Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

New to distillation, or simply new to the HD forums.
** Your first post MUST go here. Introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your interest in distilling. Any posts asking distilling questions will be deleted. **

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
daveskis
Novice
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:30 pm
Location: Australia

Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by daveskis »

Been making wine for four years. Friend loaned me a still. And now I need to know how complex a hobby I am in for. The more you know the more you
need to know, it seems.
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Welcome Dave, I guess its like wine making , you start off thinking it must be easy, then the more you learn the more you realize how much you don't know......the learning never ends.
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7653
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by Yummyrum »

A pic of the still you have can help us point you in the right direction . For example , if you have a reflux still , no use saying you should look at making brandy .

By the way , what kind of spirits do interest you ?
User avatar
Deplorable
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3984
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm
Location: In the East, (IYKYK)

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by Deplorable »

Saltbush Bill wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:48 pm Welcome Dave, I guess its like wine making , you start off thinking it must be easy, then the more you learn the more you realize how much you don't know......the learning never ends.
Pun intended :lol:
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Deplorable wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 8:30 pm Pun intended
Well no.....but yes it works!
User avatar
jonnys_spirit
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3630
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 7:58 am
Location: The Milky Way

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by jonnys_spirit »

Deplorable wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 8:30 pm
Saltbush Bill wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:48 pm Welcome Dave, I guess its like wine making , you start off thinking it must be easy, then the more you learn the more you realize how much you don't know......the learning never ends.
Pun intended :lol:
Maybe one day after many too many days then come around full circle and throw out everything you ever thought you learned along the way and wing it taking all the wrong turns breaking all the rules and call it artisan and it’ll be the best you ever made. Not there yet btw but we can aspire to be reckless and carefree.

I make wine too. It’s a good start. Sanitation may or may not be as important in ferments destined for the still.

I’d recommend getting going with your wine fermenters (brute cans?) but you’ll want bigger soon enough and some mashes can get fairly nasty and I wouldn’t want stick my nice wine grapes in that infected stinky fermenter.

Btw, what kind of still do you have? Gas or electric? What size?

Cheers and good luck!
Jonny
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13062
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by NZChris »

Welcome to the forum.

Be careful what distilling knowledge you bring to distilling. E.g. SO2 is a no no.

Cheers
Chris
User avatar
Demy
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3084
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2020 1:45 pm

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by Demy »

Welcome, distill My wine and I must say that it is not generally very difficult for the other ferments, but it still requires good foundations to start, you will have time to deepen.
daveskis
Novice
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:30 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by daveskis »

Guys thanks for the advice. I now have an electric Reflux 35l AlcoEngine kit and a Copper Pot Still Dome for same with a glass gin basket. What will I mostly do with this is scratch my brain cells for more neural plasticity. What? Basically more toys more fun.
The flavoured spirit from the Pot Still will enhance the flavour of my Muscat and Port. Gin sounds fun. Could give that go. Neutral stuff from the sugar wash put through the Reflux. At such time when I run out of fermented pomace.
daveskis
Novice
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:30 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by daveskis »

Well after eons I have finally run a wash through my Reflux. And after reading again all the relevant stuff here discovered I could have Pot Stilled it first to strip. You live and learn.
Anyway the task was reasonably smooth for a first timer. No problems to speak of.
BrewinBrian44
Rumrunner
Posts: 722
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:11 pm

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by BrewinBrian44 »

Careful, this hobby can become an obsession. I’m an avid home brewer with some BJCP medals, but the beer hobby seems to have taken a back seat lol.

As a wine maker, there are differences when you intend to distill. As Chris alluded to, definitely don’t use sulfites in your must!!!! Also try to keep the sulfur production very minimized with a healthy ferment. Copper will be your friend.
User avatar
NZChris
Master of Distillation
Posts: 13062
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by NZChris »

After a while, you'll learn a few tricks and will be able to plan ahead for how a product is going to be distilled for what you want to make.

When making a product I've never made before, I probably spend more time doing research on how to go about it than I spend doing the actual distilling. Don't restrict your research to only surfing forums as there are other valuable resources available.
StillerBoy
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3387
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:27 pm
Location: Ontario

Re: Wine Maker to Distiller Maybe?

Post by StillerBoy »

daveskis wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 3:19 pm The flavoured spirit from the Pot Still will enhance the flavour of my Muscat and Port.
Welcome to HD.. watch out for the rabbit hole..

Enhancing a wine with extra alcohol ? or if not, elaborating on what " enhance the flavor" would mean or intended to mean..

As to enhancing Muscat wine, the premium kits of RSJ are already very nice as is, as to Port, it's already at a high level of alcohol at 18%..

Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "

– Albert Einstein
Post Reply