Home Distiller

I just tried this for the 1st time making a sweet feed. I don't reuse yeast so it works pretty well. I put the whole grain bill in a 5 gallon paint strainer. I boiler that in enough water to cover the top for about 10-15 min. I only do this to sanitize everything because I'm a germaphobe. I then fer...

I first made my still with a 1/2" by 24" pipe out of my converted keg pot. I did this because 1/2 inch copper is a whole lot cheaper than 2 ". I found it difficult regulating output with the 1/2 riser. The fine line from vapor to liquid was to difficult to moderate. I switched over to...

I ran a few vinegar runs and a few sacrificial runs and still had some films and debris in my product. I finally tried using a steam cleaner. I just stuck the wand in the end and blew the stuff out. Subsequent runs were clean as a whistle.

My local TS company doesn't carry All Grain Sweet Feed. I mixed my own but sweet Jesus i don't need that much product. I finally found a local source for a sweet feed mix with no pellets. It's A Blue Seal product called Pacer. My only concern is it contains some vegetable oil. Is this a problem? Her...

Don't make the same mistake I did and jump right into anything but a simple recipe for your first few runs. Stick with something like a Uncle Jesse sugar wash and learn a few things 1st. Actually my 1st spirit run was an old Apfelwine I made a few years ago. That came out good....my 2nd run, not so ...

I quite like Rare Breed....

I have access to a barrel too cheap to pass up. Was told that it will be a 1 or 2 time use whiskey barrel. The problem is that it's 52gal! It would take forever to fill that think up with whiskey! Thought about cutting it up for cubes but I hate to waste a good barrel. Or keep it for the novelty fa...

Went to trackor supply to get sweet feed and read the lable the bags they had had peanut halls sulfides and a lot of other junk is this what everybody uses or are there other brands that don't have all the extras in it and were do you buy your sweet feed thanks Producers Pride is good but you can m...

Bigmanley2 wrote:The 5 gallon mash and running it twice prairie piss

Yeah that's fine...you have have almost 40% of headspace in your boiler so that's good. A stripping run then a spirit run is common practice.

Yesterday I ran a batch of birdwatchers with my 2000 watt internal element and using reflux mode for the first time and realized I could turn up the heat and increase the collection rate without the proof going down because of the reflux - so my temp at the top of the column stayed around 178f and ...

Yesterday I ran a batch of birdwatchers with my 2000 watt internal element and using reflux mode for the first time and realized I could turn up the heat and increase the collection rate without the proof going down because of the reflux - so my temp at the top of the column stayed around 178f and ...

NcHooch wrote:Best I ever got was 1.060, it's not a big beer.

Oh ok cool... I got 1.052. I'll take it.

What are you guys getting for an SG on your mash for this recipe?

I do have issues with the condenser, after some deep digging I found that there should be turbulence built in. That's pretty much out of the question at this point. If you want to add turbulence to a condenser thats already built all you need to do is crimp the outer pipe in opposite 90 degree dire...

I just finished making my mash with this recipe. It went extremely well and I had no issues. Im a seasoned AG Homebrewer so that helps. My house smells great! Anyways one thing I am trying. Since this recipe ferments on the grain what I did was once my mash cooled to ~150 I put the corn straight int...

I personaly run till I get 20% ish out. Some say 30% some go as low as 10%. But at some point you are wasting more energy then it is worth. And it all depends on what you plan to do with the feints later. If I'm running and when I get to 20% and its coming out slow. Or I have other things to do. I ...

80 proof and oily should be into tails. There is a whole thread on cuts. The easiest way I have figured it out is to smell the beginning, smell the end, and smell the middle jars. The first jar is obviously heads, the last is obviously tails, and the middle is obviously hearts. Then I start smellin...

I messed up. That's why the output was too low. I should have run longer. I just went in and smelled and tasted a little more. Jar 6 tastes the same as jar 9 and that's where I shut it down because of the tail smell. They all smell the same now even after a short time of airing out. Sooooo.... 1/2 ...

Sell the Sous Vide bath..those fetch a good bit O' coin in these here parts! Then buy yerself whatcha need for your still.

Prairiepiss wrote:Sounds like tails? But until you learn the ropes. You won't know. And really we can tell you. Since we aren't there. And only know half the info needed.

Fair enough....Ill figure this out. Gonna keep reading.

pounsfos wrote:get an alcoholmeter

Got one...the containe I got just before it was at 80 proof.

Did my 1st spirit run, I was nervous as hell. Not for any other reason other than I wanted to make a good product that I or someone else may like. I have done a few sugar wash runs just to clean the still and get the feel of things but for my 1st spirit run I used some Apfelwine I had made a few yea...

Does your cooling water enter at the bottom or top?

I just drop a 2' piece of chain in the keg with water and slosh it. Gravel works well too. Sanitize with Star San... No issues ever.

I use these....

http://www.mcmaster.com/#4464k586/=p3pop1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Great I'm psyched...thanks guys!

How close is your outlet to the burner? Can you take more pics of your still?

I have about 5 gallons of homemade, bottled Apfelwine. It's about 2 years old and of good quality but I just don't like it. I made it using 6 gallons of pure apple juice,sugar,raisins and Montrachet Champagne yeast.

Is there any reason I shouldn't just pop the bottles open and run it?

Good info thanks guys!

Welcome....

I'm also from MA and new to distilling. Long time AG home brewer.

This is a great site. Lots of info.