Search found 164 matches

by StabbyJoe
Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:31 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Distilling Water
Replies: 10
Views: 3887

Re: Distilling Water

Might be cheaper in the long run, as long as you can't actually buy a household water distillation unit that suits you for cheaper.
by StabbyJoe
Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:24 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: plum mash
Replies: 51
Views: 21838

Re: plum mash

Not many hobbyists use wild yeast... too unpredictable. Many do, however enjoy a bit of something special made with no sugar. Lots of effort for a little bit of very high quality product. The amount of effort is probably why few take chances with wild yeast, but I also hear that if successful with w...
by StabbyJoe
Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:10 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: First Batch
Replies: 7
Views: 999

Re: First Batch

I thought it was condenser water he was looking to better adjust?
Just out of curiosity - any copper in there?
Try to keep a tidy work space as well - makes it a bit safer.
It's cool that you got everything set up, though. Good job.
by StabbyJoe
Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:51 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: caramelized suagr for rum
Replies: 7
Views: 2465

Re: caramelized suagr for rum

when you caramelise the sugar, most say to not move it in the pan or pot, and be careful to deglase the pan properly (and carefully) while hot or it will stick like nothing else. As for what %abv, I imagine the home site lists the amounts at drinking strength (so 40-50%) so maybe add slightly more s...
by StabbyJoe
Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:39 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Yeast survival in finished wash
Replies: 4
Views: 717

Re: Yeast survival in finished wash

Generally it takes a bit to kill yeast... Check the pH in your wash, as after several generations people find that it becomes too acidic for most yeasts, and pH correction may be needed using sodium carbonate or bicarbonate. No idea whether or not it's dead. Generally, people find that the same yeas...
by StabbyJoe
Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:18 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: supermarket blues
Replies: 2
Views: 904

Re: supermarket blues

You get that with pretty much every hobby... I saw a keg outside a backpackers I was staying at and wanted sooo much to nick off with it or buy it or something... I also do a bit of lock picking. People in the picking community can be seen going to junk yards and asking for street sweeper bristles, ...
by StabbyJoe
Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:36 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Rubber Stopper / Bung
Replies: 5
Views: 1099

Re: Rubber Stopper / Bung

Does the same home brew shop sell cork bungs? a cork one would be just fine.
by StabbyJoe
Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:27 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Neutral
Replies: 7
Views: 1068

Re: Neutral

When you burn something at 50%abv in a spoon half the volume will remain (only the alcohol will burn off, maybe a little water might go, too but not much). In the case of a neutral what remains in the spoon should be pure water. The idea of a true neutral is that is is just ethanol and water. Of cou...
by StabbyJoe
Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:11 am
Forum: History and Folklore
Topic: Moonshine show on History Channel now
Replies: 3
Views: 3680

Re: Moonshine show on History Channel now

Did the show have an obvious name? I read this a little late, but I'm sure It'll be on again - can't see it scheduled again for later tonight or early tomorrow... but eventually...
I'd be pretty interested to watch and see if they get much wrong :lol:
by StabbyJoe
Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:11 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: I live in Canada
Replies: 5
Views: 962

Re: I live in Canada

Also known as demijohns
Image
by StabbyJoe
Sat Aug 30, 2008 8:02 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: "Apple Pie"
Replies: 79
Views: 37078

Re: "Apple Pie"

By my calculations that recipe lists ~5.7L of liquid + 1/2L 'everclear' so wouldn't you divide by approx 12.5? So 100%abv in (for the sake of calculations) would give like 8% out? maybe that's why you can barely taste the alcohol :lol: especially if using 40% making it more like 3% (the first 2 liqu...
by StabbyJoe
Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:45 pm
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Hazelnut Rum
Replies: 15
Views: 9380

Re: Hazelnut Rum

Big gin post in a rum thread. Some of the info may still be useful and all, but... bit of an odd place to put it. Any progress on the tests? An interesting subject... Haven't actually heard anyone mention using actual nuts until now, but I have heard of nut flavors in spirits... Until now I'd assume...
by StabbyJoe
Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:44 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Want to build a still
Replies: 2
Views: 687

Re: Want to build a still

There's a sticky on it. Always read the stickies.
Look in the phone book or yellow pages or google for plumbing companies and possibly hardware stores for the pipe.
by StabbyJoe
Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:41 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Hi All,
Replies: 6
Views: 1137

Re: Hi All,

Have a big dig through the parent site... everything there's good to know. Do some particular reading on methanol and cuts... that should clear up misconceptions about poisons and blindness etc. Other than that make a new wash based off what you want. If you're after rum, molasses wash. If you want ...
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:23 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Brass
Replies: 7
Views: 3379

Re: Brass

Instructions and ratios for such a wash are on the parent site.
Basically people pickle their fittings in acid, then an acidic wash then water then a slightly alcoholic wash that'll get tossed.
After that the still should be ready for the first run.
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:52 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: pot still thumper column
Replies: 13
Views: 10099

Re: pot still thumper column

I don't think this will work well... in a thumper the temp slowly rises until it reaches vapor boiling point and it gets a second distillation. In this, the heat inside the still will reach the boiling point of ethanol. at this stage, the water, too will be heated to ethanol's boiling point. This in...
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:09 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: New Keg Made for my Brother
Replies: 11
Views: 4420

Re: New Keg Made for my Brother

My bad. Keg draining through the valve makes way more sense. In that case I'd say your work is flawless. Great build.
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:06 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Skunky Beer Wash
Replies: 20
Views: 2035

Re: Skunky Beer Wash

well here's the thing - you said you wanted to reflux it? To what point and purpose? I'd think to make a neural and most find that 2-3 pot distillations makes a fine neutral 90-95%abv... Hops are a problem though, as the taste will not want to die. No clue how bitter the neutral might be, but if all...
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:54 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Planning my 2nd still within 1 month
Replies: 49
Views: 4872

Re: Planning my 2nd still within 1 month

Ouch. 2 days? Better do strips and spirit runs then.
either that or do it in 8hr shifts with a good friend...
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:30 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: New Keg Made for my Brother
Replies: 11
Views: 4420

Re: New Keg Made for my Brother

Excellent stuff. I'd love to join the queue after your brother :lol: Seriously, though... great work. Sounds like you know what you're doing a hell of a lot better than I do in regards to metal work... Good idea on the argon purge, too... it would have sterilised the keg for you pretty well, too. No...
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:20 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: plum mash
Replies: 51
Views: 21838

Re: plum mash

As far as I know, most people remove stones most of the time... bunch of reasons from off tastes to poisons. Some fruit are an exception, but I'd say remove them. Heard a lot of people complaining about the destoning - for good reason from what I gather. Many recommend that you freeze and thaw the f...
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:10 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Brass
Replies: 7
Views: 3379

Re: Brass

This has been discussed many times. Brass is to be avoided where possible, but it can be used. Brass is surface treated with lead, so before you do a cleaning run with your whole still, clean the brass part by 'pickling' it in acid. Vinegar works well. Just leave it in enough vinegar to cover it ove...
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:02 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: pepper spray.
Replies: 0
Views: 775

pepper spray.

was doing some reading on a different site... Rubbing alcohol and hot pepper powder used for seasoning mashed up a lot, add a tiny bit of baby oil and filter it and it makes pepper spray... Someone said they used their fores and heads for that. I'm wondering why they needed a whole load of pepper sp...
by StabbyJoe
Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:33 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Skunky Beer Wash
Replies: 20
Views: 2035

Re: Skunky Beer Wash

be careful on how much you fill your still... logic says that the fact that beer forms a foamy head may cause it to foam up and puke if filled too high.
Could be wrong.
by StabbyJoe
Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:18 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Air-cooled pot still. First-timer! [PICS]
Replies: 21
Views: 7615

Re: Air-cooled pot still. First-timer!

Rubber is bad... the aluminum is also bad :lol: Dough or cork is good... home brew shops in NZ have a range of sizes of cork bungs here, I assume that's the same everywhere... one of those should be fine. Otherwise make sure your cork source is natural, as the added resin to the other kind can do ba...
by StabbyJoe
Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:05 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Testing for lead
Replies: 4
Views: 626

Re: Testing for lead

There's a little info on this in a thread about someone wanting to restore an old still belonging to a family member... I believe a lead testing kit from a hardware store was mentioned. Plus if it's too old and it has been soldered, it'll be lead without a doubt...
by StabbyJoe
Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:23 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Dos and don't
Replies: 55
Views: 6345

Re: Dos and don't

Correct - if the fuel was cold then it could easily happen... warm enough for vapor it'd be a bad situation :lol: I think that technically a flash point is the temperature to which a liquid must be heated for it to produce vapor that can mix with pure oxygen at atmospheric pressure to form a mix wit...
by StabbyJoe
Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:18 am
Forum: Related Gas Accessories
Topic: keg valve high power burner
Replies: 8
Views: 2018

Re: keg valve high power burner

my computer is too crap for me to bother checking out those vids - would take me all day. Top part of a flame is the hottest, so I'd think having it just a tiny bit above the top of the flame, almost touching but not quite would be best.
by StabbyJoe
Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:13 am
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Air-cooled pot still. First-timer! [PICS]
Replies: 21
Views: 7615

Re: Air-cooled pot still. First-timer!

Heard the vertical coil idea before - you'd have to have just the right amount of heat and a perfect number of coils, as the still will manage it's own temperature - the idea being that heat is being lost from the wash through the vapor, so the wash should not exceed it's boiling point by far. For t...
by StabbyJoe
Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:48 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Questions I can't answer with searches
Replies: 14
Views: 1286

Re: Questions I can't answer with searches

as for height, it's not my field so I don't know, same with packing... But the reason people use 2" is that larger sizes of copper pipe are a horrendous step up in price. 3" should be just fine as far as I know. And people don't like 1kW-1.5kW for running from what I gather and 2-3kW for h...