more noob questions

[darbwah]

hey guys
ive been searching the site but cant find the exact answer im after. if im using a pot still what is the best alcohol % i can hope for? around 50%? if so do i just dilute to 40% and i can use it to make scotch or whatever? seems most of you only use pots to strip it and then put it through a reflux etc. would i be better off with something other than a pot still? or can i run it through twice or slower to get higher abv? i was thinking i was gonna be getting like 80-90% but the more i read the more i think i might be better off building a reflux or something. i probly be making mainly scotch and rum.
cheers

[Cane Toad]

Hi Darb,will you be making your scotch and rum using molasses etc or using flavorings?

[maheel]

got a picture mate ? then we can think up some ideas

to increase your ABV% could try things like

stuff it with scrubbers and run slow
wrap around the top near the take off on the outside, some thin poly hose or copper 1/4" and run some water through it to give a reflux zone that you can control to some degree.
strip your wash (or strip a few) and re run it at a higher abv (max 40%)

yes you can just water anything down and flavour it.... depends on what you want and what it tastes like etc.

i use a lot of TPW,i strip it in my pot and then reflux it looking for nice clean hearts. i mkae my cuts and maybe loose a lot that i consider not good enough.
if i was using a grain based sugar head i might keep more (or maybe less) depending on what i am looking for.

i get a bit of 60-65% at the beginning of my strips but it all mixes in to about 35-40% by the time i am done. so if you make cuts the 1st bit may be higher %

[darbwah]

i havent started building one yet, i was gonna make a pot still but ive been reading more and more and im not sure if it is what i need to use. i was gonna just make neutral stuff and add flavour to it. is a pot still any good for that or should i make a boka? ive never soldered before so thought a pot would be a good start but if it doesnt suit what i want to do, id rather make the right type straight up.

[maheel]

for the best neutral your going to need a reflux still

two good designs are BOKA or a VM (vapor management)
but IMO you also need a pot to strip wash to then use in the reflux.

you can unpack a reflux to get it to run a little faster to use as a stripper.

out of interest whats your location ?

[R-sole]

Flavouring neutral is a second rate method of making spirits in my opinion. Like setting out to buy powdered milk. Sorry if that upsets some on here, but it's my honest opinion, and the opinion i hear from other stillers who've tried mine versus there's. :teasing-tease:

If you want brown spirits the best tool for the job is a potstill. Most recipes call for stripping the wash in your potstill and running a second time, either adjusting the cahrge abv with wash down so the output from the second run is at your ageing strength, or watering it down after the second run to ageing strength.

Look through the proven recipe section, if Bourbon is your drink then ujsm is the starting point for you. If it's rum then a mollasses wash, Scotch or Irish whiskey then it's malt barley wash ect. 8-)


Neutral is best reserved for macerations with fruit or spices or for mixing with fruit juice or lemonade for tasteless alcohol cocktails. Even sipping straight as vodka. But save yor money and actually beat the commercial guys by making your own spirits rather than purchasing cordials. ;-)

[Cane Toad]

Spot on 5Star :handgestures-thumbupleft: Pot still or bubbler,but I'm a bit one-sided to comment :laughing-rolling:

[SBB]

Just started a reply then 5Star beat me to what i was about to say .

Flavouring neutral is a second rate method of making spirits

Ive tried making bourbons and rums both ways.....and your better off doing it the right way from the start, which means a pot still or bubbler and using molasses or grains to achieve the result you want. its going to be a bit bigger learning curve.but in the long run your going to have a much better product and something you have hand crafted yourself.

[Cane Toad]

Go the bubbler :laughing-rolling:

[darbwah]

im in stinky deception bay. i felt a bit left out not doing anything illegal living here. :-D i pretty much just drink scotch and rum but if i keep the mrs happy with vodka and girly whatnot, my ears will be grateful. thats why i thought essence but i like the idea of making "real" scotch. is there a still that i can do both with? im probably only gonna ever have one so i want something that is versatile. the more i read the more i realise i have no f$&@ing idea. :cry:

[R-sole]

You can make a very good vodka with a pot still by running three times.

You can make a good one running twice. It won't be 'neutral' but most commercial vodka's aren't either.

Check my lime vodka in the proven recipes, it's potstilled.

[QLD.Andy]

Dont listen to the snobs darbwah, some of the "flavorings" (or cordials) are OK, not the greatest but OK.
With a little work and some time they do taste, well, ok.

[Sam.]

Andy is right. I have a bottle of mixed shit from a profile kit that is awesome to drink! Once I have done some different ways I may be able to comment on the differenceres but at the moment this shit is goooooooooood. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[darbwah]

yeah ive been drinking some flavouring scotch off a mate and its fine. im no conniseur anyway and after a few i could probly be drinkin gins piss and wouldnt know any better

[darbwah]

i think im gonna go with a 2 inch slant plate boka. looks easy enough to make, heaps of templates and pics and by all reports seems to work ok. price seems similar to the pot as well. anyone know the cheapest shop to get pipe from??

[R-sole]

Build whatever suits you best, but the price of construction of a bok would be at least 4 times that of a pot. :shock:

[maheel]

scrap yards are the cheapest and often they have "new" pipe in the bins if it's a big scraper
but they dont always have it sitting around. i use a bit of scrap, but try to avoid any old pipe
some even keep new bits aside and sell it back to people

ring around is the next best way, reece, tradlink etc but pick the bigger "trade shops"

[Cane Toad]

Go to tradelink mate,they sell by the meter and half the price of reece

[MacStill]

darbwah, if you had your location in your profile people could even possibly send you to where they get stuff from, dont want your address but at least a state would be good.

:handgestures-thumbupleft:

[MacStill]

Ah you've updated your profile :handgestures-thumbupleft:

This mob was by far the cheapest I found when I was over your way.

http://www.truelocal.com.au/business/north-coast-plumbing-co/caboolture