High Gravity, Non-Turbo

[Straight_Ehs]

Hey everybody,

I'm not really a novice, but i'm new around here. I've been working with Turbo's for a while but would like to branch out into something not as nasty and cheaper.

I've been looking around here and most people tend towards low alcohol good tasting mash at around 10-12%; i'm using a pretty serious reflux still and carbon filter (both all pyrex) that allow me the luxury of not worrying about taste, only mash volume (only 10L boiler capacity).

Before ya say it, i know i need a primary distiller that does a bigger volume and then use the reflux to polish- i'm workin on it!

in the mean time, any suggestions for a non-turbo 16-18% ABV mash?
I get molasses for free, so i'm hoping to get into that pretty soon but distilling anything less than 16% is just a PITA, and it seems that most rum recipes run at around 8-10%.

Thanks folks!

[wineo]

Get yourself some distillers yeast,and you should be able to make a 16-18% wash fairly easy if you keep the temp at 75f,and make sugar additions.I have been using potatos for neutrents,but havent done a ferment on them yet.I boil them for 20 minutes,and use the water.
When I get it down pat,I will be posting the recipe.

[new_moonshiner]

The Death Wish Wheat Germ recipe makes a great wash ... and works nicely for me @ around 15- 15.5 using the EC 1118 I try not to shoot past that all... takes about 2 -2/2 weeks for fully ferment .. then rack and let it clear for a week ..makes great wash ..

[pintoshine]

I use really cheap Red Star Champagne and it has fermented dry for me to 16% ABV. White labs has several that ferment to 17 to 18%. One that comes to mind is WLP740- Merlot Red Wine Yeast.

[HookLine]

i'm using a pretty serious reflux still and carbon filter (both all pyrex)

Howdy and welcome. I (and no doubt others here) would really like to see a good photo of that all pyrex still, expecially the column and head.

[pintoshine]

I've been looking around here and most people tend towards low alcohol good tasting mash at around 10-12%

I am one of those types that prefers to ferment 8% to 10% at a time.
It is a matter of time economics. 8 to 10% will ferment twice as fast as 12 to 14% Those last few % are hard for the yeast to attenuate.
I can put together a 10% molasses wash on Friday afternoon and be distilling on Sunday afternoon. Of course I have the capability to strip 40 gallons at 4 gallons / hour to an average of 8 gallons at 50% which charges a column still really well. Maybe you should consider a keg with a liebig to do stripping runs with. Then you too could charge your pyrex with 50%.

[shadylane]

This an debate "argument" that I have with my friend all the time. I think he uses WLP099 yeast and treats it like a prema-donna.

1. He aerates it.
2. he feeds it repeatedly with small amounts of sugar and nutrients.
3. Then he waits forever for it to finish.

I must admit He has alcohol production down to a fine science and is getting better every day.

I just do simple sugar/grain/fruit washes that work real fast.
Save the hearts of the first run for drinking and dump every thing else in the thumper.

I have learned a lot from him on the care and feeding of yeast.

[Straight_Ehs]

All great suggestions, i'll give em a go- thanks for the input and the warm welcome! I hadnt noticed when i signed up how active a community this was; very cool.

With regards to my setup, i'll post some pics eventually for sure- i'm especially proud of the carbon filter which is essentially a 1.5m 55mm ID pyrex tube with a pyrex frit to hold the carbon back, and a stopcock below that to control the flow. Its especially handy cause i can actually see where the water/alcohol interface is in the carbon. What most of you wouldnt know (because you cant see your carbon) is that no matter how saturated you get that stuff with water, once the alcohol hits it, little air bubbles form everywhere. I've attributed this to the difference in surface tension between the alcohol and water (i.e. the alcohol can penetrate smaller voids in the carbon that water wont go into).

The unit itself consists of a typical flask, with an 80cm vigreux (i have 2 vigreuxs that i could stack, but the thought of that much glass so high in the air kinda scares me) a weird custom head with a 10/30 thermometer joint, and a really cool ray-gun looking Friedrich condenser.

So for all those around here that hate plastic, from when i charge the setup to when the final product as admired, it touches nothing but glass.

Having a friend thats a glass blower has its benefits

Cheers!

[HookLine]

Now you are just teasing us.

You will get SERIOUS street cred here if you can give us a good quality video clip of the still in operation (especially close-ups of the column and head).

[As-Ol-Joe]

I would LOVE to see your setup. I got to digging around and the best I could see is that rig had to cost $$$$.

[Straight_Ehs]

I would LOVE to see your setup. I got to digging around and the best I could see is that rig had to cost $$$$.

haha like i said, there are advantages to having a (very nice) friend thats a glassblower. I've tallied up the retail cost of it myself and its crazy- 'never pay retail'

I'll tell ya that the custom made carbon filter cost me $35, to give you an idea. I'm right in the thick of exams at the moment, but when i get a chance i'll show you guys some leg'

[Still_Crazy]

I would LOVE to see your setup. I got to digging around and the best I could see is that rig had to cost $$$$.

haha like i said, there are advantages to having a (very nice) friend thats a glassblower. I've tallied up the retail cost of it myself and its crazy- 'never pay retail'

I'll tell ya that the custom made carbon filter cost me $35, to give you an idea. I'm right in the thick of exams at the moment, but when i get a chance i'll show you guys some leg'

Glass I love glass! I use copper on everything else but do have a 'stove-top' setup I use for refinement such as gin etc. It's pyrex and copper for the boiler, and a short copper column, then dual 4" glass liebig condensers stacked together with recirculating ice water. Works well for an indoor fast boiling unit.

We'd love to see a video and some pics! Maybe your friend would consider building some and making them available on say Ebay ? I own 5 lathes but none of them are set up for glass blowing.

[Straight_Ehs]

I'll ask, but i doubt he'd be interested; he's by far the busiest person i know (only a few people with his skills around these days).

It might actually be worth looking into local scientific glassblowers in your area; as long as you keep your designs simple, they might do stuff for cheap. Theres a HUGE markup on glassware sold at retail to the public, institutions get crazy (like 70% off) discounts on these prices, so the prices you'll find on the internet are all grossly inflated. If you talk to these guys in person, they'll probably help you out at a decent price

cheers