Know more about “Cuts” in Your Moonshine Run

There are many ways to distill moonshine, but true shiners know that it takes practice and patience to develop the knack for making the best moonshine. You won’t get it right the first time, or even the fifth, but with the right tricks, you’ll learn sooner rather than later what it takes to make a great tasting batch of moonshine that mixes well with other drinks or can be used in a variety of recipes.

Before you try distilling moonshine at home, make sure you are aware of the federal laws on home alcohol distillation. Know which permits you need before you begin.

What’s a “Cut”?

Putting your mash into your moonshine still, heating it, and distilling the alcohol out of it is called a “run.” When you’re distilling moonshine, you will separate the run into several containers. Each time you switch from one container to another is called a “cut.” But, you don’t cut whenever you feel like it, or based on the container size. There are specific reasons to cut your run, and the best moonshine distillers are the ones who cut at the right time.
The beginning of the run produces moonshine that is dangerous to drink, and the end of the run produces moonshine that isn't as tasty or high proof. The best moonshine is the stuff in the middle of the run.

Parts of the Run

1. Foreshots

There are several types of alcohol produced when making moonshine, and each type boils and condenses at a different temperature. One of the first alcohols to vaporize and then condense in your collection jar is methyl alcohol, also known as methanol.
Methanol is extremely dangerous for people to drink - it is even the reason that moonshine is rumored to make people “go blind.” Let’s be clear though: properly distilled and cut, moonshine is safe.
You will always throw away the fore shots from every moonshine run. A rule of thumb is to discard any moonshine in the collection jar when the mash temperature reaches 174 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything produced before that temperature is methanol.

Consider these general guidelines:

•  for a 1 gallon batch, discard the first shot glass of moonshine

•  for a 5 gallon batch, discard the first ⅓ pint of moonshine

•  for a 10 gallon batch, discard the first ¾ pint of moonshine

2.  Heads

The heads are not necessarily dangerous to drink, but they don’t taste as good or go down smoothly. Heads generally contain some undesirable chemicals, which is why people blame them for hangovers. Heads are generally 20-30% of your moonshine run. Set them aside for re-distillation later (“the feints”).

3. Hearts

The hearts are the best portion of the moonshine run. As basically pure ethanol, they’re the best smelling and best tasting moonshine out of the run. The hearts account for 30-40% of the moonshine run, but the real amount is determined by the expertise of the moonshiner. It takes skill to know when to cut between the heads and hearts, and between the hearts and tails.

4. Tails

The tail-end of your moonshine run will contain some alcohol, but also a lot of water and other by-products that don’t add to the flavor or potency of your moonshine. They make up 20-30% of the moonshine run, and should also be set aside with the heads for another later distillation (“the feints”).

5. Ending the Run

When your moonshine stills has produced all it can for that run, the temperature in the onion head will suddenly drop, and the condenser will stop dripping moonshine. Turn off your heat and wait for the copper moonshine still to cool before cleaning thoroughly.

The “Feints”

Take the heads and tails (“the feints”) you saved, and mix them into the wash of your next moonshine run. Or, if you collect enough feints, you might run an all-feints wash, called “the queen’s share.” Throw out the fore shots in a queen’s share run, just to be safe.

Tips for the Best Moonshine Cuts

Experienced moonshiners say that it is always better to cut too soon than too late, except in the case of the fore shots. It’s better to cut those late and throw out some of the heads.

Cutting the heads too soon and having some hearts mixed with the heads won’t be a big deal. Neither will cutting the tails too soon and having some hearts mixed with the tails. It’s much better than having heads or tails mixed in with the hearts of your moonshine batch.

Making the best moonshine takes skill, practice, and a fine sense of timing. Moonshine Stills distilling has long been both a science, and an art.