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I just run it straight in the original configuration. The last time I ran it was over a year ago in cold weather. I use a Bayou Burner, a SS Keg, and a 55 gallon drum for cooling water. The last run was 190 Proof and I got 3 quarts from one run before it started hitting the 180 degree mark. I like i...

I have a PSII column that has been sitting for about 12 months unused in my dusty shop. I didn't do any 'winterizing' to it prior to storage, and just left it where it sat after cleaning out my keg from the last run I did. Should the copper packing still be ok in the column, or should I do a 'cleani...

Is it possible to make a recipe entirely of either Rye Malt or Barley Malt 6-Row?

The reason I ask is that I have an abundance of both (100# each) and it would simplify the mash 10 fold over trying to extract the starches from cracked corn.

Thanks.

I have a Brewhaus 3" SS Column and the only 'flaw' in the design is that the SS collection tube coming from the condenser is too short, and you need to add material to adequately collect product. Brewhaus includes 4' of Chemical Tolerant Hosing as the answer to this, but I want to mod the tip o...

Ahhh ... ok. I was confused and thought they always stuck around, and that the higher the proof ... the longer the bubbles stuck around! Growing up I always saw old times 'check the bead' and thought that it was supposed to be a residual thing that stuck around. At that time the 'foamy bead' that st...

I made a run today from a very prominent bourbon recipe. I use a 3" SS Reflux Column with copper mesh packing, and everything ran smoothly. I am very pleased with it, to say the last. However, I always hear about everyone getting "a bead". I know what it means, and what it looks like....

Sounds good. I think I'll try that, and use my hotplate for my fish fry pot. It's only 4 gallons.

Well, I did a test study, and actually put a lot of time and effort into it. First, I took 2 pounds of bananas and sliced them, peel and all, into 1/4" slices and dehydrated them in my dehydrator. (14 hours total for 2 pounds) Then, I pulverized the dried bananas into a grit and introduced 1/2&...

Too many beekeepers these days worry about this disease and that bug, but they've been doing fine without us for hundreds of thousands of years. Why worry about them? We're the ones you should be worrying about. :D Yes, but widespread agriculture and use of pesticides have not been around for hundr...

Well, would a propane Bayou Burner do better?

I have one that I use for crawfish boils, and it heats my 10 gallon pot in about 30 minutes. I usually turn down the flame once I get a rolling boil, and I only use about 1 pound an hour of propane. Very efficient in my opinion.

It's this stuff.

http://www.brewhaus.com/Whisky-Yeast-wi ... 6C103.aspx

No offense, but I'm not going to use baker's yeast. I'm a long time winemaker, and have never touched the stuff.

Plus, wouldn't the baker's yeast die out with the high abv potential of this mash?

I bought some Prestige WD yeast awhile back, and have just gotten around to using it. I have an 8 gallon mash that is at SG 1.090 before adding the yeast. The directions on the packet says to use 1 packet per 25 liters (6.6 US Gallons). Should I be ok with one packet, or should I add two for safe me...

I have a Cadco KrS2 that I got for free from a trade, and was trying to use it this afternoon for a cleaning run on my 3" column w/ 15.5 keg. The problem was that the water was heating up very slowly even on 'High', and never did completely come to a boil. After 3 hours of messing around the to...

I know all of us have them some time in our lives, but how do you deal with them? I have a neighbor who is the nosiest of them all. He's 56 years old, still lives with his parents, and just got out the joint for doing an 8 yr. grand theft bit. Anytime I'm out on my property he walks over to wherever...

I might try that. A buddy of mine suggested Barolkleen, but the baking soda is cheaper. Thanks.

I made the mistake of using one of my good winemaking fermenting buckets for corn 'beer', and I can't get that sour smell out. :sick: Does anyone have any trick on cleaning a fermenting bucket to get the sour foot smell out, or should I chalk this one up to experience and designate it as a 'beer' fe...

I might try it on a small 1 gallon batch this week. I'll use 1 as the control, and the second with ripe bananas.

I'll have to start them both with the same yeast starter to ensure accurate results. I'll put it to the test and get back next weekend.

The green banannas should have their maximum alpha before they start converting their own starch to sugar. Because banannas have a lot of starch even after they're ripe, they probably don't have enough emzymes left to convert anything else. Yes, but it's my understanding of the process that tells m...

You would need to add alpha first, not sure if the gluco in banannas would be enough to convert the long chains. The bio-waste ethanol guys add both to bananna scraps, but that includes stems and peels. http://www.google.com/patents/US5833757" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;...

Has anyone tried using ripe / slightly brown bananas to convert starches to sugars? The primary compound that is responsible for the bananas maturation is gluco-amylase, after all. This is the exact same chemical compound found in Distiller's AG. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Amyloglucosidase j...

I only have enough room in my stock pot for 3 gallons Plus the ingredients. It's a 5 gallon / 20 qt. stock pot. I have a 60 qt. pot on the way, but it won't be here until Thursday. I'm using NChooch's CB recipe, and it calls for a 4 gallon mash to begin. Should I be ok with only 3 gallons to begin w...

Doing a little research and I found a good source for liners .... Here is a good one for a 20 gallon can. http://www.bestpolybag.com/can-liner-20-30-gallon-5-mil-clear-lldpe-trash-bags-30-36-502095.html These are food grade plastic liners. Plus, I wouldn't have to worry about buying 2 or 3 at a time...

The price listed is about 3x higher than what I have seen. Looks like that must be highly inflated retail, company direct pricing or something. H. Yeah, that's a factory direct price, and I was only using it as an example. My Lowe's store has them on sale right now for $15 / 20 gal. & $22 / 32 ...

I was at Lowes this morning and ran across a sale on the following gray plastic containers. http://www.rubbermaidcommercialproducts.com/c42/c241/2620-BRUTE-Container-without-Lid-Pack-of-6-Pails-p475.html On the bottom it reads " NSF Food #2 White Yellow Gray." Does this mean that it's safe...

I've also seen where people use Sweet Feed Mix. What's the difference? I know that the sweet feed mix has cane molasses bits and other grains. Is it ok to use as well?

Is feed corn ok to use for mash? Right now my local feed store has #2 yellow dent on sale for $7 a 50# bag.

I still say honey bees are the answer. If you start off with one colony. Then the next spring you harvest honey, and then split them. You keep doubling your 'work force' every year with a minimal start-up investment. You'll have to buy your first colony, but after that you are set. Plus, they're pre...

In order for it to be economical I will have to purchase rye and barley malt in 50# increments. What is the best way to store these, and what are their respective shelf lifes? I was thinking of breaking the grains up into 5# batches, and using our Foodsaver to suck all of the air out of the bag. Thi...

:shock: :wtf: what was for sale in china? To get back to the original topic ... I found a manufacturer in China that produces pots for a company here in the U.S. No big deal other than the fact that the U.S. company claims to build them when, in fact, they purchase them from overseas. I also found ...

You can buy a legal keg that has up to a 6" triclamp fitting on top. And I'm not sold on the 3" ferrule providing that much more. See people on here running 3" and 4" columns on a 2" standard keg with very good output. All the time. This is just my observations. I am in the...