Search found 111 matches

by Royco
Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:27 pm
Forum: Whiskey
Topic: Yield
Replies: 84
Views: 7561

Re: Yield

wpklug you said: "Thanks, haggy, for the thoughtful response. Not everyone show patience in this forum, and many are quite snarky (yeah, I’m sure that comment alone will draw in those)" As a new member a little less arrogance could be useful; ie you reminded us 4 times in your opening para...
by Royco
Sun Oct 25, 2020 2:38 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Musing about my Liebig performance
Replies: 81
Views: 6227

Re: Musing about my Liebig performance

Hahaha! Too late; my wife reminds me regularly.
by Royco
Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:32 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Musing about my Liebig performance
Replies: 81
Views: 6227

Re: Musing about my Liebig performance

I put a cheap pressure reducer at the main tap and a needle valve before the inlet at the bottom of the Liebig. Can control the flow from a fast trickle to slow drip with no chance of a blowoff. Then to be really obsessive I put a $0,50 anti-syphon vacuum breaker at the top outlet to prevent any cha...
by Royco
Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:39 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Musing about my Liebig performance
Replies: 81
Views: 6227

Re: Musing about my Liebig performance

"An internal spiral" -- if you mean in vapour tube and not water path is very easy to do. Just wrap some 1,5 ~ 2,0 mm copper wire round a 5mm dowel to form a "spring". Stretch it to form a lazy spiral. Works very well It is not a good idea to restrict the flow of liquid in the i...
by Royco
Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:55 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Musing about my Liebig performance
Replies: 81
Views: 6227

Re: Musing about my Liebig performance

Adding an internal spiral sounds good, but I've no idea how difficult it is in practice. "An internal spiral" -- if you mean in vapour tube and not water path is very easy to do. Just wrap some 1,5 ~ 2,0 mm copper wire round a 5mm dowel to form a "spring". Stretch it to form a la...
by Royco
Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:18 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Musing about my Liebig performance
Replies: 81
Views: 6227

Re: Musing about my Liebig performance

My Liebig is 48" / 1,2 meters and is at 45 degrees. Has spirals in the water path as well as inside the vapour path and works very well. Input is 3500watts to a 50L urn. Water is controlled by a ball valve to a small trickle, almost the size of the distillate coming out and I find only the top ...
by Royco
Sat Oct 10, 2020 10:43 pm
Forum: Rum
Topic: Captain Morgan Spicy Rum
Replies: 43
Views: 47806

Re: Captain Morgan Spicy Rum

not sure if its been mentioned here yet or not, but I find the one thing thats missing in most spiced rum recipes is a small slice of orange peel. I never would have thought it till I tried it, and thats the closest to tasting like the original Captain as I've ever tasted. of course the dominant fl...
by Royco
Fri Oct 02, 2020 9:55 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: HD Distillation calc help please
Replies: 9
Views: 640

Re: HD Distillation calc help please

When I'm stripping I like to work out the total alc volume of my mash. Then compare it to the total alc volume extracted that way I know if I have come close to extracting all the alc. For example. If I charge my boiler with 20lt @10% I know I have a potential 2lt at 100% So when I strip I measure ...
by Royco
Fri Oct 02, 2020 9:26 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: HD Distillation calc help please
Replies: 9
Views: 640

Re: HD Distillation calc help please

It didn't take me thirty years to work out the unimportance of volume when it came to making shut down decisions. It wasn't a consideration when I made my first runs and never has been. I knew from my early research that for most of what I ever made, four strips would fit into the same boiler for t...
by Royco
Thu Oct 01, 2020 10:47 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: HD Distillation calc help please
Replies: 9
Views: 640

HD Distillation calc help please

Screen Shot 2020-10-02 at 08.23.03.png I am a novice, 7 months in, and still get confused by some of the calc tools. Just did a 40l sugar wash using 10Kg sugar, distillers yeast, yeast nutrient, pH control (4,2) and temp controlled to 32C. After nearly 2 weeks stalled at 1,005 giving 11,6% ABV. Dis...
by Royco
Sat Aug 22, 2020 2:32 am
Forum: Gin
Topic: Odin's gone wrong
Replies: 29
Views: 3370

Re: Odin's gone wrong

There's nothing wrong with SS for a gin still condenser, mine is SS. How did you clean it? How do you know the metallic taste isn't from an ingredient? Thanks, but i have no idea as it was my first BW and first in general using TP. I cleaned the still and newly rebuilt ss Liebig using citric acid t...
by Royco
Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:33 am
Forum: Gin
Topic: Odin's gone wrong
Replies: 29
Views: 3370

Re: Odin's gone wrong

Synaptoman I just had the same experience. But I macerated at 65% and after a week diluted to 43% and the whole thing turned to almost the identical colour and cloudiness as yours. I have a further problem; I just replaced the copper inner tube of my Liebig with SS (I know, but it's a long story). M...
by Royco
Thu Aug 13, 2020 2:00 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Getting that boat?
Replies: 128
Views: 13143

Re: Getting that boat?

Odin I feel your pain
by Royco
Thu Aug 13, 2020 1:44 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Spirit Run Yield
Replies: 7
Views: 748

Re: Spirit Run Yield

Thanks for the good advice as always
by Royco
Thu Aug 13, 2020 1:06 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Spirit Run Yield
Replies: 7
Views: 748

Re: Spirit Run Yield

Stripping to an ABV at the spout is a common mistake made by newbies who have gotten advice from other newbies. There is a huge difference between ABV in the collection jug and ABV at the spout, so please try to make it clear what you mean. :? I obviously have a long way to go! A kind fellow made m...
by Royco
Thu Aug 13, 2020 12:22 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Spirit Run Yield
Replies: 7
Views: 748

Re: Spirit Run Yield

Then the disappointing thing is I only got 12L spirit out after all the hard work. 12l at what ABV? Using the OG, FG, ABVs, volumes etc., calculate how much alcohol you had in the wash, then in the low wines, then in the hearts and the feints. That should help you find out where your alcohol went m...
by Royco
Wed Aug 12, 2020 11:18 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Spirit Run Yield
Replies: 7
Views: 748

Spirit Run Yield

Just finished my first big-ish stripping run and spirit run. A 76L BW stripped to 18L @ 60%ABV going deep into tails. Added 2L feints from previous runs, making 20L for the spirit run. This was diluted to 30L, 40%. BTW my rig is all SS SSVC controlled urn with dome, 600mm 2"column packed with c...
by Royco
Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:06 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Birdwatchers anomalies
Replies: 7
Views: 1623

Re: Birdwatchers anomalies

You guys with a thousand washes under the belt will never understand the panic of a newbie desperate to get to do a decent sized strip! :roll: Ahh, umm, well, yeah, right, I started out as an expert and never had to learn anything along the way :roll: You were a gifted child! You'll be forgiven if ...
by Royco
Mon Jul 27, 2020 10:56 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Birdwatchers anomalies
Replies: 7
Views: 1623

Re: Birdwatchers anomalies

Only use lemon juice if necessary. I've never heard of anyone using Calcium sulfite in a wash before. Where did you get that idea? OOPS, meant CaCo3. Just followed instructions re Lemon juice. OK next time no juice. Today going well but back to pH3,6 so adding more Calc carbonate. Our water is pH6,...
by Royco
Mon Jul 27, 2020 9:50 am
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: Birdwatchers anomalies
Replies: 7
Views: 1623

Birdwatchers anomalies

My first BW big wash (OK 70L is big for me). Followed instructions faithfully but ended with a very low pH -- 3,6 before pitching. Is lemon juice necessary or is it dependent on water pH etc? It would surely lower pH? In panic I added 50gm CaSo3 and that brought it up to 6,5. Pitched at 32°C and had...
by Royco
Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:02 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe
Replies: 2178
Views: 1041057

Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Smells like vomit so must be infected. Next time you smell vomit, search the forum before you kick the can over. Yes Chris I read a lot and some posters recommend just running it anyway.But at 4,5% I thought it was a big job running 42L just to get 2L out so I'm doing a 76L now following BW properl...
by Royco
Mon Jul 27, 2020 12:14 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe
Replies: 2178
Views: 1041057

Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Birdwatchers is a T and T recipe and contains tomatoe paste as part of the recipe. This seems to be a question about something called Roycos DAP Wash, why is it even in this thread? OOPS! OK, got all the stuff to do a 76L now and will follow BW precisely. My 42L hybrid (more like a Shady) was dumpe...
by Royco
Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:21 pm
Forum: Rum
Topic: Captain Morgan Spicy Rum
Replies: 43
Views: 47806

Re: Captain Morgan Spicy Rum

Been reading a lot about this and am on my third attempt. Biggest problem was adding too much spice at first. Better to creep up on it.

Just a thought; anyone know of a foaming agent to get the classic Captain ‘n Coke head?
(Slightly tongue in cheek :D )
by Royco
Mon Jul 13, 2020 2:15 pm
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe
Replies: 2178
Views: 1041057

Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Saltbush Bill wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:06 am Birdwatchers is a T and T recipe and contains tomatoe paste as part of the recipe.
This seems to be a question about something called Roycos DAP Wash, why is it even in this thread?
OOPS!
by Royco
Mon Jul 13, 2020 2:14 pm
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe
Replies: 2178
Views: 1041057

Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

...The wash heated up above the set temp of 30°C. Could have got to high thirties. Maybe that stunned the yeast... Well, yeast have “ideal” fermenting conditions. But I’ve found that ale yeasts, including baker’s bread yeasts do extremely well in warmer temperatures. I typically pitch yeast into my...
by Royco
Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:36 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe
Replies: 2178
Views: 1041057

Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

If its truly stalled and not just slow, you can search previous posts from this recipe, you will find a ton of advice. RAD had a good post that helped me out. Here is the link. Just scroll down and look for RAD14701. We found that the vegetable fertilizer made it run like a bat out of hell, but we ...
by Royco
Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:13 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe
Replies: 2178
Views: 1041057

Re: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe

Thanks for replying SS. The gravity is only down to 1.060 after 5 days. The wash is still sugary. I understand the asymptotic curve and the last 22L BW brew took about 12 days to get below 1000 points. It just seemed to take off faster. Maybe panicking too soon!
by Royco
Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:42 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe
Replies: 2178
Views: 1041057

SLUGGISH/STUCK Ferment: Birdwatchers

I feel idiotic posting this as I brewed beer for some years. Done at least a dozen sugar washes of around 20L and so easy. Last week I bought a 45L bucket and did a 1,086 wash but without the tomato paste (used yeast nutrient). PH was a bit high at pitching(7.1) but down to 4.6 after 2 days and stab...
by Royco
Sat Jul 11, 2020 8:27 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: I'm Starting To get It
Replies: 29
Views: 3507

Re: I'm Starting To get It

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, the pool is an ideal reservoir and a submersible pump will be the answer. ....... Royco, I bought a submersible water pump from Bunnings that was for water features in ponds. I used standard hose fittings and a short length of hose to connect to a reducer to maintain t...
by Royco
Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:55 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: I'm Starting To get It
Replies: 29
Views: 3507

Re: I'm Starting To get It

My alcoholmeter and parrot arrived today. I clearly was not starting to get it. Maybe.. maybe not... 8L of stripped and 8L of water gave you what as a starting abv in the boiler.. Without knowledge of those number are still in the not starting to get it yet.. the basic that most every one new forge...