1st build/pot still with reflux column

[Prairiepiss]

Flour paste. PTFE tape. Solder.

You dilute it with water to 40% or lower many say the get better flavors at 30%. Then run it again.

What are you heating the boiler with?

[Richard7]

@ 150 proof you could call it done. Dilute it down for drink. If you are after a more neutral do like Mr.p said. Dilute to 40% or 30% and re run.

[Prairiepiss]

@ 150 proof you could call it done. Dilute it down for drink. If you are after a more neutral do like Mr.p said. Dilute to 40% or 30% and re run.

If he ain't liking what he's getting now. I doubt he would like it single run. Just a guess.

[fowlmouth72]

Current recipe is: 6lb flake corn, 2lb rye flakes, 1.5lbs 6 row, 6 gallons water, 6 tsp ec 1118, 6 tsp wyeast nurient, 10 lbs sugar. Corn and rue are cooked for 1 hr first, brought down to 145.....barley added and held at 145. Sparged with distilled water before yeast, nutrient and sugar is added. Takes bout 8 days to ferment.

[fowlmouth72]

Is flour paste purchase Or made at home?

[fowlmouth72]

I've ran 3 cleaning runs, 1 with alcohol that got dumped. This is the 3rd since then......the best so far. I know it can be much better though.

[mystakilla]

Flour and water= flour paste, good food grade, ethanol sealant!

[Prairiepiss]

Current recipe is: 6lb flake corn, 2lb rye flakes, 1.5lbs 6 row, 6 gallons water, 6 tsp ec 1118, 6 tsp wyeast nurient, 10 lbs sugar. Corn and rue are cooked for 1 hr first, brought down to 145.....barley added and held at 145. Sparged with distilled water before yeast, nutrient and sugar is added. Takes bout 8 days to ferment.

Sugar alone is 10% ABV potential. Add the grains depending on the conversion you are getting? Seeing how you don't have enough malt. More then likely your not getting full conversion of the starches. So I'm tons guess this one is around 14% potential ABV. Not counting the water you lost to the grains.

Flour past you make.

What are you heating the still boiler with?

And a week on oak ain't long enough for squat.

[fowlmouth72]

Distilled water. Why is high apv wort bad? I'm currently running a batch of all grain tha I estimate by taste, smell and yield is between 5 and 10.

Could you explain your process for estimating potential alcohol?

As far as a safe sealant, flour paste.

I've retread this entire thread and my man, you need to do some serious reading on both fermentation and distillation before you hurt someone. Once again, not being an ass, just concerned. It's not my responsibility to say so and maybe not my business either so take it for what you feel it's worth.

No worries, I'm taking it constructively, I've done quite a bit of reading. But when I found this site, I found most of it was either incorrect, not in depth enough or impracticle for home use....basically my base of knowledge is at a reset.

[fowlmouth72]

Current recipe is: 6lb flake corn, 2lb rye flakes, 1.5lbs 6 row, 6 gallons water, 6 tsp ec 1118, 6 tsp wyeast nurient, 10 lbs sugar. Corn and rue are cooked for 1 hr first, brought down to 145.....barley added and held at 145. Sparged with distilled water before yeast, nutrient and sugar is added. Takes bout 8 days to ferment.

Sugar alone is 10% ABV potential. Add the grains depending on the conversion you are getting? Seeing how you don't have enough malt. More then likely your not getting full conversion of the starches. So I'm tons guess this one is around 14% potential ABV. Not counting the water you lost to the grains.

Flour past you make.

What are you heating the still boiler with?

And a week on oak ain't long enough for squat.

The other problem I'm finding is that there are so many suggested methods and recipes for mashing I know I haven't found the right one.... I know a week isn't enough, isn't rot for on it for 3 years.....just a visual of what I'm getting.

[Prairiepiss]

What are you heating the boiler with?

I would find NC hooch's Carolina bourbon recipe in the tried and true recipe section.

There are many ways people use to mash grains. But more then likely if it involves sugar. It's not a good one to follow. Sugar could be used a little to makeup for short falls from the mash. But after you get a good process down it shouldn't be needed.

[fowlmouth72]

Flour paste. PTFE tape. Solder.

You dilute it with water to 40% or lower many say the get better flavors at 30%. Then run it again.

What are you heating the boiler with?

Electric burner with a thermostat......trying to control heat to a minimum. I'm running about 4 hours/4 gallons...cutting off at or about 190 deg. Vapor temp.

[fowlmouth72]

What are you heating the boiler with?

I would find NC hooch's Carolina bourbon recipe in the tried and true recipe section.

There are many ways people use to mash grains. But more then likely if it involves sugar. It's not a good one to follow. Sugar could be used a little to makeup for short falls from the mash. But after you get a good process down it shouldn't be needed.

Great....I'll start there after making some changes. Thx for all the help.

[fowlmouth72]

Distilled water. Why is high apv wort bad? I'm currently running a batch of all grain tha I estimate by taste, smell and yield is between 5 and 10.

Could you explain your process for estimating potential alcohol?

As far as a safe sealant, flour paste.

I've retread this entire thread and my man, you need to do some serious reading on both fermentation and distillation before you hurt someone. Once again, not being an ass, just concerned. It's not my responsibility to say so and maybe not my business either so take it for what you feel it's worth.

I'm estimating by yield......1.5 gallon yield @ 89 percent V 5 gallons of wash roughly equals 1/5 or 20 percent

[Prairiepiss]

Ok from this conversation these are my recommendations. Forget the stuff that got you down the wrong path. And start a new path. Start in the new distiller reading lounge. The safety section is a must too. The parent site is full of useful information. Some is a little out dated. But is a good learning tool.

When you have soaked up all that good info. Then go to the tried and true recipe section. Find a recipe that sounds like something you want to try. Follow it.

Get a mash hydrometer. Learn how to read it. Thread in the new distiller reading lounge.

Fix your still sealant. And rubber.

I'm going to guess on this one because you wouldn't answer my question I asked like 5 times. I'm guessing you are using your stove top to run your still. Electric stoves cycle on and off. This will cause surging which causes smearing of the cuts. So do research on how to remedy that problem.

Reread the novice guide to cuts and the distilling advice threads.

This should get you on a better path. And don't stop reading. And rereading.

Ok I was posting while you answered my question. So I have to add this.

You can not control the temp. The ABV of the boiler charge controls the temp. Like I said earlier. You do not need thermometers in a pot still. They will only be useful as some to occupy your time. And maybe tell you when you are close to taking product off. And maybe tell you when you are close to being done. You run a pot still by adjusting the takeoff rate. Adjusting the heat until you get a broken stream to a pencil lead sized stream.
There are some good threads in the new distiller reading lounge about this. And why you need a good heat source that has fine adjustments and a steady heat input. No cycling.

[bellybuster]

My hats off to ya Fowlmouth, ya took a good lickin and still here. Attaboy! Shows good character.
These guys here can bring you from mediocre/poor to a great product. They certainly got me on the right track although now they're just costing me money as I drool over the work of others.

[fowlmouth72]

My hats off to ya Fowlmouth, ya took a good lickin and still here. Attaboy! Shows good character.
These guys here can bring you from mediocre/poor to a great product. They certainly got me on the right track although now they're just costing me money as I drool over the work of others.

LOl...I've got pretty thick skin. I'm glad to have gotten all the feedback. That's why I posted in the first place.

[bellybuster]

Allot of folks go runnin with their tail between their legs after what they call here "tough love".

[Prairiepiss]

Allot of folks go runnin with their tail between their legs after what they call here "tough love".

Was I being tough?
I thought I was being nice?

[buckwild1]

Allot of folks go runnin with their tail between their legs after what they call here "tough love".

my momma taught me tough love. what they show here is pretty mild to what i grew up with. And it just shows they care and have a lot of passion for what they do

[fowlmouth72]

UPDATE....made some adjustments to my procedure and replaced the rubber with cork from NB. Diluted my distillate from my all grain batch from run one to 40 and re ran. Peak apv from run 2 was once again 89 percent. Run 2 was then fractioned by 9. First 200ml along with 1, 2 and 9 of 9 were excluded or dumped. 3-8 of 9 were blended and cut to 120. Bitter back bite is gone and it has virtually no odor. Well see how it tastes in a month or so, but it is definitely the best I've done yet. Thx for the instructions!

[bellybuster]

well done, still jealous of the 89%. Was that 2 runs in total or 3

[Prairiepiss]

Sounds like you are on the way.

So peak 89%? What did the hearts come off at?

[fowlmouth72]

Sounds like you are on the way.

So peak 89%? What did the hearts come off at?

About 80 percent.

[fowlmouth72]

well done, still jealous of the 89%. Was that 2 runs in total or 3

Two