Home Distiller

OK, I will be the first. Get rid of the gallon jug and collect in small jars, that will make finding the cuts easier. No plastic containers allowed in distillation. They may use it on TV but not here. That looks like an electric stove so it is going to make temp settings hard to stabilize as it will cycle on and off just a note I run gas and have only used a hot plate once., but I have seen this problem many times on HD. If at all possible move the output of the condenser as far away from the heat source as possible. Don't run the still by the thermometer. It is a good source of information regarding the run but don't rely on it to control the run. Bring your heat up until you get a small stream about the size of a #2 pencil lead and use heat adjustment to keep it there. Have you done your cleaning and sacrificial runs yet?

The issue I see is your approach to the craft. Listen to all of the advice above. Most all here care about your safe and responsible success in home distilling. But you really need to back the truck up and try again in a lower gear. Good Luck and Welcome to HD.

You really don't want distillate going into plastic milk jugs. That's straight out of 'Moonshiners' and a huge no no. You still seem to be in a big hurry and that doesn't work in this hobby. Ssssslllooowwww down.

OK, I will be the first. Get rid of the gallon jug and collect in small jars, that will make finding the cuts easier. No plastic containers allowed in distillation.

I'm very sorry for my lack of communication in my post! The run wasn't meant for human consumption at all, thus the plastic jug. It wasn't even washed out! I must have blundered that in my post but I am definitely not trying to make something to drink out of a a solution that was surely growing more than yeast before the yeast addition lol. I was just testing something that might have had alcohol in it to see if I could actually get everything working as I had thought it would work.

When I first set up the still I ran a 3:1 mixture of white vinegar and water though it. I figured that the boiling point would be pretty close to water since white vinegar is already diluted quite a bit. The temp gauge reflected this assumption so I figured the temp gauge method was good to go. I thought I got it pretty clean, though after running this batch of kinda nasty stuff I figured it was best to try and clean it again. My first batch of UJSSM is what I believe will become my sacrificial run.

I had been doing distillations in the lab using the thermometer for a gauge to tell between different gasses at the top of the column, but I realize this is not the lab and it's something different. I will try my best to judge based on flow from this point as advised. When using this method would one go off of taste, two drops diluted with two drops water, or another method? I do not remember if I read that on this forum or not. I do not have a hydrometer for a while or so, I know that is the for sure way to test proof.

I apologize if I seem like the hot head that is taking half the advice given and just forcing things. In regards to the many "slow down" comments, I really am trying to be as deliberate as possible. After running into so many issues with that approach right off the bat, I did slow down considerably, and will continue to as I gain the know-how. I can admit throwing that stinky stuff in there was likely not a good idea, and that was certainly the eagerness and rushing that you guys are alluding to; but I assure everyone I wasn't rushing it to the point of drinking whatever just came out of the still from a milk jug lol. Though, I feel loved that you guys would be nice enough to catch it and call me out, rather than let me drink copper oxidation and mystery vapors like I would have deserved to drink if I'd have done such a thing.

My first batch of what I believe to be mash, created from Uncle Jesse's recipe, is being nursed along like a baby. I'm taking most of what I plan on doing from his post though in order to try and stick to just that one for a while. I'm going to at least get that one down before moving to anything else at all. I believe my next step after this one is to siphon half of what I've got into the still, scoop off floating corn, replace the sugar, replace the water with warm water, and let that go again to completion.

My newcomer questions keep a-rollin though. I have not been able to find the real definition for what a feint is. Every post I see refers to adding feint but I cant seem to find any place in context that explains it.

OK, I will be the first. Get rid of the gallon jug and collect in small jars, that will make finding the cuts easier. No plastic containers allowed in distillation. They may use it on TV but not here. That looks like an electric stove so it is going to make temp settings hard to stabilize as it will cycle on and off just a note I run gas and have only used a hot plate once., but I have seen this problem many times on HD. If at all possible move the output of the condenser as far away from the heat source as possible. Don't run the still by the thermometer. It is a good source of information regarding the run but don't rely on it to control the run. Bring your heat up until you get a small stream about the size of a #2 pencil lead and use heat adjustment to keep it there. Have you done your cleaning and sacrificial runs yet?

I be getting more hose to move the reservoir father from the heat source as recommended. I am keeping it iced though until I can do so. I don't really have an option for gas heating on my budget (landlord pays electricity). I know the cost cop-out isnt a good excuse for a hobby but I am just trying to start out and I was thinking that with 3 to 5 gallons in the still the heat would distribute pretty well. I am keeping my eyes out though for a burner and will try and get a propane tank for some gas heating. On average how quickly do you go through a bottle?

Also my flow rate was much slower than a stream so I will pick it up there too. I was a rapid series of drips.

Thank you everyone for all the help. The intro articles stated a hesitation to spoon feed but I see none of that. I really hope that I am not trying anyone's patience. If so feel free to let me know. I guess that is the response I was expecting the first couple posts, thus my brevity and mis-communicated "shittiness" for lack of a better phrase. I hope that now I am not just the opposite.

Welcome to HD!
Hope you are enjoying your cavity check , along with the Parent site and forums.
Feints are heads, tails, or both ..Basically anything saved from previous runs ..
Use a strainer and clean dishrag to filter while filling pot.
Lab experience helps of course, but much more controlled than distilling ..'Real' chemistry is much different than 'outlaw chemistry'..Learn the differences.
Good luck, be safe.

Just want to chime in here. If your landlord pays the electricity bill, then the best option is to get an internal element. There are many build threads here for getting setup with electric for under or around 100. Many here run both LP and or internal elements


Jimbos got a great setup for electric IMHO. I'm pretty sure cranky also has a very simple one that is effective. I've been looking at going electric, can you tell.

And when you do finally get to running some to drink collect in small jars max 200 mills at a time, closer to 100 as 4 gallons is a little undersized for making good cuts as they will be much smaller.

Anyways welcome, glad you are seeing the big picture here. Keep reading till your eyes bleed. Then rinse and repeat.

Yak

Here's a link to the definitive work on making cuts once you're ready: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=11640

If you ever get to the point where you think you're done reading, you're not. This is a journey, not a destination.

tp

Like mentioned, get rid of the milk jug to collect. Spend the six bucks for a dozen pint jars. Read up on making cuts. You don't want to collect all in one container unless it's just a strip run. Or unless you want something that tastes like crap and gives you a hell of a hangover. The corn in ujssm also provides nutes for the yeast. If you want just a sugar wash, read birdwatchers in tnt. Rads all bran is another simple one I haven't tried but many make a great vodka with, even on pot stills double or triple distilled.

With a pot still, any of the sugar washes like ujssm are ok single stilled with good cuts and some time aging. But they are much smoother double distilled with good cuts and a bit of time on oak (even better than many top shelf whiskeys).

Best of luck and welcome.

Also, I suggest trying a batch of beer or so to help learn. Even the kits. Gives you some experience with sanitation, fermentation process, etc and something to drink while you read up.

One thing I noticed about people new to a hobby is that they just "jump in and do it." It takes time to research your hobby, understand your hobby and to be willing to give your hobby 100% of your effort. This reply is not directly aimed at you, but at all people just starting up. I have many home brewing and winemaking friends that want to get started immediately. They buy the cheapest equipment, the cheapest ingredients and just get going. I've tasted a lot of really bad beer and wine in my time.

These forums offer so much great information, it not only needs to be read but also digested. Before running out any buying your equipment, understand what the equipment does, how it works and why. If you don't know what a pH meter is or how a hydrometer works, don't start. As many have said, it is easy to get your wash going and to get it distilled.

We all screw up at some point. One of my first batches of beer that I brewed I used bakers yeast instead of Brewers yeast. It was awful. Lesson learned. And as others have said, read, read, read. Good luck and soon you'll be distilling quality spirits.like.the big boys.

Though I believe it used to work the other way.
The baker would go around to the brewery and get a bucket of yeast...

Geoff