Home Distiller

Thanks Dnderhead. So those of you who make medium or dark rum, is that what you use for coloring, caramel coloring? Looks like there are a bunch of caramel coloring for sale on line with different ingredients depending on what you want to use it for (beer, soda, cooking, candy, etc.). I found a few ...

Hey all, I haven't been on the boards for a long time but have been recently making THM's basic rum recipe (and I make a lot of Uncle Jesse's sour mash. Had a question about adding caramelized sugar to rum. From all I've read, seems like you add the caramel after the rum has been in the barrel for 1...

Yeah, gotta agree with the other fellas posts above, because I know from experience. I built something similar when I first started and before I found this site (with a silicone stopper I think), just as a "proof of concept" that I could do it. Guess I also wanted to start small before putting more ...

For those interested, more info on alternating proprietorship and running a distillery and brewery/winery under the same roof: Federal regulations also allow another kind of "alternation" -- where a proprietor uses a single facility for its own operations under multiple classes of licenses. For exam...

Awesome info and pics, thanks guys. I am toying with 2 different approaches and will come back to you with them and see what ya'll think.

Also FYI I asked the Colonel, and he said the Ozark is not tapered inside, only the condenser jacket outside is tapered so no gain there.

More soon.

Yeah that's pretty much my experience too, Usge. Guess I've gotten used to it. When I do a stripping run, and run it fast it usually runs about 11-13 hours for a 7-9 gal. mash. For a finishing run which is often smaller (6 gal. or so) it's about 12+ hours but would obviously be longer if I was runn...

Yeah that's pretty much my experience too, Usge. Guess I've gotten used to it. When I do a stripping run, and run it fast it usually runs about 11-13 hours for a 7-9 gal. mash. For a finishing run which is often smaller (6 gal. or so) it's about 12+ hours but would obviously be longer if I was runni...

I've been running one of the Col's Georgia Ridge 10 gal. stills with gooseneck head for about 3 years and it has been great. Never any problems and the Col is great to work with. He does usually have a waiting list of 20-30 people, so it may take a few months after you order. He's always available b...

Yeah, I know one of the distilleries nearby in VA can't offer tastings. Lots of deep regulation for sure.

Thanks Big J. Yeah I forgot that Anchor makes a Rye Whiskey as well.

More info here, although it doesn't make it clear whether you can have a brewery and DSP at the same location:

http://www.ttb.gov/beer/alternating_prop.shtml

Hey fellas, been a long time since I've been on the boards. Afraid my job has kept me from the boards and from stilling. But just fired things back up with a fresh 15 gal. wash and making a new year's resolution to get back on with it and to be on this forum more often. Have sure missed it and discu...

Thanks, may run it just for kicks. But the mold is from the cracked corn, not a contamination in the wash or buckets. Always clean that stuff with soap and water and a little bleach at the end.

Looks like my corn has gotten moldy. Just made up 15 gal. of UJSM and the cracked corn had a slight moldy smell to it, but I made it up anyway. Once I had it all mixed up there was a dark foam on the top of the mash that I don't usually see. It's all mixed up and fermenting but I think I should chuc...

Think that's why lots of bluegrass songs are G, C & D. When the shine kicks in that may be all you're able to remember!

Merry Christmas everyone.

yup, same here. my buddy and I usually pick guitar and banjo while it runs. copper kettle, katy daly, moonshiner, whiskey 'fore breakfast usually make the play list.

What %abv does your mash usually ferment out to?

What %abv does your mash usually ferment out to?

cool, that's a handy tool!

Thanks for the replies. Think I got it figured out, put more slits in the lip and that helps a lot. I don't seal them up air tight (that would be a peach bomb!), they all have air locks on them.

So I'm sure plenty of you use 5-gal plastic buckets to ferment in. Any magic way to get the tops off? I just use my hands, but a couple of the tops are so tight it's a real pain to get them off, especeially if you have to take them off daily to stir in a cap, etc. The ones that are easy to pop usual...

hey tater, you don't strain the mash before you run it, right? got 14 gal. of peach fermenting right now.

hey tater, you don't strain the mash before you run it, right? got 14 gal. of peach fermenting right now.

Cool Husker and Junkyard, you gotta watch that first batch in a charred barrel for sure. Good news is that means lots of sippin! I will probably take the sour mash out soon, it's right where the color should be and getting close on flavor. Will probably use 2-3 times for whiskey, then rum, etc. I ha...

Thanks tater, sounds like a plan. We have a 2 peach orchards right up the road, so got a good source for plentyt.

Thanks tater, sounds like a plan. We have a 2 peach orchards right up the road, so got a good source for plentyt.

probably an obvious answer, but I've got a bushel of peaches and they're almost ripe but still a little firm. assume I should wait a few days until they're good an ripe before I freeze them?

do you all use the charred Gibbs barrels or the toasted? I've got a 5 gal charred with double run sour mash in it, and am amazed at how dark it is after just a month and a half.

Whew, sounds like a bucket of red tape fun. Sorry you gotta go through it, but there's reward at the end.

So when do you hear back on the paper work?

Thanks Stoker, that makes good sense.