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Check out the foreshot of last nights sugar shine run! 50ml

http://i59.tinypic.com/be7clt.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

The heads were around 180 (250ml) and my hearts are 170-140 (2 gallons) tails dropped to around 100 (1/2 gallon) and fell off quick. Killed the run at 40.
I love this reflux still. I've never hit 190 before nor had such high proof clean product the rest of the run. I
added way more packing (400 marbles) and didn't quite use as much power as previous runs that seem to make a world of difference.

Sorry this was from a 45l of almost 20% wash from turbo yeast. Single run.

Great practice in operation of your still. Now make a wash from the Tried and True section that doesn't include turbo yeast so you can make something that you would want to drink...no filtering necessary.

Well done... 190 with marbles should equate to easy azeo if you use some mesh packing. Gotta agree with previous comment on the tried and true.

Yes that's next. I make mead with regular yeast. I figured for refluxed vodka who cares. Smash and grab alcohol.
I'll try that next.

dsly1 wrote:Smash and grab alcohol.

Ok. That's just funny right there!

tp

I have another question. Why not use turbo yeast? My intention is to brew high proof almost flavourless alcohol for mixing. Wouldn't I want the highest mash abv to start. I'm really happy with the sugar shine I'm rocking now? What is the the lower abv wine yeast and corn going to do for me? All I read is flavour. But it 160+ proof is the only stuff I keep that doesn't get recycled. I'm going to give a more traditional run next to see but I expect half the yield with no benefit.
Other side note, since I've a witxhes over to just keeping the high test stuff, I havent had a hangover ? I'm actually puzzled

That's three questions.

Turbo yeast is generally regarded as appropriate for making fuel. If you're happy with your product, hey. Who are we to criticize?
There are much better things out there to drink though. The Birdwatcher's recipe in the Tried and True is a great one that I use for high ABV neutral and it doesn't taste like truck fuel either.

tp

dsly1 wrote:I have another question. Why not use turbo yeast? My intention is to brew high proof almost flavourless alcohol for mixing. Wouldn't I want the highest mash abv to start. I'm really happy with the sugar shine I'm rocking now? What is the the lower abv wine yeast and corn going to do for me? All I read is flavour. But it 160+ proof is the only stuff I keep that doesn't get recycled. I'm going to give a more traditional run next to see but I expect half the yield with no benefit.
Other side note, since I've a witxhes over to just keeping the high test stuff, I havent had a hangover ? I'm actually puzzled

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking neutrals are flavorless. But remember, 95% is the best you can get. Off flavors can easily find their way into the remaining 5%. Take a little of that neutral and dilute it down to something drinkable and you'll taste it. Besides, this is about quality not quantity.

There's been a ton of discussion about why turbos suck. The simplest explanation is that the nutrients that drive the yeast to 20% are what makes it taste so harsh. Its like comparing your favorite craft beer to malt liquor. Sure, there's a higher abv in that cheap 40oz but what does it taste like?

Bottom line: It's the ferment that makes a good drop. Everything else is peripheral.

tp

Why would you need turbos...??? Quality, not quantity, is the mantra around here... If you want swill, go to the liquor store... But how you do things, and what you'll drink, is totally up to you... But we won't be changing our stance on turbo yeast around here any time soon...

I just did a run yesterday using marbles... I had tried them previously but my column was too short for them to work effectively... With a taller column I was able to run at 95% ABV all the way to tails...

I'm given the normal yeast a go right now. I'll have to see for myself I guess. I have nothing to compare it to and I love what I'm producing right now so it can only get better.

My colomn is a little over 6 feet with a bubble cap at the bottom. I can have 400 marbles in it and 10 chore boy copper scrubbers to keep the marbles up in the colomn and off the plate. If I had to remake it change this still I'd probably just add a site tower to the bubble plate. I have a window but the 360 view the tower gives is super awesome. Might add that still.

dsly1 wrote:I'm given the normal yeast a go right now. I'll have to see for myself I guess. I have nothing to compare it to and I love what I'm producing right now so it can only get better.

My colomn is a little over 6 feet with a bubble cap at the bottom. I can have 400 marbles in it and 10 chore boy copper scrubbers to keep the marbles up in the colomn and off the plate. If I had to remake it change this still I'd probably just add a site tower to the bubble plate. I have a window but the 360 view the tower gives is super awesome. Might add that still.

It's 6 foot tall and has a bubble plate? That thing should pour out 95% ABV. Like a water spigot. What kind of still is it LM, VM, or CM?

With good packing. There shouldn't be any reason to have that tall of a still. With a bubble plate under it.

Built it by reading here. LM still. Yup 190 as in my first pic. 400 Glass marble and. Copper chore boy packing . Like I said I'm super happy already with the product. I'm excited to see any appreciable difference In regular yeast mash on my next run.

I know they don't care for linked pictures but it's the only way I can post pictures from my iPhone.
Built this today from spare copper for my next run!
http://tinypic.com/r/14jqpw3/8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
And I realized I don't have a pic of the complete still but here's the bottom before I fished it all. I housed the wiring connection after this pic for safety.
http://tinypic.com/r/6zyhiv/8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

And to show the height. This is above my head with the slant plates and condenser another foot and a half higher
http://tinypic.com/r/vq1u2h/8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Can you post that picture here so we can see it? External links either don't work for some of us, can be a security issue, can get old and deleted by the host, or all three.

Here is a few HD links to help figure out how it all works:

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 35&t=19897 < Image Uploading and Posting Etiquette
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 52&t=15837 < Photo posting walkthrough
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 35&t=20255 < PIXresizer - a Free Image Resizer...