New to the site

[NCmechanic]

I'm new to the site and pretty much new to the trade.
I was able to round up enough information from a family member and some head beer Brewers to run some sugar wash using turbo with pretty good results. I have packed up all of my equipment for the past year and now time to break it back out again. With a better setup and hopefully become more knolageable and perfect a good authentic drink. I have a few questions about some things. I also have read alot of the topics here that has helped. Thank you all for any advice or response on questions

[Bigbob]

Welcome NCmechanic, a great post to read is crankys "a little spoon feeding for new distillers". You'll find it in novices right at the top. Lots of good recipes in tried and true. Take your time do the reading and you be making great spirits in no time! Enjoy the forums!

[madspeed]

From one newbie to another, definitely read the spoonfeeding post, and as much else you can from this site. Forget all the youtube videos and such, too much contradicting info. These guys here have been there, done that, and have pisted proven methods, proven equipment, and proven recipes!

[NCmechanic]

Thank you, I really love having all of this information at my fingertips. Does anyone have any sterilization recipe to make something like starsan?

[GrassHopper]

Welcome to the forum,
If you thought your product from the "turbo' was good, your going to be amazed at what you can produce from NOT USING TURBOS! Stick with the "Tried and True Recipes" in that section and you can't go wrong. If you don't heed that advice.....your on your own. The others have given good advice as well. It's all a steep learning curve.....your turn.
Good luck and enjoy the ride

[NCmechanic]

Thanks once again. I'm off to read the spoon feeding

[NCmechanic]

As I'm reading through the spoon feeding topic I have noticed a lot that I have questions about. Where is the best place to post to ask for clarification and the why/why not?

[Appalachia-Shiner]

If it's in the SpoonFeeding thread, you don't need to ask WHY or WHY NOT.
Clarification yes, but you shouldn't question the spoon feeding thread which was developed by a bunch on smart folks over the years to help those not so enlightened.
Jest Saying...

[NCmechanic]

I fully understand the not questioning part. I should say more the pros and cons of certain things.

[Truckinbutch]

I fully understand the not questioning part. I should say more the pros and cons of certain things.

What parts are puzzling you ?

[ShineRunner]

Independent research. Use the HD Google link at the top of the page and search away. The site search is useless.

Welcome, btw!

SR

[rad14701]

No need asking questions until you have read ALL of the information... It's not presented in perfect order and you do have to let the pieces parts gel together in the gray matter... Every once in a while you should have an epiphany as seemingly disparate pieces fit together and suddenly make sense in a broader perspective...

[NCmechanic]

Let me research some more before I ask. Thank you all I have read most of the spoon feeding links besides one that is 200+ pages haha

[NCmechanic]

OK one of my questions. I was taught by a few different sets of people what to do with the product after distillation. Almost all of them said dump 100ml (12 gal wash) collect down to 75 proof and mix it all together for a final drink. And keep your tails untill you have enough to dump in on another wash down the line. I'm reading here from all of these educated posts that I should only keep hearts. And to run twice instead of just once? Mind blown. I didn't think what I was ending up with was so far for what others make. And advice would be greatly appreciated.

[StillerBoy]

Continue to read /research, and you will become mindful of all there is to learn with this hobby.. it is not something that is done in one read, or in one run.. note making improve the learning curve..

There is never a time that one stops learning in this hobby, always something to improve on..

Enjoy the reading, it's how we improve

Mars

[ShineRunner]

OK one of my questions. I was taught by a few different sets of people what to do with the product after distillation. Almost all of them said dump 100ml (12 gal wash) collect down to 75 proof and mix it all together for a final drink. And keep your tails untill you have enough to dump in on another wash down the line. I'm reading here from all of these educated posts that I should only keep hearts. And to run twice instead of just once? Mind blown. I didn't think what I was ending up with was so far for what others make. And advice would be greatly appreciated.

What are you making? Whiskey? Run?

There are some people that only do single runs and like it. You have to run slow to avoid too much smearing, but it will work. Others do a fast stripping run and then slow spirit run. Try both. Collect as your friends say and collect in pint jars. Let it air out for at least a day and come back and make your cuts.

Taste what they recommended that you keep from the first and last jars, and then use the guide to making cuts thread to see where that fits in with what you actually like. My guess is that you'll find that they're keeping a bunch of crap in their drinks. Way too much heads. Too small of a foreshots cut for my liking as well. I do a 250 ml foreshots cut on both stripping and spirit run based on a 12 gallon mash.

Keep reading here. You'll make a much better product if you take the time and effort.

SR

[Wiz of Oz]

Welcome NC!

Your in for such a treat! If you thought your other stuff was good you are going to be blown away with what you come out with here after doing the appropriate amount of reading, researching and learning.

My experiences here have been nothing but positive and this forum is the best there is to doing things right and safe!

Enjoy the ride!

Wiz

[NCmechanic]

I was using a sugar wash of my own 10lb cracked white corn 25lbs sugar. This was a year ago. I haven't fully set up again it's in the process. Keg still I wasn't cooking any corn as it was just a sugar wash. I really do appreciate everyone's speedy replies.

[rad14701]

We're getting well beyond the scope of the Welcome Center here...

It's obvious that the OP, NCmechanic, needs to do ample research and during the course of said research he will discover many alternate and improved methods than he has been exposed to thus far... He'll learn that you cannot accurately make cuts simply by volume, temperature, or %ABV/Proof... And much much more... Essentially, if you only rely on the advice of one or two locals you're only going to get as good, or bad, as they are at making spirits... Taking full advantage of the wealth of diverse knowledge and experience here is the way to go if you want to do better than your neck of the woods...

Just sayin...

[NCmechanic]

Thank you. More research on the way.