Home Distiller

If you want to make bourbons and rums you will need a pot still. One of the easiest to make is from a pressure cooker. No welding/soldering or anything. You can get brass pressure fittings that will screw right into the top. Condensers are relatively easy to make. Go to http://homedistiller.org/&quo...

Grayson: Good Point :lol: My tube fits snugly in the funnel so that's one thing I've never worried about. Plus it's a BIG funnel that would probably hold at least 1500 ml. Do have to be careful though as it can definitely back up on you. I don't relish the thought of drinking it off the floor with a...

Good Grief......Alcohol is a damn EXPLOSIVE and it is absolutely NO DIFFERENT than shipping a bottle of GASOLINE through a public carrier. Just remember one thing. If you get discovered you could well face terrorism charges. Is it really worth it just to send a bottle of booze to a buddy? Think abou...

allen42: Here is a simple way to filter your spirit........ 1. Get a piece of 3/4" copper pipe about 3' long, a small funnel and a stable glass container like a gallon jug. 2. Place the funnel in the jug on the floor with a couple of cotton balls in the funnel. 3. Secure about 4 layers of coffe...

runforthehills:
Matanuska-Susitna valley. The borough is larger than the state of Delaware with a population of about 70,000.

AkCoyote

I drink (taste) about 1/8 a shot from every batch but other than that, there is no way in hades that I would sit around drinking the stuff anymore than I would eat handfuls of flour just because I like bread.

AkCoyote

Uncle Jesse:
I just wanted to take a minute and tell you how impressed I am with the WIKI. You have done an absolutely superb job in getting it put together (as well as all of the contributors). The WIKI is really becoming a fine resource! Well done sir!

AkCoyote

No. Any hooch left in a glass will get drank. Definitely not safe for the hooch.

AkCoyote

Try explaining 50lbs of sugar and 50lbs of rice. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I AM making rice wine". Seriously, here in Alaska so many people live in the bush and only get supplies once or twice a year, no one even looks sideways when you buy anything in bulk.

AkCoyote

Pretty nasty looking stuff, especially when you put it in a blender first. Be sure to add the glucose, maybe a bit of carmelized sugar for color and age on a little oak for a month. You won't be disappointed.

AkCoyote

Just hold your nose and look to the future This is one of those concoctions where YOU MUST BELIEVE

AkCoyote

The main reason that I got into distilling was to make brandy. The first batch was from a $90 wine making kit. It was good but far too expensive. The next one was from a Welches grape juice wine batch. Not bad but not what I was looking for. Somewhere I read about raisins just being dehydrated grape...

Great moonshine supply shop you got there. I'm still wondering what she said when you told her you had added turbo yeast to 25lbs of sugar

AkCoyote

I'm with the Chemist. Start the yeast a day earlier, throw that into a 10 gallon wash and it will take about double the time to ferment. The wash will also need some additional nutrients such as those used for wine or maybe a can of tomatoe paste.

AkCoyote

Get some Turbo 48 yeast and follow the directions on the pack. Works like a charm every time.

AkCoyote

Jaxom: First, this is strictly my opinion .......... If you've read Homedistiller, there are many references to making a pot still from a pressure cooker and MOST pressure cookers just happen to be aluminum, especially the older ones. Homedistiller is by far the most comprehensive site out there on ...

Another way is to drill a small hole in the LIP (edge) of the bottom. NOT INTO THE KEG ITSELF!! Aluminum will be real easy. SS on the other hand...............

AkCoyote

allen42: I use a 15 gal keg and a turkey fryer for heat. Cranked up a 5 gal wash will get to temp in 15 minutes or less when the starting temp is 65F. When your temp reaches 140-150F turn the heat WAY down and watch your thermometer. At some point the temp will level off so slowly increase the heat....

I love the smell of about any wash but rice. It stinks. Tastes sour and generally makes you want to just toss it. But damn if it isn't GOOD when double distilled in a pot still!

AkCoyote

allen42 and outlawokie: The type of reflux still described is usually an offset head design that allows for the collection of some spirit while returing the remainder to the column to 'reflux' and become more pure. This is the ideal method and will definitely get you the purest/cleanest spirit. I've...

I'm with ya both Holy and Knuck. Copper, stainless or glass only. I picked up a testing cylinder at the brew store for $3. No graduations but has this heavy rubber ring around the top in the event it falls over. Really slick and works great.

AkCoyote

Turkey fryer works great doesn't it? Nice setup! Like where you live too:)

AkCoyote

I did one batch with malt extract and was disappointed. I used bakers yeast and it really effected the flavor. Used 5 lbs malt, 10 lps sugar and 5 gal water and fermentation went just fine. My boiler is a 15 gal keg so foaming wasn't a problem.

AkCoyote

If you have never made shochu, you will really like it, especially warm regular sake. Be sure to use koma koji when you ferment. Amalyse works but doesn't give the same flavor. Good Luck!

AkCoyote

With Alcotec I'd remove the airlock. Fermentation should be over in 5 days even with that amount of sugar.

AkCoyote

That's what I was thinking. Just run everything. I'm curious to see how much will be foreshots.

AkCoyote

Whenever I distill, I usually have leftovers. If it's a reflux run there's the heads and the tails. I double distill in the pot still so I have the foreshots, heads and tails. Over the past year I've accumulated about a gallon of foreshots and 5 gallons of heads and tails. This is from grain, rice, ...

Or try brazing it.

AkCoyote

Let it breathe.

AkCoyote

I use a beer keg for a boiler and after every run I empty it out, put it in the shower, fill it with hot water and about a 1/4 cup bleach. Let it sit 24 hours and rinse thoroughly. I do the same thing with my fermenters and carboys. Everything comes out spotless.

AkCoyote