First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

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a13b9
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First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

Hello!

First ethanol drips are coming thru my still right now!
Its a sac run on a 5 gallon of birdwatchers. Distillate appears to be coming out slightly blue :sick:
I think I'm in for a loooong day haha.
20210913_125946.jpg
20210913_125912.jpg
It doesnt appear that I have any kind of leaks as of yet, but I can definatly smell a hint of the wash ..
Im standing near the breaker with my firex and my flashlight lol, this is a little scary :o
distillate smells awesome. It's coming out at 33°C which is kind of high i think... Warm summer water.

It completely cleared up after 100mls. So I guess imma have myself a nice clean still 8)
a13b9
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

20210913_125929.jpg
Oh the gumball mash!
I was brewing a smash beer with my friend yesterday (all marris otter) and we seriously overshot the quantity of grains for the volume we needed (we were gonna keg so we didnt neet 8 gallons preboil). So I took some of that extra sparge, filled the tun again and sparged again to collect about 8 gallons total of 1.015 wort, which I mixed up with 2 gallons/6kg of inverted sugar. Tasted just as good as the preboil beer... Cant wait to distill it and see what that tastes like.

Here it is fermenting like crazy
a13b9
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

Nearly shat my pants I did the noobiest thing. Was washing a jar with the water from the out of the liebig and by force of habit I closed the tap... Vapors came out the spout for about 20 seconds before I realised what I did. Holy shit.
a13b9
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

Allright! 2h15 mins from heat on and I've collected 6 liters of distillate down to about 20%. All the jars are clear as water, and smell like the wash (yuck). Ran it as a stripping run so I guess these would be low wines.
Is it safe to say that my still is clean now? (I did a serious vinegar bath and scrub, water run and vinegar run).
NormandieStill
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by NormandieStill »

Sounds good. Now you can set about making a known poison, uncontaminated by unknown poisons! :wink:
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo

A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by Saltbush Bill »

a13b9 wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 10:22 am Is it safe to say that my still is clean now? (I did a serious vinegar bath and scrub, water run and vinegar run).
Nope , that last run would be your sacrificial alcohol run.
Id toss that or keep it for some other use besides drinking, next run is a keeper.
a13b9
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

Yes that's what I meant. I did pour it down the drain after watering it down to 10%... I shed a small tear doing it :cry:
a13b9
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

Sampled my gumball today, I'm perplexed
20210915_162201.jpg
Looks funny considering the mash was brownish, I'm afraid I might have gotten a lacto infection?

Tastes like baker's yeast, sugar, and so acidic I can't detect the grain taste at all.

After brewing the IPA we had a few drinks and I really didnt follow any sanitation protocols on those mashes.

Should I run it or dump it?
a13b9
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

Well I'm running it rn and I don't regret it! Tastes a little like whisky which I guess is a good thing
a13b9
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

Ran the spirit run yesterday...
Collected about 6L off 3G of 35% Low wines, down to about 40%. Not too bad. Gonna make cuts today and hopefully nuke a jar of heads with a bunch of oak chips. I have a feeling it won't be good enough for proper ageing.

I was constantly tasting off the still and really had a hard time detecting the hearts cut. Tails were alot more obvious. But yeah everything prior tasted pretty mehh even diluted to around 40%... Hopefully it'll be easier to cut today now that they've aired out for a while.
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8Ball
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by 8Ball »

Sounds like you fumbled into making a neutral. Run the hearts a third time as a spirit run and keep the hearts only.
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
a13b9
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

Haha it would seem that way!

Unfortunatly it's all down the drain already... I wouldnt have served this to my worst enemy, even diluted with a gallon of coke. It was the foulest smelling, worst tasting spirit I ever tasted. I didn't even know it was possible to fuck it up that much :s

Everything tasted ao horrible I made the hearts cut by abv alone, and kept about 600ml which I am nuking rn with oak chips and vanilla, purely for experiment because I'm almost certain I wont drink any of it, safe a sample :lol:

Next batch I'll make a proper mash!
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by Saltbush Bill »

If you made all of your cuts by ABV then I'm not surprised it tastes like shit.
a13b9
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Re: First still build, first sac run and first gumball mash

Post by a13b9 »

I really tried to make them cuts by taste, Saltbush Bill!
I just couldnt, every jar tasted just so horrible after an hour of tasting and gagging I couldnt take it anymore...
:lol:
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