Home Distiller

Hey this stuff is gooood. Using two gal. of my apple cider wine i make, I put it in a pot put a brick in the pot and put a bowl on brick. Put the lid on upside down and iced it. brought it to a slow boil. condensate dripped down and low and behold nectar of the gods was formed. Had a smell similar to corn i had. went down smooth. Out of the 2 gal I got about a quart and 1/2 out . Is that about the right proportion??? Any comment welcome

Welcom and congrats on your first run. That sounds like a chinese style still you have there. While it does work it is not the prefered method of distillation. There is no way to make proper cuts and remove the foreshots. That is the bad stuf you don't want to drink. Do yourself a favor and build a proper still and you'll have a much better drink and a lot more fun.
Happy distillin.

Yeah, you re-confirmed that distillation works, welshie... But, as pumpman pointed out, you were unable to make proper cuts... However, I see a potentially bigger issue... What was the composition of that brick you tossed into the hot wash and do you know what might have leached out of it and into your spirits...

I wouldn't be drinking those spirits, personally... Your methods are just not taking safety into consideration at all... You need to get past the giddy schoolgirl phase and start getting serious about the craft before someone gets hurt...

LOL, drink that and you may grow an extra appendage, or worse... drop dead.

seriously, a simple stove top still can be built from household items such as stainless steel pots, stainless steel mixing bowls. Copper tubing from hardware store.
Even a simple stainless steel tea kettle works for a beginner. Just remember to use copper or stainless steel, or a mixture of the two. Anything along those lines would be better and safer than what you did.

We're not trying to beet up on you here. We just take the craft and safety serously and want to educate you on the proper techniques. We don't don't ever want to here about someones mother, father, sister, brother ect. getting hurt by somthing they learned about on this site. We just want you to be safe and have a good time.

Warning heeded. I wwas under the imperession that when distillation occurs that only alchol and water would be evaporated. Evedenty I am wrong. Oh by the way the brick was just a regular brick. What harmful elements are carried by the distillation process? I am goig to use this batch to start ther campfire. Do not want o hurt me or anyone else. Thanks rad14701 for that link to the apt stlye still ,just the size I am looking for. Got a lot of home work to do. Till then Welshie

alcohol does evaporate but........... there is more than ethanol ....acetone,,methanol,,ethyl,,acetate,,propyl,butyl,,amyl and furfural.
all these can be in the wash in small quantys, can cause any thing from bad taste to one hell of a hangover. by taking off foreshots,,
heads,,and tales you eliminate most.

And as far as the brick is concerned, it might have lead in it, or who knows what.