Home Distiller

It looks like Spike Brewing has quietly moved into the realm of distilling... Steam Condensing Lid ... using some vague and nebulous wording. Pricey but it looks like a nice build. That could make a nice, versatile set-up for someone new to the game and buying equipment for the first time.

LB Miles wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 10:18 am

As for the distillate being close to the flame, well it's non-flammable so it's no hazard.

Ok, I get it ... that is your "hydrosol still" in which case you're operating safely enough. Carry on.

LB Miles wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 23, 2020 6:23 am

This is my quick shitty setup

Unless that photo was from a cleaning run you shouldn't be using a plastic funnel ... and an un-supported bottle of high-proof alcohol, that close to an open flame, makes me awfully nervous.

cranky wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 15, 2020 8:07 pm

I know a lot of you whiskey people have started using enzymes, where are you buying them?

Ferm Solutions
https://ferm-solutions.net/product-category/enzymes/

Why would my Liebig knock down all vapor when I'm doing a stripping run using two elements at max power but not when I'm using one at 25-50%?? Are you *sure* you have the water entering at the bottom ? Is the liebig positioned nearly horizontal ? If it worked before but not now it could be you have...

Then about 12 years ago I bought a reflux still and took a shot at distilling. Work and life changes got in the way and everything was packed up in attic. I was cleaning things out and stumbled upon my equipment. Welcome ! Please post photos of your gear over in the Novice forum. Old gear increases...

Welcome !

... and congratulations on starting off on the right foot. Most new members don't arrive with such a clear understanding of what to do and how to do it. I suspect you'll do well here.

So I have been doing research trying to find an answer to this question, but I haven't found anything. The answers are out there but you need to filter them to your individual needs. Some ferment on-grain, some off-grain. What works for me may not work for you. I ferment off-grain because that work...

VitaMan wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 12, 2020 9:13 am

This is the basket I bought:
https://stillspirits.com/products/air-s ... ion-basket.

I think I can safely speak for everyone when I say ... "Gee, I was expecting more."

Old Bloater wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 09, 2020 5:00 am

Is the lid seal important?

All seals matter.

Rrmuf wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 05, 2020 5:16 am

So, by your view there should not be any distillate bubbling at the top of the packing then?

Some folks advocate for a "semi-flooded state." I do not ... not because I think it's wrong but my workflow, with my gear, produces what I want.

Rrmuf wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 05, 2020 4:11 am

Verdict?

You were approaching a flooded state ... either due to excessive power, too tight packing, or a combination of both. Just because you can breathe through the packing doesn't mean that falling, refluxed liquid can pass all the way back into the boiler. It's being held-up in the column.

True, enzymes they are, but I'm looking for the sebstar HTL and sebamyl gl, or the equivalent. Sorry, I should have been more specific. You're unlikely to find SEB products as they are only sold to licensed distilleries (and resellers). Given your location you may have better luck finding the AHA-4...

Alkyholik wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 28, 2020 1:13 am

I was looking at shadys version of a sugar wash and his was at 1.01 in a cpl of days!!
Makes mine look slow as hell. It's still bubbling away though

How are you managing the ferment temperature ? IMO, that's the shortest path to a finished fermentation yet it's probably the most ignored.

I'm wondering if I should dump everything into one big trash can Your working environment, as well as your own physicality, has to be considered. Can you lift heavy containers ? Can your workroom suffer spills ? Do you have sufficient power ? I run small batches because my answer is "no" to those q...

cg81 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 25, 2020 2:47 pm

Have I stalled it out? Thoughts? Thanks!

The pH is low and the temperature is too cool for DADY. I'd run it with a FG of 1.002 but you should better manage both properties in your next batch.

SirSmartyPants wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 21, 2020 8:40 am

That will allow me to set my mash tun on the shelf and drain it into fermenter on the other side.

Are your fermenters high enough to gravity feed into a secondary or your boiler ?

Maybe it's mentioned in the owner's manual and I missed it. I was planning to mill 50 lbs of milo (sorghum bi-color) yesterday with my AMA hammer mill (aka the Agristore mill) but the motor failed to start. Cursing like a sailor, because I have half a sack in the hopper, I had to empty and trouble-s...

I wish there was a link available to that old site regardless as it did contain a lot of good stuff that I also miss . The internet has been archived and you can find it via the Wayback Machine. Seriously. I pulled that Tennessee Whiskey recipe using the following link: https://web.archive.org/web/...

but the other was Tennessee whiskey, it had a little rye in the grain mixture and a touch of maple syrup in the aging. Here you go ... Tennesse Whiskey Here is one recipe for Tennessee-Style whiskey. With practice, you will be able to produce a high quality product comparable to the better Tennesse...

rickyaifd wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 14, 2020 7:07 pm

so it would have to be something that at initial glance oh, you would not even suspect it of being a still

I suggest the opposite. Get an all-copper alembic. When not in use display it prominently in the living room. If anyone asks, it's just a decoration.

rockcanyon wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 14, 2020 8:04 am

Sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me.

sampvt wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 13, 2020 5:25 am

does anyone know if I have ruined the carbon by smashing to pieces

Activated carbon works by filtering at the molecular level. If you can see the carbon ... it'll work.

I’m getting a still from mile high this Christmas. Welcome ! You may want to consider getting your boiler from MileHi but assembling a column from other easily-sourced components. Their boilers are nice, I run an electric 8-gallon from them, but you can significantly improve on most of their column...

... hoping to move soon so I can start work on building a 4" flute! Hoping to upgrade at least to an 8 - 16 gallon soon. Welcome ! Before building or buying be sure to do a lot of reading ... especially with regard to design and operating efficiencies. A 4" flute won't operate efficiently on an 8-g...

Care to expand? Do you have a recipe you're willing to share? Not a recipe, per se, just an undocumented and on-going experiment. I've gone as high as 75% rye and 25% rice but, as I ferment off-grain, that was as thick as I want to go (even with SEBflo TL). 50/50 works ok with my 600 micron bucket ...

3. Add KOJI yeast. Shake and install the fermentation tube. Warning! Due to the low fermentation intensity and time it is necessary to use a fermentation tube. Can you clarify what a "fermentation tube" is? I have several type of fermenters but none of them are called a "tube". So I just want to ma...

When I did my first vinegar run and my second sacrificial run both times at first the fluid shot out of my worm then slowed down, do I have my burner set too high? I used about 2 gallons in my sacrificial run and got about 1 pint. The first half pint was very blue and the second was pretty cloudy. ...

If you haven't an exhaust fan then do make sure to open the windows. Boiled yeast stinks. Bad.

I built this about three months ago to use as my main stripping still, and it's worked great. vapor tube i s 1/2" inside of 3/4" for the condenser. only thing different this run.... the mash is thicker, so i diluted it with water a bit and ran it slower than i normally to to try to prevent burning....