Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I'm new to bubblers guys, so it's very possible I was operating it incorrectly. I let it equilibrate in full reflux for about 30 minutes and then bled off fores at a couple drips a second until about 150ml, then I turned down reflux until about a toothpick size flow. Was setup with 4 plates

I throw 4800watt for heatup and then 2400watt during actual operation.

I'm fairly confident it had fermented out fully as it had been almost 2.5 week, and no heard no action coming from it. I never tasted it though, if it was infected would it taste vinegary? I didn't even bother keeping any backset for 2nd generation as I'd assume it was farked and just chucked it.

MacStill wrote:A half batch being 22ish litres ?

That's not a lot of goodness for a big still to process, A wash at 10% has a maximum of 2.2L @ 100% extractable alcohol.

Your still in neutralizer mode would probably hold a 3rd of that within the column, and you cant really get 100% efficiency either, so I'd say you could be just starving the still of alcohol rather than doing anything drastically wrong. :think:

22ish yup, the boiler charge was probably less... Maybe around 18 as I try avoid the crap at the bottom of the fermenter. I don't usually do such small ferments so no idea why I did this time x_x x_x

there's the problem right there :handgestures-thumbupleft:

timboss wrote:I let it equilibrate in full reflux for about 30 minutes and then bled off fores at a couple drips a second until about 150ml, then I turned down reflux until about a toothpick size flow. Was setup with 4 plates

Forget what I said, sounds like you've done OK there, or so close it doesn't matter.

Thanks guys. WIll get some more gear tomorrow and make a proper man size batch

I ran a half batch of this on the weekend through my bubbler and I think it went pretty well.
I initially had trouble racking it into my boiler so I ended up stirring all the wash unintentionally. I did use a stocking but the wash in the boiler wasn't nice and clear like it had been in the fermenter before I messed it up.
Will that have any impact on the taste?, sorry this was my first proper run

It should be alright mate... I've run mine the day it finishes fermenting, after clearing for 6 weeks, and everywhere between... No real noticeable difference.

It's not as important as it is with a neutral wash, anyway.

Cool thanks zac

Hay guys
just finished my first stripping run using a pot still with this recipe
it was a 25ltr wash. I ended up with approx 6ltrs of mid 20%
Is this about right or did I switch it of to early and should I f let the still run?

Sounds about right mate. I ended up with just over 5 with 25 litres. I've just built up enough low wines to do a spirit run. Looking forward to it as it's my first spirit run through my pot.

Mrdatsun21 wrote:Looking forward to it as it's my first spirit run through my pot.

The first spirit run through a pot is a thing of beauty...you're so used to that ABV dropping in stripping runs...and then it doesn't! :-D

I'm excited. Get to try out my new parrot as well. Hopefully I've got enough 300ml glasses!

Just ran this. Wow. I ran out of glasses. I ended up pouring out some shit beer that the inlaws were drinking while they were here just so I had enough. I've got 34 300ml jars and bottles in the shed airing out. Tomorrow comes the task of making the cuts! Should be interesting. Any suggestions would be awesome.

Good to hear you had a successful run!

Have you read The Cuts Guide?

Yeah I've read that through a bucket load of times including quite a few today during my run. Just thought that anyone who's run this may have a few suggestions. I know it's got a lot to do with personal preferance. Would 70% be a good lower point to stop at or do people go further?

One thing I can't get over was how long the ABV stayed around 80%. Unreal. Wasn't expecting that.

Don't worry about ABV's, mate... Leave the alcometer aside, make your cuts based on what you think smells and tastes good.

Get a big jar or stainless stock pot, and tip everything that smells and tastes good into it. Measure the ABV afterwards, and water it down to 60-65% to age.

Thanks mate will do. Exciting stuff. Hopefully my oak domino's turn up tomorrow so I can get some ageing before I go to work tuesday.

Sorry, stupid question but would this recipe be ok to just half all the ingredients for a 25 lt mash? Thanks.

Also is this recipe ok to use in a pot still?

Just half all of the ingredients for 25L, yeah.

It is designed for a pot still :) done right, you should end up with something like bourbon, but not quite bourbon. You probably won't drink 'bourbon' after tasting this haha