Search found 148 matches

by jward
Sat Mar 05, 2022 10:23 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: VM Column Build
Replies: 76
Views: 6450

Re: VM Column Build

You might also find some PTFE gaskets suck because they are malformed and another one works well.
by jward
Thu Feb 24, 2022 8:00 am
Forum: General Stilling questions
Topic: Question about electric boilers
Replies: 32
Views: 3517

Re: Question about electric boilers

True that, but with PWM the ammeter just flips up and down not providing an average. I guess what I have is called a "multi function power meter". I was glad to see I'm getting 245 VAC. It seems to show that whenever I power it up which is admittedly a small sample. Better a favorable read...
by jward
Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:56 pm
Forum: General Stilling questions
Topic: Question about electric boilers
Replies: 32
Views: 3517

Re: Question about electric boilers

I can drive the boil by the PWM % as the reference without regard to the amps or watts. The ammeter has other useful features in that it tells me lots more like kWh used. I also use the setup for an HLT control where the ammeter works as expected.
by jward
Sun Feb 20, 2022 7:57 am
Forum: General Stilling questions
Topic: Question about electric boilers
Replies: 32
Views: 3517

Re: Question about electric boilers

Again, just put the meter on the input side before the controller. It'll show you the draw, without being exposed to the weird waveform. Ez PZ. Sadly if the controller is using pulse width modulation the meter will show the current draw at the time so you see it switch between full on an off. You d...
by jward
Tue Feb 15, 2022 10:59 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Moonshiners, are they for real
Replies: 78
Views: 12517

Re: Moonshiners, are they for real

The fact is, if you're not selling booze and you're not making HUGE quantities, they probably just don't care. I agree. I live in a city with a police department, but I asked a local sheriff in a dry county. They said someone making some homemade beer or liquor for their own consumption was not int...
by jward
Tue Feb 15, 2022 10:45 am
Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
Topic: Ferm-Solutions Enzymes
Replies: 57
Views: 11273

Re: Ferm-Solutions Enzymes

Thanks Powder Monkey and Twisted Brick. I would expect that alpha would get complete conversion of the starch but leave some complex, unfermentable sugars that the gluco would cut up so the yeast could eat all simple sugars. I was wondering what the gravity would be after the alpha got done and then...
by jward
Fri Feb 11, 2022 5:44 pm
Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
Topic: Ferm-Solutions Enzymes
Replies: 57
Views: 11273

Re: Ferm-Solutions Enzymes

Twisted Brick wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 8:03 am That's interesting. I've always relied on gluco to 'finish' conversion so I could get an OG.
Have you measured gravity before and after the GA? I am curious how much it changed.
by jward
Thu Feb 10, 2022 11:19 am
Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
Topic: Rehydrated 1 year old yeast did not swell like it used to be.
Replies: 14
Views: 1210

Re: Rehydrated 1 year old yeast did not swell like it used to be.

I read that hydrating yeast in proper temp water was ideal prior to pitching and that hydrating yeast in wash, water with sugar and pitching directly into a wash kills off much yeast. Is this a myth or just overthinking things? While yeast re-hydrate the cell membranes don't control what comes into...
by jward
Thu Feb 10, 2022 10:55 am
Forum: Alcohol as Fuel
Topic: Doug's continuous distillation
Replies: 165
Views: 34422

Re: Doug's continuous distillation

Ultimately, the only WORK done is lifting the etoh vapors at the top up to the condenser. Perhaps I understand you wrong. But what about reflux? For rectification you need reflux. And reflux costs energy. For a result of 96%abv directly from a wash you clearly have to reflux something like 4/5 of t...
by jward
Wed Feb 02, 2022 5:54 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Anyone use a boresnake for cleaning.
Replies: 8
Views: 797

Re: Anyone use a boresnake for cleaning.

I'd use a beer line cleaner for quick brushing.
https://www.morebeer.com/products/beer- ... 12-48.html
by jward
Sun Jan 30, 2022 9:37 am
Forum: Other Hobbies and Projects
Topic: rifles
Replies: 726
Views: 131327

Re: rifles

Truckinbutch wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:26 pm I try to focus on what I can resupply from an OPPFORCE . Social breakdown may make that a necessity ,
Hopefully you can take some arms from them before your stash runs out in a pinch too.
by jward
Fri Jan 28, 2022 9:44 am
Forum: Legalization of Home Distilling
Topic: A bit of good news for home distilling
Replies: 58
Views: 14289

Re: A bit of good news for home distilling

It sounds like reasonable cover for someone making liquor at home for their own and family consumption. I hope it spreads to other states until congress agrees too.
by jward
Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:53 pm
Forum: Boilers
Topic: Large oil/steam jacketed boiler questions
Replies: 47
Views: 6783

Re: Large oil/steam jacketed boiler questions

Another caveat is Pulse Width Modulation(PWM). It's a technique that involves cycling the power on an off to control power. The system I use one sets the power to some fraction as a percentage and the controller turns the power on and off to represent the fractional power. This controls a boil very ...
by jward
Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:58 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Fermenter/Still ???
Replies: 5
Views: 458

Re: Fermenter/Still ???

I have heard of others using a heating element to sanitize a fermenter. You should be able to make it work with caveats mentioned like not scorching contents and keeping the element submerged.
by jward
Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:20 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Meme’s
Replies: 1515
Views: 243125

Re: Meme’s

HDmeme.jpeg
by jward
Wed Dec 29, 2021 11:54 am
Forum: Boilers
Topic: conical fermenter as a boiler
Replies: 24
Views: 3928

Re: conical fermenter as a boiler

morefog wrote: Tue Dec 28, 2021 2:57 pm From the pic your system can't run under pressure so I'm wondering if you had success.
Yup, pressure is out with what I have. I have not yet tried the 50% glycol to see if it works.
by jward
Thu Dec 23, 2021 6:48 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: What still to built or buy?
Replies: 494
Views: 320690

Re: What still to built or buy?

kimbodious wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 3:36 pm Go modular! My stills are 2” stainless steel. I use a copper potscourer or two for copper in the vapour path. Check out the pics from the links in my signature.
Have you ever wished you went with 3" stainless steel?
by jward
Tue Dec 21, 2021 7:06 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Got a 100 litre batch of turbo pure 48 stalled?
Replies: 48
Views: 3300

Re: Got a 100 litre batch of turbo pure 48 stalled?

Asos21 wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 2:13 pm What does confuse me is how are companies like still spirits allowed to sell a produce which creates a toxic (dangerous) spirit?
This is why we can't have nice things in the US.
by jward
Mon Dec 20, 2021 8:46 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Baileys Irish Cream Clone
Replies: 22
Views: 11247

Re: Baileys Irish Cream Clone

I have curdled commercial bourbon cream by adding more bourbon.
by jward
Mon Dec 20, 2021 8:38 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: product condenser wierdness
Replies: 2
Views: 567

product condenser wierdness

While running water only for a cleaning/testing run I wanted to see how much power the product condenser could handle. It was a half hearted attempt since I didn't have the parts to run the PC off of the tap and rigged a pump pushing tap water from a bucket. The still is a sanke keg 15.5g boiler wit...
by jward
Mon Dec 20, 2021 7:05 pm
Forum: Safety and Related Issues
Topic: Silicone tubing.
Replies: 21
Views: 5599

Re: Silicone tubing.

Dancing4dan wrote: Mon Dec 20, 2021 4:41 pm And PTFE wins by a mile! :clap: :clap: :clap:
Even stainless has lots of incompatible things, but PTFE was straight A's.
by jward
Mon Dec 20, 2021 6:46 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Filthy brand new stainless still dragon parrot
Replies: 5
Views: 827

Re: Filthy brand new stainless still dragon parrot

I like to remove organic crap from stainless with a hot (160F) PBW soak. That'll probably work on that waxy compound. I also like Barkeeper's Friend and would scrub it after the soak.
by jward
Mon Dec 20, 2021 1:58 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Baileys Irish Cream Clone
Replies: 22
Views: 11247

Re: Baileys Irish Cream Clone

iwine wrote: Mon Dec 20, 2021 11:42 am Is there a way of adding something that keeps it from separating
Keep searching here. I have a recollection of one of the pros answering your question with a process about pH matching before adding the cream.
by jward
Thu Dec 16, 2021 6:57 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Absorption and Displacement
Replies: 5
Views: 748

Re: Absorption and Displacement

One of the brewing software packages I use to calculate this uses (0.12 gallons) / pound of grain. This is primarily barley and I don't squeeze the grain. Some others say as high as 0.2 gallons per pound. I suspect that this is the rule of thumb you already know. Since the OG is important for beer m...
by jward
Wed Dec 15, 2021 7:14 am
Forum: Research and Theory
Topic: Equalizing a column or getting everything in the boiler upto temp.
Replies: 96
Views: 8621

Re: Equalizing a column or getting everything in the boiler upto temp.

Theres more than one account in the element height threads of being able to put a hand comfortably on the bottom of a boiler mid run, very much implies mixing not happening. ( Dont yell at me if you try this at home and burn yourself folks :roll: ) I found this to be exactly the case during my clea...
by jward
Wed Dec 01, 2021 3:45 pm
Forum: Related Electric Accessories
Topic: Scr question
Replies: 39
Views: 3944

Re: Scr question

You can use this chart based on length and amperage image.png 10 awg should be fine. 5500w / 240v = 22.91A / 0.8 margin of safety = 28.64 A. As long as your total run is less than 50' you should have acceptable drop. I agree with you about 10awg being sufficient. I would suggest the wire needs to b...
by jward
Thu Nov 18, 2021 7:49 am
Forum: Boilers
Topic: Converting a keg to an electric boiler
Replies: 27
Views: 4083

Re: Converting a keg to an electric boiler

I think you will have success welding a ferule on top and making colum adapters from caps like you asked about. I did something similar. I had an 8" ferule welded on top and purchased one of these https://www.brewershardware.com/images/product/tccapred80x30x15x15.jpg https://www.brewershardware...
by jward
Thu Nov 11, 2021 10:01 am
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Question about bugs
Replies: 27
Views: 4077

Re: Question about bugs

Get a used deep freezer from the used appliance store and keep your grains in it (frozen, of course) until you need it to brew. Freezing will hold moisture in the grains and kill insect larvae (which almost all grain contains, even commercially malted grains). A cheap $100USD freezer will help a lo...
by jward
Thu Nov 04, 2021 1:13 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: All grain twins one smells bad other does not
Replies: 36
Views: 3169

Re: All grain twins one smells bad other does not

I may not be understanding your yeast process. I would caution against adding DAP before the yeast get re-hydrated. The dry yeast doesn't have as much control over what enters the cell and the DAP can be toxic before they can regulate it's uptake. So I have read. Like Shadylane said. You probably do...
by jward
Sun Oct 31, 2021 7:38 pm
Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
Topic: Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient Addition (TOSNA)
Replies: 3
Views: 1649

Re: Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient Addition (TOSNA)

I know some commercial mead makers front load the nutrients when making a hydromel/session mead (~8%abv) and use US-05 to boot. I am sure you could very successfully crate a protocol to use these nutrients but might not need to stagger them.