First UJSSM

fadge

+1 with @crozdog thats almost the same method I use, 100 % relfux, slow fores/heads with adjusting waterflow, and it takes a while to dial in, still learning by taste / smell / abv when the good hearts start to flow. but I can up the power and therefore the rate per hour after that. easy more power or less water !

USJM is a multi generation wash, I like it. BUT don't think we can use it for a decent whisky product, 2 years of experiments, suggest USJM is great for bourbon style product. not so good for whiskey drinkers.

USJM style is sour mash/generations, but whiskey is more like brewing beer, one batch at a time, just my thoughts.

anyhow @Johnboy whatever you collect as "hearts" will be more than ok with time and wood.

fadge

FloridaCracker

My first run back in 1999 was a bastardized UJSSM (way before UJ posted his recipe). I was trying to duplicate the JD recipe with the addition of sugar. Didn't have a clue just WTF I was doing but learned a lot and on a homemade still that I just recently retired.

Know what? I still have about 1/2 liter of that ORIGINAL RUN in a gallon jar in the garage. I like to get it out every now and then and sip some just to see how far I have come. Part of the fun of this craft is the never ending battle to improve from your last run. OR trying duplicate a perfect run. Keep good notes on every wash/mash/run.

Johnboy

Thanks @Crozdog great response.
Yes it was the maiden voyage i ran as the manual said Refluxed (Equilibrium) for an hr then slowly reduced RC water flow till 2drops a second at parrot drain to collect 200ml fores, then reduced some more till broken stream for heads collection approximately 750ml90-85ABV, decided on hearts cut between 85-70ABV as that was conservative according to UJSSM thread on HD forum, only collected 250ml before dropped below 70ABV, decreased RC for tails collection then slowly to off by 60ABV to maintain thin stream, then it almost stopped so increased power to continue tails run down to 30ABV. Did i do this wrong? How else can i maintain product flow ?? other than over boiling at start, Low quantity hearts run and aniseed flavour I am happy with how it went. I didn't expect to drink the sweet run just thought the hearts would have been bigger and wondered what the flavour was all about?? As this is my first crack at it I was just wanting to know if I'm on the right track. All 9 x 500ml jars taste the same but less heat due to lower ABV with only the last 2 around 40-30ABV tasting a bit off wet cardboard sort of after taste. I wondered if the long ferment caused the flavour or dodgy yeast. The new wash is going a lot harder so hopefully its all good everything got a sanitising wash to start with so shouldn't be infection. we'll see on the next run. Got a 205L drum of molasses today so ill throw down a rum wash on the weekend see if the flavour continues can't see how it would?

I reckon it took about 8 seconds from fogged bottom plate to top plate going nuts and bottom 2 sight glasses fully flooded with wash then took about 5 mins to drain back out and settle back down.

Would what Ive described be caused by too much heat?? should i run the controller to drop the power down to around 1200-1400watts during the run to slow it all down and keep ABV higher by refluxing through out the run?? What is the magic temp to maintain at RC?

Cheers Johnboy

grim

I'll echo the recommendation to reflux at the lowest possible power to maintain 100% reflux at startup. Pushing higher power means running faster coolant flows, and you quickly pass the point of diminishing returns in the process.

I've always found that from that point, it is slightly easier to increase power to the elements to slowly push the reflux level down and start collecting fores/heads (assuming you are not using dephleg. automation).

In terms of going from heat up to scramble in 3 seconds, it helps to monitor your wash temperature during heat up, especially if you have significantly more power in the boiler than your column can handle. It can really sneak up on you fast, always seems to go from nothing to disaster. Easier to watch the wash temp and slowly dial back your power as you get ready to stack heads.

Generally, always found it more calm of a process to need to add power or decrease depleg. flow than to scramble to adjust everything downwards because you came in too hot.

The exact dephleg temp settings you'll really need to work out on your own, every rig is going to be different.

Lots of great info in this thread.

Unsensibel

For the boil overs, it strongly depends for me on the wash. My AG's seem to really like to do that and I usually double the recommended amount of anti-foam. My rum and wine/fruit had less of a tendency to do that.

For the filling up the column - I watch my boiler temp more closely than then column at first. Once you're getting close to the boil temp, make sure to watch the deph. If the reflux is starting to drip, it's time to back off the heat and make sure to have enough water flow... That's how it's working for me

Johnboy

Thanks for all the input fellas Ive kept the 250ml of hearts would i have been better to increase reflux during hearts run to prolong the ABV dropping till it stops or will that effect flavour? Ill put a temp sensor in the boiler and Ill be sure to watch more carefully in future. Could I rerun the feints with water to see if the flavour remains or is that a given?

punkin

You can keep a perfectly good eye on rising temps without sensors.
Use the ones god gave you and just touch the top of the boiler/base of the column now and then during heat up. You will feel the heat travel as it starts to boil.
You can also tune your ear to it and like a pot of water or a coffee jug the sound will change as it comes up to the boil, first getting louder as the small bubbles form and then going quiet just as it starts to boil.

It's a great idea to rerun the feints, if nothing else you get a free training run.

grim

How do you hear it over all the Elvis tunes wailing in the shed?

punkin

I'm more a Pink Floyd generation than an Elvis. Although i do like me some of the Platters now and then and i have been known to spend a couple hours listening to Ray Charles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtXnUEW_OXw

grim

Floyd - Now you're talking.

FloridaCracker

David Gilmour. Perhaps the most underrated guitar player of our time. Listen to Floyd at least once a week. Lately I have been stuck on the second disk of The Wall.

Smaug

Oh yeah Pink Floyd,,,,,I've heard of that guy.

punkin

No you are thinking of Flink Poyd. Samesame but different

FloridaCracker

Oh, by the way, which one's Pink? He's related to Jethro Tull. Brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd

punkin

Don't ask me, I'm Thick as A Brick.

Smaug

@punkin said: Don't ask me, I'm Thick as A Brick.

Oh you are good....

crozdog

Hey @Johnboy - what you've described sounds a lot like you did a striping run. The extra heat & lack of reflux will increase the rate of output, but drop the quality.

I'd take everything you collected, and rerun it with water to more than cover the element. Do a spirit run following the advice here (not just from me), watching your heatup & swap to low power sooner. You'll learn a heap & hopefully get something you can consume.

The manual is a guide to give you starting points - like driving a car or riding a bike it gets better / easier with practice, but you need to work out how to do it for yourself.

FYI I find with my 6kw element in a 40l boiler charge that the sweet spot for running a spirit run is below 50%. Every setup is different, so you'll need to experiment a bit - hence the need to take notes.

Pink Floyd = AWESOME!!

I love these lines from In The Flesh: So ya, thought ya Might like to, go to the show To feel the warm thrill of confusion That space cadet glow

Tell me, is something eluding you, Sunshine? Is this not what you expected to see? If you wanna find out what's behind these cold eyes You just have to blow your way through this disguise....

maybe we need a whole new thread for Floyd - or a favourite lyric thread?

punkin

@Smaug said: Oh you are good....

Ah shucks. My words are but a whisper, your deafness a shout.

Dunno how @Kapea hasn't found his way into this sidetrack yet.

FloridaCracker

@crozdog said: maybe we need a whole new thread for Floyd - or a favourite lyric thread?

Done.

Johnboy

Cheers @crozdog at least you manged to help me out ill run it again

punkin

He's helped more than you realise. He literally wrote the book on it as the author of the manual. =D>

Johnboy

Thank you very much then

crozdog

Thanks @punkin - its good to see that its getting used.

Cheers @johnboy. There is a lot to get your head around when you start out. Keep reading - the manual & here, also keep on practicing, taking notes and analysing them after the fact to see if you can work out your issues or where / how to tweak your processes / practices.

It is also important to keep on asking questions - particularly if you can use your notes to clearly describe the situation as there are a lot of top people here who will help out.