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Black Eye wrote:he can dig the calculator out and multiply by 10

You mean that futuristic number-counting machine?

I was just being a smartass Stogie. Thanks for the consideration though. Sniff......sniff......do you smell that? It must be the smell from the massive brain fart that I had when I originally read your post! :mrgreen: Now that I look at it, I'm like, "Duh! Of COURSE he was being a smart ass!" I gue...

jarheadshiner wrote:

FullySilenced wrote:did you follow the nuke procedure and cycle etc?

What's this nuke procedure you speak of?

Check out the following topic:

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =4&t=38991

Most of the store bought whiskey that I enjoy is 40% (80 proof), but I personally decided I wanted to "up" mine a little bit. So after I did a spirit run, my blended product (all the jars I kept for drinking) came out to 78% (156 proof)! Way too strong to drink straight! So I used the calculator her...

I just wanted to give a quick update on this. When I do a stripping run on this recipe using my basic pot still, I usually start collecting at around 60% ABV, and I collect all the way down to 20%. I feel EVERYTHING in that range (minus the initial foreshots which I chuck down the drain). I then sav...

For the record, if you're at Walmart, you can pick up a bag of cracked corn (in their pet food aisle) and then take a stab at the Uncle Jesse Sour Mash recipe. You can click the link in my signature below to see my notes on it. It's a fantastic recipe, and all the ingredients can be purchased at Wal...

I've also read lots of comments about each generation improving (and it is) but no explanation why it is improving? Anybody know? Thanks If I had to take a wild guess, I'd say it's improving due to the backset that you are continuing to throw into each new fermentation. That backset contains a lot ...

I've also read lots of comments about each generation improving (and it is) but no explanation why it is improving? Anybody know? Thanks If I had to take a wild guess, I'd say it's improving due to the backset that you are continuing to throw into each new fermentation. That backset contains a lot ...

I second the UJSSM recipe. In fact, my latest spirit run of that recipe came out at 78% ABV. I diluted it down to 55%, and let it sit on a small amount of Jack Daniels Wood Chips (which can be purchased in most stores, sold as BBQ smoking chips). The stuff is FANTASTIC. Has that sweet flavor with a ...

Did I just read 3 gallons of liquid in an 11 hour run? :esurprised: Yeah......it was my FIRST time ever doing a spirit run, and I horribly overestimated how slow I needed to run it. Since I was always told to run a spirit run SLOW, I was only letting a few drops per second come out of my coil. I ha...

I would think that half pint jars should be fine. That is what I personally use, but I end up using a LOT of those. So my plan for my next spirit run is to use these smaller half pint jars to collect heads (probably 5 jars or so with my still).....then switch to larger PINT jars for the hearts (Coll...

I recently ran my first SPIRIT RUN, and it took me over 11 Hours to complete. Like you, I finally stopped it around 70% because I was awake for almost 24 hours at that point! I was told to not run it so slow (I was getting about 3 drops per second), and instead, go for a very fine stream (just above...

I use a mixture of both. I make a flour paste to apply under my lid, and then clamp it shut with those paper clips. Works like a charm every time!

Just put some in a spoon and add some water. Actually diluting to lower ABV like 20% or 30% will bring out flavors you may not notice above 40%. And it will give you a better indication of what is there. You are just testing for cuts. No need to be so technical with the diluting. Your not bottling ...

Do foreshots have to be removed from every stripping run, if you are doing say 2 or 3 stripping runs ? I tend to be on the safe side and remove foreshots from every distillation. So if I am stripping, I remove the foreshots. Then when I run a spirit run, I still remove the foreshots. Again, I am ju...

If your interested in getting more out of your runs you can collect down to about 30% and save the tails for a feints run. Oh yeah, I know that. The problem is that this was my first time doing a spirit run, and I severely UNDERESTIMATED how long it would take! I started it around 5:00pm, and I was...

I do it with spoons. After airing, use your meter to gauge the proof of each jar. If its 80% you need 1 spirit :1 water, so 1 Teaspoon of spirit & 1 Tsp of water into a desert spoon and taste. If it's 60% then you need to go 2/3 spirit to 1/3 water. 2 Teaspoon / 1 teaspoon . If it's 50% 4:1 is requ...

Let me preface this by saying I'm aware of the calculator on the parent site , which tells you how much to dilute a product from X% down to Y%. :) However, what about when sampling in small, micro amounts for taste tests? How do you dilute such tiny samples? Perhaps I should recap where I am at: I j...

Hey SF My compliments on a very interesting article. I have read it through and then went back an skimmed looking for an answer on a bit of the puzzle in trying to get it in my head. When you add the new corn and sugar wash, do you mix up,everything in your fermenter? The reason I am asking is that...

rescueeddie wrote:Should I discard the first 2 ounces on every run?Eddie

How big is your boiler? I distill about 12 liters (or 3 gallons) in my small setup, and I usually discard about 100ml each time just to be safe.

1. What is the ambient temperature where you are storing your fermentation bucket? Is it too cold? Assuming the yeast is GOOD, the only thing that I know of which would effect fermentation is: - Temperature - pH level of the wash So make sure your temps are not too hot/cold, and you may need to chec...

cornsqueezer wrote: If you have something like a cast iron pan or a thick metal disc it will absorb and retain heat so you have more even heat might help with the stove cycling on and off a little bit

You know, I never thought of that. Great idea!

I didnt want to risk putting through the still and ending up with some 60% alcohol :( Gav For the record, I run a basic pot still and my first run is ALWAYS 60% coming out. So depending on your wash ABV% and the kind of still you're running, expecting to get 60% may be right on target for a first r...

I'm not sure why, but I am finding this thread highly entertaining! Is it too early in the day for a bucket of popcorn?

Looks very similar to my little setup (complete with an electric stove)! Thanks for sharing the pics! So let me ask you this......are you doing stripping runs or just slow spirit runs? The highest ABV I am getting (from a 9% wash) is around 60% ABV, and I haven't been able to light a flame with that...

" I plan to run the stove at around THREE (3) on the dial." I take this to be a electric stove? dont be surprised if you have problems.. Yes, it was mentioned in my post above that this was an electric stove. I realize that it's not entirely accurate to gauge temperature, but it's what I have to wo...

Thanks for all the helpful replies. You guys rock! :thumbup: I have no idea what temp I am extracting it at. I use an electric stove, and the temperature is adjusted by a knob that simply has numbers: 1 through 10. When I do a STRIPPING RUN, I set it to roughly 7.5 to 8 on the dial, with no adjustme...

I found this other calculation which also puts me at around 75% vapor when collecting a 40% low vine spirit run: http://homedistiller.org/theory/theory/strong" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow So how are people collecting and saving 80-70% for the UJSSM recipe if the spir...

" http://homedistiller.org/theory Is it safe to assume that the DIRECT link for the calculation I'm asking about is the one located here: http://homedistiller.org/calcs/pot_calc If so, then allow me to ask this follow-up question. I hear that the generic whiskey "hearts" to collect is between 80% a...

I tried to look up this question under the Parent Site -> Calcs, but couldn't find this exact calculation. Nor do I know if this CAN be calculated, but I thought I'd ask you find folks here. When I do a typical STRIPPING run, my 9% sugar wash usually begins collecting at 60% ABV. That ratio seems to...