Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi All - Have been reading this forum for awhile and have learnt heaps - Thanks to all..
Have done a few runs now with the T500 - experimenting with different sugars and yeast. Would like to get away from using the turbo's and anything that I have t rely on a HBS for. Have just put on my first TPW and am waiting expectantly for the results.
I have a newbie question if I may -
When I purchased the T500 the bloke at the shop told me that the design of the thing meant I didn't have to worry about tails - Just discard the first 50-100ml and the rest is good.. I didn't exactly know what he meant at the time but have a better idea now - Is this true about the T500 and no Tails?
Cheers for Now...

i run a t500 as well mate.

cuts has greatly improved my product and the morning after hahaha.
this is how my run goes

first 250ml - chuck (foreshots, heads)
collect in 300ml jars till the out put slows right down normally a drip a second is when i get impatient.
number each jar as you collect it.
let these jars air covered with a coffee filter or paper towel for 24-48hrs

start tasting from the middle making sure you dilute down to at least 40%
mark the jar with a tick so OK or a X to so no.

you will end up with less product at the end but it will be a million times better.

there is def tails in the mix
have a read of this as well.
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=2859

As a rough guide mate I collect in around 250ml cut jars, used to ditch the first 150ml ( this will be all fores and heads anyways) then start the cut jars. To me the first one or two jars smelled of heads after airing so they went into the feints jar, I personally had a hard time picking the tails through the T500 with TPW, so erred ont the side of caution tipped anything suspect into the feints jar for reprocessing. (Mabey last jar or two) you can then tip feints in with the next run, or save them for a feints run. Once your in the cycle it's not really a waste.

Welcome Wizard, you're in good hands here :handgestures-thumbupleft:

xxWiZarDxx wrote:When I purchased the T500 the bloke at the shop told me that the design of the thing meant I didn't have to worry about tails -

xxWiZarDxx wrote:Is this true about the T500 and no Tails?

Its a load of rubbish mate, there isnt a still made that wont produce tails if given the chance.
Toward the end of the run from time to time stick a finger under the out put, Rub what is on your fingers hard between fingers and thumb, you will soon smell tails, its a musty, wet carpet/ dog/ cardboard kind of smell.

SBB wrote:

xxWiZarDxx wrote:When I purchased the T500 the bloke at the shop told me that the design of the thing meant I didn't have to worry about tails -

xxWiZarDxx wrote:Is this true about the T500 and no Tails?

Its a load of rubbish mate, there isnt a still made that wont produce tails if given the chance.
Toward the end of the run from time to time stick a finger under the out put, Rub what is on your fingers hard between fingers and thumb, you will soon smell tails, its a musty, wet carpet/ dog/ cardboard kind of smell.

Wow these hbs guys do they get any formal training on these systems :angry-banghead: next they will say the t500 doesnt produce any fores ~x( reminds me when the hbs guy up the road told me if I didnt use turbo washes I would go blind from non turbo washes. Lucky for me I had found this site but still almost made me question tpw as I was a amateur and he was considered to be an expert :scared-eek: info on this site is legit, don't be lead a stray but half knowledge listen to the guys that know best ( AD Guys ) :handgestures-thumbupleft:

WoW thanks everyone for your replies.. I thought as much the bloke at the HBS was so keen to see me back there - I wanted to try a different yeast and he was shoving the turbo yeast and turbo clear down my throat.. Bought them but that was the last time I went into that place..
Honestly I thought the product I was producing (everything except the first 100mm) was pretty good - Me and the wife and my mates all enjoy drinking it and no hangover..
Will give it a go with the 250ml jars next time with the TPW - Looking forward to it. If I have been enjoying what I have been making - cant wait to see what it will be like using TPW and cuts..
Many thanks for the suggestions. Think I'm going to like this forum...

Is there any T500 (or any other reflux) users out there recommend a way of properly cleaning the column.. I wash it out with water but it is developing a bit of a smell.. Cheers for Now..

Here's a thread with some options mate
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3184&p=48354&hilit=T500+cleaning#p48354

thanks mate.. I should learn to search better on the forum before I ask any more silly questions..
Still appreciate the response to the newbie...

When you do your first tpw it will be light night and day :handgestures-thumbupleft: :D just remember do your cuts, dont be greedy. You won't get as bignof a yeild as a turbo but for the $12 it cost to put it down........well I'll let it speak for its self :D
And you thought you didn't get a headache from turbo :teasing-neener: tpw is just like drinking water then :teasing-tease:

Gday Wiz,

Just wondering what is the cost of a Turbo run now if you source all the gear from the HBS? :think:

I remember when i started out, my local bloke had me buying 1kg bags of dextrose with carbon in them for $4 a bag. Add the yeast, clearing agents and "1 use only carbon cartridge" for the filter and i got very little change from $40.............and i still hadn't bought the essence to top off deal. :handgestures-thumbdown:

Oh, also, welcome to the forum :handgestures-thumbupleft:

xxWiZarDxx wrote: Me and the wife and my mates all enjoy drinking it (mates are coming round wanting to buy it off me) - nice to drink and no hangover..

Welcome wizard ...good to see you are making the good stuff now but ...
Tell your mates to piss off :teasing-neener: we don't sell .......or tell em to get their own gear :handgestures-thumbupleft: and make their own .

If you are like me , you'll be flat out keeping you and your missus happy. :laughing-rolling:

Wooday71 - Yeah mate they are trying to flog you turbo production kit (sugars + carbon, Turbo yeast and Turbo clear) for $32.. not including the extra carbon 'required' for purification during fermentation or the carbon filters for filtration..
Yummyrum - Cheers mate.. the missus is well impressed.. the mates.. hard to say no - Should stop givin it away.. lol.. all good we all need mates..
Cheers guys..

Hi wizard regarding cleaning the column I empty the column soak the ceramic saddles in cheap coke over night and put the copper in lemon juice over night and just swill out column with cold water. I have now started to soak my saddled in a very weak solution of sterilising fluid and give a good rinse out with cold water they smell fresh after. happy distilling ... marbaker

I have been soaking my ceramic saddles in denture tablets
http://shop.coles.com.au/online/nationa ... ng-tablets

brings them up really nice.. cant take credit for this though it was mentioned elsewhere by someone else.