Good Morning All

[Grumpy]

Grumpy here, with greetings and salutations to all.
Am an age pensioner living in the goldfields.
I am a newbie to distilling and keen to learn more.
I have an Air Still (Dont gag, it was all I could afford ), and have made and distilled 4 washes, one with sugar/carbon, the rest with Dextrose. None of the latter matched the one using sugar. However, my "supplier", lol, told me the sugar was just a "starter package", and turned me to Dextrose.
Thus I stand before you 4.5 days into my very first TPW, which has been at 30-32 degrees constant, the bubbling is now getting fainter, and the colour a fainter shade of pink by the day.
Obviously, my interest is learning/further refining my use of the air still.
I am waiting with bated breath for the fermentation to end, so I know whether I'm on a winner with my TPW.
My sugar/carbon wash was a corker, fully fermented in 3.5 days, and gave me 60-63% alcohol average in each 4 litre batch.
When diluted to 40%, it was as good to drink "as is" as any Vodka.
The Dextrose/Turbo products? The last one made me crook.
A mate with an air still suggested I break the rule of 2.5 hours switch on to switch off and go at least 3 hours for extra alcohol. I became distracted (phone) and went about 4 hours before I switched off. The alcohol tasted like crap, but I drank it. Got rather crook & seedy & even mentally disorientated for days. Could I have copped some Methanol?
I always tossed away the first 50ml, even though the instructions didnt say to do so. But seems I went too far. Wont do that again.
And now you have my life story. :))

cheers,
Grumpy

[A&O]

Welcome Grumpy, to a fellow sandgroper.

Take heart mate, i’m New to the hobby as well, and am sure I’m going to make plenty of mistakes as well. Nothing like the school of hard knox. But to help lessen the pain, read through the forum and listen to those that have made some corker mistakes, then read the wise men who offer advice, insight and mentor us newbees through getting our feet wet.

Don’t be afraid of trying anything, and there’s lots of info people have shared on running air stills. The guys here are genuine & non judgmental unlike other forums I have read, and now don’t, as the little community here is by far the best, with great advice and wide experience.

Good luck mate, and have a big read. Any questions, post them up and just let the wise heads here help out

[Grumpy]

thank you, A&O, I intend to read & learn, mate.

Some of the terminology the guys use will mean me virtually learning another language, but it will be fun.

cheers,
Grumpy

[Sam.]

Welcome here mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Ditch anything that has "turbo" written on. Use the tried and proven recipes from this site.

Then your next biggest thing is to learn about cuts. viewtopic.php?f=57&t=2859

Once you are doing a decent wash and making cuts your problems of feeling shit the next day will be a thing of the past. Your liver will thank you too.

Also this may be of use to you http://www.aussiedistiller.com.au/viewt ... f=7&t=6177

Also, never ever leave you still unattended, it's a great way to burn your house down and have no insurance cover :handgestures-thumbdown:

Enjoy :D

[Doubleuj]

G’day mate welcome, with some tried and proven recipes and better techniques you’ll turn from grumpy to happy in no time :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Lowie]

G'day Grumpy and welcome.
Plus 1 on what the other guys said. I suggest you throw away the first 200ml (fores) to be extra safe. I reckon you drank a gutful of fores before that's why you got crook (did you read about those snoozers in the bush that died from drinking homebrew a few years back?). You will be pleasantly surprised with your TPW. When you've mastered that try Teddys FFV - even better :handgestures-thumbupleft: Cheers. Lowie

[Sam.]

G'day Grumpy and welcome.
Plus 1 on what the other guys said. I suggest you throw away the first 200ml (fores) to be extra safe. I reckon you drank a gutful of fores before that's why you got crook (did you read about those snoozers in the bush that died from drinking homebrew a few years back?). You will be pleasantly surprised with your TPW. When you've mastered that try Teddys FFV - even better :handgestures-thumbupleft: Cheers. Lowie

Those snoozers drank straight methanol which was a product/byproduct for making fuel.

Nothing to do with distilling alcohol

Even with the worst cut turbo it will not make you any more sick than say a 100 pipers scotch bottle :puke-huge:

Reckless regard on how things come about can generate a bad culture.

Sorry Lowie, but that was a bad reference that has nothing to do what happens here.

[r1zzla]

Welcome Grumpy

I still have my original Turbo 'stuff' - never used it after after reading about TPW,WBAB,Kale,CFW etc washes here.
With tight cuts & feints runs the yield soon becomes equivalent, with no mandatory filtering and HBS additives.

[Professor Green]

Welcome Grumpy.

Plenty of great info here at AD. You'll be making top notch spirits in no time.

Cheers,
Prof. Green

[skurvy84]

Welcome fellow goldfielder!

Lots to read and learn here to get you on your way.

Kalgoorlie is pretty limited for supplies I've found and our nearest hbs is the paint shop in esperance, boulder secondhand shop have some stuff but is pretty overpriced and seems to not be restocking. Oconner iga (near the airport) have some essences at the end of the softdrinks aisle if you get stuck.

[Grumpy]

thanks, skurvy. Yes, the Boulder 2nd hand shop doesnt have much at all, beyond some liqueur essences. Was out there yesterday trying for some bourbon, but ziltch. She did help me out a while back when her-indoors threw out my ceramic saddles thinking they were rubbish. Was probably the last 2 packets left that I bought. Will try O'Connor IGA.... I bought my B&G sugar there for my TPW.
cheers
Grumpy