Home Distiller

Posted: **Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:24 pm**

Hi rastus. I don't know about the other guys but mine has been finishing out at 1.000 or below in about six days..

SD

Posted: **Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:17 pm**

PsYc0TiC wrote:
F6Hawk wrote:PsYc0TiC,

Are you running a reflux or pot still? Don't see how you could get 80% alcohol with a normal wash on a pot still. That would indicate your wash was around 54% starting out. Sounds like some reflux is going on?
Here is my still

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 32&t=35002

I am getting almost the same results out of my pot still. Starts out around 154 proof and most of my hearts ran over 135. I think the thumper is a BIG help

My 2nd gen jumped 10 proof when I charged thumper with tails from previous run.

Side note I noticed my sweetfeed was mostly barley so I added cracked corn to gen 3 for more uniform mix and I hope it sweetens out the flavor a bit

Posted: **Tue Mar 19, 2013 6:53 am**

Thanks Stainless,
I had been hoping to get the run done before Friday, but there is still oats floating on top. i have had a hard time keeping the temp in that room above 70f its been cool at night. plus i had no measure on my starting gravity cause i busted the old hydrometer. so probably i will check it tonight or tomorrow and see where she is settling. it is definitely drying up on the taste and if i have a jigger full I can feel the kick so it will be worth waiting for. interesting how the flavor is developing. it is always interesting to see how these things come out.
when i brew, i always go by taste and smell, but then how it tasted when you cook it, the yeast goes in and creates an abstract flavor that is different, and now a new step for me is the distilling, which changes the whole flavor thing again, and it is interesting to see what it is and what shines through the various phases of the process. this waiting for one batch is painful, i need to get more fermenters going i can see that already.

thanks again

Rastus

Posted: **Tue Mar 19, 2013 3:54 pm**

I've done several runs of the sweetfeed with great success. I am now looking to up the volume of my washes a fair amount. what would be the proper proportions for a 60 gallon sweetfeed wash?

Posted: **Tue Mar 19, 2013 4:41 pm**

nike785 wrote:I've done several runs of the sweetfeed with great success. I am now looking to up the volume of my washes a fair amount. what would be the proper proportions for a 60 gallon sweetfeed wash?

Wow 60 gallons, how big is your boiler??
Since this recipe is based on about a six gallon wash, just multiply by ten and you should be good..

SD

Posted: **Tue Mar 19, 2013 6:08 pm**

Gonna try the sweetfeed recipe when i get my cleaning run done. Got a question or two. For those of you that are running a 15.5 gal keg, How much are you putting in for one run? Does it foam up bad? Any info would be appreciated. I was fig on about 12 gal a run or so to leave a little space for breathing room in the keg. Thanks

Posted: **Tue Mar 19, 2013 6:14 pm**

Hi Medic, 12 gallons in your keg will be fine. I have not had any foaming issues with this recipe, knock on wood. I think you'll really enjoy it, smooth and tasty..

SD

Posted: **Tue Mar 19, 2013 6:58 pm**

Alright thanks i am ready to get it going. Gonna do the 50/50 vinigar water tomorrow and get my coling lines fixed up. Hope so maybe have some shine to try by this time next week. Thanks

Posted: **Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:20 pm**

My first wash had Foaming issues in the fermenter(20l) and a little on the run. I only had the still half full so wasnt a problem. I suspect it was the yeast I used. It was a red star Premier Cuvee, a wine yeast.I tossed that batch of grain. I made a virgin second batch using the original recipes 5lb sugar and bread yeast. Much better results,

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 11:35 am**

Stainless dude wrote:
nike785 wrote:I've done several runs of the sweetfeed with great success. I am now looking to up the volume of my washes a fair amount. what would be the proper proportions for a 60 gallon sweetfeed wash?
Wow 60 gallons, how big is your boiler??
Since this recipe is based on about a six gallon wash, just multiply by ten and you should be good..
SD

i'm running a 32 qt pot now but this weekend i'll have my 15.5 G Keg finished up.

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:36 pm**

hey fellas how's it going? I made a mash from the following recipe...
4 and 1 half inches of sweet feed in a 5 gallon bucket,5 gallons of water,and 5 pounds of sugar. I heated the mash up to 150 degrees and maintained that temperature for 1hour. afterwards I added the 5 pounds of sugar and mixed well. I let it cool to 90 degrees been added activated yeast. I used 4 oz of alcotec 24hr pure turbo super yeast. I theen poured the mash in a 5 gallon water jug with a stopper and airlock. the jugs bubbled up like crazy when the yeast started doing the work. I kept checking them for 4 or 5 hours and they where bubbling good. after I woke up 8 or 9 hours later I checked my jugs of mash progress they were not bubbling constantly or even 2 or 3 bubbles a minute. is this normal or what? What happened?

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:48 pm**

redcorn53 wrote:hey fellas how's it going? I made a mash from the following recipe...
4 and 1 half inches of sweet feed in a 5 gallon bucket,5 gallons of water,and 5 pounds of sugar. I heated the mash up to 150 degrees and maintained that temperature for 1hour. afterwards I added the 5 pounds of sugar and mixed well. I let it cool to 90 degrees been added activated yeast. I used 4 oz of alcotec 24hr pure turbo super yeast. I theen poured the mash in a 5 gallon water jug with a stopper and airlock. the jugs bubbled up like crazy when the yeast started doing the work. I kept checking them for 4 or 5 hours and they where bubbling good. after I woke up 8 or 9 hours later I checked my jugs of mash progress they were not bubbling constantly or even 2 or 3 bubbles a minute. is this normal or what? What happened?

In all of your research, which we consider mandatory, you never read that you should never use Turbo Yeast with anything other than sugar...???

Or did you think we don't know anything and decided to go ahead and try it anyway...???

Either your wretched wash has fermented dry, which is doubtful, or it overheated and killed off the yeast colony, which is more likely...

If it fermented to dry I sure wouldn't want to drink what comes out of your still...

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:50 pm**

redcorn53 wrote:hey fellas how's it going? I made a mash from the following recipe...
4 and 1 half inches of sweet feed in a 5 gallon bucket,5 gallons of water,and 5 pounds of sugar. I heated the mash up to 150 degrees and maintained that temperature for 1hour. afterwards I added the 5 pounds of sugar and mixed well. I let it cool to 90 degrees been added activated yeast. I used 4 oz of alcotec 24hr pure turbo super yeast. I theen poured the mash in a 5 gallon water jug with a stopper and airlock. the jugs bubbled up like crazy when the yeast started doing the work. I kept checking them for 4 or 5 hours and they where bubbling good. after I woke up 8 or 9 hours later I checked my jugs of mash progress they were not bubbling constantly or even 2 or 3 bubbles a minute. is this normal or what? What happened?

I would say go to page 1 of this thread and start over with the recipe. Not sure how the turbo works never used it but the bread yeast will go like crazy and is all you need.

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 1:17 pm**

Tried the activated dry yeast on the birdwatcher's a genius recipe and must say it works well. I am trying this recipe now ... only mods are adding some tomatoe paste for fun, and some corn meal (will cheesecloth it when racking) for some more corn goodness.

But ya, I have only done 3 production runs now, and the baker's works great ... and cheaper.

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 1:39 pm**

rad14701 wrote:
redcorn53 wrote:hey fellas how's it going? I made a mash from the following recipe...
4 and 1 half inches of sweet feed in a 5 gallon bucket,5 gallons of water,and 5 pounds of sugar. I heated the mash up to 150 degrees and maintained that temperature for 1hour. afterwards I added the 5 pounds of sugar and mixed well. I let it cool to 90 degrees been added activated yeast. I used 4 oz of alcotec 24hr pure turbo super yeast. I theen poured the mash in a 5 gallon water jug with a stopper and airlock. the jugs bubbled up like crazy when the yeast started doing the work. I kept checking them for 4 or 5 hours and they where bubbling good. after I woke up 8 or 9 hours later I checked my jugs of mash progress they were not bubbling constantly or even 2 or 3 bubbles a minute. is this normal or what? What happened?
In all of your research, which we consider mandatory, you never read that you should never use Turbo Yeast with anything other than sugar...??? Or did you think we don't know anything and decided to go ahead and try it anyway...???

Either you wretched wash has fermented dry, which is doubtful, or it overheated and killed off the yeast colony, which is more likely... If it fermented to dry I sure wouldn't want to drink what comes out of your still...

Well crap. I'm sorry I just joined this community. I did not know thAt. I already made the mash before hand. Sorry I read several thingz but there is a lot of info to sort through. I know that I didn't kill it...I waited very patiently for it to hit 90 degrees before I added the activate

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 1:59 pm**

redcorn53 wrote:Well crap. I'm sorry I just joined this community. I did not know thAt. I already made the mash before hand. Sorry I read several thingz but there is a lot of info to sort through. I know that I didn't kill it...I waited very patiently for it to hit 90 degrees before I added the activate

It wasn't the pitch temperature that would have killed it, it would have been the heat generated by the turbo yeast on top of the heat generated by the sweet feed...

Take a step back and do some research here...

It'll save you a lot of headaches, in more ways than one...

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:05 pm**

rad14701 wrote:
redcorn53 wrote:Well crap. I'm sorry I just joined this community. I did not know thAt. I already made the mash before hand. Sorry I read several thingz but there is a lot of info to sort through. I know that I didn't kill it...I waited very patiently for it to hit 90 degrees before I added the activate
It wasn't the pitch temperature that would have killed it, it would have been the heat generated by the turbo yeast on top of the heat generated by the sweet feed...

Take a step back and do some research here... It'll save you a lot of headaches, in more ways than one...

So what did you mean by fermented dry? I just checked my jugs and I still have one bubbling. What would happened if it was distilled? If you would answer that and possibly direct to the proper forum for this. Thank you for aswering and helping me.

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:16 pm**

Was wondering what other folks thought of this video? Noticed he strained out the grain before fermenting. Is that the correct method? I was thinking it would be better to wait until after fermenting to strain. But anyhow I liked the video. I've read so much on the forum that I get confused and watching the video helped a lot. Any other good videos anyone would recommend. Thanks!!!

RScottyL wrote:
Stainless dude wrote:
packfan61 wrote:so i've read a lot of posts on here. And I am a novice at this. My question is: under the home distillation of alcohol page it says for whiskey, to heat your grain (cracked or crushed malt ) , then strain off the grain and ferment your wash. Is this only if your using corn? As the tried and true recipe for sweetfeed shine says to add boiled water,and later cooled water, to your grain and ferment the whole mash ( grain,sugar,yeast,water ), then strain prior to running it.I'm using a simple pot still.So the latter method ( tried and true for sweetfeed ) would give me a better tasting shine, correct? What's the proper way to strain the grain out of the fermented mash before running it? just simply pour through a mesh strainer? I'm thinking that if I syphoned it there would be debris in my wash that could possibly burn in the bottom of my pot still . Also, will i get more quantity and higher alcohol content by leaving the grain in to ferment? A guy told me he strains his sweetfeed grain off prior to fermentation, after he cooks it for an hour, and he still strains his wash prior to running it. I want the best method when making mine. Can someone help me with these issues please!I do use the sweetfeed all grain for my shine and have been straining it prior to fermentation as a friend had told me to do.
Packfan.
This is not whiskey, it is a sweetfeed wash. Leave the grain in your fermenter. When it is done fermenting you can either scoop out all of the wash with a pot or what ever and pour it through a strainer or a pillow case for that
matter. Leave the yeast and grain bed pretty much alone. After you get all of the wash out that you can, remove the top layer of feed. Replace the amount you took out. Make sure it is covered with water so your yeast don't die.
After you make your run, take 1 1/2 gallon of backset from your boiler while it is still hot and add your surgar for your new batch. Whenn it cools down to about 90 degrees add it to your fermenter, add remaining water and put the lid
on. It should take off in a few hours, mine always does.
SD

If anyone has not seen it, there is a video on YouTube by username Pontiusplate or something similar, which does something very similar to this. He walks you through the entire process! He even mentions this forum in his video description, so i assume he is a member on here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-nGbAf81Zs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:20 pm**

Why did you boil the sweetfeed for 1 hour then pitch yeast.. without enzymes the boiling of grains will do NADA.

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:17 pm**

He didn't boil the grain, only 150 degrees. I think boiling would kill the yeast.

DuckofDeath wrote:Why did you boil the sweetfeed for 1 hour then pitch yeast.. without enzymes the boiling of grains will do NADA.

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:40 pm**

boiling will extract more flavor from the grains, but not sugar. Yeast is then pitched when the beer reaches pitching temp

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:55 pm**

"I heated the mash up to 150 degrees and maintained that temperature for 1hour"

Complete waste of time. Since he maintained it at 150, he was trying for beta amalyse starch conversion. 150 is too low for starch extraction. With no enzymes you are just making hot water.

40-45 °C

104.0-113.0 °F

β-Glucanase

50-54 °C

122.0-129.2 °F

Protein

62-67 °C

143.6-152.6 °F

β-Amylase

71-72 °C

159.8-161.6 °F

α-Amylase

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:29 pm**

Agreed. No conversion to be had. Dumping boiling water on the grain and letting it come down to pitching temp could add flavor though, but you're correct, it won't add sugar

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:54 am**

What grains are in this "sweetfeed"? I'm in Australia and no one seems to know anything about it . Any information would be of great help in this, my first atempt at Potstill whisky ... granpopmaggot of Oz : :

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:40 am**

I know the grain needs to be strained out prior to distillation but would it be best to leave the grain in during fermentation?

steve2md wrote:boiling will extract more flavor from the grains, but not sugar. Yeast is then pitched when the beer reaches pitching temp

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:44 am**

granpop - I'm new at this also but it's Corn, Oats, Barley + Molasses.

granpopmaggot wrote:What grains are in this "sweetfeed"? I'm in Australia and no one seems to know anything about it . Any information would be of great help in this, my first atempt at Potstill whisky ... granpopmaggot of Oz : :

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:31 am**

Yes, leave the grains in. That would bring over more taste.

Odin.

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:45 am**

im trying to find bakers yeast in bulk, but cannot find locally. they only have the tblspoon packets and it would look suspicious to buy so many at a time, do they sell it at walmart of something? I try to avoid that store as much as possible but will go if need be.

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:56 am**

racksnquacks1 wrote:im trying to find bakers yeast in bulk, but cannot find locally. they only have the tblspoon packets and it would look suspicious to buy so many at a time, do they sell it at walmart of something? I try to avoid that store as much as possible but will go if need be.

The big discount stores like Sam's Club and Costco carry bakers yeast in bulk... I buy 2 - 1 pound vacuum bricks for under $5USD from Sam's Club... But don't worry about buying lots of packets if you can't find bulk... People bake every day, and if you feel paranoid, purchase from multiple sources... I never buy all of my ingredients from the same store or at the same time...

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:02 am**

I asked this question before and nobody has answered with a definite yes or no. I really want to try this recipe. When I went to the feed store to get my Sweet Feed I looked at the feed tags and saw a very long list of additives and nutrients, some I couldn't even pronounce. Granted they are small amounts but I didn't see anything that didn't have all these ingredients in them. Can these feeds be used safely ? If not, what and where do I go to get an all natural feed ? I'd appreciate a straight answer so I can get going. Thanks guys.

Home Distiller

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