Search found 55 matches

by scmoose
Sat Feb 22, 2020 6:49 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: First ferment on the grain
Replies: 5
Views: 1502

Re: First ferment on the grain

10 4, thanks all.
by scmoose
Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:15 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Stir mash during fermentation?
Replies: 12
Views: 3354

Re: Stir mash during fermentation?

I'm not so sure the brewshop is equipped to grind cracked corn. Virtually all of their grain is gristed through roller mills. You will need to invest in a grinder that can handle corn, like a corona (my knockoff was $50). Some guys (there's lotsa threads here on it) get a farm corn mill for about $...
by scmoose
Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:14 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: First ferment on the grain
Replies: 5
Views: 1502

First ferment on the grain

I've got a ferment going on cooked corn and 6 row pale malt, never fermented this way before. Should I transfer into a secondary and let it clear after squeezing all of the liquid out of the grain, or just go straight into the boiler? Im worried about off flavors from yeast or drudge if I drain and ...
by scmoose
Thu Feb 20, 2020 12:51 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Stir mash during fermentation?
Replies: 12
Views: 3354

Re: Stir mash during fermentation?

If you can, take a gravity reading before and after fermentation. Then, if you grind your next batch of corn (any degree of grind helps, finer the better) take the same gravity readings for comparison. You’ll see a noticeable increase in conversion rate and alcohol produced. Will do. I do t think t...
by scmoose
Wed Feb 19, 2020 1:00 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Stir mash during fermentation?
Replies: 12
Views: 3354

Re: Stir mash during fermentation?

It was cracked corn.
by scmoose
Wed Feb 19, 2020 10:08 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Stir mash during fermentation?
Replies: 12
Views: 3354

Re: Stir mash during fermentation?

I simmered the corn for 90 minutes, cooled to 150 then added malted barley and mashed for three hours. This was the first time I have done a mash like this, the corn was thick like grits and would form a gelatinized cap on it if I let is sit for a few minuets while cooling.
by scmoose
Wed Feb 19, 2020 7:53 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Stir mash during fermentation?
Replies: 12
Views: 3354

Stir mash during fermentation?

I have a double batch of NCHoochs NC Bourbon recipe going. Should I stir up the mash a few days into the fermentation to make sure any sugar that may be trapped in the pile of cooked corn at the bottom gets brought up? Fermentation kicked off pretty quick, and I had to remove my airlock and run a ho...
by scmoose
Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:27 pm
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: NChooch's Carolina Bourbon
Replies: 1043
Views: 280650

Re: NChooch's Carolina Bourbon

Anyone added more barley to the original recipe? What effect did it have. Accidentally bought 6 lbs of 6 row pale malt which using 7 lbs of corn would keep me within 51% of corn and true to a bourbon.
by scmoose
Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:39 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Thumper
Replies: 16
Views: 3434

Thumper

Can a thumper be too big? Is a 5 gallon thumper too big for a 7.5 gallon pot.
by scmoose
Wed Jan 29, 2020 8:56 am
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Brandy help
Replies: 16
Views: 4106

Re: Brandy help

Should I target a specific gravity when it comes to brandy, or is just a function of the potential alcohol in the end?
by scmoose
Wed Jan 29, 2020 8:52 am
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Brandy help
Replies: 16
Views: 4106

Re: Brandy help

Without additions roughly speaking 5 gallons of apple cider will give you 1/3 gallon or 1.15 liters of apple brandy after making cuts. I'd personally not try to doctor up the SG as you'll hurt your flavor. If anything do a sugar wash to make neutral and then later try to blend in the neutral with i...
by scmoose
Wed Jan 29, 2020 8:51 am
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Brandy help
Replies: 16
Views: 4106

Re: Brandy help

stillanoob wrote:Well, I have yet to run some liquor. But I used honey to boost the sugar in the 10 gallons of wash I have fermenting right now. This was the advice of a commercial distiller I know who makes the best apple brandy I have ever had.
Care to share your wash recipe?
by scmoose
Wed Jan 29, 2020 7:54 am
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Brandy help
Replies: 16
Views: 4106

Brandy help

Trying to think my way through my first attempt at a Apple brandy. From what I understand adding sugar may take away from the fruit flavor so I’m trying to make a wash using “ natural fruit sugars “without adding cane sugar. So my thoughts are using 5 gallons of apple cider, and adding 1 gallon of h...
by scmoose
Sun Jan 05, 2020 9:15 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Clear Apple Pie
Replies: 7
Views: 2580

Re: Clear Apple Pie

I didn’t put any sugar in the thumper.
by scmoose
Sat Jan 04, 2020 1:47 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Clear Apple Pie
Replies: 7
Views: 2580

Re: Clear Apple Pie

So after reading through the clear apple pie thread, in stead of shooting my thumper with flavoring I built a glass jar thumper with a bypass to run downstream of my actual thumper. I know glass is taboo hear but I didn’t want to hack up my keg. The thought process was to put my flavoring in there, ...
by scmoose
Thu Jan 02, 2020 3:44 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Clear Apple Pie
Replies: 7
Views: 2580

Re: Clear Apple Pie

The small thumper is more like a gin basket I suppose. It will be connected to the outlet of my true thumper. Yeah it called for the sugar in the filler recipe but I had planned on leaving it out. I’ll give it a go without and see what happens.
by scmoose
Thu Jan 02, 2020 3:04 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Clear Apple Pie
Replies: 7
Views: 2580

Clear Apple Pie

I will be running UJSSM through my setup with apple pie filling in a small thumper. Should I add the sugar to the filling or go without?
by scmoose
Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:19 pm
Forum: New distiller reading Lounge
Topic: Sacrificial Run
Replies: 34
Views: 11638

Re: Sacrificial Run

Ok wound up running the 5 gallons of UJSSM I had. Man this thing ran so much faster than my old home made slant plate reflux column. Started at 70+ % and ran it down to 40%. Having a hard time tossing everything since there are no off taste or smells, and it’s as clear as water.
by scmoose
Sat Dec 21, 2019 3:45 pm
Forum: New distiller reading Lounge
Topic: Sacrificial Run
Replies: 34
Views: 11638

Re: Sacrificial Run

still_stirrin wrote:
scmoose wrote: Sat Dec 21, 2019 2:00 pm I’ve already got a UJSSM ready I may jut use it
Just remember, it’s sacrificial...meaning you dump it and don’t drink or taste it.
ss

Yeah that’s what makes me not want to waste the mash and run something else.
by scmoose
Sat Dec 21, 2019 2:00 pm
Forum: New distiller reading Lounge
Topic: Sacrificial Run
Replies: 34
Views: 11638

Re: Sacrificial Run

I’ve already got a UJSSM ready I may jut use it
by scmoose
Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:52 am
Forum: New distiller reading Lounge
Topic: Sacrificial Run
Replies: 34
Views: 11638

Sacrificial Run

I need to do a sacrificial / cleaning run and was going to use a 5 gallon UJSSC wash but the more I think about it the more I don’t want to waste that mash. If I went with a cheap box wine how much would I need to use in a 1/2 barrel keg boiler and a 1/16 keg thumper?
by scmoose
Fri Dec 20, 2019 10:50 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Sanke Triclover clamp connection
Replies: 5
Views: 1397

Re: Sanke Triclover clamp connection

I ran them on a belt sander last night to make them thinner, clamp fits much better, no leaks during a vinegar run. Hopefully problem solved.
by scmoose
Thu Dec 19, 2019 10:03 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Sanke Triclover clamp connection
Replies: 5
Views: 1397

Sanke Triclover clamp connection

I'm having a hard time getting my 2" column to seal to the sanke connection on my keg and thumper. I bought a ptfe sanke gasket, but they are two thick and the tri-clamp will not correctly clamp the two pieces together. My column has an "alcohol safe" O ring that fits in the groove on...
by scmoose
Tue Dec 17, 2019 5:40 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Pot still condenser
Replies: 2
Views: 1534

Re: Pot still condenser

Good to know, planning on vinegar run in the next day or so, followed by sacrificial UJSSM.
by scmoose
Tue Dec 17, 2019 4:44 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Pot still condenser
Replies: 2
Views: 1534

Pot still condenser

Better condenser for a 15 gallon boiler with 2” column going into a 5 gallon thumper via 3/4”? Liebig or worm? Does one use less water than the other? Reason I ask is I just did a first run of just water using the Liebig condenser but the output seamed to spit and sputter, hard to get a steady strea...
by scmoose
Mon Dec 16, 2019 7:56 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: UJSSM cleaning run and backseat
Replies: 4
Views: 1370

Re: UJSSM cleaning run and backseat

Durhommer wrote:i like the BACKSEAT part of the title...damn corrective text!!
Lol, just noticed that.
by scmoose
Sun Dec 15, 2019 2:27 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: UJSSM cleaning run and backseat
Replies: 4
Views: 1370

UJSSM cleaning run and backseat

My first ferment of UJSSM will be used as a cleaning run, then discarded. Should I use the backset from that run for second generation and sour ferment, or just start that over as well.
by scmoose
Thu Dec 12, 2019 8:07 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: PTFE Thread tape
Replies: 6
Views: 1400

PTFE Thread tape

0D38BEDE-4789-477E-A314-93ECBCFA39BD.jpeg Just a tad too thick for my liking. Mod Edit : I have saved and added your pics as attachments direct to HD forum please do the same in future using the “attachment” option at the bottom . don’t use tapatalk or other external picture hosting places as these...
by scmoose
Thu Dec 12, 2019 5:36 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: PTFE Thread tape
Replies: 6
Views: 1400

Re: PTFE Thread tape

Good to know, good find thanks.
by scmoose
Thu Dec 12, 2019 5:27 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: PTFE Thread tape
Replies: 6
Views: 1400

Re: PTFE Thread tape

43C3C583-2C15-4B2B-9559-10579C82D86A.jpeg
Here is a picture of it, making a gasket for a mason jar lid gin basket.