Hi from SA.... I'm a newbie

[morgs1301]

Hi everyone !
So firstly yes I'm another from SA. I have recently purchased a Turbo 500 and have just done my first SS turbo wash. I'm a bit unsure of what's been happening as it's only been 4 days and it seems to of stopped. Also I'm super interested in these TPW as it appears this May be the way to go. If anyone can help me out with helpful tips, that would be great. I have reading many of posts on this forum and I'm amazed with most of post on how helpful people are :)

Also is it usually the go to make 40% av as I have considered going 100 proof, is this not advised??

Thank you and can't wait to get interacting with everyone and to start producing some amazing alcohol!

[crow]

Hi morgs yep there sure is a hell of alot of croweaters joining here at he moment welcome here:handgestures-thumbupleft:
Ok well not 100% sure what you mean by your question but 100% proof equals 50% ABV. your still will produce a neutral spirit at around 93 to 95.63% ABV, that is a max of 191.26% proof, its just the nature of your still. obviously it is extremely dangerous to consume at that ABV and will require you to temper it down to an ABV that you would drink it at, most ppl water it down to around 40% ABV :-B

[bt1]

Welcome morgs,

4 days for a SS turbo depending on temp mainly and a few other issues would be about finished fermenting...needs a good day or two to stand.

Won't be long before you too stand embarrassed and self conscious as hell at the supermarket check out with 10 x 2kg bags of sugar..thinking of plausible excuses :D

A TPW is a nice start good for neutral type spirits, a weetbix aint bad if your heading down the whisky/bourbon path and grain/sugar heads are best value and flavours when pimped a little.
Gave AG washes a good go...cost & effort :handgestures-thumbdown:

One issue with 50 abv product is ppl you give it too aren't prepared for it...can be nasty if say an accident or other come back...worth considering. +1 Crow on consuming high abv product.

If you need a hand to find stuff in SA post up and we'll sort.

enjoy
bt1

[morgs1301]

Hi morgs yep there sure is a hell of alot of croweaters joining here at he moment welcome here:handgestures-thumbupleft:
Ok well not 100% sure what you mean by your question but 100% proof equals 50% ABV. your still will produce a neutral spirit at around 93 to 95.63% ABV, that is a max of 191.26% proof, its just the nature of your still. obviously it is extremely dangerous to consume at that ABV and will require you to temper it down to an ABV that you would drink it at, most ppl water it down to around 40% ABV :-B

Thanks crow, yeah I probably should of been more specific, I do mean the watering down part, was thinking I could have a nice 100 proof sitting there to share that will knock my mates socks off, but I'm a newbie so I'm willing to be lead by you more experienced guys ;-)

[morgs1301]

Welcome morgs,

4 days for a SS turbo depending on temp mainly and a few other issues would be about finished fermenting...needs a good day or two to stand.

Won't be long before you too stand embarrassed and self conscious as hell at the supermarket check out with 10 x 2kg bags of sugar..thinking of plausible excuses :D

A TPW is a nice start good for neutral type spirits, a weetbix aint bad if your heading down the whisky/bourbon path and grain/sugar heads are best value and flavours when pimped a little.
Gave AG washes a good go...cost & effort :handgestures-thumbdown:

One issue with 50 abv product is ppl you give it too aren't prepared for it...can be nasty if say an accident or other come back...worth considering. +1 Crow on consuming high abv product.

If you need a hand to find stuff in SA post up and we'll sort.

enjoy
bt1

Hi Bt1, thank you for your imput, I have been doing some extensive reading on the TPW and it does sound like the go, but I'm getting lost in the cutting and stripping, heads, body, tail etc... My brain is in overdrive. Is cutting a process that has to be done with a T500 ?... Or is this process just to get a much better product, I'm totally confused. After watching many of YouTube videos I thought the T500 was a very easy and high quality was of des tilling, but I'm guessing not?

[7evan]

Welcome mate.

I have a few bits of advice. Firstly, read, read, then read some more. Newbies corner is a good start. I read for three months before starting my still builds.

And drinking booze above 40% has only ended in tears for me. Didn't use an alchometer watering down some booze once. 4 large drinks later and the wife gave up waking me up to go to bed, face down on the lounge room rug. No hangover the next morning though :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Enjoy the learning curve.

[bt1]

Morgs,

Keep the first run simple. set still up run slowly. Cuts can be sorted later but for the first run just collect in 150 - 200ml glass jars line em up in order they come off the still and we'll step you through cuts.

having said that, the first several hundred mls that come off a run contain high levels of methanol and other nasties. under no circumstances ever drink this first few glasses/jars you collected. These need to be thrown out, recycled in shed in place of metho...in my case I lovem cos they go straight into an ethanol heater or an old school kero wick heater.

Let the collected separate lots air for a few days cover with tea towel etc keeping in order. Once your ready we'll step you through the how to's... It's learned skill and your nose and tastes need to know the good from the bad.

Give it a crack give us some lead time for when you reckon the glasses have been aired ...the guide to cuts will help it takes a bit of time to sink in but...

My advice... learn as you go a wash takes a week perhaps 2 so plenty of time to read and post...even if run tomorrow it's no biggy.

bt1

[morgs1301]

Awesome bt1, thank you so much, I really do appreciate it. So when I run it through the still I just do into jars and keep in order. Do I still do this with the turbo wash or only the TPW?

[Sam.]

Welcome mate, you need to do cuts on every wash through every type of still when you do a spirit run (not necessary for strip runs)

Check out the cuts tutorial in the newbies section and it will make more sense, basically you just want to be drinking the hearts :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[crow]

Awesome bt1, thank you so much, I really do appreciate it. So when I run it through the still I just do into jars and keep in order. Do I still do this with the turbo wash or only the TPW?

yes you do it for any wash with any still, alcohol that has not been cut is crap and must be filtered to be any good however even then its not that great and the proof will be a whopper hangover. Do a comparison early on in the piece with turdo's against one of the recipes here and you'll save yourself some heartache not to mention cash ;-)