Search found 236 matches

by defcon4
Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:46 pm
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: sterilizing
Replies: 38
Views: 12990

Chlorine/bleach does just as good a job at sanitizing as star-san does. Star-san is not recommended for use with plastic as it is very acidic. It's also fair to point out: Star-san = sanitized (good) Autoclaving or dry heat = sterilized (perfect, but overkill to some) As pointed out earlier in this ...
by defcon4
Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:57 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Simple Still Design Any Good???
Replies: 17
Views: 8476

A much easier condenser from my experience
by defcon4
Sat Jan 19, 2008 6:22 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: You Tube Funnies.
Replies: 4
Views: 1478

Buttered floor: damn, they just don't get along :lol: . Glad I've got my own place.

Tazer: It's like watching a trained dog. His wife prob. makes him do chores, and amuse her or else she tazes him. Funny though.
by defcon4
Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:58 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Simple Still Design Any Good???
Replies: 17
Views: 8476

Perfect learner still. Aluminum is safe, it just won't last as long as stainless, but that's for another thread. Anyways, a stainless pressure cooker compared to an aluminum pressure cooker only costs about $10 more.
by defcon4
Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:52 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: My second still please critique
Replies: 22
Views: 3985

ditto what others said. Plus the refluxing vapor needs to drip into the middle of the packing. I used a jacketed condenser on my reflux still but it was a vapor management/nixon stone type still. I used a 6" piece of 3/4" jacket and at full power and dead slow water flow, there wasn't a dr...
by defcon4
Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:46 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Plastic still
Replies: 30
Views: 6334

punkin, that picture's dangerous! I almost died laughing! :lol: :lol: :lol:

this whole incident from uncle geer's "comments" to punkin's picture is a perfect real life example of the old cliche....

A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 VULGAR WORDS!!!
by defcon4
Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:43 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: reflux vs. pot revisited.
Replies: 11
Views: 2579

If you made a heads cut, you could keep the distillate that was from 60%-70% as hearts and age it. This is weird place to post this but this is how I do my pot still runs when I want to maximize flavor. First run: -I put the wash in the still, collect slowly, as if I was doing a spirit run, -I disca...
by defcon4
Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:28 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Lyne Arm question
Replies: 3
Views: 1215

Even though some of the water vapor condensed and came out as a liquid, most of it was still vapor. You need a worm/condenser to condense those vapors (you want to condense ALL the vapor).

Also, you should hook up your worm and clean it out too.
by defcon4
Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:08 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: my new carbon filtration unit
Replies: 9
Views: 2538

I've been looking for a glass column to use for carbon filtering (or stainless steel). But either the prices are too high ($100+) or it's not the right size. I wish ABS was safe use for a carbon filter, that would make it so much easier :roll:
by defcon4
Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:05 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Stripping column
Replies: 7
Views: 3081

If the packing is used to maintain a separation of heat in the column, wouldn't it be better to use a more conductive material, like copper packing
by defcon4
Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:31 am
Forum: Resources and Reviews
Topic: Interesting info on corrosion of stainless steel
Replies: 3
Views: 2209

Nice find. I wonder if it would be a problem for the small (relatively) infrequent batch systems we run, where the stainless spends most of the time not in use and exposed to air? And does anyone know if it is a problem for the home fuel distillers, who use stainless? I think the reason that 304 (w...
by defcon4
Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:59 am
Forum: Resources and Reviews
Topic: Interesting info on corrosion of stainless steel
Replies: 3
Views: 2209

Interesting info on corrosion of stainless steel

Interesting article about a vodka distillery having problems with stainless steel corrosion.

http://www.finishing.com/465/56.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
by defcon4
Wed Jan 02, 2008 8:36 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Warm cooling water in nixon still
Replies: 8
Views: 2489

ok, thanks guys. I just wanted to make sure I was removing the heads right. Learning to drive this reflux still is a lot harder than it was learning how to use my pot still in my opinion.
by defcon4
Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:30 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Warm cooling water in nixon still
Replies: 8
Views: 2489

Warm cooling water in nixon still

I built a nixon stone still recently and now that I've used it a few times, I have some questions. Being a cheap SOB, I put an old liebig or jacketed condenser on top of the stream splitter section instead of using a helix coiled condenser. I know that during the first part of a run with these still...
by defcon4
Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:05 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: 2008
Replies: 23
Views: 4440

Yep, black bun cake (a fruit cake), it's supposed to bring good luck. Along with whisky and shortbread. I always go for the whisky first :)
by defcon4
Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:32 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: 2008
Replies: 23
Views: 4440

Happy Hogmanay!
by defcon4
Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:22 am
Forum: Mashing, fermenting, flavoring and aging related hardware
Topic: free fermentation tank - you provide shipping
Replies: 8
Views: 2634

You'll have to get there before I drag it off into the highlands, and I'm sure Bowmore and Bruichladdich will have their goons after it too. :lol:
by defcon4
Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:16 am
Forum: Boilers
Topic: boiler
Replies: 5
Views: 2407

decoy wrote:if the contents kills you after that it was your time to go...

:lol:
by defcon4
Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:06 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Is a stuck fermentation okay to distill?
Replies: 9
Views: 2450

I've run rum washes that weren't finished fermenting and it all seemed fine. They aren't done aging so I don't know how the finished product turned out but all the cuts seemed normal. The main problem in this situation would be scorching the sugars that are still in the wash. If you're using fire/pr...
by defcon4
Sun Dec 30, 2007 8:56 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Neutral Wash
Replies: 48
Views: 14914

I stripped the tomato paste wash; the tails had some tomato smell to them. I'm going to reflux it tomorrow. However, I started the completely neutral wash test run/ferment today: Per gallon: 1.5 lbs sugar (SG 1.080 potential alcohol 10.5%ABV) 1 tsp of yeast energizer (mine was LD Carlson brand, prob...
by defcon4
Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:39 pm
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: sterilizing
Replies: 38
Views: 12990

That's why laboratories use cleanrooms
by defcon4
Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:56 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: coil tube sizes
Replies: 6
Views: 1942

Another vote for all 1/4 inch.
by defcon4
Fri Dec 28, 2007 7:01 pm
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: sterilizing
Replies: 38
Views: 12990

Sanitizing and sterilizing are 2 different things. Sanitizing (ie with chemicals, pasteurization temperatures 140-180 deg, etc) just reduces the amount of organisms on a surface to a point were the yeast will be done fermenting the sugar before the bacteria/organisms build their colony back up. Ster...
by defcon4
Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:32 pm
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: sterilizing
Replies: 38
Views: 12990

You're on the right track for making a home autoclave! Autoclaves use a pressurized chamber and steam to sterilize stuff. I remember reading somewhere that you can use a pressure cooker to act as an autoclave. I think you put the items to be sterilized in a vegetable tray or something to suspend the...
by defcon4
Fri Dec 28, 2007 6:03 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Professional stills
Replies: 4
Views: 1554

Maybe to assess what stage the distillation is in, check for blockage, or diagnose problems. I know they use fractioning columns and each one of those sections has different compounds in it and I think they collect from the section with the highest ABV, but I don't know for sure.
by defcon4
Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:58 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Newbee seeking info
Replies: 26
Views: 4683

was just getin yalls goat bout runin in somethin made with lead not in vaper path. had a go round with some that didnt have a problem with it. I didn't think we were "having a go round" with it, I was just using it as an example to explain my point about aluminum. I was merely discussing ...
by defcon4
Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:09 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: temperature
Replies: 21
Views: 6040

my methanol cut (first 100mL) always smells "sweet"
by defcon4
Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:05 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Pot Sill or Reflux
Replies: 5
Views: 1477

I'm sorry, but please,, search around, I know this is the novice section but the question has been asked many times and is sufficiently explained on homedistiller.org. The question has been answered in great detail on this forum, please, for the sake of my sanity, search the forum.
by defcon4
Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:43 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY !!!
Replies: 41
Views: 8024

Merry Christmas to all Good luck to those with difficult relatives And from your friendly neighborhood Scotsman, Happy Hogmanay (new years eve). Unfortunately for my pride, I'll have to give away a commercial bottle of Scotch (Bowmore 25yr) for the first footing this year rather than my own Scotch (...
by defcon4
Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:32 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Neutral Wash
Replies: 48
Views: 14914

Well it's been 2 weeks since I started my neutral wash (with tomato paste, I will update when I try one with solely yeast nutrient). 5 gallons of tap water 7.5 lbs table sugar (inverted with acid blend and tomato paste (acidic)) 1 can of tomato paste (6oz can, the smallest ones) 2 teaspoons of yeast...