Search found 732 matches

by hornedrhodent
Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:04 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: My first wash - why didn't it work?
Replies: 22
Views: 4251

Re: My first wash - why didn't it work?

pitched it with two tablespoons of Turbo yeast. When using turbos you're supposed to use the lot - a turbo is not just yeast - it contains everything else such as nutrients acids and buffering agents so the yeast can ferment the amount of sugar in the amount of water specified on the packet. Deviat...
by hornedrhodent
Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:06 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: I just met my match
Replies: 11
Views: 3167

Annealed or hard drawn it cant hurt to heat it to red hot to make sure. Propane /air is safer than oxy/acet as you dont want to melt it.
by hornedrhodent
Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:57 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: My first wash - why didn't it work?
Replies: 22
Views: 4251

What sort of hydrometer are you using - an alcometer which read in A/V or a brewing hydrometer which measures the specific gravity / potential alcohol A/V or sugar content? If you're using an alcometer on a wash - forget it - they're designed for use on distilled spirits and are accurate at the high...
by hornedrhodent
Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:00 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: ready for my first wash
Replies: 8
Views: 1991

Try a few batches of sugar wash or even a turbo while your UJSM is fermenting - dont worry about producing a drinkable product initially - learn to drive the still. Get to know the way the temperatures and A/V readings change throughout the run - collect in small bottles and do taste tests the next ...
by hornedrhodent
Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:18 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Gasket material
Replies: 13
Views: 1937

Another thought - If your copper flanges are thick enough and not likely to suffer from a bit of heat - coat both surfaces with graphite - wind a coil of the soft solder of your choice over the area where you want the gasket - bolt it up and carefully heat up the whole thing until the solder melts a...
by hornedrhodent
Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:00 pm
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Gasket material
Replies: 13
Views: 1937

If sheet copper is too hard to conform to the flange surfaces it may be possible to cast a gasket out of the lead free soft solder you'd be prepared to use in a still's construction. You could cast it against one of the flange surfaces and scrape the other surface (using bearing blue) until it confo...
by hornedrhodent
Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:38 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: How are you Aussies handling the winter?
Replies: 16
Views: 4873

I'm on the Nth coast NSW and have had 3 fermenters of sugar wash sitting here in my caravan for a couple of weeks doing practically nothing - one bubble every few minutes. As I'm not on mains power most of the solutions mentioned here are unavailable to me - I'd better start collecting shit to make ...
by hornedrhodent
Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:17 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: diy
Replies: 1
Views: 1329

That url was a woftam!
by hornedrhodent
Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:07 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: halo
Replies: 42
Views: 8523

Re: halo

goose eye wrote:rock steady

Good to hear - my halo fell off years ago!
by hornedrhodent
Wed Jun 06, 2007 11:56 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Safe Copper Cleaning Solution.
Replies: 17
Views: 5493

Re: yeh

Uncle Jesse wrote:, think statue of liberty


How many stills would that make?
by hornedrhodent
Sat Jun 02, 2007 5:19 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: different woods
Replies: 13
Views: 6611

Any Aussies out there tried australian wood? - Oak is a bit hard to come by at a reasonable price here. I'd imagine eucalypts would taste terrible if not poisonous. Casuarinas would also be a bit suss. Black bean seeds are poisonous to cattle. Wattle seeds and gum are bush tucker so might be worth a...
by hornedrhodent
Sat Jun 02, 2007 5:09 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Fixing a vinagary mash
Replies: 2
Views: 1235

Sounds a lot safer than NaOH.
by hornedrhodent
Sat Jun 02, 2007 5:03 am
Forum: Materials Safety
Topic: found it
Replies: 33
Views: 13974

As Home Distiller says, glass can be cleaned and reused which is much better environmentally than recycling after a single use. When the bottles are no longer in good enough condition to be cleaned and reused they can be recycled. The melted glass is usually of high quality and can be used to make ...
by hornedrhodent
Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:25 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: SANKEY BEER KEG?
Replies: 33
Views: 10693

hoochinoo wrote:They (http://www.kegs.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow) want $100USD for plain keg with the top cut out for you. Is that a good price? Seems a bit too much.

The local scrappie here will sell stainless for about $3/kg making a keg about $40.
by hornedrhodent
Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:56 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: How much?
Replies: 1
Views: 1170

Re: How much?

clearlydrunk wrote: My missus reckons I drink to much.


I'll drink to anything - I probably also drink too much!
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 2:21 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: First run...wow Im addicted
Replies: 11
Views: 3025

I know it seems harsh....but the first run is generally a clean up run. I'd be ditching the first lot. As with the carbon question, if your going to flavour it up, I wouldn't bother with carbon. If making gin/vodka than yes, carbon is recommended. Dont ditch it - dilute and redistill - you need pra...
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 2:09 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Leaky Still (My First Pot Still)
Replies: 38
Views: 10404

nokianinja wrote:tuna can lid

It's probably tinplate or aluminium and will corrode away quickly but shouldn't do you as much harm as the ethanol!
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 2:02 am
Forum: Related Electric Accessories
Topic: 1st run with immersion elements. Brown/black coating?
Replies: 7
Views: 2988

Re: 1st run with immersion elements. Brown/black coating?

aj wrote: one 3000W (@240) element, one 1500W(@120) element,


Are the both the same element?
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 1:58 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: 1st Time Distiller, Requires Guidance.
Replies: 10
Views: 2806

Hey LOGGONON I dont mean to be rude but your posts are really hard to read. We're on a forum here which is slow enough to speak english, (whatever variety you're familiar with - I write the Australian version) Some of us oldies dont understand 'chatroom' or 'textmessage'. I'm having trouble understa...
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 1:42 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Types Of Metals.
Replies: 7
Views: 2185

Tin is supposed to be OK, but you never hear about it much though it's still used as a coating in steel food containers. I don't think it's used like it was many years ago. I've seen copper kettles with hand made lids made of tinned steel sheet, and home made tin lyne arms too. Tin is lovely stuff ...
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 1:30 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Trouble with copper scrubbers.
Replies: 14
Views: 4856

Re: Trouble with copper scrubbers.

hoochinoo wrote:Folks,


Can I used ceramic tiles broken into pieces?


Not an answer to your question but a question triggered by your question - Would glass fibre work as packing? You'd have to get the real thing - not insulation bats which are glass fibre coated with plastic.
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 1:23 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: How to clean or desinfect my new still
Replies: 19
Views: 6672

it's not realy a reflux still, and not realy a pot still ... . Looks like a pot still to me. You could pack the column with copper mesh to remove sulphur compounds and get a tiny amount of air cooled uncontrolled reflux - but it's still a potstill to me. Lose the plastic - are those pipes 3/4"...
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 12:59 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: to pack, or not to pack. That is the question
Replies: 15
Views: 4960

Copper removes sulphur so IMO for either type of still it cant hurt.


Packing will also stop your wash frothing over into your condenser.
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 12:56 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: strawberry panty-dropper
Replies: 747
Views: 277969

The liquor is just the assistant - who actually removes the panties - you or her?

Is either scenario ethical?
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 12:51 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Pot's Grape wash
Replies: 21
Views: 11020

I've got about 18L of a neighbour's home made wine - I'm thinking of running it (although it's a bit too low a volume for my still) and using the dunder as the basis for another two 20l sugar washes.

Any tips?
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 12:44 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Need good rum
Replies: 94
Views: 57612

Re: cost of molasses

I can get molasses at $150/ton, at 79.5 brix. That's 7.5 cents/lb before being diluted to 25 brix or lower for fermentation. that's the problem here, It's very easy to get some tons, but i haven't been able to find 20 l at a decent price, yet i hope A 20L drum costs $22 here (the land downunder) an...
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 12:40 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: horse turd whiskey
Replies: 11
Views: 5080

It was just miracle grow,for the corn,and a heat source for malting.I dont think anybody put turds in the ferment. wineo I saw a movie once where the Yanks were hiding from the Germans and could steal a vehicle and food and sugar but had no fuel so one of their number quickly set up a brewing and d...
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 12:31 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Mushroom liquer
Replies: 14
Views: 7276

msrorysdad wrote:we'll if the stems are grey purple and the little green man in a tinfoil hat ................ Oh, just kiddin bout the mushrooms, never met the little fellow


I bet it was an alfoil cap!


The real LGM would use silver!
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 12:23 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Malting Oats
Replies: 12
Views: 8421

I've never malted oats. Rye was a piece of cake. I malted several pounds and distilled it with no ill effects. I think a lot of this stuff is simply old wives tales. Those old wives knew a thing or two - IIRC ergot had some medicinal uses particularly with childbirth - probably not in the same dosa...
by hornedrhodent
Wed May 16, 2007 12:08 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: methanol collection
Replies: 6
Views: 2297

Re: methanol collection

Ok let's say that we make several batches of booze of any kind and keep all the foreshots together, until we have a enough of them to fill the boiler. if we have an efficient reflux still and run this all foreshots batch, at very low heat and very low head temperature, collecting at very slow drips...