My First Still....So I went Big!!!!

[ProChargedHarley03]

Well its time for me to give fermentation a shot I'm doing the Tried and True UJSSM!!!! 50L is bubbling away today!!!!

[astronomical]

i want a big blue bucket and a "countertop"... looks pretty awesome

[ProChargedHarley03]

The 30 gallon barrel I got on EBay from a company in Vegas
Called barrelco!!!! It was $70 delivered!! It is brand new
And was shrink wrapped very pleased!!!

[Richard7]

Does it sound like bacon cooking yet? Has it slowed down? Keep us up on it! I have only done sugar wash and rum, both are great so far. I really like the neutral that I get from just sugar. I would like to do some grain to see if it is any better but for right now I am happy with the simple sugar and molasses washes.
The molasses really gives a rum flavor that I can (and do) drink, but rum is not the flavor I am after even though it is good. I may try grain on my next wash. Would love to hear how yours turns out and maybe get a recipe to try.
If you want a really easy sugar wash or rum to try, I can share what I did for those. I feel that I had really good results in my opinion. I am really new to this but I know what I made is better than what you can get in the stores!
Good luck and safe stilling!

[ProChargedHarley03]

Oh yes!!! she is bubbling away!!!! it been going for 49 hours now!!! I'm using the uncle jessie simple sour mash recipe! it's one of the tried & true recipe's, it still has two more days to go. I will let you know how it turns out, but won't really know how it is till the third fermentation of the sour mash!

[Fastill]

Oh yes!!! she is bubbling away!!!! it been going for 49 hours now!!! I'm using the uncle jessie simple sour mash recipe! it's one of the tried & true recipe's, it still has two more days to go. I will let you know how it turns out, but won't really know how it is till the third fermentation of the sour mash!

Might have 3-6 more days to go. No set time on when these things finish. Just run it when it is done. You will be much happier.

[ProChargedHarley03]

Thanks fastill!!! oh yes im not in a hurry!!! i will let her do her thing!!!

[ProChargedHarley03]

Stained and cleared my table!!!!

[ProChargedHarley03]

Happy to say my first 15 gallons of UJSSM finished in 5 days I didn't get a starting SG but it was 0.994 when i racked it to my carboy's. It was around 11-12% ABV. let it sit for a day, then put it in my boiler and fired it up the still worked like a champ so today was getting the true sour mash going so got the spent corn out of my barrel added the new corn and 4 gallons of backset that was still 100F from last night, so it helped get the sugar all mixed in real nice with the corn. got the yeast in and it started bubbling away as soon as i got the lid sealed on.

[wortboiler]

Very nice job all of the way through your project. Hopefully you are just beginning and I can get more ideas! I enjoy keeping up with your next adventure. Thanks for the great pictures and frequent updates. Your posts are certainly a help for others, me for sure!

Thanks!

[ProChargedHarley03]

distilling Is hands down the most interesting hobbie i have ever had!!! it just gets better and better!!! running a still you build with your own hands gives you a great feeling
here's a pic of my first batch of UJSSM!!!! My jars are the big half gallon jars, this will all be going back in the boiler

[Richard7]

What have you been up to lately? Any good runs out of your still? Lets hear back!

[ProChargedHarley03]

Richard7, yes it been a few weeks!!! well i ended up running 3 gen of UJSSM!!!! what a great mash. I have three gallons of hart that i will be aging soon So i decided to Modify my still!!! been doing a lot of readind on plate tree's, so I'm cutting up my still to do the mod! im doing a perf, 4 plate reflux tree with 3 sight glasses

So here are some pix's

[Prairiepiss]

Are you putting the perf plates under the offset LM head?

[ProChargedHarley03]

no,it going in the main column of the still

[Prairiepiss]

no,it going in the main column of the still

Well I know that.

Are you going to run the still as a offset LM? Like it originally was. Or are you going full on flute. With a dephlagmater?

[ProChargedHarley03]

Oh ok!!!! yes im going to keep it the way it is set up LM, but going to just add the plate tree and sight glasses, Kind of a two in one!!!! no dephlagmater.

[Prairiepiss]

Cool. How are you going to route the reflux return? I'm curious how this works out.

[ProChargedHarley03]

Thanks Prairie-P I'm going to keep the original route of my reflux, but move it up a bit and go bigger with the valve and copper line

[Prairiepiss]

Sounds good.

[Richard7]

All I can say is jealous! I like the mod you are making. I have thought about doing something along those lines to mine. Today I ran another batch of sugar wash in my still and it turned out great! The only bad thing is it took it three weeks to get dry, because I think I under pitched the Yeast, and did not have enough nutrients in my wash to see it through till the end. It still turned out good but it put me a week behind in my runs. I almost had to go to the liquor store but got this batch made just in time!
I would love to see how the plates work out for you, and it's looking good! Keep posting so we can see how it turned out for better or worse, I would like to know if I should put forth the effort to do the same to mine!

[ProChargedHarley03]

Thanks Richard7!! wow cut it close on your run....lol I will be working on my still next week, I will take lots of pix's. i just got my yeast from hillbillystills, great bunch of people! I will be starting a new batch of UJSSM!!!! I'm using the prestiage yeast with AG, it worked great! i use two packs of it in the gen 1, then only one pack for the 2, and 3. It took 5 day to dry with the first batch, but then only 4 days for the 2-3 baches. All three ended at 11-12% I am a nut when it comes to everything being clean!!! i always use "One Step" on everything

[ProChargedHarley03]

Well i kicked some butt on my Mods Today!!! Got my ferrule in my still colum, now i need to work on my sight glasses , they are back orderd a week at pex supply, gives me time to get two stainless 3/8 ball valves, changing them out with the brass needle valves I'm running now, I want a faster valve. no brass I need to get a 30 gallon batch of UJSSM going too, it take a fex days. Now i call my still "Stubby" when I'm running it as a pot still with out the plate tree column! Got the plate Tree done as well, came out ok i guess for a rookie

[bentstick]

Lookin sweet procharged! I have question on your plates they look like olddogs template, what size are the holes and how many? I will be building a three plate to give my son and been trying to find the dimensions. Going to be interesting when ya fire the plates up! Keep us post as you have been.

[ProChargedHarley03]

Thanks bentstick, I have 58 holes, bit size is #51 - 1.78MM - .670 little bigger than 1/16

[Richard7]

+1 on the Hillbilly stills being a great bunch of folks, so far they are the only ones I have done business with online, But the stuff I ordered came in real fast and was packed real well. Mike really seems to try to make sure you are happy with their work. I have not made a big order with them but I am happy with the order I made. I am more of a build it your self kind of guy. So how are things going on your mods? By the way, I have two ferm's going on recipes that are based on rad's All Bran and Gerber Recipes, because I put some corn flakes in a sugar wash and it really took off! I have to give hats off to rad and prairie piss for the time they take to give folks advice. There are many more that do the same on this site but they seem to look at the the same post that I do. I will also give props too Husker and NIN and so many more, I am sorry if I left out some one that has given me good advice. But this forum has given me so much advise I cant think of who all to thank! I like what you have done and I'm looking forward to see what you have to post next! Keep up the good work!

[ProChargedHarley03]

Thanks Richard7!!! You hit that right on the head, I have had lot of great help and feed back on my still on this site. If it was not for this site, I would have never been abel to built this still on my own, so i also want to say "thanks" for all the great help. well on my mods, i just got my tracking number for my sight glasses from pex supply , and have some 3pc stainless ball valves on the way. I was going to go with 1/2 inch valve, but i am going to stick with the 3/8. i just picked up a 25lbs bag of sugar today, so i will be cleaning my 30 gallon barrel and will be starting a new Gen of UJSSM!!!!! It is a very simple, but great tasting mash i will post lots of picks and will let everyone know how my plates work with my still

[NcHooch]

Thanks bentstick, I have 58 holes, bit size is #51 - 1.78MM - .670 little bigger than 1/16

That's prolly not gonna be enough holes for a 3" column, but test drive it on your still and see.
the symptom will be having to adjust the heat very low to get equal liquid on all the plates, or the top plate flooding from pressure under the plate disabling the downcomer(s).

[ProChargedHarley03]

Yes, I think I'm going to use a 1/16 bit and add more
Holes to the plates!!! Thanks NCHooch!!

[Richard7]

It might be best to try it, then determine if you need more holes or bigger holes because after you drill it its harder to undrill it! I guess you could always solder some shut it you had too much.