new_distillers : Messages : 42868-42897 of 43820

#42868

From: "tgfoitwoods" <zymurgybob@...>
Date: Fri Dec 7, 2012 12:58 am
Subject: Re: Help with decision

Claude,

My first question would be, "What kinds of spirits do you want to make?". Although there are some in-between compromises you can make, generally speaking people who wish to make vodka use reflux stills to get as pure as possible ethanol-water azeotrope, a mixture of ~96% ethanol and 4% water. People who wish to make whiskey, brandy, and rum generally use potstills to get the flavor (read impurities) they want. If you don't want a pure reflux or a pure potstill, you'll need to define how you want to work that in-between distilling.

Because they are a supplier of both kinds of stills, you owe yourself a look at Still Dragon's incredible modular equipment. Still Dragon is a company in China owned by a Texan who has become a friend of mine (full disclosure), with designs by Canadian and US engineers who are also distillers, and testing by the hobby-distilling community. This modularity is one way around buyin one kind of still setup and then changing your mind later; you can re-use the parts to build something different.

Warning, the first equipment you'll see on the site is their high-end stuff, and probably pricey.

To hear its users, Still Dragon quality seems to be incredible. The stuff certainly is beautiful.
http://www.stilldragon.com/ and the American distributor is here: smaug@...

If you'd like, I can pass all this posting from you and me to smaug. He's a fellow distiller on another forum.

Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller Making Fine Spirits

--- In new_distillers@yahoogroups.com, "Claude" <cnapier@...> wrote:
>
> Greets.....I love reading the posts in this post....awesome.
>
> I have a question. I have Multiple Sclerosis....I wanted to build my own still and rig. This isn't possible given my condition.
>
> My kids want to buy me a rig for Christmas.
>
> If you had/were to buy a complete rig.
>
> What would you buy?
> And from where?
>
> Many thanks.
>
> Claude Napier
>

Reply | Messages in this Topic (8)

#42869

From: "tgfoitwoods" <zymurgybob@...>
Date: Fri Dec 7, 2012 1:09 am
Subject: Re: Bokabo Column Questions

tgfoitwoods

Send Email

Mark,

Can't help you with #1, but for #2, yes, you can approximate a potstill with a Bok with the packing removed and the product valve wide open, but your distillate will be very hot. You may or may not want additional product cooling.

#3 Most 2" column on a keg builders use a special flange on the bottom of the still head, and the two are held together with a tri-clover clamp. This guy can tell you what that flange is called (easy flange, maybe) and probably sell you one. smaug@...

Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller Making Fine Spirits

--- In new_distillers@yahoogroups.com, "Mark" <mkbmacayan@...> wrote:
>
> I have decided to make a still based on Bokabob's design. For now it will be attached to a stainless steel pot but I am considering using a used beer keg. In Bokakob's original design he used a one piece 1.5" Dia. column that he attached to a pot via a sink drain with slip joint nut attached to the column. But after reading countless posts on Bokabob columns, I noted that many are opting for a 2" - 2 piece column with a detachable head (8-10" long that contains the condenser and plates) and a second tube for the packing (36 - 48" long). Here are few my questions I have before I jump in and make my column:
>
> 1. What is the benefit of having a 2 piece column vs a 1 piece column? I suspect that the 2 piece column is so you have the capability to use just the head or head and extra column. Or is it s purely for ease of assembly/dis-assembly? I am in favor of the 1 piece design for simplicity, but if a 2 piece offers more benefits then I will go with that method.
>
> 2. Could you just run the head with condenser and slant plates on a pot still?
>
> 3. For those who use a 2" diameter column, how do you connect it to your pot? All my online searches show that a sink drains use a standard 1.5" connector. I have not been able to find a sink drain that uses a 2" pipe. I guess I could use a 1.5" to 2" reducer between the sink drain and the pipe but that seems to be just another connection point that could leak.
>
> Mac
>

Reply | Messages in this Topic (2)

#42870

From: Robert Hubble <zymurgybob@...>
Date: Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:36 pm
Subject: RE: google tracking and visiting distilling sites...Re: Help with decision

tgfoitwoods

Send Email

Wow Blackhat-Whitedog!

I don't understand what has apparently happened to you. While I do not buy from Stilldragon, because I make my own stills, I hear of and see photos of all the Still Dragon parts that people in North America, Australia, and New Zealand buy, assemble, test, and use, all in the public forums. For years I've shared the forums with the designers, builder, and users of Still Dragon parts, and everyone seems quite happy. I've never heard of anyone thinking it was, what, a data mining operation?

To research what you say, I just went up on the Still Dragon site to look at the sort of still a beginner might want to buy from them, and I got into the site easily, with no info shown, or obvious scripts run. I'm using Firefox 16.0.2 running in Windows 7. This is a page I had thought you might be interested in. http://www.stilldragon.com/pot-still1.html

Are you able to open that with no hassles? It's the kind of information I though you might want.

If it's quite alright with you, I'd like to pass your email and this reply to the owner of Still Dragon. If there really is something blocking or inhibiting customer access, he'll want to know about it.

I'll admit to being a bit put off by the inference that I am somehow conspiring to compromise your privacy. If you wish, I can make a point of never answering your posts from now on, but as a moderator of this list, it's hard to ignore you completely.

Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller

Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2012 00:39:29 -0800
From: blkhatwhtdog@...
Subject: Re: [new_distillers] google tracking and visiting distilling sites...Re: Help with decision
To: new_distillers@yahoogroups.com
CC: zymurgybob@...

zymurgybob is one of those names that comes up now and then on forums, on a local still maker/promoter, taught a class or a dozen in my area, a recommendation is something to consider. so I go to the still dragon site...

nowI suppose its way past practical to prevent most tracking and data compiling, I mean we live in an era where Target can find out and send marketing material to pregnant women BEFORE the family finds out, and in a couple cases, before the woman herself figured it out.

BUT, in a hobby situation that is currently more illegal than smoking grass, it makes NO sense for a site desiring to market equipment to participate in the hobby while refusing to show any info UNLESS you agree to allow the downloading of a half dozen scripts including google.

as one who is seriously in the market for a decent device, Looking at the hillbilly flute, milehi, local rainier distillers, i am totally blocked out, all I can see is the opening splash image of the 3 stainless steel columns, but not a single thing else will load without accepting 4 scripts.

could be worse, there was one site that had facebook and twitter scripts involved that I backed out without a 2nd thought.

--- On Thu, 12/6/12, tgfoitwoods <zymurgybob@...> wrote:

From: tgfoitwoods <zymurgybob@...>
Subject: [new_distillers] Re: Help with decision
To: new_distillers@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, December 6, 2012, 4:58 PM

Claude,

My first question would be, "What kinds of spirits do you want to make?". Although there are some in-between compromises you can make, generally speaking people who wish to make vodka use reflux stills to get as pure as possible ethanol-water azeotrope, a mixture of ~96% ethanol and 4% water. People who wish to make whiskey, brandy, and rum generally use potstills to get the flavor (read impurities) they want. If you don't want a pure reflux or a pure potstill, you'll need to define how you want to work that in-between distilling.

Because they are a supplier of both kinds of stills, you owe yourself a look at Still Dragon's incredible modular equipment. Still Dragon is a company in China owned by a Texan who has become a friend of mine (full disclosure), with designs by Canadian and US engineers who are also distillers, and testing by the hobby-distilling community. This modularity is one way around buyin one kind of still setup and then changing your mind later; you can re-use the parts to build something different.

Warning, the first equipment you'll see on the site is their high-end stuff, and probably pricey.

To hear its users, Still Dragon quality seems to be incredible. The stuff certainly is beautiful.
http://www.stilldragon.com/ and the American distributor is here: smaug@...

If you'd like, I can pass all this posting from you and me to smaug. He's a fellow distiller on another forum.

Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller Making Fine Spirits

--- In new_distillers@yahoogroups.com, "Claude" <cnapier@...> wrote:
>
> Greets.....I love reading the posts in this post....awesome.
>
> I have a question. I have Multiple Sclerosis....I wanted to build my own still and rig. This isn't possible given my condition.
>
> My kids want to buy me a rig for Christmas.
>
> If you had/were to buy a complete rig.
>
> What would you buy?
> And from where?
>
> Many thanks.
>
> Claude Napier
>

Reply | Messages in this Topic (6)

#42871

From: Some Hoser <somehoser@...>
Date: Sat Dec 8, 2012 1:05 am
Subject: Re: google tracking and visiting distilling sites...Re: Help with decision

somehoser@...

Send Email

Bob/Blackhat-Whitebog,

The scripts used on that site are pretty innocuous. Unfortunately,
there are a handful of scripts necessary for functionality/display (
https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.2/jquery.min.js,
http://cdn1.editmysite.com/editor/libraries/jquery_effects.js,
http://cdn1.editmysite.com/editor/libraries/fancybox/fancybox.min.js,
http://cdn1.editmysite.com/editor/images/common/utilities-jq.js,
http://cdn1.editmysite.com/editor/libraries/flyout_menus_jq.js). These
are pretty widely-used libraries and do nothing nefarious (unless,
like me, you think the site's design is nefarious!).

The two tracking libraries are from Google Analytics and Quantcast,
both very widely-used across the web. Neither stores nor provides
personally-identifiable information to publishers who use these
libraries, though Quantcast I believe uses your browsing history to
target ads. Both have opt-out capabilities as well:

Google:
http://support.google.com/analytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=181881&topic=1008\
008
Quantcast: https://www.quantcast.com/how-we-do-it/consumer-choice/opt-out/

There are some great looking products at the StillDragon site.
Hopefully he invests some money in the design and useability to get
that content up front and accessible where it belongs, without the
need for some of the above scripts. I don't begrudge him the anonymous
tracking stuff. It's important for publishers and people selling
things to know where customers are coming from and how effective their
pages are.

-Some Hoser

On Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 12:36 PM, Robert Hubble <zymurgybob@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Wow Blackhat-Whitedog!
>
> I don't understand what has apparently happened to you. While I do not buy
> from Stilldragon, because I make my own stills, I hear of and see photos of
> all the Still Dragon parts that people in North America, Australia, and New
> Zealand buy, assemble, test, and use, all in the public forums. For years
> I've shared the forums with the designers, builder, and users of Still
> Dragon parts, and everyone seems quite happy. I've never heard of anyone
> thinking it was, what, a data mining operation?
>
> To research what you say, I just went up on the Still Dragon site to look
> at the sort of still a beginner might want to buy from them, and I got into
> the site easily, with no info shown, or obvious scripts run. I'm using
> Firefox 16.0.2 running in Windows 7. This is a page I had thought you might
> be interested in. http://www.stilldragon.com/pot-still1.html
>
> Are you able to open that with no hassles? It's the kind of information I
> though you might want.
>
> If it's quite alright with you, I'd like to pass your email and this reply
> to the owner of Still Dragon. If there really is something blocking or
> inhibiting customer access, he'll want to know about it.
>
> I'll admit to being a bit put off by the inference that I am somehow
> conspiring to compromise your privacy. If you wish, I can make a point of
> never answering your posts from now on, but as a moderator of this list,
> it's hard to ignore you completely.
>
> Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller
>
> ________________________________
> Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2012 00:39:29 -0800
> From: blkhatwhtdog@...
> Subject: Re: [new_distillers] google tracking and visiting distilling
> sites...Re: Help with decision
> To: new_distillers@yahoogroups.com
> CC: zymurgybob@...
>
> zymurgybob is one of those names that comes up now and then on forums, on
> a local still maker/promoter, taught a class or a dozen in my area, a
> recommendation is something to consider.  so I go to the still dragon
> site...
>
> nowI suppose its way past practical to prevent most tracking and data
> compiling, I mean we live in an era where Target can find out and send
> marketing material to pregnant women BEFORE the family finds out, and in a
> couple cases, before the woman herself figured it out.
>
> BUT, in a hobby situation that is currently more illegal than smoking
> grass, it makes NO sense for a site desiring to market equipment to
> participate in the hobby while refusing to show any info UNLESS you agree to
> allow the downloading of a half dozen scripts including google.
>
> as one who is seriously in the market for a decent device, Looking at the
> hillbilly flute, milehi, local rainier distillers, i am totally blocked out,
> all I can see is the opening splash image of the 3 stainless steel columns,
> but not a single thing else will load without accepting 4 scripts.
>
> could be worse, there was one site that had facebook and twitter scripts
> involved that I backed out without a 2nd thought.

Reply | Messages in this Topic (6)

#42872

From: TODP <danimae@...>
Date: Fri Dec 7, 2012 12:08 am
Subject: RE: Help with decision

cd_caron

Send Email

I got mine at Mile High!! Denver Colorado!! EXCELLENT WORK!! WORKS PERFECT!! All Stainless Steel, 8 gal ELECTRIC with 2" reflux with copper and ceramic packings, two fermentation vessels, 5 turbos yeast kits, brewing kit, 5 clarifier packs, charcoal to filter with.. ALL THE SPENT.. to my door just under $700.00 WELL WORTH IT

http://www.milehidistilling.com/electric-8-gallon-moonshine-with-starter-kit/

On Thu, Dec 6, 2012 at 3:23 PM, Claude wrote:

Greets.....I love reading the posts in this post....awesome.

I have a question. I have Multiple Sclerosis....I wanted to build my own still and rig. This isn't possible given my condition.

My kids want to buy me a rig for Christmas.

If you had/were to buy a complete rig.

What would you buy?

And from where?

Many thanks.

Claude Napier

Reply | Messages in this Topic (8)

#42873

From: Blackhat-Whitedog <blkhatwhtdog@...>
Date: Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:39 am
Subject: Re: google tracking and visiting distilling sites...Re: Help with decision

blkhatwhtdog

Send Email

From: tgfoitwoods <zymurgybob@...>
Subject: [new_distillers] Re: Help with decision
To: new_distillers@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, December 6, 2012, 4:58 PM

Claude,

My first question would be, "What kinds of spirits do you want to make?". Although there are some in-between compromises you can make, generally speaking people who wish to make vodka use reflux stills to get as pure as possible ethanol-water azeotrope, a mixture of ~96% ethanol and 4% water. People who wish to make whiskey, brandy, and rum generally use potstills to get the flavor (read impurities) they want. If you don't want a pure reflux or a pure potstill, you'll need to define how you want to work that in-between distilling.

Because they are a supplier of both kinds of stills, you owe yourself a look at Still Dragon's incredible modular equipment. Still Dragon is a company in China owned by a Texan who has become a friend of mine (full disclosure), with designs by Canadian and US engineers who are also distillers, and testing by the hobby-distilling community. This modularity is one way around buyin one kind of still setup and then changing your mind later; you can re-use the parts to build something different.

Warning, the first equipment you'll see on the site is their high-end stuff, and probably pricey.

To hear its users, Still Dragon quality seems to be incredible. The stuff certainly is beautiful.
http://www.stilldragon.com/ and the American distributor is here: smaug@...

If you'd like, I can pass all this posting from you and me to smaug. He's a fellow distiller on another forum.

Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller Making Fine Spirits

--- In new_distillers@yahoogroups.com, "Claude" <cnapier@...> wrote:
>
> Greets.....I love reading the posts in this post....awesome.
>
> I have a question. I have Multiple Sclerosis....I wanted to build my own still and rig. This isn't possible given my condition.
>
> My kids want to buy me a rig for Christmas.
>
> If you had/were to buy a complete rig.
>
> What would you buy?
> And from where?
>
> Many thanks.
>
> Claude Napier
>

Reply | Messages in this Topic (8)

#42874

From: Alex Netherton <blueridgediscovery@...>
Date: Sat Dec 8, 2012 3:43 am
Subject: Re: google tracking and visiting distilling sites...Re: Help with decision

danetherton2000

Send Email

Some people are super paranoid, and have their browser set to warn at the least sign of a script, cookie, whatever. In the US it is indeed illegal to distill alcohol, mainly for tax purposes; it is not more illegal then weed, at least on the federal level. Hobby distillers are not the ones the lawman are after. Illegal stills mean that the demand for taxed liquor is less, thus the US takes in less alcohol tax, thus they prosecute for tax evasion. With weed (marijuana is so hard to spell...*sigh*), it is simply a controlled substance in the US (just like Heroine, both of which are a LOT more illegal than shine, I assure you!), and though decriminalized in many states, and somewhat legal in some (see Colorado), it is still illegal in the US, so the feds can come after you for it, and federal law is harsh. Not so with alcohol.

As a distiller, and a hobby distiller, if you don't sell it, there is little likelihood that the BATFE or the IRS is going to bother you. I mean, why? For such a piddling amount that a home distiller is going to make, most prosecutors and even judges would laugh the case out of court.

Now if you start a 150 gallon blackpot or an onion style thumper out in the wilds of Wilkes County (NC) or Fairfax County (VA), or even Cocke County (TN), and make a run every night, you will attract attention (especially with a thumper...they are LOUD!). This is thousands to millions of tax money lost to the US. For a small piddler like yourself, not selling to anyone, making a few gallons per year, what are you worried about? I really don't see how you web surf, with every kind of tracking warning going off when you access a web page. I say, get over yourself. The Man ain't interested in you.

An old Hillbilly

On 12/7/2012 8:05 PM, Some Hoser wrote:

Bob/Blackhat-Whitebog,

The scripts used on that site are pretty innocuous. Unfortunately,
there are a handful of scripts necessary for functionality/display (
https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.2/jquery.min.js,
http://cdn1.editmysite.com/editor/libraries/jquery_effects.js,
http://cdn1.editmysite.com/editor/libraries/fancybox/fancybox.min.js,
http://cdn1.editmysite.com/editor/images/common/utilities-jq.js,
http://cdn1.editmysite.com/editor/libraries/flyout_menus_jq.js). These
are pretty widely-used libraries and do nothing nefarious (unless,
like me, you think the site's design is nefarious!).

The two tracking libraries are from Google Analytics and Quantcast,
both very widely-used across the web. Neither stores nor provides
personally-identifiable information to publishers who use these
libraries, though Quantcast I believe uses your browsing history to
target ads. Both have opt-out capabilities as well:

Google: http://support.google.com/analytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=181881&topic=1008008
Quantcast: https://www.quantcast.com/how-we-do-it/consumer-choice/opt-out/

There are some great looking products at the StillDragon site.
Hopefully he invests some money in the design and useability to get
that content up front and accessible where it belongs, without the
need for some of the above scripts. I don't begrudge him the anonymous
tracking stuff. It's important for publishers and people selling
things to know where customers are coming from and how effective their
pages are.

-Some Hoser

On Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 12:36 PM, Robert Hubble <zymurgybob@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Wow Blackhat-Whitedog!
>
> I don't understand what has apparently happened to you. While I do not buy
> from Stilldragon, because I make my own stills, I hear of and see photos of
> all the Still Dragon parts that people in North America, Australia, and New
> Zealand buy, assemble, test, and use, all in the public forums. For years
> I've shared the forums with the designers, builder, and users of Still
> Dragon parts, and everyone seems quite happy. I've never heard of anyone
> thinking it was, what, a data mining operation?
>
> To research what you say, I just went up on the Still Dragon site to look
> at the sort of still a beginner might want to buy from them, and I got into
> the site easily, with no info shown, or obvious scripts run. I'm using
> Firefox 16.0.2 running in Windows 7. This is a page I had thought you might
> be interested in. http://www.stilldragon.com/pot-still1.html
>
> Are you able to open that with no hassles? It's the kind of information I
> though you might want.
>
> If it's quite alright with you, I'd like to pass your email and this reply
> to the owner of Still Dragon. If there really is something blocking or
> inhibiting customer access, he'll want to know about it.
>
> I'll admit to being a bit put off by the inference that I am somehow
> conspiring to compromise your privacy. If you wish, I can make a point of
> never answering your posts from now on, but as a moderator of this list,
> it's hard to ignore you completely.
>
> Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller
>
> ________________________________
> Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2012 00:39:29 -0800
> From: blkhatwhtdog@...
> Subject: Re: [new_distillers] google tracking and visiting distilling
> sites...Re: Help with decision
> To: new_distillers@yahoogroups.com
> CC: zymurgybob@...
>
> zymurgybob is one of those names that comes up now and then on forums, on
> a local still maker/promoter, taught a class or a dozen in my area, a
> recommendation is something to consider. so I go to the still dragon
> site...
>
> nowI suppose its way past practical to prevent most tracking and data
> compiling, I mean we live in an era where Target can find out and send
> marketing material to pregnant women BEFORE the family finds out, and in a
> couple cases, before the woman herself figured it out.
>
> BUT, in a hobby situation that is currently more illegal than smoking
> grass, it makes NO sense for a site desiring to market equipment to
> participate in the hobby while refusing to show any info UNLESS you agree to
> allow the downloading of a half dozen scripts including google.
>
> as one who is seriously in the market for a decent device, Looking at the
> hillbilly flute, milehi, local rainier distillers, i am totally blocked out,
> all I can see is the opening splash image of the 3 stainless steel columns,
> but not a single thing else will load without accepting 4 scripts.
>
> could be worse, there was one site that had facebook and twitter scripts
> involved that I backed out without a 2nd thought.

Reply | Messages in this Topic (6)

#42875

From: tonyjones60@...
Date: Sat Dec 8, 2012 5:28 pm
Subject: Re: google tracking and visiting distilling sites...Re: Help with decision

akjones1966

Send Email

I have purchased from Still Dragon on several occasions. Their products are of
high quality and I have been more than satisfied with every purchase. Another
thing that I like is that they don't "stick it to you" for shipping. In fact,
Larry has communicated with me before about something I purchased for around
$4.00. He pointed out that the flat rate USPS shipping was going to be as much
and asked if I needed any gaskets or something else to fill the box.

Regards

Reply | Messages in this Topic (6)

#42876

From: cnapier@...
Date: Sun Dec 9, 2012 2:44 am
Subject: Re: Re: Help with decision

cnapier@att.net

Send Email

Awesome info.....

Looking to create some high quality whiskey....all I have is time.....:)

Thanks,
Claude

From: tgfoitwoods <zymurgybob@...>
To: new_distillers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, December 6, 2012 8:18:12 PM
Subject: [new_distillers] Re: Help with decision

Reply | Messages in this Topic (8)

#42877

From: "John Sorge" <jlsorge@...>
Date: Fri Dec 7, 2012 2:03 am
Subject: Re: Help with decision

johnsorge

Send Email

MILE-High Distillery Colorado. Tad high, but the best and all stainless. Watch his videos.

----- Original Message -----

From: Claude

To: new_distillers@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2012 2:23 PM

Subject: [new_distillers] Help with decision

Greets.....I love reading the posts in this post....awesome.

I have a question. I have Multiple Sclerosis....I wanted to build my own still and rig. This isn't possible given my condition.

My kids want to buy me a rig for Christmas.

If you had/were to buy a complete rig.

What would you buy?
And from where?

Many thanks.

Claude Napier

Reply | Messages in this Topic (8)

#42878

From: Wes Deviers <wes@...>
Date: Mon Dec 10, 2012 4:25 am
Subject: Re: google tracking and visiting distilling sites...Re: Help with decision

hburgwes

Send Email

Also, it *clearly* says it's for essential oil creation, which as a cooking nerd is a perfectly valid way to operate such a sweet device. Seems like you could throw some grapeseed oil, lavender, and orange peel residue in there in the "off season" if you were to be concerned.

As far as tracking cookies, as a systems nerd, I can understand the concern. Tough to order anything online if you're worried about tracking though, since they can correlate your actual address with your billing information. I would be more concerned about emailing Master Smaug to order, since email is discoverable and a lot more useful in court than cookie correlation (so far).

Worthwhile discussion regardless just to raise these concepts. If only more people used PGP : /

Wes

On 12/7/12 10:43 PM, Alex Netherton wrote:

As a distiller, and a hobby distiller, if you don't sell it, there is little likelihood that the BATFE or the IRS is going to bother you. I mean, why? For such a piddling amount that a home distiller is going to make, most prosecutors and even judges would laugh the case out of court.

An old Hillbilly

Reply | Messages in this Topic (6)

#42879

From: "GGB" <self.adhesive@...>
Date: Sat Dec 15, 2012 4:52 pm
Subject: Re: Beginner Questions

girlguidebis...

Send Email

Here's a suggestion from methanol recovery in biodiesel making. Not only
insulate your riser but heat it. It could be that cold air is causing your
ethanol vapor to condense in the rising tube and drop back down into the wash.

John Braze and Z.Bob, both your approaches are identical and now that I have
studied the chart you referenced Z.Bob, I understand the vapour temperatures vs.
%ABV better, thank you. It's to do with partial pressures.

Paul

Reply | Messages in this Topic (18)

#42880

From: TODP <danimae@...>
Date: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:21 pm
Subject: Simple sugar wash..

cd_caron

Send Email

I made my first batch and am very happy with it! Decided to try a second.. made up a simple sugar wash again and let cool to 90 deg. F then pitched my turbo yeast in.. it is not acting like the last batch at all. I think I pitched to soon with the temp to high.

My question is; Can re-pitch a second Turbo yeast packet into the same wash as it is now that it has cooled to the 75 deg F range and see how it goes or is this a big no no??.

TODP

Reply | Messages in this Topic (5)

#42881

From: "tgfoitwoods" <zymurgybob@...>
Date: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:09 pm
Subject: Re: Simple sugar wash..

tgfoitwoods

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TODP,

Since turbo yeast is really a yeast much like champagne yeast, but with a boatload of nutrients added, and since your yeast may be deceased but the nutrients are still there, I'd just add some wine or champagne yeast. More nutrient may affect the flavor of your wash, and EC-1118 is to a stuck ferment what ether starting fluid is to a balky hard-to-start engine.

Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller Making Fine Spirits

--- In new_distillers@yahoogroups.com, TODP wrote: I made my first batch and am very happy with it! Decided to try a second.. made up a simple sugar wash again and let cool to 90 deg. F then pitched my turbo yeast in.. it is not acting like the last batch at all. I think I pitched to soon with the temp to high. My question is; Can re-pitch a second Turbo yeast packet into the same wash as it is now that it has cooled to the 75 deg F range and see how it goes or is this a big no no??. TODP

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#42882

From: "jnhaller@..." <jnhaller@...>
Date: Sat Dec 22, 2012 1:46 pm
Subject: Making Peated Scotch

jnhaller...

Send Email

I believe I have made a major mistake while trying to make a peated scotch. I am
wanting to make an Islay-type scotch with the high phenol flavor. Although the
local homebrew shop suggested I use peat smoked malt very sparingly, I figured
they were referring to smoked beer requirements and not spirit requirements. So
I decided to combine 80% Golden Promise with 20% peat smoked malt for my grain
bill. I have already made 2/3 of the low wines for this run but have not begun
any final spirit run. Now I have just read about a possible difference between
"peat smoked flavor" and "peat flavor", the first being produced by the smoked
grain and the second being caused by the use of peat flavored water.

My questions: Did I use way too much peat smoked barley and will this cause an
overpowering aroma to my scotch? If so, is dilution the only way to correct
this? Also, I've been doing some searching through the Group's past postings and
found a reference to "essence of peat reek". Is this a good alternative to using
natural peat filtered water to gain the phenol characteristic. Any other
suggestions for making an Islay-style scotch would be much appreciated.

Happy Holidays to all!

Jim

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#42883

From: TODP <danimae@...>
Date: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 pm
Subject: RE: Re: Simple sugar wash..

cd_caron

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THANKS!! I went out on a limb and stirred like crazy and skimmed off what I could from the top. I decided to use bakers yeast as I had some on hand. I put two packets in after wetting for an hour in dish of luke warm water. It took off like a freight train! It is still ripping it up pretty well. It actually doesn't smell as strong as the first batch that went fine! All in all I will let it run it's course and run it.. nothing else it makes for a fine starting fluid!! LOL! I'm livin an learnin! Been on here for quite some time and have lots of info saved but could not find any immediate info on my problem. Thanks again for your help Bob! TODP

On Tue, Dec 18, 2012 at 6:09 PM, tgfoitwoods wrote:

TODP,

Since turbo yeast is really a yeast much like champagne yeast, but with a boatload of nutrients added, and since your yeast may be deceased but the nutrients are still there, I'd just add some wine or champagne yeast. More nutrient may affect the flavor of your wash, and EC-1118 is to a stuck ferment what ether starting fluid is to a balky hard-to-start engine.

Zymurgy Bob, a simple potstiller Making Fine Spirits

--- In new_distillers@yahoogroups.com, TODP wrote: I made my first batch and am very happy with it! Decided to try a second.. made up a simple sugar wash again and let cool to 90 deg. F then pitched my turbo yeast in.. it is not acting like the last batch at all. I think I pitched to soon with the temp to high. My question is; Can re-pitch a second Turbo yeast packet into the same wash as it is now that it has cooled to the 75 deg F range and see how it goes or is this a big no no??. TODP

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#42884

From: RATAN CHAND <chandatnagpur@...>
Date: Wed Dec 19, 2012 4:47 pm
Subject: Re: Simple sugar wash..

bliss.nagpur

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Go ahead and add more yeast. In any case it is a sugar wash , to be convered to vodka. More nutriens will help fresh yeast.

�

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#42885

From: "scrc_matt" <farmdog4@...>
Date: Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:51 pm
Subject: Cleaning solder flux from inside pipe.

scrc_matt

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Anyone have any ideas on how to clean leftover solder flux from inside 1/2 inch
copper pipe?

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#42886

From: "skub13" <chris2pher13@...>
Date: Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:51 am
Subject: Temp

skub13

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Hi people, just need to double check some stuff to do with the yeast because im
down under it gets a little too hot.
i know when in the fermenting process the recommended temp is 21 degrees
Celsius.
and if it gets to cold (i dont know the temp reading for this) the process
stops.
but what happens when it gets to hot and at what temp does it roughly happen at.

please and thank you

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#42887

From: "maximus_308" <kreman1@...>
Date: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:13 am
Subject: hydrometer reading

maximus_308

Send Email

I was reading this the other day and I was a bit confused where it said (near
the end)take a hydrometer reading and adjust as needed. My question is what
should the hydrometer reading be and how would you adjust it?

BLACK BEARDS RUM

Two pounds of brown sugar per one gallon of water and one cup of honey for every
ten gallon batch. Starting hydrometer reading of about 90. Do not exceed 100.
Add 1 to 3 ozs of yeast per 10 gallons of mash.

Heat one fourth of your water to 120 or 130 degrees only hot enough to melt the
sugar, then stir in your sugar and then the honey last. Pour it into your
fermenter and finish filling with cool water to cool it down to 80 degrees. Take
a hydrometer reading and adjust as needed. The add your yeast. 6 to 14 days to
ferment.

Reply | Messages in this Topic (5)

#42888

From: Alex Netherton <blueridgediscovery@...>
Date: Sat Dec 22, 2012 8:50 pm
Subject: Re: Making Peated Scotch

danetherton2000

Send Email

Islay Scotch uses barley actually dried over a peat fire, giving the liquor a taste of smoke, some say, like a house that burned. Some of the Islay Scotches are very strong in this way. If you buy even a "reasonably" priced Scotch like Glenfiddich, you can taste this; many others like Famous Grouse, Laphroaig, and others. I have always wondered why some Bourbon maker didn't dry the malted corn, rye, or whatever with hickory wood for an interesting taste. See: http://www.whisky.de/archiv/experts/peat.htm

This sprouting of the grain is called malting, and is a very important part of making high end whiskey. Low end whiskey is made with corn meal, and in the moonshine trade, with meal and sugar. High end whiskey uses malted corn, rye, barley, and even oats, and the sprouted grain gives out an enzyme called maltase which helps break down the sugars so the yeasts can use them, but also gives off flavor agents, which, incidentally, will be completely stripped out with a column still unless you are v-e-r-y careful, which is why, by law, all distilling in Scotland is done with pot stills. Most distilling in the US, however, is done with column stills.

On 12/22/2012 8:46 AM, jnhaller@... wrote:

I believe I have made a major mistake while trying to make a peated scotch. I am wanting to make an Islay-type scotch with the high phenol flavor. Although the local homebrew shop suggested I use peat smoked malt very sparingly, I figured they were referring to smoked beer requirements and not spirit requirements. So I decided to combine 80% Golden Promise with 20% peat smoked malt for my grain bill. I have already made 2/3 of the low wines for this run but have not begun any final spirit run. Now I have just read about a possible difference between "peat smoked flavor" and "peat flavor", the first being produced by the smoked grain and the second being caused by the use of peat flavored water.

My questions: Did I use way too much peat smoked barley and will this cause an overpowering aroma to my scotch? If so, is dilution the only way to correct this? Also, I've been doing some searching through the Group's past postings and found a reference to "essence of peat reek". Is this a good alternative to using natural peat filtered water to gain the phenol characteristic. Any other suggestions for making an Islay-style scotch would be much appreciated.

Happy Holidays to all!

Jim

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#42889

From: "Becca" <beccadrew2002@...>
Date: Fri Dec 28, 2012 6:50 am
Subject: Can I freeze left over fruit/ I want to use as filling

beccadrew2002

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I'm going to make brandy plums, when done I want to use left over plums for
filling?

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#42890

From: "GGB" <self.adhesive@...>
Date: Fri Dec 28, 2012 3:37 pm
Subject: Re: hydrometer reading

girlguidebis...

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The text clearly states a start hydrometer reading of 90 and no more than 100. I
guess you would add either sugar, or water, to adjust. Seems fairly clear.

Paul

"My question is what should the hydrometer reading be and how would you adjust
it?"

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#42891

From: Cal Anderson <cpa59@...>
Date: Fri Dec 28, 2012 3:10 pm
Subject: Re: hydrometer reading

cpa59@ymail.com

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Hello

The wash that I make.

I start with 1 pound of malting rye and 1 pound of malting barley, ground.

I place it in my fermenter and pour in 2 � gallons of water at 180 degrees.

I let set for � hour then add 14 pounds of sugar, then fill up with cool water. When the temp is about 80 I add the yeast. I use a whiskey yeast.

I let it work for about 2 weeks then run through the still.

I filter it and place it in milk jugs with charred white oak and a small amount of cherry wood.

When finished it is like a Irish whiskey.

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#42892

From: TODP <danimae@...>
Date: Fri Dec 28, 2012 2:53 pm
Subject: RE: Cleaning solder flux from inside pipe.

cd_caron

Send Email

Do you own a gun cleaning kit? You can run a brush down it with some heads as solvent and then a few wads with head solvent till clean, finish off with a peroxide sanitizer.. 3-4% solution.. NO taste, NO odor, HARMLESS when diluted to 3%, you must buy food grade 35% use rubber gloves, it will burn you! Dilute.. 1 1/4 Cups to 14 3/4 Cups water = 1 Gal. 3% solution... works better than any sanitizer. All it is , is Hydrogen and Oxygen, H2O2.... Just like Oxyclean only better!

On Thu, Dec 20, 2012 at 12:51 PM, scrc_matt wrote:

Anyone have any ideas on how to clean leftover solder flux from inside 1/2 inch copper pipe?

Reply | Messages in this Topic (5)

#42893

From: TODP <danimae@...>
Date: Fri Dec 28, 2012 2:41 pm
Subject: RE: Re: Simple sugar wash..

cd_caron

Send Email

THANKS for all the advice!! It worked rather well.. in fact my best run yet!! Quantity and quality was excellent. I found low and slow to be best, watched my temps and this run doesn't even need filtering!!

On Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 11:47 AM, RATAN CHAND wrote:

Go ahead and add more yeast. In any case it is a sugar wash , to be convered to vodka. More nutriens will help fresh yeast.

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#42894

From: Jerry McCullough <jkmccull@...>
Date: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:38 pm
Subject: Re: hydrometer reading

jkmccull

Send Email

Adjust your potential alcohol, to 10% - 12% either by diluting with water or adding more brown sugar. Prevents stressing the yeast and gives a good ABV in the final distillation.

From: maximus_308 <kreman1@...>
To: new_distillers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2012 10:13 PM
Subject: [new_distillers] hydrometer reading

I was reading this the other day and I was a bit confused where it said (near the end)take a hydrometer reading and adjust as needed. My question is what should the hydrometer reading be and how would you adjust it?

BLACK BEARDS RUM

Two pounds of brown sugar per one gallon of water and one cup of honey for every ten gallon batch. Starting hydrometer reading of about 90. Do not exceed 100. Add 1 to 3 ozs of yeast per 10 gallons of mash.

Heat one fourth of your water to 120 or 130 degrees only hot enough to melt the sugar, then stir in your sugar and then the honey last. Pour it into your fermenter and finish filling with cool water to cool it down to 80 degrees. Take a hydrometer reading and adjust as needed. The add your yeast. 6 to 14 days to ferment.

Reply | Messages in this Topic (5)

#42895

From: Jerry McCullough <jkmccull@...>
Date: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:41 pm
Subject: Re: Can I freeze left over fruit/ I want to use as filling

jkmccull

Send Email

The plums can be frozen. However when you thaw them out most likely they will be mush. Nice for jelly and such but not much use as pie filling.

From: Becca <beccadrew2002@...>
To: new_distillers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, December 28, 2012 12:50 AM
Subject: [new_distillers] Can I freeze left over fruit/ I want to use as filling

I'm going to make brandy plums, when done I want to use left over plums for filling?

Reply | Messages in this Topic (2)

#42896

From: "kekedog13" <kekedog13@...>
Date: Sat Dec 29, 2012 10:46 pm
Subject: Re: hydrometer reading

kekedog13

Send Email

Hey, Cal, I was wondering . You say to top it up with cool water , how many
gallons do you top it up to ?

--- In new_distillers@yahoogroups.com, Cal Anderson <cpa59@...> wrote:
>
> Hello
> The wash that I make.
> I start with 1 pound of malting rye and 1 pound of malting
> barley, ground.
> I place it in my�fermenter�and pour in 2 � gallons of water
> at 180 degrees.
> I let set for � hour then add 14 pounds of sugar, then fill
> up with cool water. When the temp is about 80 I add the yeast. I use a whiskey
yeast.
> I let it work for about 2 weeks then run through the still.
> I filter it and place it in milk jugs with charred white oak
> and a small amount of cherry wood.
> When finished it is like a Irish whiskey.�
>

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#42897

From: "damionpseudonym" <bloodpuddle@...>
Date: Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:38 pm
Subject: Longtime Lurker, with a few newbie questions....

damionpseudonym

Send Email

Hi!

My name's Damion, I've been lurking here for the 8 to 10 months, just sort of soaking up as many clues as I can, and since the new year is arriving, and I'm now on a (self imposed) deadline to make my own stuff, I figure it's time to start asking questions.

A few things:

1) I'm a total newb. I've never made wine, or beer, or anything like that, nor do I particularly want to. If it's an absolutely necessary step, then I suppose I'll have to, but I'd rather avoid it. (Not so much a qyestion as a statement of preference)

2) I'm starting from square one, and I have zero practical knowledge at this point, so please, please please please.... keep it simple. While I've been lurking and reading don't assume I retain what any of the lingo means. Thank you, a lot, in advance, for keeping it simple. (Most of you do, and I thank the gods for that.....) This by way of saying, "please don't be offended if I ask what (term X) means in small words and pictures" ... I'll try and keep that to a minimum.

3) This (http://www.whiskeystill.net/collections/frontpage/products/3240-buy-a-whiskey-still-for-sale) is the initial still I'm looking at getting in the next couple months. Are these worth it? It looks (to my untrained eye) about as simple as they come, and that's the most important thing to me right now. (Trying to avoid jumping in the deep end with column stills and thumpers and such yet .... from what I've been reading, it seems that's a more complicated process... unless I missed something.)

If that still/company isn't on the up-and-up, can anyone recommend a good, simple, pot still that is suitable for beginners? I would very much rather buy than make one, my DIY ethos extends to the booze, not the tools.

4) Is there any qualitative difference between electrical heating for a run and gas heating? I may need to be doing this in a guest-house in my backyard, and I'd like to avoid gas if I can because of risk factors, but I can move the operation outdoors if I need to.

Thanks again for your time, and your input, this list has been a blast to read and learn from, and I hope to benefit from the wisdom herein for quite a while longer.

Cheers!

-=Damion

"here, drink this...."

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