Home Distiller

fizzix wrote:It's all run by apps and robots and solar powered computers now.
Welcome back!

No wind power.....I think I am disappointed.

Been out of the game for 2 years. Due to moving and taking on a new position at work. Finally got some time to do what I want to do...... just checking in to see what is new and improved in the world of distilling while I wait for my first batch of ujssm to start rumbling the air lock.

I just began brewing beer and found all-grain knowledge from distilling helped with that. You'll be learning in whichever field you start, honestly. What trouble are you having? The Tried and Trues lay it straight out. I did a brief exercise here on understanding a bit of science behind all-grain H...

Welcome from Michigan.....nice to have you here.

Would learning how to brew beer help me learn how to do some all grain recipes? Been doing a lot of reading on all grain and want to try but seems to be very technical. I have some family that brews lots of beer and am wondering if it would be helpful to learn that craft from them? Sent from my SM-N...

NZChris wrote:Why did the condenser need a sac run? What kind was it?

it is a Liebig. My old one was only 24 in long. The new one is 48 in. I wanted to make sure that I got all the flux and other junk out of it before I ran the good stuff through it.

Sounds like you might do fewer by completing your modifications as a group before doing the sacrificial run? Patience is the universal answer to most questions..... This has mostly been done due to trial and error. My condenser was causing me to run extremely slow so I started by adding some copper...

How do you all deal with multiple sac runs? I have been running my still for about a month and a half and have already had to do 3 sac runs. So much wasted time and alcohol . I have been making modifications (based on what I have learned here) to my still to make it run better. My last was a new con...

Thanks all for the suggestions. I ended up buying 2 6 gallon ones from Amazon. I am kinda in a pinch. To much wash to run and no where to put it. My wife is going to a city wide garage sale in another town and she is going to keep an eye out for some.

.......I find it very interesting that you can use temps to run your pot still. Now I have only run about 3 runs but I have found that several outside factors can effect how the still operates. Through all 3 of my runs I started getting product anywhere from 38C to 50C. So I just have stopped looki...

I read the noobie stuff and it makes sense you can run a pot still with no thermometer at all. Too cold you got nothing, if its puking its too hot. I touch the pipe coming out of the still and the pipe coming out of the thumper to tell me its getting ready to go. I use my finger to test the water a...

raketemensch wrote:What’re you going to use to get your stripped liquor back out of the carboy?

Right now I plan on dumping it into my 15 gal stainless pot so that I can dilute down for the spirit run. But I am always open to suggestions.

Are you planning on aging your product in this 5 gallon carboy or are you going to ferment your mash? I use 1 gallon carboys to age in and a large bucket nearly holds 10 gallons for fermenting. Buckets are a lot easier to clean and less likely to break. I do make wine from time to time with my 5 ga...

I am just wondering where you guys buy your glass carboys. I have ordered one on line but it was kinda expensive for a 3 gallon one. Thanks in advance.

I am just running a 13 gallon pot still. I was running just a straight sugar wash. This was a stripping run just for me to get more comfortable with running the still. It started out at 160 proof and I stopped it around 70 proof. As for taste I don't know....lol I don't care for neutral sprits. My w...

I want to give a big thank you to everyone here for freely giving all this wonderful info. Without it I would not be able learn this great art. Running my first sugar wash and run through my still. Yes I did a cleaning run with water viniger and a sac run. This is my first booze run....

Just testing to see if it worked..

Just testing to see if it worked..

Are you temperature correcting your readings? That's not much of a drop in eight days. It's not worth flogging it for the small extra bit you might get, just run it. I hope I am doing it right. My refractometer came from China and the instructions are kinda confusing. I will run it and see what hap...

I checked my wash and it was reading 1.02. It is not bubbling anymore for about 24 hrs. Should I add some more yeast to try and get it down to 1 or should it be good to go for a run?

Have you taken a gravity reading on it, has it started clearing at all? If not, pop it open and grab a sample and check it, when you finish just toss the sample so not to contaminate the wash. Since you used the "turbo" I would cold crash it when at 1.0, if you don't (and most of us dont)...

Just checked it and it is still bubbling away... Got a really strong alcohol smell to it. Hoping this turns out.

Dam.....I always forget that the co op is right down the road. Not 2 min away. I will have to check to see what they have. I plan on getting my grains from some of the local farmers. Thanks for reminding me we have the co op right down the road..........

Thanks ShineOn. I am not really expecting a whole lot from this. This is mainly for me to get use to my still and try to figure out a few things about it. I really want to make some brandys but also want to make some rum. Having a hard time finding molasses in bulk. Plus I want to make some AG stuff...

The rest will be for a neutral for my wife to mix) You have set your self a task there that I don't envy. Better you than me trying to make a good neutral using Turbo yeast and a pot still. I know I do. :D :D :D :D But I need to clean the still and wanted use up the turbo that came with the still. ...

This one ? or the propane version ? That looks as though it is a good place to start 8) - if a little cost heavy. 8) [ Edit to dd link - http://www.hillbillystills.com/product/13-gallon-copper-moonshine-still-kit-with-thermo-port-in-the-head-hs5500/ I bought the one without the heat source because ...

Pikey wrote:What still are you running ?

I bought the 13 gal pot still from hillbilly stills.

Yeah I wanted to make birdwatchers but I also wanted to use up this Turbo yeast that I had when I bought by still. Next batch will be the birdwatchers and I will see where that goes.

Just started my first sugar wash. Kinda starting this so I can keep track of my progress. 50# of sugar 87 L of water 3 Packets of Turbo Yeast (I know not the best but I had it and part of this is going to be my sac run. The rest will be for a neutral for my wife to mix) SG of 1.095 Used 50 L of wate...

Welcome. So much info here. I have been reading every night and I am getting ready for my first run. Gonna run some birdwatchers for the wife. She wants to mix for some flavored drinks for her but I am collecting for some rums in my near future.