Home Distiller

I'll give that a try, these last batches were all- grain whiskey runs. previous to this I always ran rum, maybe there's a little more puking with the whiskey mash?
Might try stripping the next couple of runs then try it.

I did replaced the packing on the last run.

The last 2 runs with my reflux still have come out "dirty", the distillate comes out am amber color. This is not a new still, I've used it for years, and never seen this before. After the run, the column is dirty inside, from the bottom through the packing, all the way to the end of the co...

Does any one have a good "dark rum caramel" recipe? I've tried just adding molasses, and making a sugar and h2o mixture, but don't like either. I've just run off a 30gal wash, and i'm aging it with apple wood, once aged, I'd like to turn a 1/3 off it into dark rum, just need a good caramel...

I've drank a few ujsm after only first run, and it's very good. I have also ran off a flopped batch of homebrew beer, and didn't like it at all, ended up rerunning it through my reflux, and it still wasn't as good as the single run UJSM.

Did you let it air out overnight?
If so you might want to try carbon filtering.

I have built the internal reflux design for close to $200 not including the boiler or heater, I don't recommend this design, although it works well and you can get a decent product from it, you can get better regulation from a valved reflux design, look around the forums and mother site for some goo...

I s there any advantage (taste) in leaving your grains in the fermenter with your yeast. Or will you get the same effect in using a mash tun , holding grains at approx. 68C for an hour or so, straining & sparging into fermentor , then pitching yeast ( like in beer making )?

annual rye Ive used with good results.Same as with winter rye But have wondered why other then maybe starch contents rye grass couldn't be used. Its a seed same as others. I picked up some annual rye, and will give it a try. If I don't like it I'll just clean it up in the reflux and drink it with p...

Cardboard and tape works pretty good also.

bernzomatic makes several multi-application torches that can be used for MAPP &/or propane.

I want to make a rye whiskey, I've read threads of people using rolled, flaked, and corn Rye, but all I can get around here is annual, perrenial, or fall rye at the feed store, will any of these do the job in an uncooked recipe simular to UJSM (annual?)? Or should I make the long trip to the city an...

I wash & sanitize everything (habit formed from beer & wine making)

If you are using fittings over your 2" pipe ends, then it won't really matter if your hacksaw cuts aren't perfectly square. As for the reducers, I would (have) just use a round file to get rid of the stop, it takes a little longer , but those fittings ain't cheap.

3rd run with new 2" by 36" reflux with 25qt boiler. Each time after 3-4 hrs of holding steady at 79C the temp. starts to drop off going lower and lower till I have to jack up the heat (propane). It's not a big problem, I just have to keep adjusting for the hour, but with other stills I've ...

That's what I pictured heaven looks like!

A lot of old copper pieces were brazed together, if the joints look to be a brass color then it probably has been brazed. But if it is lead solder, you probably will have to melt off all of the old stuff, then re-solder, to be on the safe side.

I've done it that way myself, but find better results if i leave the heat alone after it is set, usually lower than what yours is at, about 72f.

i sure don't , got mine at home Hardware, all they say on it is Copper Scourer Pads, but they ain't pure, I guess I'll be bringing my magnet shopping next time, or go with raschig rings.

I did make rum this time, going for neutral next time though.
No packing for rum you say, makes sense, you want all of the rum flavor.(new to this reflux thing).

yeah i cleaned it out pretty good, and ran a test run of water for a while, I heard something about the wash being too acidic can make this happen?? the cloudyness was more than likley my fault ( getting used to the temps., cooling , nutrients, & not insulating the coloumn). But I don't know whe...

Just finshed my first run with a reflux, brown sugar/mollassas wash. I used copper scrubbers as packing, and found them black when I was done, as well the distillate was a bit cloudy. After taking them out I found out that they stick to a magnet, so they're not pure copper. the juice cleared up afte...