Bryan's Pot Still

[crow]

The longer the better but its ready to drink when you decide you like it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[RuddyCrazy]

I've seen those shelving units before :think: They're from Bunnings arent they 8-} be careful where you buy your sugar from :laughing-rolling:

Sorry, I really do have a fucked up sense of humour :text-lol:

Yep the shelves sure are from bunnings and beside the bottle is a plastic bag with green rings, they are there for any thief who wants to come and try and steal my moonshine.... Sure the lambs hate them but any asshole that wants to try can be a living darwin award as they won't be adding to the gene pool......

I get my sugar from foodland and the 2kg bags work out cheaper than the 3kg ones.....

and you think you have a fucked up sense of humour... :text-lol: :text-lol: :text-lol:

[AussieAndy]

I've seen those shelving units before :think: They're from Bunnings arent they 8-} be careful where you buy your sugar from :laughing-rolling:

Sorry, I really do have a fucked up sense of humour :text-lol:

Mac, you're really in a shit stiring mood tonight aren't you. Makes me :laughing-rolling: though

[MacStill]

I've seen those shelving units before :think: They're from Bunnings arent they 8-} be careful where you buy your sugar from :laughing-rolling:

Sorry, I really do have a fucked up sense of humour :text-lol:

Mac, you're really in a shit stiring mood tonight aren't you. Makes me :laughing-rolling: though

You aint seen nuffin yet, wait till ol' mate pintobootleg gets some free time and we start.... admin are fucked then :laughing-rolling:

[RuddyCrazy]

Well being Sunday and all decided to have a taste test so just took 50ml from the bottle and watered it down to about 35% and man what a difference in taste :happy-partydance: The 2nd gen is down to 998 and stupid me didn't get any more sugar :angry-banghead: so looks like the stripping run will get done tomorrow. So this arvo's jobby is getting some wheat malt started then in my other fermenter get a wheat and bran wash going.

Cheers Bryan

[crow]

You do realize you will need to either grist or roll the grain ?

[RuddyCrazy]

You do realize you will need to either grist or roll the grain ?

Yep I've made wheat malt before in my HB days and got 5kg's soaking at the moment. Now with that 5kg's of wheat and a bucket of bran flakes should make for an interesting wash. If this wash does turn out good I so still have 1/2 a 44 gal drum of wheat so won't runout any time soon.....

Also I got a clothes dryer which is in the process of a new life as a malting drum too. Run off DC power so I can run it directly off one of my battery banks and not waste power using the inverter.

Cheers Bryan

[woodyj80]

if your still using that burner mate just an idea check masters for the cans from memory they have a box for $12 ;) :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Picked up 2 packs of those gas cans yesterday $7.60 for 8 of them aint a bad price :)) Anyway checked the SG of the 4th gen weetbix/cornflake wash and down to 990 so time for a stripping run.... :happy-partydance: One slight problem, smelt something not quite right and on a look at my black drum I use for cooling it looks like 100 litres + has started to ferment :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: so time to skim the crud off the top then setup the new home for the still and away from the window where it's currently on full show when one drives in past it.

After this 4th gen run I will have enough to do a triple distill of all 4 gen feints which should come out a nice drop 8-} Then a big clean out of the fermenter and get started on a USJM generation run.

Cheers Bryan

[Kimbo]

One slight problem, smelt something not quite right and on a look at my black drum I use for cooling it looks like 100 litres + has started to ferment :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead:

I dont understand mate, your cooling drum is fermenting?

[RuddyCrazy]

One slight problem, smelt something not quite right and on a look at my black drum I use for cooling it looks like 100 litres + has started to ferment :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead:

I dont understand mate, your cooling drum is fermenting?

Hi Kimbo,
They do say a pic says a 1000 words so this is what I found



The longnecks are in there to loosen the labels as they do prove to be a good bottle for storing the brew etc. I did take a bottle out so the crud has been disturbed but noway will I use that water again so the vege patch is getting a good water/feed this morning and the drum will get a good scrubbing etc. The good thing is gravity is in my favour and I won't need to run the pump to drain the water after I get all the crud out with a strainer.

Cheers Bryan

[Smbjk]

But it is only watet how the hell did it get like that :think: my guess is it maybe protein from the label on the longnecks and over time with the heat from cooling has caused bacteria to grow but yeast still need a food source. Interesting though wonder whats in the bottom of my tank

[RuddyCrazy]

The reason it got like that is I was using also as a cleaning tub so some of the wash ended up in there, also the water was atleast a year old and it was time for a drain and clean. It got a good scrub out with some low suds bottle wash powder and warm water then inverted and left in the sun for awhile to sterilize it. Being black it didn't take long for it to get nice and hot and I do the same with my SS boil pots.

Today on the spirits run I put a digi thermometer in the water and the temp only went up 1 degree thruout the whole run.

Now on testing the ABV of the run today after the first 150ml cut the ABV was 92% and thru out the next 10 150ml cuts the temp stayed on 78C and on the last ABV check it was 81%. Now I did read for Whiskey 80% ABV out of the still is the max so I'm now thinking the long column and SS scrubbers are doing some reflux. I'm thinking I may have to donate this pot still to my missus so she can do her herb oils and make a new copper pot still with a low column and shotgun style condenser.

I gave a mate a bottle of the oaked whiskey for xmas and when he came around today he mentioned I better get a heap more made as all his mates loved it and all want some.

Anyway after 4 generations of the weetbix/cornflake wash I now have enough feints to do a third distill run and my USJM is going nicely. Within 15 minutes the airlock was bubbling flatout and it still is.

Cheers Bryan

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Well yesterday did the first stripping run on the 1st gen of the UJSM and noticed the lower ABV 58% on the first longneck cut, only got 4 longnecks out of the 25 litre batch where with the weetbix run I got 6 longnecks easily and the ABV was a heap higher. Left the backset to cool over night and today I dissolved 4kg's of sugar into some water and added it to the backset along with some more water and only needed a topup for the fermenter.

Decided well got 2 gas cans left so did the triple distil on the feints from the weetbix run, took the copper pipe out I use for the stripping run and put the scrubbers back in for the spirits run. 78C for most of the run(taking 150ml cuts got 11 glass's ) before the temp hit 80C. Went for 2 more then called it quits for the taking and filled the longneck for tripled distilled feints. When I got 4 longnecks of triple distilled feints I'll do a 4th distil......

Now by putting the scrubbers in for the triple spirits run the ABV was 84% and am convinced those scrubbers are doing some reflux, now only got 5 of them in there so I am thinking of putting another 5 in and see if this pot still can get 90% or better on a spirits run.

Anyway my missus has taken a liking and asked me to drive her to the cally pub for more cider so I took a sample of my moonshine down to guy the guys a taste. Gave sample to 7 guys and 2 gals and everyone came back as WOW what a nice drop it's better than Jim Beam a couple said and one guy who said his mate does moonshine and uses essences which has a distinct taste is lacking in this drop. I told him well it's double distilled and put on serious oak for a couple of weeks then bottled. To say I'm going to get a few new drinking buddies well I'm going to have to upsize and get a keg for the boil pot.

With the 4th gen of the weetbix run I left it as Vodka and left it for 4 days before cutting and to say the angels took their share well there is some drunk angels going around. Lost close to 30% off all the cuts.... Today I took 2 chilli's off my Manzano tree and after getting the seeds outs I will maceratee one longneck and make a chilli Vodka.

As my wife has taken a liking to my efforts I have been saying for weeks even months some of the herbs these guys need you/we can grow and package fresh herbs to forum members. With the herbs that won't grow in our climate we do have a good organic shop that will supply what we can't grow here. So if you guy's are interested lets get a list going and we will do a great price so members can just what they need for a certain batch.

Still waiting for this guy to get his act together for this aircon contract I won so money is a bit tight but when the $$$ starts to flow I'll get some argon and have a go at making my own bubbler. Never know if time and $$$ are good I may just have to buy a bubbler off Mac......

Cheers Bryan..... Doing the wrong thing and tasting the triple distil with a day of it being done.......

[Zak Griffin]

Everyone who has tried mine says the same, Bryan... It's missing that... 'Thing' that most homemade (turbo/essence) stuff has.

Sounds like you're well and truly into making a quality drop!

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Well with the triple distill I got both of those flip top bottles filled with 65% and put a couple of charred oak sticks in, also had enough to fill a standard stubbie. Anyway with this week going to 40C+ all week I decided an early taste on ice using that small stubbie was in order. So watered it down and into the crystal decanter it went and on ice :happy-partydance: aw man I couldn't believe how smooth it was :happy-partydance:. Second glass was with ice and dry ginger ale and that one hit the nail on the head for a cool refreshing drink after a hot days work.

Off the spirits run on the 4th gen I got 3 longnecks with some left over for sampling and when I went to put the chilli's in one there was only 2 left. :scared-eek: Looks like my missus has taken to it now aswell :doh: So the kinds words were spoken :romance-kisscheek: as I know you don't like chilli I've now put it in all the vodka and all of the bottles are now in storage for 3 months so they can age.

The second gen of the UJSM is close to finished so after the stripping run on that I'll have enough to charge up the 5 litre pot for the spirits run. I do need to get a second fermenter going and move it all up to my shed so I can setup a permanent area for it. I'll also move up the fermenter fridge then have 2 fridges side by side with wash's going with temp control.

Cheers Bryan

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day guy's,
Sad day here as got a call from from my sister sayin mum had died overnight and then found my missus had polished off that triple distilled decanter I had in the cupboard. So got the last bottle of the weetbix gen 3 out and that will be the soothing comfort for the night.

Anyway on the important stuff :teasing-tease: the gen 2 of USJM survived the heat last week so did a stripping run this time leaving the scrubbers in and man what a difference to the first stripping run. Higher ABV and more volume and I was saving up to do a 25 litre spirits run. Tomorrow I'm going to do a spirits run off the hearts of the first 2 stripping runs on my 5 litre pot then setup the forced air in that 2 litre demi I got. Gen 3 of the USJM is going well to, measured 1065 OG and put some extra yeast in to be sure of a good strike, got a good faom cap on and the airlock has slowed down heaps so won't be long for the next strip run. I did take some of the old grain out this time too and put 1/3 of a bucket of new grain too.

I'm thinking for the bubbles bashing up a copper cap to fit onto some 3/8" tubing and machining up a punch so I can punch a heap of small holes into the end of the cap for the air exit. I picked up a fish tank air pump for $5 that really push's out the air too.

Cheers Bryan

[Sam.]

Sorry to hear about your loss mate, I wish your family all the best for the coming weeks :pray:

[Smbjk]

:text-+1: :handgestures-thumbdown:

[RuddyCrazy]

G'day Guy's,
Well what I thought was a good joke went sour with the mod's so been on a vacation from the forum for awhile, anyway was on doing a stripping run on the 4th gen of the UJSM and before I knew it that cheap bunnings burner caught on fire and luckily I got to it in time and put out the fire, anyway was on the 6th longneck so all wasn't lost. Anyway I should of know 36 cans on a $10 burner was going a bit far... :angry-banghead: . Anyway got 22 longnecks of low wines off the 4 gens and got a burner off a mate that will be purfect to use with a 9 kg gas bottle. I'm going to do a few 5 litre spirit runs and blend each run. Got 4 litres of the last backset in the fridge to add to each spirit run too.

Anyway after the bullshit today decantered some of my triple distilled weetbix brew thats been sitting on oak since the new year and on ice, man what a smooth drop. :happy-partydance:

Also when a mate came around I watered down some of the hearts from the 4th gen and look on his face after he drank the drop I gave him :teasing-tease: He said I WANT SOME of the finished stuff.... :music-deathmetal:

Cheers Bryan