Search found 735 matches

by stillanoob
Sun Nov 19, 2023 1:24 pm
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Stillanoob- Thanks for your reply and input. Just to be clear, because I'm usually not, I did not do a second press. I made a volume of simple syrup equal to the volume that I pressed out as cider and at the same SG as the cider, and then fermented that on the previously pressed apples, which is wh...
by stillanoob
Sun Nov 19, 2023 7:56 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

No pectinase will be fine. I never use any for apple. I wouldn't have added sugar or done the second press but it will be fine. I find the sugar will add a "bite" and when I want to boost the ABV (never by more than 3%ABV) I use honey. Which is easy for me as I have bees. I am a big propon...
by stillanoob
Fri Nov 17, 2023 4:53 pm
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Did the last apple press of the year here. Total of over 60 gallons. 30 into brandy, 10 into hard cider and the rest in sweet. We have a sort of collective and so a lot goes to sweet. Added 20 pounds of honey to the cider brandy because I had it from my hives. Overall, not bad. Not as much as some y...
by stillanoob
Fri Oct 06, 2023 2:34 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Meme’s
Replies: 1364
Views: 135862

Re: Meme’s

Bushman wrote: Fri Oct 06, 2023 4:23 am IMG_1897.jpeg
That one made me laugh out loud.
by stillanoob
Fri Jul 21, 2023 6:01 pm
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Welp, guess I am going to try triple distilling apple brandy... I got back from a month long road trip to Alaska a couple of weeks ago. 7,749.2 miles. I had stripped last year's cider before I left and yesterday did the spirit run. I suffered a rectocranial inversion and when using the product dilut...
by stillanoob
Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:28 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: My first Apple Brandy
Replies: 12
Views: 943

Re: My first Apple Brandy

I do a lot with apples as well do you have your own press and scratter? I built a press from a Harbor Freight 20 ton press and a my scratter is a 3/4 HP SS garbage disposal. It works for now, but I likely need a better scratter / grinder as my volume increases I have the same press but changed my s...
by stillanoob
Mon Jun 05, 2023 7:34 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

I am zone 5. So plenty of chill hours. Summers do get hot but rarely to100. Lucky man. A lot of choices open to you. I will admit to some envy as my choices are more limited. Take a cruise through the orangepippin catalog and come back here with what appeals to you. Maybe I can vicariously enjoy yo...
by stillanoob
Sat Jun 03, 2023 11:06 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Anyone have a suggestion for an apple variety that would be a good cider apple and have some fireblight resistance? A big part of the answer to that will depend on where you live and what chill hours you tend to get and what heat in the summer. Some varieties will not produce reliably without enoug...
by stillanoob
Thu Jun 01, 2023 9:19 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Made from fresh pressed? Or from a jar or can? And what varieties you have access to will also dictate what flavor you get. Golden Delicious on it's own is bland. Mixed with Jonathan's or any bitter/tannic apple is great. I do a nibble test to see what flavors will come through after a ferment. Nibb...
by stillanoob
Tue May 30, 2023 7:13 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Apples look good here in N Colorado. So hope to run a batch of apple brandy. Would like to ferment on the pulp in hopes of getting more apple flavor. Question - when you ferment on the pulp does it mostly break down, or do I need to plan on squeezing similar to squeezing the grain after fermenting ...
by stillanoob
Tue May 30, 2023 6:36 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Plums a bust this year. Peaches a bust. Apples look ok but not great. Ran last year's cider stripping run. Going to have to leave the low wines until I get back from Alaska.

I am at one of those ebbs in energy. I think apples are all I will do this year.
by stillanoob
Wed Apr 19, 2023 6:00 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Hard to say how the year is going to shake out in my county. Long cold winter here but the plums went off on their usual schedule. Too early to tell how they set will be. Around here plums are boom or bust so we just have to wait and see the set. I am gone for almost all of June on a road trip to Al...
by stillanoob
Tue Apr 18, 2023 2:32 pm
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

I need to check last year's brandy cider and see if it is ready to run. Probably is but it has been a long cold winter. Just sampled some of my 2 year old apple and it is getting really nice. Almost time to bottle it and call it a day. Haven't even tasted the run from last year. I'll let it sit unti...
by stillanoob
Mon Feb 20, 2023 6:55 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Percentage of iodine
Replies: 7
Views: 492

Re: Percentage of iodine

I just use the idophor that I have for sanitizing. I have no idea what the percentage is but it indicates starch clearly.
by stillanoob
Mon Feb 13, 2023 7:15 pm
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: DIY Apple Scratter
Replies: 11
Views: 2557

Re: DIY Apple Scratter

I tried garbage disposal and it worked pretty well (aside from needing to cut the apples) but it would overheat when going through 2-300 pounds of apples and took a long time to cool down. After buying an awesome scratter I realize that a grater rather than a grinder is the way to go. So if I needed...
by stillanoob
Mon Feb 06, 2023 5:51 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: First white lightning
Replies: 13
Views: 1027

Re: First white lightning

Hahahahaha.......yeah what she doesn't know yet is that Bundy is like Vegemite.....only an Aussie could love it. Bundy tastes nothing like any other Rum on earth...and not in a good way imo. I was visiting my grandmother in England when I was about 6 years old. She asked if I would like some marmal...
by stillanoob
Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:00 am
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: PLUMS BRANDY !
Replies: 22
Views: 1872

Re: PLUMS BRANDY !

The wok was a handy size too. Shit it feels good to get creative AND have it actually work! I chucked the stones into a cloth hanging over/in a 30L container to catch more juice. I got absolutely no scalding distilling the thick wash, which was a bonus. I do use a concealed element though and I sti...
by stillanoob
Fri Jan 13, 2023 8:27 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Pintoshine 12 gallon build. Questions!
Replies: 37
Views: 7330

Re: Pintoshine 12 gallon build. Questions!

I Guess it wasn't the math that i was asking about, rather how to actually print the patterns at the larger size. I would prefer to print them here at home on my personal printer. honestly all i need are the frustum patterns. I am handy not techy lol I'm sure there are ways to break it up into page...
by stillanoob
Tue Jan 03, 2023 7:17 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Pintoshine 12 gallon build. Questions!
Replies: 37
Views: 7330

Re: Pintoshine 12 gallon build. Questions!

Wouldn't be hard. There are plenty of calculators out there that will tell you the volume of a frustum. Once you know the dimensions you need for the volume you want you can scale the plans up. I would take a look at the size and gauge copper sheets you can get your hands on and factor that in when ...
by stillanoob
Mon Dec 26, 2022 6:01 pm
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Kill the pig
Replies: 5
Views: 317

Re: Kill the pig

While I am perfectly happy stilling with 19 century technology I am looking forward to a glimpse of the future! Start another thread and share.
by stillanoob
Mon Dec 26, 2022 5:54 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Calling Chemists - Removing Copper Sulfate
Replies: 47
Views: 2087

Re: Calling Chemists - Removing Copper Sulfate

I don't know much about chemistry, but I know a little bit about moonshining. One thing I'd do for sure, is to clean the product condenser really good before I used it again. The reason redistilling hasn't cleaned up the blue, is because more is being added each time. And I'd clean and dry it real ...
by stillanoob
Fri Dec 23, 2022 5:25 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Acetobacter Infection in Whisky Mash
Replies: 8
Views: 491

Re: Acetobacter Infection in Whisky Mash

I can't believe it happened to me. I'm always so careful. I used protection and everything. My life is ruined. :D Seriously, though, I've never gotten an unintentional infection. The low wines smell quite interesting. I have high hopes for this batch. But I'm curious how it would have turned out if...
by stillanoob
Tue Dec 20, 2022 8:37 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Yeah, I have no use for Granny Smiths. No sugar or taste for cider and a so-so for pie. The only good thing I can say is that they store well and if you want natural pectin they have plenty. I think a catapult would be about the best use. man it's my favorite cider apple! the best sweet/tart cider ...
by stillanoob
Sun Dec 18, 2022 3:14 pm
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229140

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Hidden underneath all the Fuji and Braeburns was a whole bunch of what I'm assuming are Granny Smiths which aren't very tart but are quite sour. I'm not a fan of Granny Smiths and Mrs Cranky hates them, even in pies, so I've been scratching my head about what to do with 55 pounds of Granny Smiths. ...
by stillanoob
Fri Dec 09, 2022 9:39 am
Forum: Fruits & Vegetables
Topic: Damnson brandy
Replies: 7
Views: 822

Re: Damnson brandy

I just planted some Damson's last spring so I haven't gotten any fruit yet. But I am a plum wine and slivovitz fan. We don't press the plums, just break them up and ferment them pits and all with enough sugar to get the wine to 12% so that it keeps. Rack once from the primary and once from the secon...
by stillanoob
Thu Nov 24, 2022 5:49 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: "True" Blackberry Brandy
Replies: 34
Views: 3796

Re: "True" Blackberry Brandy

Most of the costs of my blackberry concoctions have been for petrol and accommodation. We usually take jars of high proof neutral with us and go hunting for wild berries to pick straight into the jars. While I love a good infusion too, the product of just distilled fruit can be amazing. If you can ...
by stillanoob
Thu Nov 24, 2022 5:45 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: The Badmotivator Bain-Marie and Oak Barrel
Replies: 1218
Views: 214561

Re: The Badmotivator Bain-Marie and Oak Barrel

Got my first badmo barrel loaded up with apple brandy from the 2021 harvest. Badmo, it is a thing of beauty. I'm going to do some whiskey this winter and load another. I really hope that you can keep making them and are making some scratch doing it!
by stillanoob
Wed Nov 23, 2022 6:20 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Copper still blues
Replies: 8
Views: 622

Re: Copper still blues

Not a doctor, don't even play one on TV but... If the distillate is not blue and the copper sulfate is in chunks, my *guess* is you'd be OK. It takes about a gram for symptoms of toxicity to appear and 10-20 grams to kill you. That is a lot. http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/cuso4gen.html#:~:text=Copp...
by stillanoob
Thu Nov 17, 2022 7:47 am
Forum: Other Hobbies and Projects
Topic: CB radio
Replies: 43
Views: 2972

Re: CB radio

I have listened to people talk to the ISS on CB. Conditions didn't connect me but I could here both sides of the q-so. I am un welcome on Ham. I talk shit, don't obey the rules, don't like test, like my echo, and doing whatever I want being free in the USA. If I want to be restricted I'll talk ssb....
by stillanoob
Wed Nov 16, 2022 10:20 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Using water to fill tubing while making a coil?
Replies: 13
Views: 715

Re: Using water to fill tubing while making a coil?

I have really fine sand at my place and have used that. When filled with the fine sand and wrapping around a form I do get some flattening. But it is on the sides and still makes a nice coil.