Search found 1319 matches

by pope
Mon Oct 11, 2021 6:29 am
Forum: Continuous Stripping stills
Topic: Pope's 10-plate Continuous Column
Replies: 126
Views: 20239

Re: Pope's 10-plate Continuous Column

I wish there were updates! I put down some good money on a 220v 20a pump for the feed right before or after the pandemic hit (can't remember which), it is nice and dusty. I took down the still for a good cleaning but haven't reconstructed it... it worked well enough to strip ferments down but I will...
by pope
Mon Oct 11, 2021 6:20 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

Catching up on this thread, still haven't touched the kettles in ages (except to move them around the garage)... life can get in the way (in the best of ways, luckily). Glad to see everyone else finding the same experience with agave, seems like you can throw malt in water and it basically turns int...
by pope
Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:50 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

So stoked so many people are successfully making agave spirits these days. IMO 21 Missions was such a game changer.
by pope
Wed Jul 07, 2021 3:12 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

I was told to handle the black agave like terpenes, adding more than recommended for either will seriously hamper or prevent fermentation (I know this from experience). Please do not over-do the black or you will wait months and eventually have very expensive vinegar like me! Call it the price of le...
by pope
Tue Jul 06, 2021 2:48 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

8Ball there's DIY youtube videos on how to make your own liquid smoke with basically a BBQ, a bowl of ice water, and a few odds and ends. I've got a book with mezcal notes that say what kinds of woods they use - oak and eucalyptus are common, I think all the guys down in Mexico doing it the old fash...
by pope
Tue Jul 06, 2021 2:44 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

Jonny I used to have to push more gravity in the OG to get up to barrel strength on the spirit run but I switched to plates (right before I took my long hiatus lol) so I'll have to try lower gravity and leverage those plates to get up to strength. Looks like I did a 1.058 SG last January, dropped ni...
by pope
Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:31 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

8Ball plenty hot these days - did you get your 21 Missions batch fermenting or is the finished product the one you put needles in? I've been removing the 2020 dust from my garage and thinking of getting things going again. With everything going on I quit cold turkey so I've got some agave and molass...
by pope
Mon Mar 08, 2021 4:39 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Copper and Stainless together in condenser?
Replies: 14
Views: 3289

Re: Copper and Stainless together in condenser?

Haha it is! Still alive! According to my latest blood donation I have still managed to avoid the 'rona too. With a baby on the way my WFH office will be given up as a baby room so I'm going to be forced to finish renovating the garage and moving in with my still, this could mean good things for rene...
by pope
Mon Mar 08, 2021 4:33 pm
Forum: Rum
Topic: Esters from Lime salts - using sulfuric acid; process
Replies: 50
Views: 9953

Re: Esters from Lime salts - using sulfuric acid; process

Yea this stuff is super dangerous if you don't handle it right; make sure you handle it right! Besides PPE, proper storage should be in a chemical cabinet with non-reactive coinhabitants. That said I got mine in the US from Duda Diesel/Duda Energy. 98% pure, add it to water to dilute to a useful str...
by pope
Mon Mar 08, 2021 4:05 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

Have my 21M agave, SafTec Blue, & terpenes on hand but waiting on warmer weather before starting. I think it benefits from warm temps - I'm pretty rusty so without looking at my notes I am going from memory when I say these were some of my warmest fermentations. At ~$6 bottle finished it was al...
by pope
Mon Mar 08, 2021 3:56 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Copper and Stainless together in condenser?
Replies: 14
Views: 3289

Re: Copper and Stainless together in condenser?

To be honest I have not logged a ton of hours with it but so far so good! Since last March there have been a lot of stressors that have kept me from routine - some very obvious ones but also some fallout unique to me so I haven't put in a ton of time in the pursuit of the perfect drop. One of the fi...
by pope
Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:02 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Gotta love a keg score
Replies: 25
Views: 2096

Re: Gotta love a keg score

Of course it was Abita, a perfect nola HD story. Congrats on the find!
by pope
Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:01 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

Yes dilute, 8:1 water:agave as a starting point, then check your brix. If you read back over this I'm fairly certain we covered dilution and brix/starting gravity.
by pope
Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:56 am
Forum: Related Electric Accessories
Topic: Know of a smaller selector switch ? ? ?
Replies: 31
Views: 4024

Re: Know of a smaller selector switch ? ? ?

Nice! Glad that it's working for you finally!
by pope
Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:13 pm
Forum: Steam Mashing and Distilling
Topic: Modular steam generator
Replies: 30
Views: 5934

Re: Modular steam generator

Looking good! Looks like you're using plate steel to grab the tube and attach it to the frame, what is actually connecting the stainless tube to the plate steel? I can't quite make out what it is from the pictures.
by pope
Sat Aug 01, 2020 11:25 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

Easy there cowboy, like Stuny said it's WAY WAY less than 16 oz in a 9-gallon total volume fermentation. More like 30-50mL max. 16 oz and it'll never bubble once. Also beware of the 'black' agave syrup from 21 missions and treat it just like terpenes, I tried to use too much and just made a muck pit...
by pope
Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:32 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Wash feed flow control/bypass configuration
Replies: 13
Views: 1621

Re: Wash feed flow control/bypass configuration

Makes a lot of sense! I gotta ask what do you use to grind your grain for a distillers mash? When turning the bypass feed left/right will the bull portion of the ball not partially block if it turns way off of center? Like if I want the two outlets balanced at a 10%/90% ratio, would the bull still r...
by pope
Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:12 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: How fast is too fast for spirit run?
Replies: 42
Views: 3603

Re: How fast is too fast for spirit run?

If you like the cuts you make with it then it's not too fast, but if you don't like what you're making then it's too fast. Save some and in five years regardless of what you think today, you probably won't like the cuts you made. Can you make/buy a controller so that you can throttle the power to yo...
by pope
Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:03 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Anybody get any good deals lately?
Replies: 2882
Views: 271567

Re: Anybody get any good deals lately?

I bought a set of 'precision' chinese ones that I liked because they were slim and tiny so they worked in my parrot without the flow pressure raising the hydrometer. Turns out when I finally compared they were not very precise. Now they just take up room in the back of a drawer since I don't have th...
by pope
Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:59 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Birdwatchers anomalies
Replies: 7
Views: 1617

Re: Birdwatchers anomalies

Try adding oyster shells, or powdered calcium or potassium carbonate/hydroxide (careful with hydroxides). Hydroxides are more potent than carbonates so don't overdo it. What kind of water are you using? City? Well? RO? Distilled? If your water is too pure or too high in minerals you'll get very diff...
by pope
Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:56 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Wash feed flow control/bypass configuration
Replies: 13
Views: 1621

Re: Wash feed flow control/bypass configuration

Chris, Yummyrum suggested a variable frequency drive like one of these to slow the pump (https://www.ato.com/1-2hp-vfd-single-phase-input-output), my manufacturer just suggested a bypass to regulate flow rather than a VFD. I'm sure the VFD would work too or work in tandem, I just think I might be ab...
by pope
Sat Jul 25, 2020 11:46 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Anybody get any good deals lately?
Replies: 2882
Views: 271567

Re: Anybody get any good deals lately?

That is sad news and I’m sure they’re not the first or the last in these times. Half the ADI publication was all COVID-related coverage, distilling is such a hard-hit industry.
by pope
Sat Jul 25, 2020 10:53 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

Stuny either I’ve got to do a batch like yours or vice versa so we can report back on adding or not adding terpenes to the still. Sounds like it’s got to be me. Too much terpenes in the ferment though will cause the yeast to struggle I think.
by pope
Fri Jul 24, 2020 8:01 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Wash feed flow control/bypass configuration
Replies: 13
Views: 1621

Re: Wash feed flow control/bypass configuration

All the info I got on the pump said not to adjust the hz of the pump and instead to do a bypass. I could probably vary the frequency to slow the pump but I’d rather not if I can pull off bypass.

Jack I was hoping someone would have experience with this setup on some scale! Thanks for the input!
by pope
Fri Jul 24, 2020 3:36 pm
Forum: Rum
Topic: My 3 year old
Replies: 39
Views: 4505

Re: My 3 year old

Definitely wish I could try some. Congrats! Love the color - figure some of that is from the red wine in the staves you added? It looks a bit reddish.
by pope
Fri Jul 24, 2020 3:32 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Wash feed flow control/bypass configuration
Replies: 13
Views: 1621

Wash feed flow control/bypass configuration

I am setting up a tee bypass for a continuous flow of mash (using a flex impeller pump with 1" in/out TC fittings), so two valves on a tee on the outflow of the pump with one valve going into my continuous stripping column, the other going back to the fermenter. My questions for the group are: ...
by pope
Fri Jul 24, 2020 8:47 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: My agave spirit
Replies: 235
Views: 28932

Re: My agave spirit

LOL Brat I will keep telling you to pull the trigger til it happens. Raw dark syrup + terpenes + nutrient + tequila yeast with two additional nutrient feedings will give you a great tequila wash, I swear, haha!
by pope
Fri Jul 24, 2020 8:46 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: 6" column build
Replies: 101
Views: 16434

Re: 6" column build

The DSPR's in your Auber control box aren't really PID's anyway - they have a PID function but they also have a % power function that cycles the SSR on/off at high frequency from 0-100% so it works like a potentiometer/PSR setup. They are awesome little units and I will sing their praise as long as ...
by pope
Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:31 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: 6" column build
Replies: 101
Views: 16434

Re: 6" column build

That all makes a lot of sense to me. I've seen at least one commercial still that was jacketed with oil though, do they just struggle through their spirit runs??
by pope
Wed Jul 22, 2020 3:12 pm
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Hey there, their, theyre???????
Replies: 2
Views: 434

Re: Hey there, their, theyre???????

Hey there! Welcome and enjoy.