Stripping Runs serve 2 main purposes in distillation, they reduce the volume of mash and increase the proof for the next distillation.
Fermenting a wash can be a lot of work and to get the most bang for your buck you might want to make a batch that is larger than your still. Now that you have a fermented wash ready to go you could fill it several times performing a slow distillation and making cuts, but there’s a better way!
The most efficient way to cut down that large volume of wash is to make a few stripping runs and then combine all the low wines (what you collect from a stripping run) and then make one final spirit run.
Why are stripping runs faster?
If you’re wondering why making stripping runs is faster than just a few normal runs, here’s why.
When you make a stripping run, we aren’t worried about foreshots, heads, hearts or tails. The only goal is to distill the wash as quickly as possible. This means you can run your still as hot and as fast as it will go, as long as the condenser can keep up and you aren’t pushing vapor out the end of the still.
Stripping runs should be done with your still setup as a simple pot still. No need for a reflux condenser or plates. Everything will be collected into 1 large vessel, like a large stainless-steel pot, and saved to combine at the end of all the stripping runs.
Because spirit runs should be done at a lower temperature and speed to preserve the quality of the final distillate and you are checking taste and smell, a stripping run can be done in about half the time it takes for the spirit run.
Why do stripping runs improve the quality?
The other reason for performing a stripping run is to improve the quality of your product. This means both taste and proof can be improved with a stripping run.
Increase the Proof by using stripping runs
A single distillation is not capable of raising the proof of a wash too much. To reach higher proof levels multiple distillations need to be performed either with a column still or by making more runs in a pot still. You can check out this article all about different ways to perform multiple distillations. When you make a stripping run you will increase the ABV of your wash from around 10% to about 40-60%. That means when you start your spirit run you will be able to reach a higher proof on your finished product, just remember that for safety reasons you should always dilute your low wines to 40% ABV or less before starting a run.
Increase the taste and purity by using stripping runs
Taste is a very subjective thing, what tastes great to me might be horrible to you and vice versa. That is what makes home distillation such a great hobby, you can create the exact taste you want by adjusting the ingredients in your wash and how you distill it.
Each time you distill a spirit some of the flavor compounds are left behind in the pot. If you are looking for a light flavor maybe 2 stripping runs might get you there, on the other hand if you want to hold on to more of the flavors from a peated whiskey or funky rum you might only want 1 stripping run or a “one and a half” run (check out the article linked in the last section if you don’t know what that is).
How to do a stripping run
With speed being the primary objective of a stripping run, your setup should be very simple.
If you have a hybrid or modular still you should use the shortest column or connect your head and condenser directly to the pot if possible.
Don’t worry about a proofing parrot or small collection jars, just let your condenser flow into a large stainless steel or glass container.
When you start your run, warm up the pot as usual. Once the still is producing, increase the power/heat as much as possible, for a 2”-3” column you should be able to reach a nice steady stream.
Just watch out for puking or steam coming out of the condenser, if either of those occur you will need to cut the power back. Unlike a spirit run puking is not the end of the world since this will be run thru the still again.
One thing to watch out for is the temperature of your cooling water. If you recirculate your cooling water it will heat up faster during a stripping run. This means you will need to add ice or replace the water with new cold water more often than a normal spirit run.
Stripping Run Questions
- Do I need to make a foreshots or heads cut with a stripping Run? No, you can make all your cuts on your final spirit run, but it won’t hurt if you do.
- Do you need to water down a stripping run before redistilling it? Yes, you should never start a run with over 40% ABV in your still, if your distillate from the stripping run is over 40% add water, backset or more wash to pot to reduce the proof.
- How much should I collect during a stripping run? Keeping in mind that the idea here is to speed up the process of distilling a large volume of wash, I suggest running to somewhere around 10% – 15% ABV during your stripping run. Sure you are leaving some alcohol in the pot, but the time to extract that last 10% isn’t worth it to me.
- Are there any other advantages to stripping runs? Another advantage is you can store the low wines for as long as you want without redistilling them. A wash will eventually go bad, but if you are working on a longer project or something come up that prevents pulls you away from the still you won’t have to worry about the low wines going bad.
Final thoughts
You might not always need or want a stripping run, but when used correctly they are another tool at your disposal in the hobby of home distillation.
Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions or how and when you like to use stripping runs.