
Then saw one of you early video's, and it looked like mine, apart from i used a 4inX40in Copper column with a 4 in glass bubble plate on the bottom. a sliding double helix condenser (Defrag...?) that covers the PONR, on not as I require, I built a B&Hops styley control system, that reads just below the PONR, which controls the boiler, another probe just for info, in the hook up between PONR and main condenser.
I have managed to pull off some naively good product.
Many a book has been read and plenty of video's also been watched, but still a bit confused as to precise temp controlled cuts!
I'm not sure if this is the place to do this, as I really don't want to bore you or anyone else, (but Hey Ho, one can always avert your eyes..!) So,(Starting with a 25lt batch of stripped & Extra wash with 35%abv) push cooling helix past PONR, (So no product can pass), set control probe to say 75c, put boiler on full bore, then at temp, turn to low so it holds say 15mins, then lift coil to halfish uncover PONR, product now condensing in foreshots and a bunch of heads, as this starts to run dry, up temp gently to 77c, Am I right in saying this should be nearly the back of heads... now 78.5c, lift the helix clear of PONR this is now the bit of product and small mixed cuts need to be made followed by a good run of hearts, push temp to 81.5c, this should be be the same, as product slows up, time to collect tail cuts, push boiler to say 85/7c.
I don't as yet have a parrot hooked up yet, so use occasionally use an alcometre or a refractometre (But, latter no good over 80abv) so even well into tails the highs seem to stay well over 80%abv, is that strange, as I have found no material about this, then a plummet very quickly down to 50~40's abv, (not nice)......
I decided to look down the route of temp control, as this seems the method pro-distillery's head, although they have 3 trillion plates of one form or another. But the basics if controlled enough should be the same, maybe I do need a couple more bubble plates, but ma Bitch is over 12ft (3M) tall already.
So, I think, without you being able to say to me, 'Fella, start re-reading everything, you got it wrong,' am I Chasing down the right rabbit hole or not.... plus, any other general advise would be very welcome.
Jesse, keep up the good work, George and Yourself have been inspirational in my voyage to this point, So keep it coming, also George, hope your well and return soon. Same to you Jesse.
Of to make a Parrot..... Cheers D
You awesome, sent your channel to a buddy of mine, to send to his dad that's a novice distiller.
I just wanted to say thanks for making this channel.
I discovered you about a month ago, and I've almost watched all your videos!
Thanks for the great content mate!
Jessie love your work, I make consistent dark rum with Caribbean roots and Smokey whiskey that are never the same. My rum I love for its texture and depth on a glass full of ice, the whiskey is always a mystery depending on the cracked grain and coopers single malt. I run a small 22l pot still and never chase ABV, only taste in 200ml jars, I am ruthless with anything off and never decide who is in or who is out until “I am ready” , I have a well informed tasting band just to make sure I am not fooling myself, thank goodness I subscribed before you became too serious, don’t get me wrong you are taking us to a different level with your latest Ideas, Kind Regards Paul Williams Little Bay Sydney NSW
Lol, get drunk for cheep. I haven't found that point in the process. I have learned a lot from you Bearded and George. I keep hearing the lemon was good but the Lime....the lime....
Thank you for what you guys do.
I don't really drink so I'm suuuper unlikely for any of this to ever be relevant but charming and interesting videos by someone who is clearly very interested in the topic can be fascinating and fun in their own right.
This information is absolutely priceless!! Very well said Jesse! I'm in process of perfecting my malt corn and I'm doing it by proof alone atm and goin to keep narrowing it down
Congrats dude, really love your channel. I'm into the hobby for some years by now and always enjoy your content. Cheers mate!
My reason for watching is because I never knew much about running a still because all of my experience is with making beer and ale at home.
The tricky part is that I am only allowed to make one gallon a year of spirits with an at home still.
So all I want is to is get a feel of what you are experiencing before I attempt to make my first still run.
Thanks for running this channel. I started reading and various internet searches to home distilling, originally for still selection, but really found most videos of use, and your humor and passion kept me looking at more content. I primarily make dark rum.
While this video is really long-winded to get to the point, but the point you make in this video is really valid, different equipment and different metrics are going to affect individual batches/distillation. This would have been a great opportunity to remind people that good record keeping from each batch would help dial in the variables to control for more consistency. I created an XLS that keeps evolving containing a separate tab for each phase from fermentation, ingredients, weights, etc. but also the cuts, abv, and notes about my cuts, smells, and taste descriptions.
This has helped me not only become more consistent but understand my own style, and improve my cuts and blends.
ps: Chillies forever.
Beard grows as nicely as the pool of knowledge on this channel. Next stop: 300K!!
Thx man!! Good talking points, the more I dive into tasting whiskeys the more you realize how different everyone’s tasting receptors are. That needs respect.
Hat’s of to your honesty mate 👍🍻
I'm experimenting, love trying and learning new stuff, even more when the outcome is somewhat enjoyable. I'm not into scaling up to industrial standards and amounts, nor into repeating the same recipe again and again. Tried some sugar, some fruit, currently in the molasses bubble, different mixtures, different yeast ... my pot is a diy one-off. All that in mind, it just makes no sense for me to go for fixed temperature or ABV steps to cut at. I have my expectations what's about to happen at which temperature and what ABV to come off. Not using a parrot, I go with seperate jars around 300ml and I'm proofing each one afterwards, take my notes, just to learn, then smell and taste, keep to blend, sort out or just collect to run again. It's part of the game for me, nothing to get rid of...
to start with I watched your video on clearing your wash, Igo a little to the extream. I ferment on the grain Then I pump it into another container through a boiling bag Giving me a 99% clear Distilet witch works very well for me. As for making cuts I go by taste and the seat of my pants whitch seems to work for me. I enjoy your videos very much
Love this channel man, thanks. I am just under 2 years in to this. I do it because I love it, love the result and have been interested in it my whole life. I mostly make a DME based sigle malt, again because it is the product I like most, and it's really easy. I am also working on many other things, out of interest though. I make my cuts by taking a generous forshot, then small cuts until heads are gone, then larger cuts until I suspect tails are coming, then small cuts until definite nasty stuff. I keep going till I get sweet water and proof using that to about 65%, tasting all the cuts tempered to 40%, then down lower to really find the flavor. All cuts that don't make it become feints for next time. I rapid age 3 months using temp cycle method. Comes out really great, better than anything I can buy for under $100/bottle imo...
**edit** forgot to address your last question. I do collect data points such as head temp, abv of offtake, and estimated product still in there, but just as a metric of where I am in a run. All cuts made by taste, after 24h of airing. I do try to keep it pretty consistent though, as far as waiting a couple hours after a meal, not eating anything with strong flavors before, and cleaning palet before and after each sample...
Just keep following your instincts! You're a great presenter and the content is always interesting.
New to running and your videos are great. Only one run under my belt so far and I used the taste and smell technique. But greatly smeared the heads and tails.
I have never made a run but I'm thinking about getting a air still to practice and try it out before I spend a bunch of money on buying a bigger one and all the info you can give makes it easier in the long run because then I have more of an Idea what I'm looking for whats good what's bad. That and i just love your personality you made it seem like I've known you for years in how you speak to us the community when I first found your channel a couple months ago
Well said. I'm a complete newbie with only 6 mashes and runs done so far. I get a ton of knowledge and entertainment out of your videos though, in my top 3 CZcams channels for sure!
Great information dude... As always!
Not sure what brought this on, but been watching from the beginning and love you video’s
Have got pretty much all my knowledge from your channel
I like making bourbon and take my cut and blend by taste and smell. Keep doing what your doing
Just getting into the chase. Love the vids thanks for making them
Awesome man makes perfect sense. Thanks
Discovered your channel in 2019. Built my still (modular CCVM 2inch) in 2020. Been making Vodka, Gin, Lemoncello, Vodka infusions, Bastard Whisky and cornflake whisky. The latest project being a Nutrigrain whiskey rum hybrid run through 3 bubble plates. I make cuts using the jars method with around 250mls in each. Then using my senses to determine heads, hearts, tails cuts. Thanks for all the inspo over the years. Been a fun journey. ]
Long time, first time. Thanks for all the videos. What would great is seeing something that moves me from the easy 8kg white sugar and turbo yeast approach. Time for me and plenty of others to step up without it being too scary
I've been making corn and grain whiskey, along with an occasional rum, for personal consumption as well as the occasional gift for a little over a year on the same SS pot still. I have learned that I make cuts in exactly the same way (smell) at the same time (ABV & head temp) every single run...until the next run lol. It's true though...with a little experience (very little) my cuts literally change, at least slightly, every run...even with the same grain bill. BUT...my nose knows now where hearts start (toss everything above) and where tails start (keep the first jar, toss everything below into feints). I expect that will refine with more experience, but for now: no headaches, no hangovers and happy gift recipients!
Thank you for recognizing to broaden your topics in line with the audience. That may cover some missing information now that George is off the air. I am a novice with relatively little to moderate experience. I have tried everything from brandys to grains to absinthe. All with highly variable results; some very good to some consigned to the hand sanitizer bucket. I have mostly struggled but have improved making cuts on taste and smell. I am going to push you on the "receipe" for cuts because I am recovering from covid loss of taste and smell and one of the items still absent to highly altered is unfortunately any alcohol. Dr. are saying it could be as long as a year to recover. I do not want to wait that long to return to the craft! Given that, one of the things I can easily measure is still head temperatures and ABV output. SO, if you can give me a generalized cut of where foreshots, heads, hearts and tails may occur as a ABV versus still head temperature, then I can work my way through the rest. I typically run a still that is as small as 10 L up to 50 L, no plates but column packed with copper mesh for some reflux action. I fully understand the complexity of distillation and it's variability but I need some guide lines while I continue to recover! thanks!
Man, congratulations, Jesse. I am so proud of you for hitting that Milestone on this CZcams thing. My suggestion is to continue being yourself; that is what attracted me to the Channel and the way you explained everything.
Cheers mate :)
Love your channel. I just made (this past February) gin. Through a pot still. It was supposed to be banana something at about 110 proof. It’s gin now and quite good in my opinion. Much to learn. I think I prefer corn liquor. But that could change. I just know that I just feel awful if I don’t have something fermenting in the pot or waiting to distill. At the moment I have mango juice nearly done fermenting with about 10 pounds of inverted sugar. After that it’s back to cracked corn….
It's funny I gave up drinking years ago, but I still love making it, trying new things, I do taste everything.
Watching nthese videos actually encouraged me to hive it a go in the first place, glad I did, will be moving up to proper mashes soon seeing I've been perfecting sugar washes first, yes yeast makes a huge difference, found anything with "turbo" written on it is very average. 🤣
Good video. I agree with the theme - use all of the data. It's hard to see how a cut will be worse if you have regard to more data points.
I make whisky, rum and vodka on a Brewhaus column, wiith about a year of experience. Mostly vodka now as I did 15 or so whisky and rum batches which need to age out before i can return to them for tweaking. Being a column still there is the major variable of number of plates, i.e. what ABV you want to offtake at. I detune it a lot for flavoured spirits (4 then 3 plates, and I did notice your rig with only 2). As far as i can tell, I will be 20 years tweaking whisky recipes - so many variables beyond plates (grain bill, mashing technique, distilling, blending, wood choice, charring, toasting, quantity, ageing ABV, and more) that I doubt I'll ever lock it down. I just hope to improve each batch.
I keep notes of ferments and distillation runs and calculate the expected volumes, monitor the head temperature, the parrot ABV, and collect into measuring cylinders so I can cross check the ABV and can include volumes in my notes. Prior notes mean I have a pretty good idea of where each of my recipes will cut. Normally I see signs in all data - the head temp moves up, there's fogging in the lower sight glasses, the parrot ABV drops a little and the flavour changes. I think it helpful to have these signals to warn me the taste is probably changing.
Jesse makes a great point about how every situation is different. Column stills seem to compress heads and tails quite a bit, so for me the hearts phase is long. My still config for neutral is 6 plates with a 50cm copper mesh filled extension. Once loaded and balanced, it will sit at 95% ABV, with the head temp at 79.1C for several hours. When it hits 79.3 it will rise quickly and within 10 minutes i'll be in tails. So making neutral I just put the feints jar under there as soon as I see 79.3C, and collect while I tidy up and toss the feints into the next boiler charge. But the next guy down the road may have different numbers entirely. No answer works for all 200K+ subscribers.
jessie your vidieos are a great learning experience for everyone dont over think it
peeps gota be smart enough to make up there own mind what of your info suits their situation
if not maybe they should just go down the bottle shop
you explain things way way way way way well enough
Yo, without your review on the AirStill, I would have never had the balls to attempt this. I live in a tiny apartment in America. Thank you for knowledge and keeping it somewhat simple for us newbies! I just made my first batch of banana rum, not the best, but without your channel I would never have thought this to be possible.
I've been making a corn and wheat recipe for about a year and a half. over the course of that time I've mostly focused on flavor when making cuts. I've upgraded to an all copper pot still and have noticed so much of a difference it's like learning all over again. which is one of my favorite things about this occupation. slightest change is amplified in the final output.
I'm learning that monitoring temps is just as important for me, as my taste does change week to week. I know now at which temp to hold for hearts, which is nice, but for me nothing replaces verifying taste. if it tastes bad today it'll taste bad later (probably).😂
Found you though whiskey tribe, I'm one of the ones that just love to watch and learn as mach as possible because it's just really entertaining.
I would try it myself buttttt I am pretty sure that home distilling is not legal in Australia 😪, New Zealand is not far away though... maybe time to relocate 🤔... 😄🤪🤔
Great content man. Thanks lots.
Happy new year!
i just watch your videos cause i think its an interesting process. if i got into it id probably try one of those countertop stills and do some rum. or maybe take one of my ciders or meads and make brandy with it.
I visited a grappa distillery in Italy. A small distillery with 50 more years history and several international awards. I was explained that their primary way to make cuts is by temperature. When I distill myself I mainly use the tasting method. However since I learned that I started noticing a correction between my cut points and changes of temperature in the distiller
I also tend to use the thermometer as a guide now. When it starts approaching the usual transition temperatures, I start smelling and tasting the output and make the cut when it's good/interesting. I've also had to calibrate the thermometer for my altitude. I'm 400m above sea level so that temperature is usually about 1.5°c below what the common literature states.
Illegal to home distill in Ireland, hard to believe so it is. So I just wanted to ask a brewing question if you don’t mind. Are you a milk and teabag first or a hot water and teabag first kinda guy 😆😆. A good mug of tea and a “Bourbon” biscuit is what I have when I watch this channel. I get that it’s for the geeks but I would listen to your way of doing things all day long. Love the channel and all of the content and will continue to listen about the craft. Congratulations on the success and keep up the good work. 🇮🇪☘️🍀🇮🇪☘️🍀
Hey Jesse, you couldn't have timed this video better. Today I tried to use abv to predict cuts on a 26 litre charge of 30% single malt low wines. I assumed that my hearts would be in the 80 to 68 ish % abv range based on what ive read and heard, but to my surprise hello Mr wet dog at 75%. Just goes to show like you said, abv, quantity of charge etc all add variables that fly in the face of generalised consensus. Like you eluded to I tried to work the maths on the amount of liquid and abv in the kettle to tell me roughly what my take home would be, then divided that by 3 for heads, hearts and tails and using the middle 3rd as a ball park for my hearts. I think i will use smell and taste around the start and end of that middle third to choose my cut points. This is all stuff I have just theorised over myself today but I'm so happy to hear that it's not just me that doesn't like to rely on just my senses as I'm also not sure I trust them enough! Although it was my senses that told me tails hit way earlier than i was expecting so hopefully they arent too unreliable! As always, thank you my friend and keep it up!!
well, I make the same variety of alcohols, and interesting enough it is difficult to get the "exact" same product every time, for the obvious variables involved. That being said the end products are generally accepted as the same (except to me oddly enough). I believe it takes experience. period. The more you know about the science and your still the better the end product. I generally use 3 things you mentioned to make my cuts...volume, abv, and temperature. The experience part comes into play to "know" when considering those three things, to make the cut...I hope that made sense.
Love watching your Content I order my lunar spirits T about 2 weeks ago just waiting for it to get it I am east coast Aussie so could be abit of a wait
Don't discount what you personally bring to the channel. Your personality and on camera presence is awesome. It also comes that you are honestly grateful for the support the channel gets. There are alot of fake personalities on CZcams, and you just being yourself is refreshing. Looking forward to your collaboration with Claw Hammer.
I don’t distill, AG brewer with no intent to distill in the future. But I love the science and the content. Love to learn the craft even if I have no intention to try it in the future. Keep on keeping on my brother
Also primarily an AG brewer, but also dabbling in distilling. When I've made a brew that was less than stellar, rather than dump it or choke it down, into the still it goes. Old/crap beer whisky is the bomb!
#1 Why I'm making: I'm a tinkerer, I want to make a tasty product as an alternative drink, fruits, whisky, maybe a scotch, lemon chello
#2 I make ales, some kits, some my own recipes, and other recipes that I would like to try, maybe a lager beer, I like the drafts
#3 experience...0, none, your teaching me👍😁I've tasted different products from a couple people and find it interesting and intriguing
I have a BrewZilla/RoboBrew all electric brewer, and I've recently purchased a reflux still for it, and haven't even cleaned it up yet to try it out, I make something simple easy first of course, got anything simple?
🍻
Don't discount yourself Jesse. You have a wealth of knowledge and I'm sure that many commercial distillery owners such as myself really appreciate this channel for the geekery, banter and adventurous projects you undertake. Not to mention the shared love and appreciation for the craft. We can't all find the time to see how something like a mi goreng run turns out. Bearded & Bored and George are also awesome guys with great content.
P.s. spicy breakfast burritos are the bomb ;) keep up the great work!
I make mead, so I don't make cuts, but I agree with everything you said! I want to get into distilling, but live in an apartment, so I might get one of those air distillers to play around with. I've only just made a few batches without taking any ABV and have gotten lucky so far, But anyone knows if you really want consistency, you need the data and can't just go by taste alone.
I collect in 1/2 pints and hearts is usually between 78%abv and 60% abv but thats a reference point every run is diffrent using the same pot still like you said
As a side note, the issue I last had was using the hydrometer. I wasn't getting good readings and wasn't understanding exactly what I needed to do to work out how much sugar I needed to add for 15% per vol. In the end, I just insured I added enough by approximation and gave the mash plenty of time to finish it's run. Worked but wasn't ideal.
The way I do cuts is take the first 2% out of the still and discard, and then collect the second fraction until average percentage drops to 35-40%, then collect the third fraction until percentage drops to below 10% and keep that for later distillations... have you tried doing a run like that and seeing how it turns out? Love your content.
Idk how no one has said anything about your badass beard hahaha the distillation is cool too, but man I'm jealous lmao
I have been a looong time subscriber and thoroughly enjoy each one even if it's not about what I'm doing at the moment. You are a great source of information and entertainment. Keep up the great work. PS I'm now doing stripping and spirit runs thanks to you. CHEERS
Hey bro love your videos ❤️❤️ I'm a newbie & i was just wondering if u could look into doing a few videos on the pure distilling set-up maybe pls?
Great video, need a worksheet or app or browser calculator to help with the numbers part.
Personally I think you need too show us again when you do a run ie what do you think before during and after as an example I understand it will be different depending on what is in the pot but I think it would help me and others alot with what I call the worst part of the job "what to keep and what to throw" ivelost count of the amount of times ive no got "wet dog" at the tails stage love the channel keep up the great work 👍
Thanks!
Pleasure. Sorry I missed this. A even worse crime as this was the channels first ever super thanks! Cheers :)
I've been distilling palm wine for 2 years to make SODABI in a 30L copper potstill. I use the obtained Sodabi for Gin. In the begining, i relied exclusively on taste/smell but kept very detailed records of everything. Volumes, times, ABV in and out, temps etc in geeky spreadsheets. Gradually, run after run, the data started showing "patterns", repetitIons and the taste became like a second indicator for confirmation, as you say : a safety net. I agree that over time, and for the purpose of consistency, data is fundamental, but as is taste in my opinion. We are not as failable I think. And just like you should never trust your taste 100%, you probably shouldnt trust your data 100% either, because products may vary for so many reasons, and accidents happen that data wont necessarely show. So I use both, always. As time and runs will go, it all becomes like a second nature. I have recently started using a bigger reflux still and have applied the same principles. So far, so good.
Thanks Jessy for what you do. You have been such an inspiration. Cheers!
I make grain whiskey, rum, that said I haven’t made the same recipe twice yet.
I use my senses, but I also use the ABV or more accurately I use the rate of change in the ABV, which seems to work no matter how I’m running the still or which still I use (excluding reflux, haven’t gone a lot of that)
So for instance my heads might start coming off at 85%, and will stay there for most of the heads collection, then it will start to drop off as I’m approaching hearts, won’t quite be there yet, but that’s when it time to switch out to smaller jars, then hearts might sit at 80% and very slowly make it way down to about 75%, then the ABV will start to drop off faster, and that’s when I know I’m starting to hit trails.
A couple of weeks ago I had Corona virus, lot my sense of smell and taste, did a spirit run, because you know, no better cure then a deep whiff of moonshine 😉
Left it to sit in the jars for a couple of weeks until my senses can back, and my cuts were still bang on perfect.
It’s not so much a a specific number that I look for, but the rate of change
I’d suspect even with a reflux the method of looking for the change in behaviour throughout the run would still work, only the change would be the flow rate instead of the ABV.
Honestly, I'm probably in the small percentage of viewers who, because of local laws, can't get into distilling, and, because of the ratio of expense to actual practical usage, probably wouldn't even if it were legal. But I have to say I still enjoy the content because Jesse's taking a bunch of ingredients and transforming them into something new. There's something to be said for appreciating the work of a craftsperson; probably the same reason I watch a bunch of bladesmithing and woodworking videos.
Realistically you are actually in the large majority of viewers who are not allowed to distill legally. It is more a case of you being in the small minority who obey the law. Fair play to you though and you are right about there being little to no cost savings.
Jesse, thanks for the content. I don't know if it has been mentioned somewhere, but covid has been affecting a bunch of our home distillers' taste buds. I myself lost my taste at last year July and now I have parosmia that has affected my taste to the point that whiskey tastes foul. I have distilled a few times relying on AVB. It's been almost a year and hope things return to normal soon.
Hi Jesse I have been distilling for just over two years now. Been brewing beer from grains for about 8 years. I make whisky and Gin mostly. the still i made has a column packed with copper. I have a temp gauge at the top ( point of no Return) I always do a stripping run and on the second run I cut down to 40% ABV. that goes back in the still. I take cuts Based on The ABV coming off and the temp, anything before 79 degrees C will always be heads and Usually above 89%ABV at and below 88% and 80 till 90 degrees C till about 60% ABV I will take hearts. this works for my still set up. I leave some of the heads and tails for a couple of days then taste to see if i want to use them. ( generally not but some times for whisky or gin on the 3rd and final run) A big question I would like answered is what to do with all the heads I have left over. even after doing heads and tails runs I still always get heads that are un-useable?
10+ years in the craft, I use an Alembic dome only. Whiskey only. Cuts are made by taste only because I change up the recipe most every time. All my whiskeys are aged a minimum of 3 years before enjoying. And, I use American white oak that I char and/or roast myself, aged in 1/2 gallon jars.
One suggestion for a segment. Please discuss different water source issues for condensing. My Alembic doesn't use a lot of water but because a larger still would I have been reluctant to upsize. Living in the SW USA, water is precious. I have tried ice bath recirculation without any success. Just an idea for another video. Thanks my man.
Those alembic stills make unbelievable likker. A buddy makes the best rye I've ever drank in one, shine on my friend!!
Is your still a true alembic or a dome on a pot? I’m running a 10 gal and not much is out there about them
@@thealembicdiary1814 your so right, I've looked and info on Alembic Stills is basically non existent.
@@thealembicdiary1814 I have a Still Spirit Alembic Dome. Hs always worked very well for me. I use the GrainFather as the boiler. In the US, the wattage is 600 (mash) and 1600 (normal). I use the normal (1600w) setting to bring up to around 202 degrees and then switch to the mash (600w) setting from there.The set temp is at 211 degrees but with the mash setting the increase from 202 to 211 is much slower using the mash rather than the normal setting. Use this procedure on spirit runs. If I run a double batch it is not that slow but on a triple or higher batch it will take hours.
I love whisky the most, so making that. I've made whisky, gin, brandy and rum, but mostly whisky and brandy. When I had my little pressure cooker still, I was using taste, and really should get back to that now I;'m running a 50l.. I've gotten into the habit of just using the volume and making set volume cuts.. Been distilling since lockdown and alcohol ban in SA in 2020
Another consideration - altitude! different boiling points influence the temp and influence how much water that you;'re getting into you product. But I use a "total alcohol" indicator to see what I'm taking off - and sadly often take too little off thinking I "should be" in a certain point.
I have no intention of "chasing the craft".
I simply enjoy learning what the process involves & how one small decision can completely change results.
This is like a geeking-out explanation on how to geek-out. I love it! It's Meta-Geek. :) Left-Brain/Right-Brain : Art/Analytical System.
You always make great content my bearded brotha!!brother!!
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But what do I know?🤠
Chasing the Craft is a personal art. I don't have a specific product I make so I rely on taste each time, each product is its own animal.
Completely agree not so much about the drinking it's the science and art
It's a craft, not a science. Even at the top end distilleries, there are those who have talents and abilities beyond those of the people they work with.
I haven't made anything yet. I bought an Air Still last week from the guy in Levin and I'm planning to use it soon. I love the meme stuff you do, and will probably do some of that and maybe some gin. I came across your channel while doing comparisons between that and the T500 to see which one I would get. Decided to start small 🙂
Jessy! Man your videos are great! I just did an all grain mash using masa flour. Not sure if you guys have that in New Zealand? Masa flour is made from corn and is the primary ingredient for corn tortillas. Anyways, if you wanted I’d gladly send you a 5 pound bag just to see what you do with it. I made a bourdon with that, steal cut oats, and now have it aging on oak. I’m going to infuse it with bacon on a few months and call it my Breakfast Burrito Bourbon. Email me with your address and I’ll send you a bag of masa!!!
Personally i am a beginning distiller going to school to become a comercial distiller i try to make cuts by smell because i make a lot of different things and hope to get to data points eventually
Mostly stilling for me and my family since 2017. Switched 2019 from a 16l reflux still to a 30l pot still because of the troubles running it. We make mostly corn/malt or sugar washes and in the summer mostly fruit stuff. We made around 20+ washes. We destill only once because we can achieve a very high proof straight away around 160 proof (we did it twice once and we lost a ton of flavour) and we also take only the best of the best, no compromosis. If something is slighty murky, sulphurous or dont taste great its gone. The reason behind it is 1. we dont have to filter it which loses a lot of flavour 2. No matter what you pick you always have a high standard 2. We dont need that much spirit anyway. Sometimes it could be used but often it only deludes the quality of the product. We either use it for the next run or just a little drink and the rest is gone.
I was raised up around real moonshine makers in the US.
Not my family but others.
For the most part it was horribly strong and harsh.
I watch your videos simply because I love the process of making proper alcohol.
Allow yourself to rejoice now! You’ve entered the realm of the artisans
Not made anything in years other them beer but started the hobby over 25 years ago. So you are saying experience counts, and that we can get better at what we do with it. But going by taste and smell is still the way to do it up until we see a trend, aka experience ;) :D