Managing volumes

NormandieStill

Ok. Perhaps more measuring volumes than managing them.
In preparation for an upcoming apple brandy run I took a look back at my early notes... and realised that right at the start I didn't keep any. Over time my note taking has gotten better but I realise that what's missing in a lot of cases is any indication of volumes. For a while I've been recording my spirit run volumes but to fully understand yield it'd be good to know what went in from the start.
So for you religiously note-taking old hands... how are you measuring the volume that goes into the still?
I know what I've made when mashing in (I have my full ingredients list including volume of water) but I'm less clear on what I get back after squeezing and racking.
And I have a rough idea (generally to the nearest half litre) how much low wine I get from each stripping run but it's not that accurate a measurement and the errors compound over 3 or 4 strips."I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo
A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers

NZChris

It's not very often that I know exactly what volume went into the still.  I only really pay attention if there might be a problem with the volume of the charge compared to the volume of the boiler.

shadylane

There's a stain mark on my fermenter.
If I fill the fermenter above that, there's too much to fit in the boiler.
All jokes aside, keeping a distilling diary is a good idea.
When you read and look back, it brings forgotten thoughts and information to mind.  

x4udqcgbhu1.gif

BlueSasquatch

My notebook rarely has as good of notes in it, as my memory told me it did.
I just run with the assumption of my mash volume when calculating my starting keg volume. Granted it's lower due to vapor loss during mashing, spills, squeezing the grain, etc. but I lack a good means of really having an exact measurement, apart from 80 uses of a measuring cup.
If it was something of concern for you, you could get a large vessel, use a measuring cup, fill it with exact amounts, mark it on the container what that amount is, and then you've essentially made a monster measuring cup. use it to transfer your wash to your still, and make a note. But seems a bit like an insignificant variable, atleast to the degree that it would take, to measure it accurately, everytime."In the silence of the study one can discuss theories, but only in practice one becomes an artist" - Meunier

Salt-Must-Flow

The main thing that determines the amount of low wines vs boiler charge is to what % ABV of total collected low wines you strip to. If you strip to 40% ABV total collected low wines then you'll end up with less than if you stripped to 30% total collected low wines.
I ferment in 55 gal poly drums. I poured 5 gal of water in, drew a line with a Sharpie marker and repeated over and over again. I later took an engraver, engraved permanent lines and marked the engravings with Sharpie marker again. I always note the total volume of my fermentations, their date, temp, SG, FG and PH.
For stripping runs, it depends on the boiler size. I use a large boiler for stripping so there's no need for me to note the volume of my boiler charge because I transfer the entire fermenter over to the boiler. I often use my boiler as the fermenter so once again, no need to note the boiler charge. IF you use a smaller boiler, do multiple stripping runs then technically you don't need to know the exact boiler charge because all of what you fermented ends up getting stripped anyway. So again, the amount you collect mainly depends on the % ABV of your total collected low wines.

Ben

You know what's in the fermenter based on your starting volume (marks on a bucket), the alcohol content by the starting and final gravity readings, those two things give proof gallons of the charge.
Figure out what your strip take off is in proof gallons, divide that by your charged proof gallons, that gives you your yield percentage.
Then you can take your final blend, figure out the proof gallons and divide that into your charge proof and get your final take percentage.
Average that over a bunch of runs and you will have an expectation. You can figure out how many pounds of grain, or sugar or fruit it takes you to make a proof gallon.
Of course it becomes sort of a moving target, and will be a little different based on the ingredients, and what you are cutting for, and how you recycle your feints. But you should know that if you are starting fresh for the fruit season and have no feints you can expect X bottles from Y amount of fruit (assuming you bring the starting gravity to about the same number). Or if you are doing a run of Bourbon and recycling feints you can expect X volume at barrel strength from Y lbs of grain and know how many runs its going to take you to fill a barrel of a given size.
Or just wing it and hope your memory is right. That's what I do... tastes good.:)

subbrew

I rack into carboys to let the wash sit a week or two to clear before I run it.  This also frees up my large fermenter so I can get a new batch started.  My carboys are etched with volume marking so I then know the amount I dump into the boiler.  
From last years brandy notes
Fermented 48 gal with an OG of 1.048
First stripping run 12 gal - gave 2.5 gal low wines at 27%
Second stripping run 12 gal - gave 2.5 gal low wines at 27%
Third stripping run 12 gal - gave 2.4 gal low wines at 27%
Fourth stripping run 9 gal - gave 2.0 gal at 28%
Spirit run and after cuts 2.2 gal at 67%

Demy

I generally measure the volumes in the fermenter, then the volumes of low wines and their% with respect to the fermenter, then I measure the volumes of the heads, hearts, tails and their percentages with respect to low wines. Finally, I calculate the% of hearts with respect to the fermenter, this allows me to estimate the product. Not everything is necessary but it allows you to have a complete picture of the product.

BoilerMaker

My low tech method is to measure the distance from the top edge of the boiler's rim down to the top of the boiler charge. Knowing the distance I look up the volume from a table I made previously. For example on a 13 gal milk can boiler: 6" from rim = 12 gal, 7.5" = 11 gal, 9" = 10 gal, 10.5" = 9 gal, etc. For a distance between two entries then interpolate, for example 1/2 inch is equivalent to about 1/3 gallon. You just have to keep it straight that as distance goes down the volume goes up. The same method should work for other boilers or containers, as long as there's a fixed point of reference at the top and there's a way to measure the liquid level from that point.

NormandieStill

I like this idea. I was thinking of making a dip stick out of copper but this seems easier.
It's a question of recipe scaling. My first attempt at an apple brandy produced about 1L @ 65% from 25L, but I have little faith in the numbers I produced. I wanted to be sure that from now on, when I test something I get a reasonable idea of what I'll get from scaling up."I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo
A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers

Deplorable

My boiler is etched with volume marks by liter so I know how much is going in whether it be volume of water for mashing, stripping run or sprit run.
I have a 13 gallon milk can boiler. I used my vinyl plotter to make a stencil after doing the math to determine where the marks needed to be.
I applied the stencil to the inside of the boiler and used salt water, a cotton ball and a 12V battery charger to electro etch the still.Use all your senses, and its not that hard. You just have to pay attention.
Procrastinate, you'll make better whiskey.

Demy

Same thing ... I engraved the liters with a mini drill (and delicate hand), you do it once and you don't think about it anymore