Search found 109 matches
- Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:30 pm
- Forum: Flavoring and Aging
- Topic: Toasting Oak Chips
- Replies: 21
- Views: 15418
Re: Toasting Oak Chips
I have a gas stove and a hood. I just fold a sheet of heavy duty foil into a pan and toss a couple slices in on high flame. That way I can see how toasty the slices are getting.
- Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:06 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: First draft for a simple pot still... Advice wanted!
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2596
Re: First draft for a simple pot still... Advice wanted!
It isn't the first time I've not been on the most popular side. Meh, I do what works for me and never had a problem with shock cooling or huffing. Please, if your still works better the other way, keep doing it.
- Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:32 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: First draft for a simple pot still... Advice wanted!
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2596
Re: First draft for a simple pot still... Advice wanted!
If you do that, you're wasting fresh, cold water on distillate that has already condensed. By the time your coolant reaches the top of the liebig where the vapor temps are higher it has less effect. If you put cold water in the top, the coldest water is right where you need it most. I could care les...
- Wed Dec 19, 2012 9:26 pm
- Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
- Topic: fresh bakers yeast?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1479
Re: Wyeast V4021?
As a lover of all things vanilla, I am terribly offended on all of your behalfs (behalves?, meh you know what I mean). Those prices are way to high if you're actually going to use the beans for more than one recipe a year. Order your vanilla beans by the pound and save a ton of money. For fresh, plu...
- Wed Dec 19, 2012 8:49 pm
- Forum: Research and Theory
- Topic: Beginner Keg Still Build Plans
- Replies: 24
- Views: 31230
Re: Beginner Keg Still Build Plans
+1 on the shape of the keg not mattering. The samohan design is solid and you can make some great booze that way. I have no strong feelings one way or another on the graham versus liebig vs shotgun issue except to say I use a liebig myself and not even a very large one all things considered. A half ...
- Wed Dec 19, 2012 8:28 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: First draft for a simple pot still... Advice wanted!
- Replies: 17
- Views: 2596
Re: First draft for a simple pot still... Advice wanted!
Your plans look solid but, if I may make a suggestion, I prefer to use liebig condensers myself. The copper coil has tradition going for it and I understand liking tradition, but it also screams "moonshine" to anyone who looks, costs a fair chunk of change, and is rather bulky. The liebig ...
- Wed Dec 19, 2012 8:12 pm
- Forum: Flavoring and Aging
- Topic: Living bottle
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1274
Re: Living bottle
Or he could just be using domino size slices of oak. I run ex-wild turkey barrel staves across my jigsaw and end up with end grain slices about the size of a domino. End grain gets you some fast flavor transfer. Also, as far as the original topic goes, this is an excellent idea. I'll have to start o...
- Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:26 pm
- Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
- Topic: fresh bakers yeast?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1479
Re: Wyeast V4021?
Sam's Club, Costco, GFS, Restaurant Depot all have one pound and two pound packages of yeast for great prices. Two pounds was $3.99 last time I bought any (compared to $1.50 for the fleischman's three pack of 7gram packets at the grocery store, or the $4.60 for a 2oz jar). Buy your yeast by the poun...
- Thu Dec 13, 2012 7:36 pm
- Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
- Topic: Fancy Grade Molasses and Yeast
- Replies: 3
- Views: 1518
Re: Fancy Grade Molasses and Yeast
I have two recipes I do at least semi regularly. I do pugirum and a recipe of my own (its in the recipe development section). I could probably do better if I re-used my dunder and tails from my recipe, but because of the cost and effort involved I only do it once or twice a year. My recipe makes a v...
- Thu Dec 13, 2012 7:02 pm
- Forum: The Construction Site
- Topic: I started building my pot still after work tonight!
- Replies: 47
- Views: 7070
Re: I started building my pot still after work tonight!
Looks great Tim, once everything is together, give it a shine (I've heard cherry coolaid works wonders as a copper polish) and take a few more pic's for us before it acquires a patina from use.
- Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:31 am
- Forum: Still Related Hardware
- Topic: Keg?
- Replies: 18
- Views: 2274
Re: Keg?
I've seen a couple of those kegs in person, that hole is just a filling/drain hole. There is the usual keg spear and tap arrangement at one end. Fair warning though, this style keg is usually used for imported beers so it may not be the american sankey fittings, that could be a european DIN keg. Not...
- Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:33 pm
- Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
- Topic: Fancy Grade Molasses and Yeast
- Replies: 3
- Views: 1518
Re: Fancy Grade Molasses and Yeast
If you are willing to experiment with a stepped ferment, I have had excellent results with White Labs Super High Gravity Yeast which if given time to do so will ferment to 25% (so White Labs and some brewers claim). It produces a fair amount of diacetyl, the ester that produces butterscotch flavors ...
- Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:18 pm
- Forum: The Construction Site
- Topic: My Bokakob
- Replies: 27
- Views: 6292
Re: My Bokakob
I cannot possibly explain the amount of money I have saved by paying cash and shaking hands. Not just distilling gear either. I bought a new fridge, well refurbished anyway, for $75 and a stove for $50 a couple years back. The ticket price was much higher but one handshake later, I loaded them into ...
- Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:07 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Small whiskey barrel for gift?
- Replies: 6
- Views: 2420
Re: Small whiskey barrel for gift?
Oh god! At that price who cares about the quality? They better be gold plated before I pay $320 for a 5 liter barrel. Ridiculous. I much prefer the prices over at Barrels Online where that same barrel is $40, and they'll burn whatever logo or name into it that you want for free. Granted barrels onli...
- Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:35 am
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Do you label your product
- Replies: 21
- Views: 2143
Re: Do you label your product
I print labels for bottles I give out, but all my private use stuff is sharpie on painters tape. For bottles I give as gifts, I like to print a label for three reasons. One, it looks nicer, in a gift looks count. Two, possession of untaxed alcohol is also illegal so a pretty label makes it less obvi...
- Fri Dec 07, 2012 6:06 pm
- Forum: Recipe Development
- Topic: Hibiscus ginger liqueur
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2082
Re: Hibiscus ginger liqueur
By weight 1:1 hibiscus:ginger tastes fine in my teas, but I enjoy a real kick from the ginger. Dried hibiscus flowers pack more of a punch than you might expect. I might use one tahitian vanilla bean(split and cut into pieces) per 4oz of ginger/hibiscus mix and 1/2-1oz lemongrass. Tahitian vanilla b...
- Fri Dec 07, 2012 9:49 am
- Forum: Recipe Development
- Topic: Hibiscus ginger liqueur
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2082
Re: Hibiscus ginger liqueur
I do two versions of hibiscus tea with ginger, one "hot" (served cold) and the other "cold" (served hot). For cool flavors I use hibiscus, ginger, vanilla bean, and lemongrass. As a hot tea, its pretty damn nice. While ginger can be spicy, the vanilla and lemongrass mellow it out...
- Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:43 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Procuring regular needed items
- Replies: 16
- Views: 2120
Re: Procuring regular needed items
It is very very strange to me how all this stuff works out... I used to live not far from a sugar mill in Florida. I paid almost nothing for all the molasses I could want but NOBODY in my area owned livestock so I had to be real discreet. Now I've moved to Pennsylvania, and there is no molasses at a...
- Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:22 pm
- Forum: Recipe Development
- Topic: Hibiscus ginger liqueur
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2082
Re: Hibiscus ginger liqueur
Monterrey Bay Spice Company sells dried hibiscus , cut and sifted, for $4.80 per pound. I use it to make Sorrel, aka Jamaica aka Hibiscus tea, and I have to agree that ginger is a good flavor match. They also sell crystallized ginger for $6.80 per pound if you're not the type to make your own (which...
- Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:00 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: I need info how to make a good white rye whiskey
- Replies: 2
- Views: 784
Re: I need info how to make a good white rye whiskey
This forum emphasizes independent research rather than handing down "do it this way" from on high as if there were only one way to do it. You've got a couple options about how to approach this rye whiskey project of yours. #1 All Grain (best flavor, hardest) #2 Extract (easiest, most expen...
- Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:21 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: What Went Wrong?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 847
Re: What Went Wrong?
What did you do wrong? #1 You cannot measure distilled spirit strength with a regular hydrometer. You need an alcohol meter, aka proof and tralles hydrometer. It's a common mistake that is easy to remedy. #2 Pressure cookers make very poor stills, the rubber seals will leach unpleasant and possibly ...
- Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:13 pm
- Forum: The Construction Site
- Topic: My First Pot Still (small but a start)
- Replies: 11
- Views: 3054
Re: My First Pot Still (small but a start)
Unless they can provide paperwork certifying it to be safe for high proof alcohol and high temp acidic environments, the silicone sealant will not find any friends here. You do what you have to do, but the forum as a whole is anti-plastics of all variety. The forum rules, specifically #8, are clear ...
- Fri Nov 30, 2012 3:55 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Best Scotch Recipe
- Replies: 29
- Views: 11630
Re: Best Scotch Recipe
Ok, we've got a couple issues here... The only suggestion I can make is to read the everloving hell out of the forums and the homedistiller.org website. You've got a lot of things to learn. #1 "Reflux thumper?" Thumpers go on pot stills not reflux stills. For a whisky, you want a pot still...
- Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:19 pm
- Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
- Topic: What is Our demographic?
- Replies: 154
- Views: 16369
Re: What is Our demographic?
30's white male, PA
- Fri Nov 30, 2012 11:49 am
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Still on Ebay
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1365
Re: Still on Ebay
YES PLEASE! You know that's my favorite flavor...Durace11 wrote:More weather stripping gasket vodka?!?
- Fri Nov 30, 2012 11:19 am
- Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
- Topic: true mashing vs sugar heading
- Replies: 12
- Views: 5669
Re: true mashing vs sugar heading
Dan, even the worst commercial scotch is a (blended) malt whisky. You can't get a malt whisky from dextrose. By its very definition, it starts with malted grains and water. Single malts start with a single variety of malted grain. Now I am not sure that my palate can distinguish and appreciate the a...
- Fri Nov 30, 2012 11:06 am
- Forum: Still Related Hardware
- Topic: Home Depot now sell 1.5" and 2" copper by the foot
- Replies: 8
- Views: 1636
Re: Home Depot now sell 1.5" and 2" copper by the foot
I'm in and out of HD daily for my day job. None of the stores in or around Pittsburgh, PA sell 2" at all. They'd be happy to order it for you though, just tell them what you need and it shall be done. Your best bet is to talk to the Pro Desk and lay it out for them what you need. Unlike the reg...
- Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:46 pm
- Forum: Sugar
- Topic: sugar wash trials
- Replies: 143
- Views: 21275
Re: sugar wash trials
...but come on, this is getting ridiculous. I am not trying for a phd in fermentation... Could've fooled me! :lol: The essential criterion for a phd is that you increase the sum of humanity's knowledge in your chosen field beyond it's original boundaries. Sounds to me, after reading this thread, th...
- Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:17 pm
- Forum: Novice Distillers
- Topic: Patience Please?
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1420
Re: Patience Please?
There was a slight math wubble in the above post that deserves clarification. My first reaction was "that's not right..." and I don't want you to leave expecting something that isn't true. Five gallons of 10% would give you 1/2 gallon of pure alcohol, or 1 gallon of 100 PROOF (on the stron...
- Thu Nov 29, 2012 4:56 pm
- Forum: The Construction Site
- Topic: Simple Keg Pot Still
- Replies: 10
- Views: 3348
Re: Simple Keg Pot Still
Excellent facial anonymizer device. Absolutely love it. Does it come anodized in hunter green?