You may learn more about how to discern between the three categories by reading the sections below.

1. Heads. The heads, hearts, and tails should be separated or chopped apart during distilling
2. Hearts. When the proportion of alcohol in the blood falls below around 80%, it is time to cut the heart.
3. Tails. The last cut, or tails, is made after the alcohol level has been reduced to 50% of its original value.

How do Distillers decide which heads and tails bleed into the heart?

The number of heads and tails that are permitted to flow into the heart is one of the ways in which a distiller determines the house character of the distillery. Some distillers base their judgments on characteristics such as time and alcohol by volume (ABV).

What comes out first the heads or the hearts?

The Heads are the first to come out of the bag. The Hearts are the items that appear about halfway through the race. The Tails, on the other hand, are the last to emerge. The heart of the run is what you will want to take with you at all times.

What are the “hearts” in a distillate?

They will then cut to ″hearts″ if they have determined that the quality of the incoming distillate is sufficient for drinking purposes. In the end, it is the hearts that form the final outcome of a project. They contain the majority of the ethanol we desire, as well as tastes and fragrances that distinguish our spirit from the competition.

What happens to the heads and tails of distilled alcohol?

Tails will be disposed of in the same manner as heads, or (in the majority of cases) redistilled to recover additional alcohol. The number of heads and tails that are permitted to flow into the heart is one of the ways in which a distiller determines the house character of the distillery. Some distillers base their judgments on characteristics such as time and alcohol by volume (ABV).

How can you tell the difference between heads hearts and tails in moonshine?

High concentrations of low boiling point alcohols and other chemicals such as aldehydes and ethyl acetate are found in the heads of spirits from the beginning of the run. Hearts: The coveted middle alcohols from your run that you desire. Tails: At the end of the run, a distillate with a high concentration of fusel oil and a low concentration of alcohol is produced.

Can you drink the heads of moonshine?

Once the first cut is made by the distiller, the heads are either discarded or redistilled in order to extract even more alcohol from the still. They will then cut to ″hearts″ if they have determined that the quality of the incoming distillate is sufficient for drinking purposes.

When making moonshine What is the head?

The first section of the distillate is referred to as the ″head,″ and the first part of the head is referred to as the ″foreshot.″ The foreshot includes the vast majority of the harmful methanol generated as a byproduct of fermentation. Pot stills produce a substantial number of foreshots, which are used by the majority of traditional distilleries.

What percentage of moonshine is heads?

Heads make up around 20-30 percent of the liquid recovered during a distillation cycle, on average.

Can I Redistill heads?

Heads and tails may be used in a variety of ways and should never be discarded. The following are the reasons: There is a trace quantity of ethanol left in each of them, which may be re-used in your pot or thumper when you run your next batch. However, this is only true if you have a very effective fractionating column and are capable of making precise cuts.

What happens if you distill moonshine twice?

If you’ve ever done a double or even triple distillation of spirits, you’re probably aware that each time you pass the spirits through the still, they become ″stronger″ – their purity increases, and their alcohol by volume (ABV) percent percentage grows.

How do you know when the heads are done?

When the heads begin to appear, the vapor temperature will be more than 175°F (80°C), and this will continue until the vapor temperature is around 196°F (91°C). Heads are normally approximately 80 percent abv (160 proof) or higher in alcohol concentration. They contain a lot of evidence, but they’re not nearly as smooth as the hearts, which will be served next.

How many heads is 5 gallons of mash?

For those who are looking for immediate satisfaction, here’s the brief answer: A 1 gallon run will provide about 3-6 cups of alcoholic beverages. 1-2 gallons of alcohol may be produced by running a 5 gallon batch. An 8-gallon run will generate 1.5-3 gallons of ethanol, depending on the temperature.

Are heads and Foreshots the same?

Foreshots (which are removed at low temperatures) include larger concentrations of methanol, acetone, and other low-volatile substances. In order to get rid of them, place them in your Coleman lantern or use them as a cleaning solution. Heads, on the other hand, are largely composed of ethanol, with traces of nastiness thrown in for good measure.

How much of a run is Foreshots?

Because the chance of gathering undesirable chemicals is negligible while redistilling a pure Neutral Spirit, foreshots are typically just 0.1 – 0.2 percent of the overall run for gin producers, while heads can account for an additional 1-3 percent of the whole run depending on the recipe.

How fast should moonshine drip?

Bring your body temperature up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit gradually. If your arrangement includes a condenser, switch on the condensing water whenever the temperature reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, turn your heat source up to its maximum setting until your still begins to produce. Keep track of how fast your drips are increasing in pace until you reach 3 to 5 drips per second.

John Wheeler