Simple tips for noobs (that advanced members may seem obvious)

[jimnz]

EDIT:
It seems i don't yet know enough to give advice, so the post is removed.
ill go back to reading.
Mod's, feel free to delete this thread

[Salt Must Flow]

This sounds more like a reflux column topic for making high quality neutral so that's what I'm focusing on.

1. I think it's best to LEARN about the different still designs, UNDERSTAND how they function and build/buy what you want. You won't regret it. If you jump right into buying something you don't thoroughly understand, you may eventually learn that you wanted something else and end up building/buying what you actually needed.

4. Why start with a brew shop yeast packet? I've always used Fleischmann's dry yeast. It has never failed me and has always produced the cleanest neutral.

5. I have NEVER washed and sterilized anything ever, like not even once. I'll rinse something out if there's dead bugs, spider webs, noticeable dust accumulation or something like that, but otherwise I've never done any sanitation at all. I've never had a sugar wash contaminate once. Fleischmann's dry yeast for instance likes 85F fermentation temperature. I'm not sure what yeast prefers 60F-75F, but I'd bet it costs more than bakers yeast.

7. Temperature is NOT relevant. You cannot control a still by temperature.

[NZChris]

10. Don't recycle your stinking leftovers into the next neutral spirit run. If you are in a hurry to recycle it, put it in the still with the next batch of wash.
I don't do either, saving it for an All Feints run.

[Pure Old Possum Piss]

Salt's telling the truth.

[jimnz]

1. I think it's best to LEARN about the different still designs, UNDERSTAND how they function and build/buy what you want. You won't regret it. If you jump right into buying something you don't thoroughly understand, you may eventually learn that you wanted something else and end up building/buying what you actually needed. Good advice.

4. Why start with a brew shop yeast packet? I've always used Fleischmann's dry yeast. It has never failed me and has always produced the cleanest neutral. just for ease of use to start (noob thread)

5. I have NEVER washed and sterilized anything ever, like not even once. I'll rinse something out if there's dead bugs, spider webs, noticeable dust accumulation or something like that, but otherwise I've never done any sanitation at all. I've never had a sugar wash contaminate once. Fleischmann's dry yeast for instance likes 85F fermentation temperature. I'm not sure what yeast prefers 60F-75F, but I'd bet it costs more than bakers yeast.
just what I picked up along the way. made sence
7. Temperature is NOT relevant. You cannot control a still by temperature. more t500 relevant - its a beginner still and beginner thread
10. Don't recycle your stinking leftovers into the next neutral spirit run. If you are in a hurry to recycle it, put it in the still with the next batch of wash. The jury is out on that one. i asked this question and the smarter people on HD suggested it. or yes an all feints run would be better

[SW_Shiner]

I think the reason that there is little information about 'the middle' is that, once you get passed all the same basic questions that everyone starting out asks, for a lot of people, that's it. Many people that are here, (the inactive or slightly active mostly), get to a point that they are happy with and don't see the need to progress further down the rabbit hole. Then there are the other kinds of people, the kind that are never truly finished learning, or those that are never finished teaching. I spent a few years here reading and learning before even making an account. I got to a point where i was rather happy with what i was making, and i stopped visiting here for a while. Now that i have some ore questions of my own, and i feel i can answer some others, I decide to make an account and do what i can to help out.

In saying that, i also have some feed back.

1. Always research first, you don't want to be put off the hobby by getting the wrong still for the job.

4. Never start with brew shop yeast, that stuff is designed for fuel or running through a carbon filter.

5. I've never sterilized anything. A good rinse is all anything usually needs.

7,8. Put tape on or cover any thermometers if you don't know how they can be helpful.

9,10. You've already stated that the neutral heads and tails are shit, why put them in your next spirit run?

[Salt Must Flow]

9,10. You've already stated that the neutral heads and tails are shit, why put them in your next spirit run?

I've always dumped my heads and tails into a keg until it's full enough to do an 'all feints' run. Once I'm done making my cuts from an all feints run, I store those cuts as fire starter/solvent.

If you pour your cuts into your next spirit run then you shouldn't keep the cuts from that run and put it into the next. You shouldn't perpetually keep your cuts and continue re-running them. From everything I've read, you should only run your cuts once.

This is how I've rationalized collecting my cuts and doing 'all feints' runs.

[MarkChap]

Pardon me if this come across wrong, it's not what I intend
As a relative newbie, only into this for 6 or 7 months, this is my take

What ive learnt in my short journey is the following:
1. Get a basic but not shit still early. An air still will demoralize you. A T500 seems to be a good place to start - There are a lot of better options than a T500 type still at a better price
2. After you have your shiny toy, read as much as you can without getting paralyzed into inaction. - Should be the first thing you do, before buying anything
3. Make vodka well, then look at additional flavours. Gin, oak chips etc. - Decide what you most want to make and then buy/build to suit that, no use buying a T500 if you really want to make Rum/Whiskey etc
4. Start with a brew shop yeast packet (I hear the groans), then swiftly progress to a simple wash recipe. (TPO/ Teddy sadds) - Turbo ??, don't do it, your research should highlight better yeast to use for teh product you are trying to make
5. Do the basics well. Wash and sterilise the equipment well, keep the wash between 18 – 26deg. Don’t move it until the bobby thing tells you to.- Your wash/mash/yeast combo will determine the best temp to ferment at
6. Clear the wash with cold temperature if possible or use a brew shop packet if necessary (.. groan) - Never cold crashed a wash for distilling, but it certainly can't hurt if you have the ability
7. Put the clear wash through your still hot (60-75deg – t500) taking 50mls off at the start for lighter fluid. (stripping run, making Low wines) - T500 isn't really good for stripping, and For clarity I think you are talking about the water temp after it leaves the still. The temp of wash/vapour will be what it will be.
8. Take your hooch and put it through again slowly at around 45-60 degs. YES you must. 90% ethanol is not vodka. I take the lighter fluid off again. (spirit run) Spirit Run, yes, if you have done stripping runs, you need to do a Spirit Run
9. This time put the almost vodka as it comes out into small jars. YES you must. The start and the end product tastes like shit, so why add shit to your efforts. - YES, cuts are a MUST especially when learning
10. Once finished, taste the flavour of each jar and for the ones that you don’t screw your face up to, keep. The rest, put into another jar and save for your next 2nd (spirit) run. For Neutral I don't recycle my Feints, some do

All going well, you should have drinkable vodka. You have now got your first gold star. Rinse and repeat a few times and then SEARCH for Odin's gin recipe. To all the noobs who just want a simple check sheet to get started, I hope this helps

If this is really aimed at the newer members/distillers why not use the correct terminology. It's hard enough to get your head around all the terms as it is - Hooch=Low Wines, Lighter Fluid=Fore shot

[Sporacle]

. Do the basics well. Wash and sterilise the equipment well, keep the wash between 18 – 26deg. Don’t move it until the bobby thing tells you to.

My rum says no to that point, as Salt says it seems like a post specific for a neutral.
The basics are basics and will be learned through time, reading and experience.

I asked all the same questions, got confused and stuffed things up (still do)
I didn't learn until I did it and if I followed those points for making a rum it wouldn't work for me,

It's a simple hobby you've just got to get the basic knowledge locked away practically

[Sporacle]

Double post sorry

[GrumbleStill]

If you are a new distiller, and have got this far, than I’d suggest you jump over to viewtopic.php?t=52975 where you will find a wealth of good advice.

Have fun and stay safe.

[bilgriss]

I was going to link the same thread. Take the time to read through all the spoonfeeding, and read it until you understand it. At that point, you can start making decisions and committing time and money to what you want without a bunch of false starts. The advice above is a reflection of what what individual does, and can't be generalized to others.

[shadylane]

Simple tips for Noobs.

Yeast is bull frog tough, given a chance it will get the job done.
Most "stalled" ferments are going just fine or already finished.
There's more to be learned from many small runs than one BIG mistake.

[jonnys_spirit]

Pot stills are dead simple and you can run them a number of ways so they're also much more flexible than apparent at first blush - not necessarily one trick ponies... And they work very well for making quality spirit.

Consider starting with KISS and staying with it for a while before moving on to more complex systems with more variables.

Cheers,
jonny

[Saltbush Bill]

To save confusion for Newbs , the concept of using or not using feints in the next run needs clarification.
It is generally excepted by experienced distillers that feints from reflux runs are not added back to the next wash and re-distilled when making neutral type spirits.
In the case of Brown spirits " Rum , Whiskies, Brandy etc", when using pot stills or plated columns many people do add feints back to the next run , this can be done over and over.
The theory is that after a number of runs the amount of heads and tails from each run does not increase, flavour is increased and the hearts cut may be larger.
In the case of Scotch whisky production this method is used widely in commercial distillery's
This method is used by some but not all in the hobby world, its personal choice.

[Archee72]

My best tip is to run your foreshots at a “drip, drip”.Then your heads a tiny bit faster until when you come to your hearts cut you have the “pencil tip stream”. This is to ensure they don’t smear over to your hearts.