Search found 138 matches

by BillHoo
Sun Nov 17, 2013 8:04 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

Quit trying to control the temps. It's a pot still. You can't control the temps. The ABV of the wash does that. You control a lot still by takeoff speeds. And drips are for reflux stills. Not for pot stills. You want a broken stream to a twisted stream coming out of it. OK. this is my second time u...
by BillHoo
Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:51 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

I never said I was sane!

Anyway, that was about 5 gallons of wash, maybe less.

I don't even drink this stuff.

btw.. I just went down to the spare bathroom and Gen 2 is now chugging away nicely. No additional yeast was added. Just added some more grain and sugar.
by BillHoo
Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:37 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

Gosh that was a long run! I ran it slow in the beginning, keeping temps in the 175 F range. Finally got bored and let it go up to 196F before calling it quits. Started a little after 5:30 PM and finished a little after 4AM. Yield a bit over half a gallon undiluted. Have not even used the alcohol met...
by BillHoo
Fri Nov 15, 2013 8:10 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

I'm using a 10 gallon milk-can still with a potstill head. Heated with a propane turkey fryer burner. I have a 3 foot length of half-inch copper pipe leading from the condensor to my collection jars (washed out Snapple and Arizona Iced Tea bottles). I try to avoid temps over 200 F because I'm very l...
by BillHoo
Fri Nov 15, 2013 7:21 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

So far going well. Started at 5:30 and now after 10 PM. Temperatures are fluctuating between 160 and 180 F. Outside temp is supposed to drop into the 20s tonight. I have the still set up just outside my patio door (under the deck downstairs). I've been riding the gas dial trying to keep it within ra...
by BillHoo
Fri Nov 15, 2013 3:55 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Wasn't trying to make VINEGAR!?
Replies: 23
Views: 2870

Re: Wasn't trying to make VINEGAR!?

So, did you run it?

You might have gotten something good. Let's hear about it.
by BillHoo
Fri Nov 15, 2013 3:20 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

Finally got 7 hours free to run the still. The fermentor had been sitting outside under the deck the whole time. This week temps dropped into the upper 20s, so I brought it in to warm up a bit. Might save a few BTUs of propane when firing up the still. I popped open the fermentor and tasted the wash...
by BillHoo
Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:52 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Moonshiners episode said yeast isn't necessary.
Replies: 21
Views: 2943

Re: Moonshiners episode said yeast isn't necessary.

I saw a few minutes of the "Tickle" show. It was a scene in which he was interviewing a young girl for some position as an assistant or receptionist (I don't know - I'm kinda disgusted and don't really watch it). He was focusing below her neck and when she said something like "I have ...
by BillHoo
Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:29 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Dunder breadmaking and baking
Replies: 7
Views: 984

Re: Dunder breadmaking and baking

Backset: stillage - left in boiler after distillation Dunder: a) Rum backset b) as per your definition above (not often used in this way on this forum though) Trubb/Lees: yeasty sediment in the bottom of the fermenter Barm: (i know as) a wet yeast cake or starter, also the yeasty foam on top of a f...
by BillHoo
Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:25 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

7 days since the mini-yeast bomb. 9 days total. It's still belching gas from the vapor lock at a rate of once every 8 seconds. I have no time for running it this week if it happens to finish before next Tuesday. Monday is the first day I have free after squirrel season opens up. I promised myself, I...
by BillHoo
Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:54 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Cachaca from Sugarcane Juice
Replies: 10
Views: 1897

Re: Cachaca from Sugarcane Juice

neufuture wrote:Anyone have a recipe for this? would you use pure sugarcane juice or mix it with water?
Do you have a source of fresh cane juice?
by BillHoo
Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:43 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Dunder breadmaking and baking
Replies: 7
Views: 984

Re: Dunder breadmaking and baking

You'd want to use trub... Could that be called "lees"? Wiki definition "Trub also refers to the material, along with hop debris, left in the boil kettle or hopback after the wort has been transferred and cooled. " Sounds like frozenthunderbolt's definition of Dunder. I'll just u...
by BillHoo
Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:40 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Dunder breadmaking and baking
Replies: 7
Views: 984

Re: Dunder breadmaking and baking

Anyone evver take some dunder and build a small yeast colony for making bread? I think I'll try that when I'm done with the current batch of sweetfeed. Basic recipe would be: 2 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon molasses 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup of warm dunder th...
by BillHoo
Fri Aug 30, 2013 11:59 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Dunder breadmaking and baking
Replies: 7
Views: 984

Dunder breadmaking and baking

Anyone evver take some dunder and build a small yeast colony for making bread? I think I'll try that when I'm done with the current batch of sweetfeed. Basic recipe would be: 2 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon molasses 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup of warm dunder thr...
by BillHoo
Fri Aug 30, 2013 11:41 am
Forum: Rum
Topic: Fresh sugarcane juice for rum?
Replies: 7
Views: 3001

Re: Fresh sugarcane juice for rum?

......Most guys who start looking at cachaça, though, eventually realize that if you buy a quart of cane juice for, say, $10 and you get a half-cup of cachaça out of it, that stuff is crazy expensive compared to rum made with molasses that works out to a dollar or less per fifth. Cost be damned! We...
by BillHoo
Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:10 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

I've done the heating pad in the past. My wife would complain that I'm wasting electricity for my "hobby". She complained that the car smelled like it was leaking gas yesterday, so I took it out. been in the low 80s this week, so I'll keep it outside today and bring in at night, lest the n...
by BillHoo
Wed Aug 28, 2013 2:03 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

It's been chugging away since Sunday. I'm hoping it will finish this week as the following week I will not have time to run it until middle of September! I took it out of my car last night as I had to drive it out and get gas. The whole cab smells of alcohol vapor and yeasty sweetness! Tried opening...
by BillHoo
Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:17 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

Yup! Bubbling like crazy yesterday afternoon and the ferment or was somewhat cool, but not cold to the touch though the inside of the car was warm.
by BillHoo
Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:03 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

Re: My sweet feed this week

Temps in the 50s this week and the downstairs bathroom is kinda chilly. My wife doesn't want the stuff upstairs in the usual habitable areas. So, my spare car seemed like a good place. I tried to warm up the jugs of water in there all last week and they just barely got lukewarm. I'll keep an eye on ...
by BillHoo
Mon Aug 26, 2013 4:10 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: My sweet feed this week
Replies: 20
Views: 2297

My sweet feed this week

I started a sweet feed on Friday. Been putting it off a few years and finally got some time to do it. Used one part barley from the local homebrew shop. I don't think it was malted. One part flaked oats. And about two parts cracked corn birdseed. Topped it with a half gallon of Fancy Molasses from t...
by BillHoo
Sat Aug 24, 2013 6:31 pm
Forum: Rum
Topic: Fresh sugarcane juice for rum?
Replies: 7
Views: 3001

Fresh sugarcane juice for rum?

I know it's the way the first rums were made. But nowadays it seems most rum distilleries are using molasses and not cane juice. I went to the Vietnamese festival today and among the food vendors, there was one offering fresh squeezed sugar can juice. A bit pricey - $10 for a quart with no ice. Of c...
by BillHoo
Fri Aug 23, 2013 6:25 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Proprionic Acid - is this bad stuff?
Replies: 6
Views: 1398

Re: Proprionic Acid - is this bad stuff?

Thanks for the advice folks! I'd already read about neutralizing with salt. I just wanted to hear first hand experiences from people who have tried it. Good to see some people have gotten a good ferment with non-rum washes. I decided to hold off on using the deer molasses for the moment. It was gett...
by BillHoo
Thu Aug 22, 2013 5:24 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Proprionic Acid - is this bad stuff?
Replies: 6
Views: 1398

Proprionic Acid - is this bad stuff?

I got a gallon jug of molasses used for baiting deer stations. I was thinking about mixing it in to a wash of corn, oats and barley as a sweet feed mash. The only ingredients in it is feed grade molasses with "priopionic acid" as a preservative. I looked it up and the wiki entry describes ...
by BillHoo
Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:01 am
Forum: Sugar
Topic: Sugar prices tumbling- US Govt moves to intervene
Replies: 2
Views: 1184

Sugar prices tumbling- US Govt moves to intervene

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/big-sugar ... 00763.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Not sure if it means to stock up or wait a bit.
by BillHoo
Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:00 am
Forum: Distilling News
Topic: US Govt intervention as sugar prices tumble
Replies: 9
Views: 1895

US Govt intervention as sugar prices tumble

This kinda affects us I guess...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/big-sugar ... 00763.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
by BillHoo
Tue Feb 12, 2013 1:20 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Sweet Feed brands?
Replies: 8
Views: 11262

Re: Sweet Feed brands?

Thanks for the lead on Tractor supply! I found a Tractor supply store about 30 minuters from where I work. Their website lists the types of feed they carry in detail: http://www.tractorsupply.com/producer-s-pride-reg-all-grain-feed-50-lb--5021132" onclick="window.open(this.href);return fal...
by BillHoo
Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:52 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Sweet Feed brands?
Replies: 8
Views: 11262

Sweet Feed brands?

Looking to make a batch of sweet feed whiskey. I have a Southern States store nearby and further out is the CFC Farm Home Center. Southerns State only has a couple livestock feeds in their online catalog - a horse feed that contains 12 percent sweet feeds and a Sweet Goat Feed. Non ingredients liste...
by BillHoo
Mon Feb 11, 2013 11:53 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Banana Rum recipe
Replies: 32
Views: 20981

Re: Banana Rum recipe

Hey! I don't knock anyone's alternative lifestyles. But I did see them on a show that featured freeganism. They followed some folks one night as they foraged the dumpsters of San Francisco. At the local veggie stand, they found 50 pounds of bananas that only had a few spots on them. the store owner ...
by BillHoo
Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:40 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Banana Rum recipe
Replies: 32
Views: 20981

Re: Banana Rum recipe

I may try a 50% version of your recipe. I had been to the produce section at Wal-Mart the other day and asked the clerk there if they would sell the aging bananas at a reduced rate. He told me "No, we don't see the old produce" "Walmart is afraid someone will get sick and sue them&qu...
by BillHoo
Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:34 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Banana Rum recipe
Replies: 32
Views: 20981

Re: Banana Rum recipe

OK. I've been inspired to make use of some junk raw materials I have laying around. Started a small batch banana wash this morning. Had about 7 black bananas with greasy black peels sitting around that were doomed for the compost pile. I also had 3 pounds of sugar that had spilled in my trunk when t...