Compressing Heads

brisvalleymoonshiner

I'm new to this plated still stuff and want to know what compressing your heads is all about.

Any help would be fully appreciated!

Smaug

Hi BVM,

For a distiller, Heads is where the hang over lives.

Compressing heads refers the process of allowing the lowest boiling point alcohols to rise to the top of the apparatus in such a way so that the heads compounds are able to be slowly drawn off. By drawing off heads slowly, the distiller greatly reduces the likelihood of heads compounds being included into the hearts body of the run.

Heads are generally undesirable but with some spirits, a small measure of heads can install some pleasing qualities into the finish product.

Others will chime soon to help clarify this process.

brisvalleymoonshiner

Cheers Smaug for the info im currently reserching all this info here to move from the T500 copper edition to a ace of hearts it seems like is a more hands on process but a more finer product produced im sure practice makes for a perfect product

Kapea

My understanding of compressing heads is that the foreshots and heads are concentrated up in the very first runnings by keeping the reflux at 100% at the beginning of the run. The fs/heads are highly purified into the smallest volume possible so that they can slowly be removed without them "smearing" into the hearts.

But then again, what do I know? I think the Marx Brothers were the apex of 20th century comedy.

Smaug

Heads compression is always desirable for those trying to render a neutral product.

Heads compression for those making a flavored spirit is far more artful as the distiller is balancing the need to to render as much "Hearts" yield as possible as well as not squeeze and separate so much character out of the final product as to render the spirit as an insipid final product.

Brandies are a good example as many of the fruit qualities come over in the "heads". No heads,,,no fruit.

Myles

On most columns if you can get your heads volume down to 10% of the total collected you are doing quite well. Talking about taking a flavoured product here.

The heads always contain some product, it can't be avoided. Heads compression is just about trying to minimise the % age of product in that heads component.

shindig

How long are you running at 100% reflux?

Kapea

As long as it takes...

There really is no one answer. It depends on the size and ABV of the boiler charge. When you settle into doing the same wash or low wines types over and over again you learn where the cuts are.

FloridaCracker

This?

Smaug

Fun label design for an ultra premium neutral.

Kapea

My neutral is headache free! :))

Smaug

@Kapea said: My neutral is headache free! :))

Thats because you compressed your head (s) no? :))

Kapea

Well I did free dive down to 70 feet today. Both heads felt pretty compressed. Couldn't fart down there to save my life though. Last time I eat roasted garlic before diving... %-(

Smaug

Yikes.

CothermanDistilling

I think that would be compressed tails....

Kapea

Just kidding about the farting bit. It was a take off on a cartoon I saw in Playboy magazine a long time ago. Two fish swimming side by side - one fish says to the other, "Ever notice how hard it is to fart below 100 feet?"

Usually I free dive to ten meters or less, but a friend dropped his watch overboard. We could see laying on the sandy bottom, and the sonar said 70 feet, so I gave it a go. It was easier than I thought.