Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Lately I’ve been collecting what I call dunder the leftovers from a molasses wash I have been covering it with a loose weave cloth and tied around the bucket with thin rope and leaving outside so today I was adding to it and have noticed what I think are maggots in it scooped up with a Sieve and yes that’s what they are so do don’t worry about it or toss the lot and start over if I start over should I be putting the lid on from now on and not using the cloth as a cover

NoHope wrote:Lately I’ve been collecting what I call dunder the leftovers from a molasses wash I have been covering it with a loose weave cloth and tied around the bucket with thin rope and leaving outside so today I was adding to it and have noticed what I think are maggots in it scooped up with a Sieve and yes that’s what they are so do don’t worry about it or toss the lot and start over if I start over should I be putting the lid on from now on and not using the cloth as a cover

the same happened to me on my first attempt at live dunder.
i put insect-proof mesh over the bucket and then got a load of big maggots.
personally, i really couldn't use it and threw it out.
i keep the lids on now, and even though one bucket smells like something has died in it, there's nothing wriggling in there.

I run my backset hot out the boiler into HDPE drums and seal them for storage. They keep almost indefinitely given the low pH, the lack of nutrients left for the microbes and the sanitary transfer process. I keep a drum for each of rum, bourbon and scotch. Since I only do scotch one month of the year, that Dunder is on lock down for a while. I've got plenty of drums spare if you're anywhere near me (Nowra)

I have used Dunder with some pretty nasty looking mould and shit on top. And it was fine.
Haven’t had maggots before, I keep a loose fitting lid on mine.
You hear some crazy stories about dunder pits though, people chucking dead goats heads in there and all kinds of stuff.

Confused is this left over wash or dunder(from out of boiler after run) ?

Wash will get insects fast dunder not so much due to acidity... There are some posts about insect infections in "dunder" but usually because they have made it alkaline to promote infection.

Not saying ageing /souring wash wont effect flavour...
Just that its not dunder...

Sorry for the delay in responding I decided to toss it out and have changed my procedures I collected what is left over from a fermentation and store with a double layer of fabric with the lid on top as this hot humid weather is a breeding ground for insects ,I found that collecting leftovers in the bottom of the still was a bit too oily as well because I put cooking oil in before a stripping run or should I be using this as well

Bit oil wont hurt. If you keep the gens going you may not need to add more oil..

Add infected dunder at end 1/3rd of fermentation. So there is still some sugar for the bacteria..