Search found 735 matches

by stillanoob
Mon Sep 21, 2020 4:17 pm
Forum: Mashing and Fermenting
Topic: cider for distilling
Replies: 20
Views: 11071

Re: cider for distilling

I'm new to apple brandy but have made cider for years. I find that the apple flavor is in the heads but that overall it tastes pretty good off the spout. It does need time, my first two runs are improving greatly with some time and oak. I think the key is that it has to be tasty cider that you would...
by stillanoob
Sun Sep 20, 2020 11:17 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229563

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

Thanks Fred! I just did a cut and paste of that into a .txt for future reference.
by stillanoob
Sun Sep 20, 2020 10:23 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Junk box parrot
Replies: 3
Views: 882

Re: Junk box parrot

Thanks! I have built a pintoshine still so had already worked with frustums. When I was drawing the template I realized that making the angle of the funnel 45 degrees it made the math simple. Then I just needed to experiment with patterns and test pieces to get the overlap and center hole to all wor...
by stillanoob
Sun Sep 20, 2020 7:42 am
Forum: Still Related Hardware
Topic: Junk box parrot
Replies: 3
Views: 882

Junk box parrot

Hi All, Spent yesterday making a parrot for my pot still. Fun little project and I made it out of parts I already had laying around. The funnel was made from scraps left over from building my still. To make the joint between the funnel and the tubing strong I used a flaring tool and the designed the...
by stillanoob
Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:15 am
Forum: Whiskey
Topic: Favourite still for whiskey
Replies: 38
Views: 3917

Re: Favourite still for whiskey

Ok, got it, thanks. I was thinking the no time for a pot still thing was because you needed to do multiple strip runs to have enough to do a spirit run.
by stillanoob
Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:04 am
Forum: Whiskey
Topic: Favourite still for whiskey
Replies: 38
Views: 3917

Re: Favourite still for whiskey

So with a plated column you would do one run for the finished product? No stripping run required?
by stillanoob
Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:03 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Bending small copper tube
Replies: 6
Views: 1062

Re: Bending small copper tube

I ended up crimping one end, filling it with fine sand and crimping the other end. Came out really nice, almost no distortion. Thanks far all the input!
by stillanoob
Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:59 am
Forum: Whiskey
Topic: Favourite still for whiskey
Replies: 38
Views: 3917

Re: Favourite still for whiskey

I don't get the "I don't have time to run a pot still" thing. I can run the proceeds of a single strip run in my 12 gallon still. I have run as little as 2.5 gallons. Is that because I use propane or am I missing something here?
by stillanoob
Thu Sep 17, 2020 8:45 am
Forum: The Construction Site
Topic: Bending small copper tube
Replies: 6
Views: 1062

Bending small copper tube

Hi All, I am working on making a parrot and want to make a goose neck type of a thing for the input side. In the past I have filled with fine sand and done the bending without annealing. But then I haven't worked trying to make graceful curves in small tube like this. Is annealing a good idea or wil...
by stillanoob
Thu Sep 17, 2020 8:23 am
Forum: Whiskey
Topic: Favourite still for whiskey
Replies: 38
Views: 3917

Re: Favourite still for whiskey

Copper pot still. But of course that is all I have and all I have ever used. Many a fine whisky and brandy has been made using one, so if it ain't broke....
by stillanoob
Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:44 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: My first puke
Replies: 9
Views: 912

Re: My first puke

My first puke (not long ago) caught me by surprise. So did the second. :shock: Some folks live and learn, other just live...
by stillanoob
Tue Sep 15, 2020 7:24 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: The liar's bench
Replies: 6675
Views: 487418

Re: The liar's bench

This happened a long while back when I was young but I thought I'd share it here anyway. I was working construction way back then as a carpenter and we had somebody's nephew kinda forced upon us for the summer. Young, eager beaver that knew it all. You know the type. Hell, I was that type. He had be...
by stillanoob
Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:30 am
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Just Another Newbie
Replies: 3
Views: 401

Re: Just Another Newbie

Puppy, start a new thread and tell us about your rig and your runs.
by stillanoob
Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:07 pm
Forum: Whiskey
Topic: Favourite white likker
Replies: 20
Views: 2876

Re: Favourite white likker

Plum brandy is far and away my favorite white dog. Not as easy to keep in stock as grain based though.
by stillanoob
Sat Sep 12, 2020 6:57 pm
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Just Another Newbie
Replies: 3
Views: 401

Re: Just Another Newbie

Well, I guess you won't have the problem that many do (myself included) of tasting it as it comes off the spout. You'll have the finest nose in the business.
by stillanoob
Sat Sep 12, 2020 6:17 pm
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Still started huffing
Replies: 18
Views: 1894

Re: Still started huffing

Thanks for the kind words about the rig. I had a lot of fun building it, it was the first time I had really worked copper, aside from soldering plumbing. It works well except for the huffing. Its greatest limitation is me learning to run it. :roll: I will try insulating the Lyne arm next run and rep...
by stillanoob
Sat Sep 12, 2020 7:27 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Still started huffing
Replies: 18
Views: 1894

Re: Still started huffing

@LWTCS: The worm uses 1/2" ID copper tubing. The coil is about 10" in diameter. There are 7 turns plus the two sections of hard pipe at the top and bottom. The flake stand is a standard keg. Here are pics. 20200213_172952_resized_1.jpg 20200503_095939_resized.jpg The coil has supports now ...
by stillanoob
Fri Sep 11, 2020 11:22 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Still started huffing
Replies: 18
Views: 1894

Re: Still started huffing

No vapor is making it past the condenser. I can run at 6 liters an hour with no problem so the condenser can knock down the slow rate I am actually running no problem. You can hear and feel it pulling air in. No ice in the flake stand. Water is about 53 degrees.
by stillanoob
Fri Sep 11, 2020 7:25 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Best plum cultivars for wine and brandy?
Replies: 7
Views: 1514

Best plum cultivars for wine and brandy?

Hi All, This was the year of the plum for me. While I have always liked plums, making wine and brandy this year along with drying plums and making frozen plum moosh for smoothies has given me a vast new appreciation for them. So I want to plant some more plums. Currently I have a Santa Rosa and a La...
by stillanoob
Fri Sep 11, 2020 7:05 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Still started huffing
Replies: 18
Views: 1894

Re: Still started huffing

SS, no breeze where I am distilling. In fact less than there was where I used it with no problem. Wouldn't insulating the lyne arm/copper pipe to the condenser tend to increase huffing? It seems like keeping the vapor warmer would lead to more drastic collapse when it hit the worm. I was actually th...
by stillanoob
Fri Sep 11, 2020 6:49 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: fruit/grape press
Replies: 12
Views: 2648

Re: fruit/grape press

Rev, most of your press questions have been answered. I have a Happy Valley press. Just a few comments on fruit trees. Your plum may have died from the wet year but there is a good chance that root stock was not the best for your soil type and water levels. Root stock makes a big difference and sele...
by stillanoob
Thu Sep 10, 2020 8:01 am
Forum: Condensers/Cooling Methods
Topic: Still started huffing
Replies: 18
Views: 1894

Still started huffing

HI All, Equipment: 12 gallon pot still, all copper, propane fired, worm condenser of about 20 feet of 5/8" OD copper tubing in a 15.5 gallon keg as a flake stand. From the end of the Lyne arm there is about 7 feet of copper pipe in the air before it enters the flake stand and worm. I have been ...
by stillanoob
Wed Sep 09, 2020 10:37 am
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229563

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

It's funny how people have been taught that food that doesn't come from a store isn't safe. Reminds me of a time many years ago when I lived in a city. A country buddy of mine brought some home grown hamburger and folks were reluctant to eat it! We are talking hand raised, hand butchered and proces...
by stillanoob
Wed Sep 09, 2020 8:47 am
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: sweetfeed whisky
Replies: 4220
Views: 671375

Re: sweetfeed whisky

Duro, I was hoping a more experienced distiller would chime in on the over-oaking. But from my reading on this site less oak for longer is better and it is difficult to remove the flavor.

dec, there are a ton of brewers calculators out there that will tell you what your OG will be.
by stillanoob
Tue Sep 08, 2020 5:50 pm
Forum: My First .....
Topic: First run in almost a year and first Plum brandy
Replies: 61
Views: 5812

Re: First run in almost a year and first Plum brandy

I've tried three natural ferments in my life. The first turned out great and I thought "this is awesome!". The next two turned out like crap. Nowadays I just don't want to risk all the hard work that takes and want a consistent result. So pitching yeast it is for me.
by stillanoob
Tue Sep 08, 2020 5:39 pm
Forum: Fruit and grain season is here
Topic: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness
Replies: 2586
Views: 229563

Re: Lets get carried away with fruity goodness

In my limited experience the best apple is mixed in with the heads. Hard to get one without the other. The trick is where do you draw the line and that I am still working on. Try the grape juice and see what you get. I have a ton of pecheco (or Mexican gooseberry) that I am thinking of trying someth...
by stillanoob
Tue Sep 08, 2020 8:26 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: ABV during spirit run
Replies: 7
Views: 756

Re: ABV during spirit run

A professional distiller I know says that the ideal is 28% for low wines. He claims you get more hearts that way. When I asked why he said he wasn't sure but he found it to be true. Me, I have no idea but I find that is about the range my low wines work out to anyway.
by stillanoob
Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:51 am
Forum: ** Welcome Center **
Topic: Just saying hi.
Replies: 2
Views: 287

Re: Just saying hi.

Well, if you are looking for more volume make sure your new rig goes up to 11. It's one more than 10.

Post up your plans in another thread.
by stillanoob
Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:46 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Why do you distill ? Cost or Quality ?
Replies: 60
Views: 5504

Re: Why do you distill ? Cost or Quality ?

Absolutely just to make a fine drop. My goal in distilling was to make apple brandy from trees I planted in a still I made out of a sheet of copper. I have spent more building my still then I have spent on spirits in 20 years. Hopefully by the time I die I will have amortized that down to a reasona...
by stillanoob
Mon Sep 07, 2020 6:45 am
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Why do you distill ? Cost or Quality ?
Replies: 60
Views: 5504

Re: Why do you distill ? Cost or Quality ?

Absolutely just to make a fine drop. My goal in distilling was to make apple brandy from trees I planted in a still I made out of a sheet of copper. I have spent more building my still then I have spent on spirits in 20 years. Hopefully by the time I die I will have amortized that down to a reasonab...