hot stuff

runingkind · Post by **runingkind** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 6:25 pm

The first I made was weak but had agood kick.All my friends said I needed to make it stronger.Now evervy time I make a run,and I've made several I doubled my bacth except for the water left it the same.It is real hot.If I cut it to drink with water,sometimes it turns cloudy but not every time.Any advise?
Thanks guys

KatoFong · Post by **KatoFong** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 6:39 pm

What are you making?

Post by **theholymackerel** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:52 am

If it's turnin' cloudy when diluted with water yer releasin' oils from suspension in yer distillate.

The oils shouldn't be there.

Yer probably not makin' tight enough cuts and should consider sacrificin' quanity for quality. (Tighter cuts will yeild a bit less product, but a FAR superior product.)

I wish ya luck!

Rocky_Creek · Post by **Rocky_Creek** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:59 am

If you cut to 100 proof you won't see any cloudiness. There is nothing necessarily wrong with the booze. Comercials have the same problem, if they cut below 86 proof they have cloudiness, so they filter with activated charcoal. In doing this they remove some flavor.

It sounds like you have a weak wash or are going too far before cutting. Would help if you told what you are doing.

Intergalactic Captain · Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:25 am

Try adding a handful of crushed/almost powdered charcoal per litre and letting it sit for an hour. Shake it frequently, then strain through a coffee filter followed by multiple runs through a funnel w/ a stem full of cotton balls. In my (albeit quite) limited experience in this hobby, i've found that an hour or two on charcoal will remove any cloudiness without damaging the flavor of your distillate. This, of course, is assuming you're not making vodka - If you are, go for activated carbon and clean up everything.

If it matters, I use sugar-maple charcoal for this. I'd imagine you could use any good wood, but I've found that the stuff growing in my yard works well for everything from a good old fashioned swamp fire to homemade black powder.

level Joe · Post by **level Joe** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:20 pm

If your making black powder you should grow some grapes. The carbon from the charcoaled vines is supposed to be the best. Not to mention the added benifit of the brandy from the grapes

.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:14 am

I make charcoal...have my whole process involving a stainless retort and blacksmith forge and a post oak photographed and stored on this computer. gotta get that process posted...if anybody is up to explaining how to do that... I frankly need some tutoring in that...

anway, got any good links for that grape charcoal stuff...? Thats one I have been itching to make.

and, runingkind, describe your setup alittle more and we can probably help better. how big is your boiler and what are you heating it with? good hootch takes time and patience... if your running too fast you can have problems like that.

level Joe · Post by **level Joe** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:12 am

Sorry, I dont have any good links, its just what ive read along the way. It sounds like you know more about it than me anyway. I did find one about grilling over the vines I thought was interesting.

http://photobucket.com/ is what I use, its free and easy.

Bujapat · Post by **Bujapat** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:18 am

If I understand, you need tutorial to post pictures here?
Here's the way to go :
First, go on http://www.imageshack.us/ and register...
Second, upload your images... Choose the "resize image" button : 640x480.
Third, copy the link for each image : choose the last link called "direct"
Fourth, come here on the forum, click the "img" button once, then paste the image direct link, then click the "img" button a second time... It's done. Be sure the link is between the two img html balises.
Fifth, do the same for each image you want to post.

Forgot one thing : it's better to change resolution (to 72ppi) and save as jpg your pics before to load. Don't load a 5 Mo picture!

It would work!

Here is an example :

Hootch · Post by **Hootch** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:21 pm

Bujpat, That's a beautiful dog! Is it yours? What breed?

Bujapat · Post by **Bujapat** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 9:20 am

Yes, that's mine!
It's a Leonberg, a mountain dog from Deutchland (very similar to french St Bernard). 85 kg, 8o cm high...! His name is Bacchus, the roman god of wine and drinkin'.

stoker · Post by **stoker** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 6:22 am

nice dog, 85 kg is a lot

, that's more then me
nice name too
(for the ones who don't know where the dog is from: "Deutchland" is german for Germany)

Bujapat · Post by **Bujapat** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 9:47 am

Thanks Stoker. The dog is heavier than me too... and he also eats much more...
Yeah, Germany...
Sometimes, I mix french, english and dutch...
Fortunately, I know a few words in Swahili (east african language) but this is very very different from the others

Acuna matata!