First Drinkable run.... lol :)
Moderator: Site Moderator
-
- Novice
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:44 am
First Drinkable run.... lol :)
Last night I ran a turbo sugar wash... I understand all the issues with Turbo but this was given to me so I figured why not..
little less than 4 gallons of total volume... 11 pounds of sugar and it was half a cup of the turbo yeast.
Initial SG was 1.124 finished up at less than .990 (it bottomed out my hydrometer) I added super clear let it site for 2 days.
It cleared up nicely...
brought up the still to temp cut the fire back to just a nice slow boil I let it reflux for about 30 minutes
cracked the output valve captured about 150 ml and about 1 drop per second tossed this as my foreshots into a container
I checked the proof on it just for S&G it was at 185 proof...
Closed the valve refluxed for another 15 minutes and then began to catch my heads.. about 200 ml at a time until I could smell the difference
like it cleaned up.. I would up with about half a quart proofed it at 188 proof. I sat this aside it will go into the next run..
I then captured 2 pints at 188 proof then 1 pint at 180 proof 1 pint at 135 and a final pint at 100 proof...
at that point I was a bit tired.. so I cranked up the gas a bit captured about another pint down to about 80 proof put that back into my container with the heads and will put that into my next run... at this pint my temp was up to 208 and stable but I didnt want to collect any deeper..
My thermometer im not so sure about... I actually started to get condensation from the top port.. (nixon ston off set head) at about 158 degrees which is where i backed down the fire and the temp shot up quickly to about 174 and stabilized....
As I said this is my first true run and my 3rd run with the still.. im still learning... big time.. but I thought I did well...
This is a very addictive hobby....
please thoughts, criticisms (constructive please lol) comments
little less than 4 gallons of total volume... 11 pounds of sugar and it was half a cup of the turbo yeast.
Initial SG was 1.124 finished up at less than .990 (it bottomed out my hydrometer) I added super clear let it site for 2 days.
It cleared up nicely...
brought up the still to temp cut the fire back to just a nice slow boil I let it reflux for about 30 minutes
cracked the output valve captured about 150 ml and about 1 drop per second tossed this as my foreshots into a container
I checked the proof on it just for S&G it was at 185 proof...
Closed the valve refluxed for another 15 minutes and then began to catch my heads.. about 200 ml at a time until I could smell the difference
like it cleaned up.. I would up with about half a quart proofed it at 188 proof. I sat this aside it will go into the next run..
I then captured 2 pints at 188 proof then 1 pint at 180 proof 1 pint at 135 and a final pint at 100 proof...
at that point I was a bit tired.. so I cranked up the gas a bit captured about another pint down to about 80 proof put that back into my container with the heads and will put that into my next run... at this pint my temp was up to 208 and stable but I didnt want to collect any deeper..
My thermometer im not so sure about... I actually started to get condensation from the top port.. (nixon ston off set head) at about 158 degrees which is where i backed down the fire and the temp shot up quickly to about 174 and stabilized....
As I said this is my first true run and my 3rd run with the still.. im still learning... big time.. but I thought I did well...
This is a very addictive hobby....
please thoughts, criticisms (constructive please lol) comments
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
Sounds like you don't want to hear about no turbos, so I won't say it, but you know the drill...also, next time collect in smaller quantities...200-250mls...until you understand and can determine when to make cuts...once you know you are into hearts then go quarts...but monitor closely..a bit of heads and a bit of tails can ruin a lot of hearts..I know from personal experience.
-
- Novice
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:44 am
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
Only used the turbo because of the price... Have a bakers yeast (which seems to be doing quite well) will be ready to run on sat.. should be about 10% abv.. and yeah I did collect about 200 ml catches smelled / taste / check proof.. I did the cuts very conservatively had a lot of heads/tails I just didnt put the info in the write up. But you are very correct... these are my test runs.. just about 4 gallons each im going to setup about a 13 gallon run in the near future...
But thanks for the input.
But thanks for the input.
beelah wrote:Sounds like you don't want to hear about no turbos, so I won't say it, but you know the drill...also, next time collect in smaller quantities...200-250mls...until you understand and can determine when to make cuts...once you know you are into hearts then go quarts...but monitor closely..a bit of heads and a bit of tails can ruin a lot of hearts..I know from personal experience.
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
Good to hear that you are steering away from turbo yeasts... They aren't cheaper in the long run... By the time you buy turbo yeast, clearing agents, and activated carbon, to clean up the skanky smell and taste, you haven't save a dime... Also, shooting for more than 2 pounds of sugar per gallon only compounds your problems...
Stick with a selection from the Tried and True Recipe forum and you'll have far better luck, overall... And find a source for bulk bakers yeast... I buy 2 - 1 pound vacuum bricks from Sam's Club for about $5.00... Three 3-packs of yeast at the grocery store will cost more than that...
Cough...!!! See the recipes linked in my signature... Cough...!!!
Stick with a selection from the Tried and True Recipe forum and you'll have far better luck, overall... And find a source for bulk bakers yeast... I buy 2 - 1 pound vacuum bricks from Sam's Club for about $5.00... Three 3-packs of yeast at the grocery store will cost more than that...
Cough...!!! See the recipes linked in my signature... Cough...!!!
-
- Novice
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:44 am
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
rad14701 wrote:Good to hear that you are steering away from turbo yeasts... They aren't cheaper in the long run... By the time you buy turbo yeast, clearing agents, and activated carbon, to clean up the skanky smell and taste, you haven't save a dime... Also, shooting for more than 2 pounds of sugar per gallon only compounds your problems...
Stick with a selection from the Tried and True Recipe forum and you'll have far better luck, overall... And find a source for bulk bakers yeast... I buy 2 - 1 pound vacuum bricks from Sam's Club for about $5.00... Three 3-packs of yeast at the grocery store will cost more than that...
Cough...!!! See the recipes linked in my signature... Cough...!!!
LOL thanks.. exactly what I am planning on doing... I still have 1 1/4 packet turbo left I may use at soem point just because its there... But right now normal bakers yeast which i will run tomorrow evening..... My Pop told me he wants me to do a grape juice wash.. so... I will keep learning the still with what I have while I try and figure that out... Learning process for sure... But its extremely addictive hobby
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
also, with a simple sugar wash, like a Birdwatchers, you don't have to using a clearing agent - wait for it to stop, and let 'er rip into the still (dont suck the bottom though). Dunno if you have to with turbos, as I only made that mistake once, and only with my sacrifice run to clean my still
LTV - "keep in mind distilling is like masturbating. You do one wrong and you go blind."
Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
You can always use the turbo yeast as nutrients for standard washes by adding a small amount into boiling water to deactivate the yeast... You could experiment and see what quantity works best but I'd start with 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of boiled turbo yeast per 5 gallons (20 liters)... The boiled yeast will supply much needed B vitamins to the wash as well as the other nutrients in the mix...
-
- Novice
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:44 am
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
rad14701 wrote:You can always use the turbo yeast as nutrients for standard washes by adding a small amount into boiling water to deactivate the yeast... You could experiment and see what quantity works best but I'd start with 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of boiled turbo yeast per 5 gallons (20 liters)... The boiled yeast will supply much needed B vitamins to the wash as well as the other nutrients in the mix...
great Idea.. I had not thought about that... sounds like that is what I will be using it for....
I just now need to better learn the cuts... definitely could tell from heads to hearts smell and taste... but tails I never could notice the difference collecting about 200 ml taste smell feel and check ABV stopped collecting at temp about 200degrees f but continued collecting up to 208 as tails...
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
don't go by pot still temps - they will throw you off until you really understand how it runs. Use an alcoholmeter instead. The tails are harder (I found) than the tails to detect ... hunt thru yer jars for that tails taste - cardboard,wet dog (dunno what that tastes like lol). If you are running slow enough (it sounds like you may be) then you will eventually learn to find it.
LTV - "keep in mind distilling is like masturbating. You do one wrong and you go blind."
Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
-
- Novice
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:44 am
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
Doogie wrote:don't go by pot still temps - they will throw you off until you really understand how it runs. Use an alcoholmeter instead. The tails are harder (I found) than the tails to detect ... hunt thru yer jars for that tails taste - cardboard,wet dog (dunno what that tastes like lol). If you are running slow enough (it sounds like you may be) then you will eventually learn to find it.
Thanks.. Its a Nixon Stone offset head Reflux still. From what I understand temp is the way to go here.. But yeah run it low and slow....
You said tails are harder than tails?
My heads seemed to be easy.. But I never did get the cardboard/wet dog smell.. But didnt want to collect any hotter than I did.
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
LOL - tails are harder for me to detect.
Heads - burning
Hearts - no real burning
Heads - burning
Hearts - no real burning
LTV - "keep in mind distilling is like masturbating. You do one wrong and you go blind."
Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
-
- Novice
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:44 am
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
LOL yeah for sure... Heads to hearts was real easy..... happened like click too... or seemed to me it did...
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
ya, for me it is "Ahhhh I cant feel my lips and my tongue is numb!" to "mmm ... no burn"
LTV - "keep in mind distilling is like masturbating. You do one wrong and you go blind."
Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
-
- Novice
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:44 am
Re: First Drinkable run.... lol :)
Doogie wrote:ya, for me it is "Ahhhh I cant feel my lips and my tongue is numb!" to "mmm ... no burn"
hahaha I had the same feeling hahaahhah