Search found 46 matches

by boingk
Sat Mar 24, 2012 6:28 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Sticks or Barrels
Replies: 16
Views: 2677

Re: Sticks or Barrels

I use sticks/chips and reuse them three times - the second and third steepings definitely give a nicer flavouring than the first. Partially this is probabally because they are still soaked with the previous batches fully aged spirit, and partially because of mechanisms I don't yet fully understand. ...
by boingk
Thu Mar 22, 2012 4:50 am
Forum: Safety and Related Issues
Topic: Where can I find bottles for long-term storage??
Replies: 33
Views: 6353

Re: Where can I find bottles for long-term storage??

I work at a bar and have no worries taking empties home - hell, the guys I work with/for know I distill and reckon its 'cool'!

I'm sure you'll be able to get the ear of a publican and score some freebie bottles.

Cheers - boingk
by boingk
Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:27 pm
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: What % of Heads Do You Add
Replies: 13
Views: 2296

Re: What % of Heads Do You Add

I usually make bourbons or rums, but I use pretty much everything after the foreshots... stopping collection for drinking when unpleasant tastes start creeping into the tails. Final takings are either run again to up purity to 150+ proof, or simply aged after the initial run depending on how good th...
by boingk
Wed Mar 14, 2012 7:37 pm
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: still design using a ac compressor????
Replies: 31
Views: 4097

Re: still design using a ac compressor????

Get hotplate, sit boiler on it.

Run condenser through water barrel, not mash.

Fire her up, collect liquor.

- boingk
by boingk
Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:49 pm
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still
Replies: 5
Views: 2372

Re: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still

Thanks guys, and yeah jake_leg I was thinking of insulating the pot and at least half the uprising portion of the condenser... but at the moment it's not working too bad at all and I switch the power down to half for the main run to prevent pressure leaks anyway. johnny109 - I haven't checked the pu...
by boingk
Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:01 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Flavoring corn whiskey with pure maple syrup?
Replies: 11
Views: 2509

Re: Flavoring corn whiskey with pure maple syrup?

Try about 0.25% by volume (2.5ml/litre, 1/3floz/gal), and if thats not to your liking then double it. If that still isn't producing any noticable effects you could even try as much as 1% by volume - I have done so in the past with oak-aged Bourbon and it was pretty damn nice.

Cheers - boingk
by boingk
Sun Mar 11, 2012 6:03 pm
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still
Replies: 5
Views: 2372

Re: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still

Very true, but I find the bucket a bit tedious to set up and in my area standing water quickly attracts mosquitos. Also, I had this much line so figured I may as well use it! Lastly, I find the flavour to be very smooth from a still with this much line length. Not really sure why, but I've heard it ...
by boingk
Sun Mar 11, 2012 5:51 pm
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still
Replies: 5
Views: 2372

Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still

Hey guys, been here before and ran an aircooled still in my dorm room... this time its in my own shed and made from a long length of 1/2" copper line my brother found in a dumpster at his university - can you believe it!? This one is as basic as they come, with a 15L/4gal pot on a 1600W electri...
by boingk
Sat Mar 10, 2012 6:10 am
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Complete ULTRA simple still design.
Replies: 15
Views: 4035

Re: Complete ULTRA simple still design.

On the odd chance that the original poster is still here, I would recommend the following basic ditsillation setup: Buy a 4 gallon pot with lid, stainless preferred. Glass lid is ok but stainless is best. Also buy at least 12ft of 1/2 inch copper pipe, and a 6 and 15 gallon drum. The copper tubing i...
by boingk
Sat Mar 10, 2012 5:57 am
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: pure silicone?
Replies: 12
Views: 2038

Re: pure silicone?

Heres the answer you were looking for: I would not use silicone in gaskets for distilling equipment, it does/may contain harmful compounds which will dissolve into your spirits, at best rendering them unpleasant and at worst rendering them harmful or even fatal. You do not know what they will do as ...
by boingk
Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:15 pm
Forum: Alcohol as Fuel
Topic: running model planes on ethanol
Replies: 8
Views: 2193

Re: running model planes on ethanol

Ethanol may not work well, due to the properties of your glow plug - the glow plug is platinum coated which, in combination with the methanol in glow fuel, causes a catalytic reaction and thus heat to ignite the fuel. This is part of the reason why the combination (glow plug & methanol) works so...
by boingk
Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:40 pm
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Reintroducing myself - returning member!
Replies: 8
Views: 1061

Re: Reintroducing myself - returning member!

Thanks fellas, and yeah can't wait to bring her down safe after my first solo - just got word today that my medical has been approved and sent off to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Should only be a week or so of waiting now, can work on my IFR hours in the meantime. King of Hearts - Thanks, ca...
by boingk
Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:52 am
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Reintroducing myself - returning member!
Replies: 8
Views: 1061

Re: Reintroducing myself - returning member!

Thanks for the 'welcome back' everyone... feels good. Also good to hear of fellow pilots - I'm not a true pilot yet, just about to go solo after my medical gets approved. Can't wait! Anywho the still is sorted and my sugar wash is kicking along merrily, should be good to go by the weekend. Cheers ag...
by boingk
Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:38 pm
Forum: Alcohol as Fuel
Topic: Im not seeing ethanol as a cheaper fuel source...help?
Replies: 36
Views: 17628

Re: Im not seeing ethanol as a cheaper fuel source...help?

Buy a 1980's Volvo diesel engined car, put a pre-heater unit in the boot and run the sucker on waste deep-fry oil.

Free fuel, from anywhere with a takeaway shop. Sound good to you? Does to me.

Cheers - boingk
by boingk
Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:03 pm
Forum: Drinks and Drinking
Topic: WHAT PROOF DO YOU DRINK
Replies: 24
Views: 3728

Re: WHAT PROOF DO YOU DRINK

I run a very simple setup with a 15 quart boiler and 12ft of 1/2" copper line coiled in a 15 gallon water drum, and this gives off finished product of around 100 to 120 proof that is generally very easy to drink. If I get a higher than normal run I will make sure I label it as such on the bottl...
by boingk
Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:31 pm
Forum: Sugar
Topic: hey guys looking for some good sugar wash recipes for newbi
Replies: 12
Views: 2960

Re: hey guys looking for some good sugar wash recipes for ne

Hey mate so far it sounds alright, althought as others have said the 85g of yeast is pretty crazy! I have used champagne yeast in the past (Lavin 1118 I think?) and it worked well, very fast ferment and high alcohol content, but beer/bakers/bread yeast also works well up to about 10~12% alcohol cont...
by boingk
Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:09 pm
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Reintroducing myself - returning member!
Replies: 8
Views: 1061

Reintroducing myself - returning member!

Hey guys, I've been on this site since 2008 but have been out of the distilling game for a couple of years now. I live in NSW, Australia, and work nights at a pub to put myself through pilot school. I've just gone and cleaned out my old 12ft coil and bought a 15 litre stainless pot, as well as the b...
by boingk
Mon May 10, 2010 9:13 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: First still returns for another go.
Replies: 8
Views: 1405

Re: First still returns for another go.

Sounds like an alright idea. The biggest issue though, wasn't the cooling itself, but the air temperature going up from the still being operated in my tiny university room. Anyway, I'm off to do a prepratory run with the new 20L boiler. May also see if I can't use the 30ft of half-inch I've got hidi...
by boingk
Mon May 10, 2010 5:29 am
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: what to use as boiler?
Replies: 22
Views: 4735

Re: what to use as boiler?

Empty 20L oil drum. I found a bunch of them in a recycling bin out front of an industrial premise. Asked a fellow if it was alright to take one and he said no worries. First, cut off any rubber pouring attachment the drum may have. Wash out twice with degreaser and water, then give a good flush. Aft...
by boingk
Mon May 10, 2010 5:14 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: First still returns for another go.
Replies: 8
Views: 1405

Re: First still returns for another go.

Thanks for the comments guys, and take my word for it - bending 12ft of pipe in a 10ft long room isn't fun. I think it was throwing a few fumes towards the end of the last run, as in the small room it started to heat th air up and didn't cool as well. Hopfully with winter now (I'm in Australia) and ...
by boingk
Sat May 08, 2010 9:56 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: First still returns for another go.
Replies: 8
Views: 1405

First still returns for another go.

Hey guys, I'm back! I was on here a few years ago and have run maybe 75L of wash through my first still. Its currently sitting up in the garage, dismantled, so heres a few photos of it from a while back: http://homedistiller.org/forum/download/file.php?id=283 http://homedistiller.org/forum/download/...
by boingk
Fri May 07, 2010 8:57 pm
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Aircooled still
Replies: 10
Views: 7070

Re: Aircooled still

Love the aircooled stills. I have one made from 12ft of half-inch copper tubing, a household fan, an electric hotplate and a kettle. Worked quite well for ages, its up in the shed at the moment doing not much of anything.

I really should break it out and give it a run or two. :)

Cheers - boingk
by boingk
Mon Jun 01, 2009 5:56 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still
Replies: 9
Views: 4104

Re: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still

5 litres to give around 1.5 ~ 2 litres of foreshots, takings and tails sounds right to me, using a ~20%abv cheapo sugar wash to start with. Probably less though, you're right. Bit hazy seeing as I havent done a proper run in a while. From memory I think I got something like 250ml of takings from a 2...
by boingk
Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:12 am
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Worm condenser
Replies: 15
Views: 5150

Re: Worm condenser

Sounds fine to me. Had an almost identical setup using 10~12ft of half inch pipe and sitting in a 60L plastic bin of water. From a cold start it got warm, but if you use some large blocks of ice this will help. I find soft drink or milk bottles work well, just cut away the plastic to let you get to ...
by boingk
Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:01 am
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still
Replies: 9
Views: 4104

Re: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still

Not hoping for high capacity with this boiler, its usable volume is about 5 litres. Total collected volume would be around the 2 litre mark. I'm looking at getting a larger (10~20L) boiler and using a 3-ring burner I've got laying around. For the moment though, its a definite improvement on my other...
by boingk
Sun May 31, 2009 11:15 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still
Replies: 9
Views: 4104

Boingk's Monster Aircooled Still

Hey guys, long time no anything. Ran a bit of shine but gave up after a while because my setup was slow and pretty inconveniant. Thats all about to change! My brother rang me up with a pretty keen note in his voice, said he found thirty feet of half-inch copper tubing in a dumpster...I was speechles...
by boingk
Sun May 31, 2009 8:56 pm
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: simple pot still
Replies: 6
Views: 3319

Re: simple pot still

Not bad, liking the thumper setup. Only thing I'd change would be the length between condensing coil and the thumper, looks to be quite a way. If you get some more copper tubing, say 12' x 1/2", then that'll work nicely in the bucket and should be good for whatever you want to throw at it. Just...
by boingk
Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:55 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: plum mash
Replies: 51
Views: 21838

Re: plum mash

My mother happens to make plum jam every year as we get plums off trees growing in our garden. She removes the stones by simply skimming them off the top of the boil. The method is to cover a pot of plums with water and simmer for, say, half an hour. During this time use a mixer/bar/blender wand-thi...
by boingk
Sun Sep 07, 2008 4:21 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Store Bought Flavoring- Whats hot & whats not
Replies: 149
Views: 161897

Re: Store Bought Flavoring- Whats hot & whats not

Tried a few over the weekend with mates, heres the rundown: SS 'Originals' White Rum 5/5, went exceptionally well with cola to make a good mixed drink. I used 50% spirit and 3g white sugar for the 750ml bottle. 7.5ml of essence as per directions. Spirit had been soaked in virgin oak chips for 2 days...
by boingk
Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:36 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: The importance of water
Replies: 22
Views: 2676

Re: The importance of water

Removal of chlorine 101: Get at your hot water tap early in the morning before people start using it for showers etc. Fill your fermenter to the desired level and leave the top off. This will allow the relatively volatile chlorine to come out of solution and evaporate off after several hours. If you...