Newbie Posting from New Zealand

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transplantedkiwi
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Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:29 am

Newbie Posting from New Zealand

Post by transplantedkiwi »

Hello and thank you for having such a wealth of information!

I am originally from the US of A and am currently in New Zealand. We've made our first batch and it all went very well. We followed a recipe, we waited and waited, we took off the heads (right into our pick-up/ute's gas tank) and we're thrilled with the process so far. Our second batch was fun and useful, we took some really cheap alcohol that we had bought but after the first drinks never wanted to drink again and distilled it again ourselves, then charcoal filtered the results of that run repeatedly and came out with a much more drinkable product. I am really pleased with the still, the process, and the results so far in both runs, and am happily moving forward.

Now, we're on to batch three and I have some questions that I haven't been able to answer myself, which is what lead me to this forum to ask.

I have read through the basics (both here and in several books) and maybe I am just being too ambitious, and I'm pretty sure that I am reading things that I don't understand and that have no place to land in my very newbie brain. If there is a place that answers my question, I would love it if someone could point me to it!

I had a bunch of fruit that was going to go to waste, so I made my last mash with that mix of fruit (all still good and fine at that point, not moldy or past peak fruit), instead of potatoes, but still adding sugar and yeast in addition, and now I am wondering how to tell exactly when the fruit mash is ready to be distilled, or if I have already gone too far, all the way to vinegar, and if I have gone past the sweet spot, is there any harm in distilling it anyway? It smells fine, a little sharp but fine, and tastes very fruity, and not very alcohol-like to me. I've been fermenting it for 9 days now, in a vessel, with a pillow case covering to keep flies, etc. out, but letting some air circulate.

I have, today, taken out the pulp of the fruit, syphoned off the top of that liquid after letting it settle and leaving the sediment behind. I still have some bubbles coming, after all the hoopla today, but nothing like it was in the first week.

My main question is "Is there any harm in distilling what I have, even if it's too soon or too late? (Understanding I will follow the same still procedures for safety, not drinking the heads, etc. that I did on the first 2 batches)."

Thank you and cheers,

transplanted kiwi
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Yummyrum
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Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Newbie Posting from New Zealand

Post by Yummyrum »

Welcome transplantedkiwi
I approved your welcome post as it gave us a good idea about where you are at and where your from . ..... but this is a welcome thread and questions should be asked in the novice section :thumbup:
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fizzix
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Re: Newbie Posting from New Zealand

Post by fizzix »

You may or may not get a detailed answer in the Welcome Center and might have to pose your question in a proper forum topic. (They like to keep the Welcome Center for introductions only.)
Welcome to the club and I'm glad you've joined.
transplantedkiwi
Novice
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:29 am

Re: Newbie Posting from New Zealand

Post by transplantedkiwi »

Ok, I will post the question in the novice section, thank you for your help!
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nuntius01
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Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2017 4:51 pm
Location: upper midwest

Re: Newbie Posting from New Zealand

Post by nuntius01 »

welcome
I'm just the bank and the mule

post your still pics here
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 16&t=66917
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