long time home brewer - first time distiller

[choppy]

Hi all,

I'm on fishing, surfing, home brew and poultry forums, so why not distilling as well?

I've been a brewer since I was 16 and recently bought a reflux still after my taste for beer diminished and I found I was spending too much money at Dan's on whiskey.

My mate told me that distilling is easier than making beer, so I thought I'd give it a go.

At this stage I have run a few batches with the turbo yeast from the HBS, the result is okay and I have been relatively happy.

I have spent several hours today trolling this site reading opinions on better ways to go about distilling. I've read about cuts, stripping runs and lots of other stuff and I am starting to think distilling is not as simple as my mate made it out to be!!

Next week I'll put down a TPW using the recipe on here and see how it goes.

As a beer brewer I am set-up to cool my fermenter and keep it cool, but I will now need to invest in a heat pad to keep the wort at the higher temperatures needed for bakers yeasts.

I'm looking forward to the challenge, and thank you for all the posts I have read so far.

Cheers
Choppy

[Woodsy71]

Welcome to the forum :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Blacksmiths eh?

Is that near Pelican?

If so, thats a very nice part of the world.

I once had to land a plane at the airport........most scary given im not a pilot :shock:

[MacStill]

Welcome Choppy, good to have you here :handgestures-thumbupleft:

While your brewing experience can be advantageous we quite often see beer guys turn up here trying to tell us everything we do is wrong in their world (one bloke in particular springs to mind) and there seems to be an element of elitism that they think they're entitled too here.

They always end up with the shits and carry on like fuckwits once set straight, so I'm hoping you can come here and at least take what we do on board board before making the decision we're stupid and your only input is to publicly challenge the forum staff....

It's quite common believe it or not, and the guys that dont try jamming beer shit down our necks generally end up hanging around and learning a thing or three :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I'm rambling now, just thought it was time something was said is all.... no offence intended and I hope you get along with us dumb spirit brewers :D

[Urrazeb]

Hey mate and welcome :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I read your first comment about distilling being easier and am glad you have done a bit of research to understand that it certainly is a different ball game :handgestures-thumbupleft:

You're product will greatly improve once cuts and proper washes are utilised :-D

[bigcam]

:text-+1: :text-+1: for Mack
im still learning myself just relax dont over think things and ya dont have to be hospital sterilization minded :scared-eek: :scared-eek: hehehe
best thing is to read and re read thru the beginners and everything you see that sparks an interest it wont dissapoint :-B
cam

[Redux]

Welcome choppy...

dont let the barking put you off..... folks here are friendly and happy to help you improve your product!!

i can recommend TPW for a decent drop...... im still learning to refine it properly myself, but im stoked with the results so far.... (it also forgives my awful skills as a brewer and my "rough as a hobnail boot" still)..

cheers redux :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[MacStill]

nobody's barking mate, it's just a trend we've been seeing is all.... and I'm absolutely certain if I was barking you'd hear it :obscene-birdiedoublered:

What we do here is make great beer then improve it by distillation, the beer guys need to change the thought patterns a "little" to make a "lot" of progress here, but the blinding elitism of the all grain beer brewer (some will even say they been doing for years n years in just about every single post they make trying to use it as a badge of honour or some stupid shit)
Then turn around and attack the site because they end up looking like a turd and need diversion ;-)

WOOF!

:o3

[choppy]

I know where you are coming from Macstill - all grain brewers can be know-it-all wankers some times. There is one HBS operator in Newcastle who looks down his nose at his customers if they are not all grain brewers - I think he feels they are not worthy of his time.

Rest assured I am not one of them, I think of myself as a sponge. Don't be surprised if I never post any advice on this forum - not until I've got something worth passing on anyway.

My mates love my home brew beer and spirits, but that does not make me an expert by any means - just means my mates will drink anything that's free. Bit like asking Mama Cass if she likes sandwiches!!

First stop after my kids soccer today is the aquarium supplier for a heater element, as I think this is a great idea for keeping the fermenter warm enough for the bakers yeast to work.

[bt1]

Welcome choppy,
In winter can use a decent Lager yeast....first generation takes a while so a 30lt ferment is norm. re using the yeast several times reduces ferment times to about normal. Appreciate the three reuse rule for beers but 6 is no biggy for distilling. Saves plenty on power.

Aquarium heaters are great got 6 of em varying sizes. Calibrate in say 2lt tester plain water to start on first use then texta the top with off set +/- if any so you realistically know where each one is.
Plenty of yeast choices to consider as you progress, some great for rums, some ciders and whisky variations.

The AG background is a real asset and will help ramping up.. it just takes a while to accept fermenting on grain in some cases weird hey !

Get stuck just ask

enjoy!
bt1

[dogbreath vodka]

Welcome Choppy
You will have lots of fun learning about distilling.

If you break it up into the three main areas. Wash - Distilling - Aging and study them as seperate entities you will get a real insight.

Each area is an education and great fun once you've turned out some nice booze. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Put the time and effort in and you get great rewards. :handgestures-thumbupleft:


DBV

[Zak Griffin]

Welcome mate :)

I've found distilling 'easier' than brewing beer, but that's due to my erratic work schedule, and the fact I don't have a designated clean area to make beer... The sterilisation, or lack thereof, required with distilling might shock you at first ;-)

If it's whiskey you want, you will soon want to move onto a pot still, or possibly a bubbler... How good are you with copper?

[choppy]

25 years in the public service, no skills with anything but a pen and an ability to avoid work.

i've got a mate who is a whizz though. i'm sure he can be "bought" when needed.