Search found 28 matches

by PirateShiner
Tue Jan 03, 2023 6:40 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: First AG mash
Replies: 5
Views: 597

Re: First AG mash

Sounds like a puke to me. What kind of still are you running? Was it a stripping run? Did you put anything in the bouker to reduxe foaming like copper or butter? I run a pot still to a thumper and I got rid of the crappy coil condenser and made a Liebig condenser. No I didn’t use butter or anything...
by PirateShiner
Mon Jan 02, 2023 5:35 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: First AG mash
Replies: 5
Views: 597

First AG mash

Hey All, I ran my first all grain mash. I used a combination of brewers malts to the tune of around 10lbs of malt with 5 gallons of water with red star bakers yeast. I heated thé still on high until the vapour got just past the thumper and turned it down. I ran about 4-4.5 gallons of the strained ma...
by PirateShiner
Fri Dec 30, 2022 5:40 am
Forum: Safety and Related Issues
Topic: Tell us about your mistakes.
Replies: 1626
Views: 345838

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

that reminds me. a few year back... i had a guy from the electrical department at my company come out to do some wiring for me. i have a permanent installation and i wanted a "holy shit" switch on my steam generator. i never told him what the steam was for, he never saw the "other ro...
by PirateShiner
Thu Dec 29, 2022 2:47 pm
Forum: Safety and Related Issues
Topic: Tell us about your mistakes.
Replies: 1626
Views: 345838

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Just made a huge mistake…. Instead of unplugging my heating element from from power bar in the garage I just turned the power bar off. That was yesterday. Fast forward to today and I discovered that my 5 gallon water bucked emptied onto my garage floor, so I grabbed the shop vac to clean up the wate...
by PirateShiner
Sat Dec 24, 2022 10:00 am
Forum: Grains
Topic: Source for rye in Ontario
Replies: 15
Views: 2430

Re: Source for rye in Ontario

Yeah I bought a lot of supplies and malt from him this week. Just the brew side is closing
by PirateShiner
Sat Dec 24, 2022 5:48 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: %&*($#%$ SNOW!!!!
Replies: 898
Views: 90994

Re: %&*($#%$ SNOW!!!!

Good to know, everything in life is a learning process so, I’ll take it on the chin and do better next time lol
by PirateShiner
Sat Dec 24, 2022 5:27 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: %&*($#%$ SNOW!!!!
Replies: 898
Views: 90994

Re: %&*($#%$ SNOW!!!!

Still blowing here in southern Ontario…. I just went into my garage and fired up my still. Did a rum run then a AG whiskey run and realized it didn’t ferment …. How do you miss that a mash didnt ferment? No idea how it happened… all the grain was pushed into a cap, seemed to be bubbling, I didn’t h...
by PirateShiner
Sat Dec 24, 2022 5:15 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: %&*($#%$ SNOW!!!!
Replies: 898
Views: 90994

Re: %&*($#%$ SNOW!!!!

Still blowing here in southern Ontario…. I just went into my garage and fired up my still. Did a rum run then a AG whiskey run and realized it didn’t ferment …. How do you miss that a mash didnt ferment? No idea how it happened… all the grain was pushed into a cap, seemed to be bubbling, I didn’t h...
by PirateShiner
Fri Dec 23, 2022 9:05 pm
Forum: Grains
Topic: Source for rye in Ontario
Replies: 15
Views: 2430

Re: Source for rye in Ontario

Short fingers shop is closed permanently as of December 31
by PirateShiner
Fri Dec 23, 2022 5:22 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: %&*($#%$ SNOW!!!!
Replies: 898
Views: 90994

Re: %&*($#%$ SNOW!!!!

Still blowing here in southern Ontario…. I just went into my garage and fired up my still. Did a rum run then a AG whiskey run and realized it didn’t ferment….
by PirateShiner
Fri Dec 23, 2022 3:38 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Mash has no alcohol
Replies: 16
Views: 5881

Re: Mash has no alcohol

Ugh I had the same problem, boiled my water to 165, added 12lbs of my malt and stirred off and on for an hour, then let it sit, pitched my yeast at 75 degrees. When it allegedly stopped working I strained it and I ran it this evening, I kept the temp low but it kept burping and puking even at the lo...
by PirateShiner
Thu Dec 22, 2022 4:36 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Loss of liquid from all grain mash
Replies: 22
Views: 1216

Re: Loss of liquid from all grain mash

Thanks for the help guys!
by PirateShiner
Thu Dec 22, 2022 4:08 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Loss of liquid from all grain mash
Replies: 22
Views: 1216

Re: Loss of liquid from all grain mash

Guess that would help eh????

I used 12 lbs of malted rye in 5.5 gallons of water with red star yeast, the bulk bakers yeast from Costco. I squeezed the bad gently by hand when I strained it. And no sg reading. I forgot
by PirateShiner
Thu Dec 22, 2022 3:48 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: Loss of liquid from all grain mash
Replies: 22
Views: 1216

Loss of liquid from all grain mash

Hey all, my first all grain mash fermented fine and is ready to go. I strained off the grain and found that I lost about 2-2.5 gallons of liquid due to absorption. How to if make up for the last wort? Should I just add some water?

Thanks
by PirateShiner
Mon Dec 19, 2022 1:43 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Help with a build
Replies: 6
Views: 457

Help with a build

Hey all I’m in need of some help. I am in the process of putting some upgrades on my vevor still. I’m switching out the crappy flex lines with copper pipe and better attachments. I’m ok soldering pipes together but I’m not 100% sure what I should how I should attach my threaded connections to my pot...
by PirateShiner
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:14 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: What'd ya'll make today?
Replies: 7297
Views: 957288

Re: What'd ya'll make today?

Did 2 mashes today…

A straight corn meal mash that I found on this wonderful forum and a 5 gallon corn meal malt mash
by PirateShiner
Fri Oct 14, 2022 10:03 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Re: Quick question about Vapor

Rum rub came out 130 proof! Tastes good. I have to proof it down a bit though
by PirateShiner
Fri Oct 14, 2022 7:57 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Re: Quick question about Vapor

Only issue I have is that my apple cider didn’t ferment even though there was as lots of bubbler action. I have heard that cider can take a while to ferment. If the airlock is bubbling, then you’re probably getting active fermentation. I know that mine tends to take a couple weeks or more, running ...
by PirateShiner
Fri Oct 14, 2022 7:23 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Re: Quick question about Vapor

All the tips worked including using flour paste to seal up connections. I lowered the heat now there is no vapour or heat coming out of the end of the condenser! Only issue I have is that my apple cider didn’t ferment even though there was as lots of bubbler action. So my rum wash was run instead
by PirateShiner
Fri Oct 14, 2022 3:21 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Re: Quick question about Vapor

I would strongly discourage any distilling within a home. An alcohol fire would go nuclear instantly plus it is invisible compounding the problems. I think electric elements have made it quite safe distill in an enclosed area. Like PirateShiner I distill in my basement. Whether outdoors or indoors ...
by PirateShiner
Thu Oct 13, 2022 1:59 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Re: Quick question about Vapor

Thanks guys! Gonna give it a try again tomorrow. I have 6 gallons of apple cider ready to go
by PirateShiner
Thu Oct 13, 2022 1:11 pm
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Hello!
Replies: 3
Views: 208

Re: Hello!

Thanks!
by PirateShiner
Thu Oct 13, 2022 10:24 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Re: Quick question about Vapor

So turn down the heat? Low and slow like bbq lol Yes, exactly. It sounds to me like you were overloading your condenser and pushing vapor through it. Then down the heat until you can condense everything. All that vapor in the air is doing nothing but making a fire hazard and getting you drunk, as w...
by PirateShiner
Thu Oct 13, 2022 9:46 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Re: Quick question about Vapor

If it's like the amazon still I started with it has a copper coil in a pot maybe around 1/2 gallon capacity. It is very limited in how much it can condense. These types of stills get very little respect on this forum for lots of good reasons. I think the tiny condenser capacity actually helped me i...
by PirateShiner
Thu Oct 13, 2022 8:05 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Re: Quick question about Vapor

If it’s alcohol vapor coming out, it is flammable and a danger because it could ignight. If your condenser is cool, cool smoke, what you are likely seeing is smoke from a scorch. Something burning on your element or wall of your boiler. That is not dangerous but it does make product taste like shit...
by PirateShiner
Thu Oct 13, 2022 8:02 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Re: Quick question about Vapor

It wasn’t smoke, more like a steam
by PirateShiner
Thu Oct 13, 2022 7:54 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quick question about Vapor
Replies: 25
Views: 1331

Quick question about Vapor

Hey Everyone, I’m looking for some info…. I’m sorry if the topic was covered but I couldn’t find the answer I was looking for through a forum search. I did my first run if apple brandy yesterday on my still. It’s a 5 gallon vevor still. I’ve read and been told to stop Vapor leaks in connections beca...
by PirateShiner
Thu Oct 13, 2022 7:44 am
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Hello!
Replies: 3
Views: 208

Hello!

Hi All,

I’m new to distilling, I’ve been making wine and mead for years and dabbled with jacking but couldn’t get past the hangovers lol.

I’m here to learn and I’ve loved what I’ve read so far