Cleaning and Stripping Runs

Cleaning Run: Remove Manufacturing Oils

A first cleaning run removes residues so your first spirit run is clean and predictable.

Cleaning Run: Remove Manufacturing Oils Before You Distill

Before you make your first spirit run on a new still, you want the inside surfaces clean. New equipment can carry residues from manufacturing, and you do not want those compounds ending up in your first brandy, whiskey, or gin.

A cleaning run is a simple way to clear that risk: you run a diluted acidic charge through the system, collect the output, and rinse the components so you start your real distillation work from a clean baseline.

You’ll run a water + vinegar (acetic acid) cleaning cycle, with the practical safety checks that keep it controlled and low drama.

Quick summary

  • Clean a new still first to remove manufacturing residues before making product
  • Use a water + vinegar (acetic acid) charge and collect the acidic output separately
  • Use full power only to heat up, then reduce power to keep vapors controlled
  • Let the system cool before disassembly, then rinse components with water

Context: why you clean first

If you skip cleaning, you risk dragging unwanted residues into your first product run. That can make your first batch taste wrong for reasons that have nothing to do with fermentation, cuts, or recipe.

Cleaning first keeps your later decisions honest: when you taste something off, you’re working with spirit choices, not factory leftovers.

The cleaning charge (water + vinegar)

The cleaning charge used here is water plus vinegar (acetic acid). A usable acetic acid range is about 4% to 12%.

A practical mix used here

A practical example given is 5 liters of water plus 500 milliliters of vinegar (about 4% in that example).

Setup and safety checks

Before you heat anything, close the ball valve, fill the boiler, and tighten the lid knobs. Start cooling water flow before you run.

Label what you collect

Place a beaker under the outlet and label it clearly as acidic cleaning output. A practical labeling tip given is to write on the back of the container so your hand does not smear the writing when you pick it up.

Heat-up strategy

Heat-up is done fast, then controlled. The approach described is to use 100% power to speed heat-up, then reduce to about 50% once you feel the column warming. The reason is safety: staying at full power can push vapor out aggressively, which you do not want during a cleaning run.

Warning

Safety note

Avoid splashing the acidic mix, and avoid opening the system while hot. Let it cool so you are not working around pungent acetic acid vapors.

After the run: cool, rinse, reassemble

When the cleaning run is done, turn off power and let the system rest and cool briefly. Then remove the parts and rinse them with water to remove remaining acetic acid.

Key Takeaways

  • Cleaning first removes manufacturing residues so your first spirit run starts from a clean baseline.
  • A diluted water + vinegar (acetic acid) charge is a simple, practical cleaning method.
  • Use full power only for heat-up, then reduce power to keep the run controlled.
  • Cool, disassemble, and rinse with water before moving on to product runs.