Idea for a Pot still head

Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper.

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rad14701
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by rad14701 »

TxBrewing, over the course of dozens of batches of Birdwatchers/TPW I eventually stopped adding lemon juice or anything else that is acidic because the tomato paste has plenty of acidity all by itself... And I have flip-flopped back and forth on inverting my sugar... Beyond that, I've used canned tomato puree at 3x the amount of tomato paste with equal success because tomato paste is essentially just puree with the juice removed, which amounts to 2/3 of the volume...

Just a few hints even though this probably won't be your goto recipe on a regular basis...
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

Almost home rad
Then I have a few questions


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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

rad14701 wrote:TxBrewing, over the course of dozens of batches of Birdwatchers/TPW I eventually stopped adding lemon juice or anything else that is acidic because the tomato paste has plenty of acidity all by itself... And I have flip-flopped back and forth on inverting my sugar... Beyond that, I've used canned tomato puree at 3x the amount of tomato paste with equal success because tomato paste is essentially just puree with the juice removed, which amounts to 2/3 of the volume...

Just a few hints even though this probably won't be your goto recipe on a regular basis...
So any idea why this one will not take off?

I have everything I need to build another wash, what would you suggest?
This is just for a cleaning run, and I only need 5-6 gallons.

Thanks!!!!!!

TXB
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

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TxBrewing wrote:
rad14701 wrote:TxBrewing, over the course of dozens of batches of Birdwatchers/TPW I eventually stopped adding lemon juice or anything else that is acidic because the tomato paste has plenty of acidity all by itself... And I have flip-flopped back and forth on inverting my sugar... Beyond that, I've used canned tomato puree at 3x the amount of tomato paste with equal success because tomato paste is essentially just puree with the juice removed, which amounts to 2/3 of the volume...

Just a few hints even though this probably won't be your goto recipe on a regular basis...
So any idea why this one will not take off?

I have everything I need to build another wash, what would you suggest?
This is just for a cleaning run, and I only need 5-6 gallons.

Thanks!!!!!!

TXB
As with most recipes the main reasons for sluggish fermentation are temperature, pH, nutrients, occasionally preservatives, and at times yeast stress can make the wash toxic to the point where nothing seems to help... In your case we can pretty much eliminate preservatives... If the wash temperature is at least in the mid-70's we can eliminate that as well... It could be possible that the tomato paste was somehow lacking in nutrient value... Or the wash may have gone acidic and needs the pH raised...

If you want to cover all of the bases before considering the toxic option I'd toss in any kind of crushed up cereal you have on hand, a pinch or two of Epsom Salt, and a bit more yeast... Some crushed up egg shells or your choice of pH-Up probably wouldn't hurt either... I've had a few washes that got slow and no amount of fussing would speed them up yet they finally fermented to dry after about three weeks...

Good luck...!!! :thumbup:
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

I got Frosted Flakes


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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

Tomorrow I will again with a new wash.
This time all I have is bakers yeast however.

so again 10 lbs of sugar, 1 6oz can tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon yeast? Never used bakers yeast so not sure how much to go with, but I will go and read up.
Not sure I have anything to raise PH, I can also pick up some sort of cereal from the store.

This is really driving me nuts!

TXB
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by jb-texshine »

TxBrewing wrote:Tomorrow I will again with a new wash.
This time all I have is bakers yeast however.

so again 10 lbs of sugar, 1 6oz can tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon yeast? Never used bakers yeast so not sure how much to go with, but I will go and read up.
Not sure I have anything to raise PH, I can also pick up some sort of cereal from the store.

This is really driving me nuts!

TXB
Pickling lime from the canning section of a grocery store will raise the ph.
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

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I will look tomorrow


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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by rad14701 »

TxBrewing wrote:Tomorrow I will again with a new wash.
This time all I have is bakers yeast however.

so again 10 lbs of sugar, 1 6oz can tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon yeast? Never used bakers yeast so not sure how much to go with, but I will go and read up.
Not sure I have anything to raise PH, I can also pick up some sort of cereal from the store.

This is really driving me nuts!

TXB
I pitch bakers yeast at a rate of about 1 Tbsp per 1.5 - 2 gallons... I make a starter using 3 Tbsp yeast with 3 Tbsp sugar in 3 cups of water for a 6 gallon wash...
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

Then so will I

Thanks to everyone
I really just want to clean my still

DADY will be here Thursday and I will get my UJSM going. Hope I do t have the same issues


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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

So this morning there are small bubbles forming, like soap bubbles, that are lasting on the surface of the wash.
It stills smells good, or at least it does not smell like it has turned on me, so I am going to let it go and wait until I get my DADY, if It looks like I need to remake the wash after Thursday, then I will.

What are you guys using to test PH?
And will I have this same issue (no/slow start) with the UJSM?

Again, thanks for all the help.

TXB
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by Mikey-moo »

TxBrewing wrote:EDIT TO ADD: Birdwatcher calculator says I need 5 TABLE SPOONS and I only used 2 TEA Spoons.......

can't find my brewing PH test strips...because I have not used them in YEARS
I have ones for my pool, but they only go down to 6.4, and I think I am much lower than that

I also started raising the temp to 80, and it is there now, but no activity.
Do you know how embarrassing this is...I have been brewing for 10 years and I can't get sugar water to ferment....

Run down:

5.5 gal water
10 pounds sugar
6 oz tomato paste
2 tsp lemon juice.

I have everything i need to dump and re-make, might be what I do.
Also picked up a jar of Baker's yeast while at the store just now.

TXB
1) What activity are you expecting?
2) What does your hydrometer read?
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

So from my 10 years of beer brewing the most obvious signs of fermentation include:
Airlock activity - not a great sign but one of the more obvious if it is there - I have none
Active wort or wash - signs that CO2 is being produced - I am seeing small bubbles forming and lasting on the top of the wash, time will tell if this is an infection or yeast activity
A head of foamy krausen - sometimes called a cap, I don't have one, or the signs that one formed and has fallen.

Because this is just for a sac run, I didn't take a OG reading (never happen again) Figured after a week or so, I would take a FG reading to know that it was done.
Reading this morning was 1.068 (corrects to 1.07), seems a little high, but it is what it is.

So, I will wait and see what is going on this evening,
Worst case, I dump and start over.
Going to get the cracked corn and sugar for the UJ today as well.

TXB
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by Mikey-moo »

You're probably not going to get any kind of krausen from the sugar wash and you know as well as I do that airlocks can lie to you. The small bubbles sound promising though. Did you say you pitched two teaspoons of yeast or the 5 tablespoons in the end? I usually about a cup full to get things off to a flying start.
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

No
I have pitched 2 packs of US-05 ale yeast, which should be more than enough.
Also, it looked a bit cloudy, in a good yeastie way, soooo we will see
If it is not going when I get home, I might try one more yeast drop with bakers yeast, after that I will just start over.

TXB
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

Ok, so this has gone sour, will dump in the morning.

I am in need of guidance here, just want to make a simple wash for the sac run.
I got Sugar, tomato paste, bakers yeast, distillers yeast, multi-vitimines, epsom-salt.

I have no idea where this went wrong, only guess is that I didn't pitch enough yeast to start and maybe the PH was off.
I have nothing right now to check PH with.

So I guess this is the starting point?
5.5 gal water
10 pounds sugar
6 oz tomato paste
??? lemon juice. (with our without the juice)

and 3 tbsp bakers yeast, as per Rad's directions

Thank you all again.

TXB
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by jb-texshine »

TxBrewing wrote:Ok, so this has gone sour, will dump in the morning.

I am in need of guidance here, just want to make a simple wash for the sac run.
I got Sugar, tomato paste, bakers yeast, distillers yeast, multi-vitimines, epsom-salt.

I have no idea where this went wrong, only guess is that I didn't pitch enough yeast to start and maybe the PH was off.
I have nothing right now to check PH with.

So I guess this is the starting point?
5.5 gal water
10 pounds sugar
6 oz tomato paste
??? lemon juice. (with our without the juice)

and 3 tbsp bakers yeast, as per Rad's directions

Thank you all again.

TXB
Make that more like 7 lbs sugar and 0 lemon juice but add crushed oyster shell as a ph buffer.its sold as chicken grit.

Use the bakers yeasy,rehydrated, then make a "yeast bomb".
Temp in low to mid 80's.
Airate the shit outta the wash before pitching the yeast bomb.
Did you airate the last one?
Jbt
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

I did but could do better
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

Can I get the shells st a feed store or Big R?
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by jb-texshine »

TxBrewing wrote:Can I get the shells st a feed store or Big R?
Got a tsc close by? Most feed stores should have it. It makes chickens eggshells harder in case they ask why the shell type specifically. Manna pro makes it i know,but its 7.99 a 5 lb bag. The big bag i get is 35 or 40 lbs and i paid 12.99 for it at a feed store.
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by Mikey-moo »

TxBrewing wrote:Ok, so this has gone sour, will dump in the morning.
Sour as in taste? Or sour as in experience? I'm guessing the latter, but thought I'd ask anyway as I hate to see anything tipped down the drain.
TxBrewing wrote:So I guess this is the starting point?
5.5 gal water
10 pounds sugar
6 oz tomato paste
??? lemon juice. (with our without the juice)

and 3 tbsp bakers yeast, as per Rad's directions

Thank you all again.

TXB
The tomato paste - was it preservative free?
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

Mikey-moo wrote:
TxBrewing wrote:Ok, so this has gone sour, will dump in the morning.
Sour as in taste? Or sour as in experience? I'm guessing the latter, but thought I'd ask anyway as I hate to see anything tipped down the drain.
TxBrewing wrote:So I guess this is the starting point?
5.5 gal water
10 pounds sugar
6 oz tomato paste
??? lemon juice. (with our without the juice)

and 3 tbsp bakers yeast, as per Rad's directions

Thank you all again.

TXB
The tomato paste - was it preservative free?
Sour as it is infected, and I am not sure what I am gonna do with that fermentor now......

Tomato paste, now that I think about it, was the cheap store brand, I will pick up some that I know is free of other things today.

Not sure I want to make a yeast bomb, but I have some multivitamins, and I will check and see if my brew store has yeast nutrients.

I don't have a TSC close by, but a Big R. It seems Nutrena Poultry Grit, It says it is crushed granite, is that the same thing?

I will post up later once I get all the stuff together and get feedback again on what I plan to do

TXB
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by ShineonCrazyDiamond »

This is too complicated. It's just a sac run.

Dissolve sugar in water. Dump over a bunch of cracked corn. Take your favorite whiskey glass, fill it with bulk bakers yeast, and dump it into the Fermenter. Throw a towel over it, put it next to your furnace or over a heating vent. Come back in a week.

People say don't waste good tasting uj on a sac run, but who cares? It's freakin' cheap and easy. Who ever said a sac run had to be a neutral? Uj is waaaay more TxBrewing proof. Why complicate things with fussing around with tomato paste and Epsom salt?
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:This is too complicated. It's just a sac run.

Dissolve sugar in water. Dump over a bunch of cracked corn. Take your favorite whiskey glass, fill it with bulk bakers yeast, and dump it into the Fermenter. Throw a towel over it, put it next to your furnace or over a heating vent. Come back in a week.

People say don't waste good tasting uj on a sac run, but who cares? It's freakin' cheap and easy. Who ever said a sac run had to be a neutral? Uj is waaaay more TxBrewing proof. Why complicate things with fussing around with tomato paste and Epsom salt?
Well to start with, I didn't have any cracked corn, until just now!!!
I wasn't looking for a neutral, I was looking for something easy and cost effective, but now at this stage of the game, you may be on to something

To be honest in 10 years of making beer I have never had anything not ferment at all, maybe stall at 1.020, but to never start.....never before
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

So,
6 pounds sugar
4 pounds corn
3tbsp yeast, proofed in 3 c water with 3 tbsp sugar - that stuff took off!!!
lost track of the water between 5-6 gallons
SG uncorrected of 1052
temp controlled to 78F

Have church tonight until around 9pm, so I will check on it again when I get home
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

Checked before church, it was bubbling away....
Checked this morning, it is bubbling away...

Thanks to everyone that helped.

Going to put my first UJSM ferment together today or tomorrow.

TXB
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by ShineonCrazyDiamond »

TxBrewing wrote:
Going to put my first UJSM ferment together today or tomorrow.

TXB
Second*

Your first one is bubbling away :thumbup: But you can't drink this one :(
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

Well played good Sir
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

The first wash has stopped airlock activity. Second is working. Should get the cleaning runs this weekend
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Re: Idea for a Pot still head

Post by TxBrewing »

well the 5 gallon SAC run and the 10 gallon 1gen UJ have both finished fermenting.
Dropped the temp in the fermentation chamber to allow for better clearing, and will run them this weekend I hope!
#firstrun

TXB
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