Hey, i'm new here

[Mac0904]

I'm a city boy that always wished i grew up in the country. I finally moved out into the country and got myself a nice lawn tractor and a big fire pit so i'm happy. I work from home so i get to look out the window of my "office" while i work and its great.

i'd like to develop the skill to make great single malt scotch. the goal is to make a barrel (or a few barrels) and let it age for at least 21 years. that's a very specific time, but its meant to correspond to when my first sone turns 21. i'd love to sit down with him on his 21st birthday and drink a glass of scotch that we just poured from a wooden cask and tell him that it started aging the same time he started aging. i don't have a kid yet, but the hope is that we'll start working on it in the next few years. until then, its time for me to practice making clean neutral spirits from sugar/water/turbo yeast to learn how to produce clean spirits.

i currently have a mighty mini dual purpose still head with a 12" extension from milehidistilling that i run on a 15.5 gallon keg from the busch. the entire still head and extesion is packed with copper mesh that i ordered from the same distributor as the still head.

i'm currently in the middle of North Carolina, USA.

[Buccaneer Bob]

You're way lucky to work at home, because it's a piece of cake to check on things during your "break-time". A lot of guys can only dream of doing such things.

until then, its time for me to practice making clean neutral spirits from sugar/water/turbo yeast to learn how to produce clean spirits.

Since nobody else has chimed in yet, I will recommend skipping the turbo yeast and any other fermentation or distillation system designed to make money for a group of investors.

The same is true for their line of "extracts" that supposedly turn a neutral into your favorite whiskey, brandy, etc.

If you're after a neutral sugar wash type deal, a lot of people seem to like Birdwatchers Sugar Wash Recipe, but I am sure there are other good sugar wash recipes around, as well.

If you're after single malt scotch, though, I wouldn't get too focused on sugar washes. I'd pull the copper mesh out of your column and start trying some of the "sugarhead" type recipes in the Tried and True Recipes section.

Later, I'd get into malting and mashing.

But that's me. I'm kindof a purist that way.

Other than that, read everything in the New distiller reading Lounge and spend plenty of time in the Safety and Related Issues section, too.

Welcome aboard.

[Samohon]

Welcome to the boards Mac0904...

+2. Birdwatchers Recipe will give you a very clean neutral...

Have fun and stay safe...

[castle]

Welcome hope it all works out for you and don't get discouraged its not something that will happen right away..hell it may never happen.lol I just joined myself and I've been at this a long time and I'm still looking for the perfect batch...

[Mac0904]

You're way lucky to work at home, because it's a piece of cake to check on things during your "break-time". A lot of guys can only dream of doing such things.

until then, its time for me to practice making clean neutral spirits from sugar/water/turbo yeast to learn how to produce clean spirits.

Since nobody else has chimed in yet, I will recommend skipping the turbo yeast and any other fermentation or distillation system designed to make money for a group of investors.

The same is true for their line of "extracts" that supposedly turn a neutral into your favorite whiskey, brandy, etc.

If you're after a neutral sugar wash type deal, a lot of people seem to like Birdwatchers Sugar Wash Recipe, but I am sure there are other good sugar wash recipes around, as well.

If you're after single malt scotch, though, I wouldn't get too focused on sugar washes. I'd pull the copper mesh out of your column and start trying some of the "sugarhead" type recipes in the Tried and True Recipes section.

Later, I'd get into malting and mashing.

Other than that, read everything in the New distiller reading Lounge and spend plenty of time in the Safety and Related Issues section, too.

Welcome aboard.

Thanks Buc!

Great reply to help me find some starting points. I love working from home, although i'm a little worried about it because it seems "too good to be true". I've tried to start reading through some of the posts, but theres just so much information i get overwhelmed and can't stay focused. I have noticed a few posts saying to stay away from the turbo yeast, so i'll have to explore that once i'm finished practicing with what i have. Right now i'm trying to learn how my still talks to me and decide if i want to figure out how to get a heating element installed in my keg boiler rather than using propane.

i just moved into my new house and i'm not very organized so the turbo yeast offered an extremely easy way for me to "get started". what i'm worried about is that i'll get a good wash going made of great ingredients and then when i go to run it i'll end up with a bunch of "junk" in it because i didn't learn to use my still on cheap (low energy prep) stuff.


ignoring the purist notion (that i will eventually adopt i'm sure... i'm that way too once i learn what i'm doing with things) regarding turbo yeast and extracts (including turbo clear and things of that nature), is there anything inherently dangerous about using them ? i'll continue reading up to find as much as i can, but a finger in the right direction always helps me.

i also ordered some activated carbon, but i'm not sure if that's a gimmick or what -- it seems to work for purifying water in fish tanks, so who knows.

[OlympicMtDoo]

Welcome to HD Mac0904, There is'nt anything dangerous about the turbos or extracts but you will not be happy with what you produce. I have a MileHi rig myself and I do a lot of birdwatchers for my neutrals but anytime you try to rush things with turbo or whatever you end up with off flavors, if you try to push things you will not be happy, just use Red Star or any plain bakers yeast and take your time you'll be a lot happier with your results, the turbo is great if your making fuel though. Good Luck and enjoy your new hobby.

[Mac0904]

Welcome to HD Mac0904, There is'nt anything dangerous about the turbos or extracts but you will not be happy with what you produce. I have a MileHi rig myself and I do a lot of birdwatchers for my neutrals but anytime you try to rush things with turbo or whatever you end up with off flavors, if you try to push things you will not be happy, just use Red Star or any plain bakers yeast and take your time you'll be a lot happier with your results, the turbo is great if your making fuel though. Good Luck and enjoy your new hobby.

perfect. thanks so much for taking the time to reply. its so strange to me that the turbo can create "off flavors" if i'm using a reflux still to distill only ethanol, but it's happening so i can't doubt it. i reckon its time to get myself organized and start taking this seriously if i'm going to try to make some nice scotch. one thing i'm struggling with is how in the world i'm going to get a big enough supply of scotch to fill a full bourbon barrel if i'm only washing 5-6 gallons at a time. these bourbon barrels are 53 gallons each. i guess i'm going to have to buy some smaller barrels and let them age individually. that's probably a better idea anyway to keep all my eggs out of the same basket. plus, when i move sometime in the next 20 years it'll be very difficult to move a 53 gallon barrel. my whole goal is to finally get a good batch and then let it age so i can have a 21 year old glass of scotch with my 21 year old son... and then of course other people will want to have a glass when they come over, and his son will want to have a glass. i know this is fantasy life speaking but it would be amazing if i could get a crate of bottles that would survive for decades, but i digress.

definitely going to get away from the turbo yeast and start studying other methods that produce better product.micro-batch scotch (not real scotch obviously since it's made in the US and won't involve any pete or anything) will have to involve 8 gallon oak barrels made from american oak charred in the back yard. i guess i'll see what i can come up with over the next 5'ish years... journey of a thousand miles and all that.

[FreeMountainHermit]

Some of the guys prefer to age their spirits in smaller barrels such as five/ten gallon casks. Something about surface area in relation to volume.

Ask here but you have a long way to go. Learn & have fun in the meantime.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=4


FMH.

[Cu29]

As mentioned just get a reasonable barrel. http://www.whiskeybarrel.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow has some...though you are "allowed" to use a used barrel. It will be closer to a bourbon if you use a new barrel.

Scotch should be the easiest ever, buy some malt extract, dilute in some water, add some GOOD yeast, wait three days and distill. Use a white labs whiskey yeast. Bread yeast is made for...bread. Turbo yeast is good for your lawn mower. Dilute to 120 proof and add to barrel. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Hopefully there will be some left for your son /daughter in 21 years.

[Mac0904]

As mentioned just get a reasonable barrel. http://www.whiskeybarrel.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow has some...though you are "allowed" to use a used barrel. It will be closer to a bourbon if you use a new barrel.

Scotch should be the easiest ever, buy some malt extract, dilute in some water, add some GOOD yeast, wait three days and distill. Use a white labs whiskey yeast. Bread yeast is made for...bread. Turbo yeast is good for your lawn mower. Dilute to 120 proof and add to barrel. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Hopefully there will be some left for your son /daughter in 21 years.

AWESOME.