Home Distiller

I am dead new to this, ive done 2x23ltr runs so far with my "water distiller"!


the washes i have brewed have been 18kg of sugar from tesco, 23 ltr of water, alcotec 48 hour turbo yeast.

the first wash i put threw i just left the wash to brew, and it was still brewing 3 weeks later but i put it into the still uncleared. My still does batches of 4 ltrs as a time. I took out the first 40ml, and then went for the first 700 ml of product. This had a sharp taste to it, tasted a bit like the yeast, but i went threw it ok, all fine. I cant remember exactly how much product i got from this brew.


the second wash, i brewed cold at first, then added a brew belt to it, so it was like 24degs, left that for 2 weeks where it had finished brewing. I added some potassium sorberate to it, left it a day, then added some finings to it, and ran that threw the still. I only took out the first 20ml this time but went up to the 700 ml again. I put all the product into one bucket, diluted it with mineral water, and i ended up with 10.5 ltrs of product.





the second batch was ok at first, but smelt a bit funny but the first one did do too. Now i have started to feel a bit ill, and i wonder if its the potassium sorberate in the second batch, or ive done something wrong?



I have another wash that was just sugar again, i put it into a new fermenter tonight, and it has started to clear on its own. I will add some finings to it i think.


is there anything obviously wrong with what i have done?

i am trying to research what im doing but there is just so many views on what people are doing, and relating it to what i am is hard.

thankyou for any replies !

Hit the reset button. Pick a tried and true recipe and follow it exactly. Do your reading. Links are at the bottom of this page. Sounds like you need it. Good luck.

Welcome in Davesmith.

This link will get you to the Tried and True Recipe Section...https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=14
There is a lot of wisdom and assistance in this forum. It would really help you to go through and read up. A good place to start are in the links below my signature

Stay Safe & Have Fun.
BlackStrap

davesmith wrote: ↑Thu Feb 25, 2021 12:14 pm is there anything obviously wrong with what i have done?

Almost everything.
We will soon get you on the right track though.......lots to learn.....start by tossing the turbo yeast in the bin...then look at our tried and tested recipe section, then read up on making proper cuts .......oh and you will also want to know about stripping runs.

is there anything obviously wrong with what i have done?

Please forgive me davesmith-

I was having a terrible day and then I read about your multiple attempts at 6lbs sugar/ gallon of water and suddenly schadenfreude came over me and now my day doesn't seem so bad.

Hope you can sort it out.

right ok thankyou for the advice. Now i had watched some youtube vids and the 2 main ones i referenced where from used turbo yeast and sugar ! LOL!


now, what i dont understand is, ill be making 4ltr batches, but brewing 23 ltrs in one go. If i use baking yeast, i thought they could not make over 4%? also, both didnt do any cutting at all.

ill buy some proper vodka for now and read all about what to do though thanks

Baker's yeast can hit 12% without any special care or techniques beyond normal good fermentation protocols, so 10% or less is virtually worry-free.

With special procedures up to 16%+ is possible, but not worth the effort due to the yest being stressed and pushed right to the max resulting in off flavours and the risk of stalling before fully attenuated.

People who say baker's doesn't work likely never tried it, or tried to use it like a turbo. Use a quality yeast like Fleishman's, Red Star, Instaferm, etc. and you won't go wrong.

ok so the product will be less potent then? i mean, lijke for 23ltrs, ill get less alcahol?

that is fine as long as i dont die from it !! LOL!

thankyou ill see if we can get these yeasts in my country...

davesmith wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 12:11 pm i thought they could not make over 4%? also, both didnt do any cutting at all.

Yes there is / was a certain youtuber who is full of misinformation spinning that story and that is why we recommend you dont watch that rubbish.
Its the fastest and surest way to pick up bad distilling habits and ideas.
For your first proper wash from the forum recipe section I suggest you try Shadys Sugar Shine recipe.....stick exactly to the recipe.......make cuts......you will quickly see the difference.

oh tidy stuff! i recon though im on about a different youtuber! big clive, he is not a brewer ! the other lad is english.

i will try that yes next!
thanks!