Home Distiller

I'm interested to see how food safe the liner is too. Even if that doesn't work though I would still grab that bad boy up. You could put a collar on the top to give you the clearence for a twenty gallon fermenter and then hook the chest freezer up to temperature control. This would really make quali...

Use that yeast cake baby! The only issue you should worry about is how clean and sanitary your process is. As this will affect how good your yeast cake will be. My own experience, is that the yeast really doesn't come into its own until about the sixth or seventh repitching. Re-useing your yeast is ...

Some more to think about. Just because a yeast says it is good to 20% alcohol tolerance doesn't mean that you will attain that. Keep in mind that, that number, is derived in a lab under perfect conditions. If in the future you want to max out an abv than start with a wash with a lower OG and than ju...

So here is one more. This one deals specifically with enzymes. Just Google This title "The advantages of Using Natural substrate-Based Methods in Assessing the Roles and Synergistic and Competitive Interactions of Barley Malt Starch-Degrading Enzymes"

O.K here is some lite reading for ya. Evans, D.E., Collins, H., Eglington, J., Wilhemson,A., "Assessing the Impact of the Level of Diastatic Power Enzymes and Their Thermostability on the Hydrolisis of Starch During Wort Production to Predict Malt Fermentability," J.Am Soc. Brew Chem., 63(...

Nope, you haven't missed anything, Rubberduck. Those were just the listed optimums. You are quit correct, at about 145 to say 149 degrees f you get a lot of good fermentables. Body in beer is more about how much liquid you have in the mash as a ratio at a given temp more than just the temp. So for d...

Ok, so, Rubberduck, don't take this the wrong way. Everything you had to say was accurate except the temps. The best temps, the sweet spot for starch conversion utilizing both enzymes is 150-152F. This is why. Alfa amylase doesn't denature until 170 degrees F, but beta amylase denatures at 158 degre...

Radman, you could use a bug to sour the mash. This would do two things, one the mash would sour and two the sp would drop some more. You most likely have hit the bottom of the attenuation ladder with yeast. You could try putting some champagne yeast into your fermenter. Champagne yeast has a higher ...

Hey radman, To answer your question, the difference between malt, and malt extract, it is this, malt is a barley, wheat, or a cereal grain in general that has been germinated and then kilned to stop the growth process. This makes it possible for brewers and distillers to convert the starches in the ...

Here is some more info for ya. Yeast have a difficult time doing their stuff when the gravity of the wort is over 1.050, so as a result you need to pitch more yeast. By having a hard time I mean that they have a harder time propagating. So for instants, lets say in five gallons you need one packet o...

Another Idea, I do this on occasion with good results. Take Maris-Otter(British Two-Row Pale malt) and spread it out over a steal screen. Use as much as the screen will hold, but the layer should be no more than a 1/2 inch deep or 10-11 MM. Lite up the weber gill to get some coals going. And then se...

Well, Scarecrow. It sound like that is exactly what they do. Bulk it up with stuff, that is. I have Dick down at our local feed store calling the manufacture to see if he can get it with out all the additives. He thinks that we should be able to get it unadulterated. The cane molasses is on the way ...

So some interesting stuff. Went to talk to my feed store man and all of the molasses comes labeled. He says by FDA rules that he has to either provide a label with the ingredients and their percentages or the feed company has to. Specifically for the molasses though, it use to be that they could mix...

I see. Hmmm.... I must push harder for molasses made from cane sugar. I am certain the feed guy could get it, it just sounded like a lot of work. Comes from a different source, takes longer to get and costs more. So, I will see how much more. A 50lb. bag of the beet molasses was seven dollars. I thi...

So today I was talking to our local feed store guy, trying to source some material for my rum making ventures in the future. The question is this, the molasses he carries is made from beat sugar, will this make a good rum? I could get it in both dried and liquid form. I am just curious if it makes a...

Rainy most days with 30 degrees C. :( I'm playing actually with 10% barley and 10% oats in a UJSSM mash. It smells and taste that good that I'd like to have a glass of that wine. :) Will let all know how the likker will come out BTW: I use only bakers yeast in USJJM. Joe Your mixture sounds great, ...

Quit right Rednose, taste, is all about perspective. Some like corn taste and some don't. Although, large amounts of corn as a fermentable doesn't always equate to lots of corn flavor. I guess that is what I was getting at. Ingredients are important, but not as important as how you mash them, or how...

I will agree with Dndr. Now another thought, my opinion of course, If you want a cleaner profile in your corn mash, you will need to do a full mash and lauter before your ferment. Infact, you could clean up a lot of excess crude in your wort by boiling it for 20 min. Mind you that you will be doing ...

I think if I were in your shoes I would go and get myself a large bag of malted barley. Then I would use that bag as a enzyme starter for my endless supply of unmalted wheat and barley. I would do your cereal boil to disperse the starches then let it cool to the proper temp for the alfa amylase in t...

Still-in, if you are still in the mood to mash, with grain, I have a few ideas for your apartment dwelling lifestyle. As a brewer getting in to the hobby of distilling I can give you a few cheap solutions for getting good separation and making clean up a lot less of a mess and maybe even more enjoya...

So it really is about simplicity. I like it. That is the way I like to brew as well. Once you have a good consistent, and comfortable system, you can sit back and enjoy the finer points of the art. Thanks for the reply Dnder.

Say dnder, is there a reason that you are letting the mash sit that long other than conversion? I am just curious. I brewed a set of experimental beers about a year ago, to find the flavor of the corn in the beer. So one of my recipes contained 30% British 2-row and 60% flaked corn and 10% black str...

So, just a thought. I have been brewing beer on the electric for three years. I use heating elements in sanky kegs. Because I am a control freak about my mash temps I use a PID and an SSR to control the heat. I also recirculate the mash, during the mash. This gives spectacular clarity to the wort be...

So a few points of consideration. Home distilling is not unlike home brewing or home wine making. Two, in countries where home distillation already exists I think we could find that statistically consumption of commercial spirits goes up. This happened with home brewing in the US, so I think it is n...

Yup, your grain will do the job. Things to consider. One, ten percent will also do the same job, it will take a little longer. Two, convert your un-malted grains starches to gelatinous goo first and then bring down the temp to 158F before adding your grain for fastest conversion to sugars. Once conv...

I will still build one. I just think I am going to to what olddog suggested and cut my teeth on distilling with a straight up Pot and condenser. Then when I feel comfortable I will thump it up. I like the idea of a thumper, but I just didn't quit know if that would be taking a short cut in my educat...

Good question Kiwi, I use two. I use Beer Smith mainly and I also dabble around with Beer Alchemy. Both are customizable, I have added a lot of ingredients to both, such as cane sugar and molasses. Beer Smith did not come with those ingredients, so I added them after doing some basic SG measurements...

Thanks for the input Olddog. I just bought some more copper today. I going to make a new immersion chiller and then turn the old one into a condenser. The old chiller is a little bit bigger stock at 1/2 inch OD and 18 foot. And by the time I get the piping hooked up I will be able to get another foo...

Don't get to carried away, beer guys use lots of adjunks. Raw cereal grains, as this is the only was to replicate some of our favorite beer styles. Granted, most brewers do not go so far as to convert raw grains, opting instead to buy un-malted stock already processed. I guess what I am getting at, ...

I don't have a pic handy, but it is easy enough to describe. It is a 16 inch long piece of 6 inch PVC, that contains twenty foot length of 3/8" OD copper wound to a five inch diameter. The copper has an in and an out on the top and the bottom of the PVC tube, and the water connects to the side ...