New To The Art

[liqrlkr]

I am new to the art of distilling and am eager to learn. I have been reading this site for some time now and this is my first post. I have a 7 gallon pot still and am eager to try it out. Will run vinegar through it this week and hope to start my mash. I plan to use Ncchoochs Carolina Bourbon recipe but I cant figure out how much bread yeast to use. I have read extensively and can not find any where that gives the proper amount. I know ya all say to read read read till eyes bleed but I have had no luck finding this one part of the recipe. If someone could help me with this I would be very grateful, If not I will just wipe the blood out of my eyes and continue to look. Thanks in advance. Liqrlkr.

[Still Life]

Don't forget to do a sacrificial run, too, if that's a new still!!
Clean it properly to get all the gunk out.

A level 1/4 cup of baker's yeast is what I use. It's cheap and gets it started fine.

Welcome.

[liqrlkr]

Thanks for the reply still life, I have everything else to start my ag mash. Just purchased an 8 gallon stainless pot to cook with. I am so looking forward to this new adventure. Will insert pictures soon. I am in Florida so it will be HOT to be outside cooking the mash but I have an out building for shade. Pics to follow. thanks again.

[liqrlkr]

I have the Welchs frozen grape recipe that had the sugar and yeast in it. It has set for 11 days and I was going to run that through for the last cleaning this weekend 6-28-17.

[nuntius01]

welcome, plenty of info here. good luck on your first run

[liqrlkr]

Looking very much forward to it. Getting close to retirement too!!!!

[Tapeman]

Welcome, good luck with the new hobby. I will be interested to hear how the fermentation goes in the deep South. I'm in New England so it never really gets hot for very long and fermentation takes me about 4 or 5 days longer than most recipes, especially in the winter since I fermentation in my basement.

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[Spritshere]

Welcome. So much info here. I have been reading every night and I am getting ready for my first run. Gonna run some birdwatchers for the wife. She wants to mix for some flavored drinks for her but I am collecting for some rums in my near future.

[liqrlkr]

Time for an update! My Welch's grape juice never seemed to produce enough gas to make the air lock bubble so I figured it was not working properly but ran it through the still anyway. This time I bought Welch's Passion Fruit as they were out of grape. After four days still no bubbles. Thinking I might need more yeast I stopped at a local business that makes wine to get more yeast. I explained to him what I had done and he said not to add more yeast. He wanted to know how much room there was between the liquid and the cover of my fermenter. I said about six inches. He explained that with the recipe I did that the six inches was too much and I would not see bubbles in the air lock. He said give it 21 days the check it with the hydrometer. I will let you know what happens. I did make a sugar wash and it is bubbling and will use that as my last sacrificial run. Ran still on vinegar and water for the second time while getting some bugs worked out. Water in my condenser got up to 167 after 2 hour run. Seemed to produce alright at that temp. What should a pot still temp be? Thanks.

[liqrlkr]

Sorry I meant pot still "condenser"

[HDNB]

if you want to chronical your adventures in "my first" or in novices, thats fine too.
This is for your intro and welcomes.

stay away from the wine store, i have had ferments build a 12" krausen (thats about 6" of sticky foam on the floor for your wine friend.)

read more and use tried and true recipes like birdwatchers for a simple cleaning run.
fruit juices with preservatives in them won't ferment....thats what the preservatives are there for...to prevent kiddies from getting pissed on their juice boxes. use and follow a recipe, it will save money and heartache.

[liqrlkr]

Will move it. Thanks for the input!