What'd ya'll make today?

[Expat]

Did 2 stripping runs of HBB, now 8ish gallons of low wines. Delish

Probably another tomorrow. The rest will need to wait until it settles properly.

[oksofar]

Simple corn and barley. Been using four sections of the Mile Hi for washes, but just two for this mash. Lots of barley in the finish, but not much corn flavor. For the next time, I'll run without any plates inside, pot style, to keep more flavor.

[Durhommer]

still.jpg
Simple corn and barley. Been using four sections of the Mile Hi for washes, but just two for this mash. Lots of barley in the finish, but not much corn flavor. For the next time, I'll run without any plates inside, pot style, to keep more flavor.

Very nice rig you have there

[BlackStrap]

While waiting on the booners to finish fermenting...brewed up a beer today.

Decided to flake my own barley and rice from what I have around. (turned out ok... time will tell) 6 gallons went in the fermentor, 4 lbs flaked rice, 5lbs flaked barley, 16 lbs distillers malt, & centennial hops 45 min boil... SG reading 1.076 Like I said time will tell. but it sure smells good... Goal is to do 6 all grain beer's and get them in fermentors and carboy's for summer.

Seems what I give away everyone like the UJSSM back sweetened with simple sugar syrup...to about 160pr...So the brews should offer something a bit "softer" to sip around the fire.

[Deplorable]

Started a jar of blueberry panty dropper.

[BamaHawk]

Busy weekend. I finished making up 3 bottles of panty droppers (blueberry, strawberry, and cherry) along with two bottles of cinnamon. All are ready to drink and in the fridge!

I also mashed in 12 gallons of CROB that I will run in 2 weeks.

[CoogeeBoy]

I am curious about that now though. I'm sure somebody on here has tossed some whole lemons into a jar of shine before. If you cut that with simple syrup does it taste like limoncello? Sure would be easier. As long as it didn't pull some bitterness from the pith out through the peel.

I think maybe it would.
I left some oranges stuck on skewers above the spirit. To flavour the spirit from the vapour....
Left them a lot too long and now I can squeeze the orange and make a screwdriver with no added spirit,
so certainly the vapour/ spirit can get into the orange, through the pith, so the pith
or its flavour probably can get back into the spirit...

Geoff

Done it, put whole lemons in and whole limes in separate batch.
2 issues: it takes up a whole lot more space so you need a lot bigger jar vs just peels where you only need to cover them.
The result did pick up some bitterness that can't be masked with simple syrup. Having said that, some of my friends loved my lime cello which was a little bitter, a piquant taste (do you like that word, its so hard to find a use for it in every day language!)

Stick with the peels.

And I left mine in for 2 weeks and longer, the peel goes white and brittle and as long as you have the pith removed, you should get a decent base for making your lemoncello.

My lime cello below compared with lemoncello.

[CoogeeBoy]

still.jpg
Simple corn and barley. Been using four sections of the Mile Hi for washes, but just two for this mash. Lots of barley in the finish, but not much corn flavor. For the next time, I'll run without any plates inside, pot style, to keep more flavor.

Yes, nice outfit.

What size kettle is that and may I ask how long does it take to strip the wash.

Also, how much water?

Its time for me to upgrade from my T500, takes too long and uses a bucket load of water!

[CoogeeBoy]

Pulled 4l of 95% neutral from about 15l of AG low wines at around 30%.
Going to have to increase the size of my mash I think, doing 6kg in 20l takes too long to accumulate enough low wines for a spirit run and then 4l is not enough to make enough gin to charge my boiler again.

Going to have to get big or get out!

[River Rat]

a piquant taste (do you like that word, its so hard to find a use for it in every day language!

I had to look up the definition. Looks like you found a perfect use for it!
It occurred to me after making that post that I had used the peels from 2.5 lbs of lemons for 1 quart of spirit (to just cover the peels). Like you were saying, a quart of spirit ain't going to cover 2.5 lbs of whole lemons....

[oksofar]

still.jpg
Simple corn and barley. Been using four sections of the Mile Hi for washes, but just two for this mash. Lots of barley in the finish, but not much corn flavor. For the next time, I'll run without any plates inside, pot style, to keep more flavor.

Yes, nice outfit.

What size kettle is that and may I ask how long does it take to strip the wash.

Also, how much water?

Its time for me to upgrade from my T500, takes too long and uses a bucket load of water!

I use 15 or 16 gallon size for all three: mash tun, conical fermenter and still. Not sure what you mean by "how much water"... for cooling? I use a 20 gallon plastic trash can and a submersible 1/4 hp pump. When the water gets too warm, I dump it and refill from the hose.

[CoogeeBoy]

I use 15 or 16 gallon size for all three: mash tun, conical fermenter and still. Not sure what you mean by "how much water"... for cooling? I use a 20 gallon plastic trash can and a submersible 1/4 hp pump. When the water gets too warm, I dump it and refill from the hose.

Thank you, I was referring to cooling. The problem with the T500 is the water comes out at 50C plus, I tried using a pump to recirculate but was not effective.

[CoogeeBoy]

a piquant taste (do you like that word, its so hard to find a use for it in every day language!

I had to look up the definition. Looks like you found a perfect use for it!
It occurred to me after making that post that I had used the peels from 2.5 lbs of lemons for 1 quart of spirit (to just cover the peels). Like you were saying, a quart of spirit ain't going to cover 2.5 lbs of whole lemons....

I use skins from 5-6 lemons with about 1.5 litres of 95% and macerate for 2 weeks plus.

Of course lemons are different sizes so just get a feel for it.

[oksofar]

I use 15 or 16 gallon size for all three: mash tun, conical fermenter and still. Not sure what you mean by "how much water"... for cooling? I use a 20 gallon plastic trash can and a submersible 1/4 hp pump. When the water gets too warm, I dump it and refill from the hose.

Thank you, I was referring to cooling. The problem with the T500 is the water comes out at 50C plus, I tried using a pump to recirculate but was not effective.

Hope to help out CoogeeBoy without taking away from the purpose of this thread (what did ya'll make today)... 
I used to use an ice-filled cooler as a water reservoir.  But six bags of ice would melt in less than 2 hours, so I abandoned that (I'd be stilling for 5-6 hours).  I upgraded from an 8 gallon cooler to a 20 gallon plastic trash can.  Water heats up so quickly, there is no benefit from having an insulated container. 

I also got rid of my first "brewers" pump - it was weak, but even worse - not self priming.  If the feed hose ever came out of the water bath, I'd have to funnel water into it to get it to start pumping again, and in a hurry! 

I now use a 1/4 hp submersible pump, which simplified hose connections, and has a lift height of 27', so plenty of power to pump water to the height I need, and with the velocity to keep up with cooling.  I use a "Y" barb fitting to split the pump output between the shotgun condenser and the dephlegmator with quick detach couplings and ball valves at both.  I may upgrade the ball valve at the dephlegmator to a needle valve for more precise flow control, but have no issues at all with volume. 

When the water in the trash can gets warm, I pull the return hoses out, and just let them drain into the woods, out the back of my barn, and fill it again with cool water from the garden hose.  If you use your still inside, you could just drain the hoses into the sink.  I got all these cooling pieces from Amazon, including the silicone 1/2" hose.  PM me, if you have questions.  Good luck! 

Old pump - not self priming, and weak.

New self priming submersible pump - works great!

Y fitting to split water flow

Quick disconnects - make disassembly for cleanup and transport easy

Mini ball valve

[CoogeeBoy]

I use 15 or 16 gallon size for all three: mash tun, conical fermenter and still. Not sure what you mean by "how much water"... for cooling? I use a 20 gallon plastic trash can and a submersible 1/4 hp pump. When the water gets too warm, I dump it and refill from the hose.

Thank you, I was referring to cooling. The problem with the T500 is the water comes out at 50C plus, I tried using a pump to recirculate but was not effective.

Hope to help out CoogeeBoy without taking away from the purpose of this thread (what did ya'll make today)...

Great setup Oksofar, and maybe not off thread, it can be my "What are you going to make today...." contribution!

Am going to move to bigger setup now, park the old 25l boiler and invest in something more substantial.
Thanks for your input!

[Honest_Liberty]

Arancello initiation
Bottled with 72% frankenshine

[Toxxyc]

Continuing on my still build. Have to fit my coil to the cooling bucket today, and also solder up the fittings from the lyne arm to the coil, and then I'm ready to roll. Will hopefully run another sugar wash as well. Can't wait!

[Honest_Liberty]

First 12 gallon strip of Booner's that finished at .998 from 1.043

Wringing grains and preparing for tomorrow's second strip from everything I pull off the grains

[Durhommer]

Have some single malt to strip but have a wake to go to another person died of the covid

[wpkluck]

Stripped birdwatchers, mashed-in another batch of same. Prep for spirit run.

[Honest_Liberty]

Finished first strip of maybe 10-12 gallons. Going to strip the remaining 7.5

Not really enjoying this much anymore considering how little I produce for how much effort it takes.

Oh well. Time to upgrade

[Durhommer]

I'm seriously ready for a boiler upgrade too

[Deplorable]

I'm seriously ready for a boiler upgrade too

What is yours? 8 gallon? Didnt you score a keg recently to convert?

[Durhommer]

I'm seriously ready for a boiler upgrade too

What is yours? 8 gallon? Didnt you score a keg recently to convert?

Yes I have a keg just haven't got it welded on yet I'm a cheap ass

[Honest_Liberty]

Stripping the rest of the Booner's, 8 gallons second run out of 19 or so. Collected 2.65 gallons at 35% first run

About to liquidate my setup for $400 and purchase a 26 gallon setup with 4" 4 plate perforated column for $1100.
Then I'm buying an agitator and I'm done with with mop wringer!!!

[oksofar]

Mashed 15 gallons of corn and barley.

[NZChris]

Proofed the last of my Hot Cross Bun Gin experiment. It's quite nice so there might not be much left by Easter
I'm sure next year's version will be even better.

[higgins]

I started a bourbon mash yesterday, resting overnight, and finishing today. 60 lbs Corn/Rye malt/Barley malt in a 25 gallon cooler (my corn cooker).

This was my first use of SebStar HTL / SebAmyl GL, and this morning the mash is as sweet as can be. Today I will transfer to the fermenter (30 gal), top it off with some cold water, and pitch the yeast.

[Durhommer]

I'm finishing up my single malt strips today cos no work ...damn rain days cut my pocketbook but are rich in hobby time

[wpkluck]

Greened up some white dog, batch 3, a corn whiskey. Listening to Irish folk songs. Happy St Patrick’s Day!