gday gday from SA and a few noob questions

by **theking123** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:54 pm

hey fellas very new to the making of "essential oils" and it interests me a shit load!

im only just about to start doing homebrew beer and me being me ive already started looking at spirits..

i do have a few questions for you lads...

where the HECK! can i get a reasonably priced still? ive been sussing everywhere and everyone wants $700 for some t500 turbo thing or $300 for some air still thats shipped fresh out of china.. or you buy a boiling pot for $200 but need some condenser thats worth another $400 whats the go here guys??

ive been looking alot at pure distilling's pot still... seems easy enough just fill it up, connect your water hoses and let it go unfortunately its only a 5l pot but hey that dont really worry me im a patient person.. ive asked for a quote but im expecting another massive price once again...

i am fairly ok with my hands ive noticed some lads on here build there own stills, but i would prefer to buy a proper one.. do local homebrewing shops sell them for a reasonable price? i mean for the price of the t500 i could set up an awesome keggerator with a brand new 6kg co2 tank and 4 new (used) corny kegs with some awesome beer taps mounted on the side of the fridge.

has anyone here ever done a premix with there spritis? i.e made a batch dead similar to jack daniels, put X amount of bourbon tenessee whiskey in X amount of cola/coke syrup, fill up the rest of the keg with water and carbonate it??

which is brings me to my last question has anyone made a good jack daniels "taste a like" before? if so how did it go down?

thanks for taking the time to answer my nooby questions.. and youll probly hear from me a bit cheers...

by **Kimbo** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:05 pm

Gday mate, welcome to the forum, :handgestures-thumbupleft:
if your after a cheap still, have a look at the Co-Op ;-)

by **theking123** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:08 pm

Thanks mate..

Sorry for being a noob but whats the co-op? Id love to get a cheap still :)

by **kelbygreen** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:12 pm

buy one from the co-op on this site made already or one you can build with the parts. You look like you wanna make a bourbon so a pot still may be the starter? I dont drink bourbon so cant comment.

You can get 50lt kegs for free or cheap (if you put your location in) so you could set up a pot still on a 50lt boiler for like $300-400 Id say and will make some damn nice booze with that.

Also if you set up a keg system, you do know that beer and soda is carbed at a different pressure? so you will need a dual regulator to run the both? I got a soda stream for xmas as I had kegs for 2 years and always said I would put on soda but the reg and kegs and I dont drink it kinda failed that idea. Now I still it may happen as its so easier to still then brew and less BS plus it cost $10 for soda flavours at LHBS to fill a 19lt keg (just have to add 2kg sugar).

I do all grain beer brewing and I love it but I have a 2 year old and work all 5-7 days a week so it makes it very hard for me to brew beer some times, Distilling I can get up at 6am do a stripping run before daughter or wife wakes up :)) So its great for me and is cheap as with a rum wash I would guess $10 a lt (prob less actually, never worked it out) to make it with gas, power, water and all ingredients. My beer cost me like $1.50 a lt but its 5% not 40% and the work is alot more.

There is alot of options here and depending what you wanna spend and what you want to make then it will determine what you want

by **MR-E** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:21 pm

Welcome to the forum, I think the the home made stills you will see floating around here, would be far superior to any of the H.B.S, "proper ones"
Have a look around, plenty of ideas.

by **BackyardBrewer** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:22 pm

As a mad keen home brewer myself welcome aboard. I have the pure distilling reflux rig and love it. Sorry but the t500 sounds like the povo bogan still.

If I had my time to do over I'd beg either McStill, Mr-E or WineGlass from these here forums to instruct me or build me a still. The members here are both mad skilled and mad generous.

The money you'd spend with them would put you miles ahead of the game.

McStill will build you a still and include his mobile phone number in the kit... How confident is that in terms of workmanship??? Customer service much?
:-)

by **theking123** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:32 pm

Thanks for the Reply mate your a legend

I'm not after a massive still setup I'm only brewing for my self.. I drink bourbon, whiskey, scotch whiskey a few varieties. Yeah I knew the co2 had to be at different pressures for soft drink n beer.. Im going to have a keg dedicated to fizzy drink n the other for a premix and the other 2 for beer :) you are correct a dual regulator is a must!

Is home brew scotch and stuff heaps dark coloured, ive noticed a few vids on YouTube when fellas make there home brew spirits that it comes out nearly like coca cola lol..

The little air stills seem ok but not for 190 bucks or so.. Not to mention there only 1.8ltrs so doing a 20ltr + strip run could take a while.. Ive seen one on ebay for 205$ its stainless steel, 5ltr. Not sure how the temp control works though..

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/270915036945 ... 1423.l2649

by **MacStill** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:33 pm

BackyardBrewer wrote:
McStill will build you a still and include his mobile phone number in the kit... How confident is that in terms of workmanship??? Customer service much?
:-)

Like all the good things with this hobby there's a bit of a wait, and I'm getting busier by the day x_x

Welcome here King :wave:

by **MacStill** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:34 pm

theking123 wrote:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/270915036945 ... 1423.l2649

:law-policered: :law-policered: WOFTAM :law-policered: :law-policered:

by **theking123** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:38 pm

What sort of cost do these boys work on? For a simple 5-10 ltr still, a very basic one..

That is confidence in your work though when u can put you're number down..

by **theking123** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:40 pm

Cant blame ya mcstill, theres not enough hours in the day lately! Thx for the welcome guys

by **theking123** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:43 pm

McStill wrote:
theking123 wrote:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/270915036945 ... 1423.l2649

:law-policered: :law-policered: WOFTAM :law-policered: :law-policered:

Sorry mate WOFTAM? Is that good or bad? :S

by **MacStill** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:44 pm

Such a small still is a waist of time really, just slow down a bit and have a good look around the forum so you get an idea of how everything works.

It's easy to rush out and buy the first thing you see, but you'll soon find it a waste of money as you figure out an upgrade is required.

;-)

WOFTAM = waste of fucken time and money :laughing-rolling:

by **theking123** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:47 pm

Haha gold... I have had ghat happen to me alot I learn later that I wanted somethn different.

I only posted it as its sort of in my price range do u think id find something similar/suitable for that kind of price? Maybe cheaper? (hehe im cheeky)

by **MacStill** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:59 pm

I got your email mate, seems like your in a hurry to get going 8-}

Take a look in here ;-)

viewforum.php?f=54

Also here

webstore/index.php?route=common/home

by **theking123** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:05 pm

I emailed the website, are you the owner? Wow! Haha small world..

by **MacStill** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:06 pm

theking123 wrote:I emailed the website, are you the owner? Wow! Haha small world..

Yep that would be me :shhh:

by **BackyardBrewer** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:12 pm

McStill wrote:
theking123 wrote:I emailed the website, are you the owner? Wow! Haha small world..

Yep that would be me :shhh:

Bahaahahahahahah!!! Market=cornered!
:-)

by **BackyardBrewer** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:16 pm

FYI I'm an SA guy, and the info I've gained here is priceless.

You hit the right place today mate!

by **theking123** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:19 pm

Ive sussed some of your handy work, 3 words.. Your the man!

I now realise 200 bucks or so would go alot further on here then to some sweatshop in china thats probly gonna sell a product that roots itself in the near future..

Very nice work though on your stills.. Ive noticed most of them are plug and play? Just chuck the wash in, connect taps and turn on heating element?

Whos currently building at the moment? Or is everyone taking a bit of a break.as I realised these are very popular..

Still getting over your the owner.. bloody gold. Haha funny bugga backyard brewer

Thx Bb I feel a weird sensation like ive returned home hahaha seems like a very good forum