Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hey Guys,

Got a 200L pickel drum. I know the basics I got a 100w fish heater (might get a bigger one from ebay) have that go as low without touching the bottom and installing tap (been told 60mm from bottom). Is there anything else that helps. Also its more than likely going to be stored in the shed any ideas on easiest way to keep cool?

silly question mickey but why so big when you only have a 25 litre boiler ?

Sorry i have no ideas on keeping it cool other than draping a damp cloth over it and turn a fan on.
I would also recommend it is in the right spot and you can get at everything before you fill it as it will be difficult to move once full :laughing-rolling:

Hey Wellsy

Getting myself a alcoengine pot still to do stripping runs then run through the T500. Then with the fermenter might experiment with some mashes.

Just curious not judging lol

Thanks for sharing. Patience is my biggest issue, i want to try everything and have it ferment in a day so i can try something else lol

Welsy Big fermenter will speed things up as much as a bigger still waiting 10-14 days between 25l ferments sux..
If installing tap up off bottom put in a dip tube on inside with a bazooka screen on it. In mine I tipped 10l water in as a guide when installing drain. i find this perfect level for avoiding the rum yeast cake from molasses.
On a bwko type drink its under the grain bed but still drains freely :handgestures-thumbupleft:

All good mate.

Basically it's why I'm going with this way haha. Everyone that had double distilled recommends it so might as well make it worth the time and effort. Just need a more jars to store it all in next :obscene-drinkingdrunk:

Thanks Bluc
I was looking at grabbing a 200l fermenter when i was in Melb in 4 weeks but decided against it because of not getting the generational improvement.
But if i was to use all the backset from one of my small batches that would be a good compromise as a single ferment in a biggie gives me enough strip runs to do a spirit run.
You really have to love the advice people freely give on here.

You can still sour mash(gens) in a 200l fermenter :music-deathmetal:

Yeah I get that Bluc, my issue was more about if all strip runs are done from the first generation then the spirit run and final product will not be as good as one with multi generations.
But doing some smaller ferments first will get me the needed backset for the big brew. Well that is a theory I am hoping to follow lol

I just spirit run everything regardless of gen then blend spirit i will often keep all gen 1 to turn to neutral then blend gens 2-3 keep on glass then gen 4-5 go in 20 l oak keg. Then its just a revolving door. Spirit comes out and consumed new spirit goes back in monthly. If I am slack i run out if not by 6mnths I have some nice spirit.
I have gone to 12gens in a row but still learning and have had some ph issues.. which now seem sorted..

bluc wrote:I just spirit run everything regardless of gen then blend spirit i will often keep all gen 1 to turn to neutral then blend gens 2-3 keep on glass then gen 4-5 go in 20 l oak keg. Then its just a revolving door. Spirit comes out and consumed new spirit goes back in monthly. If I am slack i run out if not by 6mnths I have some nice spirit.
I have gone to 12gens in a row but still learning and have had some ph issues.. which now seem sorted..

Bought 2 of these 200L drums recently
Keen to get some rum and calvados (distilled strong apple cider aged on French oak) put down :happy-partydance:

@Bluc

How much faster and more aggressive would you say the rum ferment is compared to 25L? (Going to be using a yeast bomb too) :dance:

What kind of airlock are you using? Would a drilled hole and siliconed garden hose in a star san bucket do the job? Maybe 2 of them?

Have you ever added live dunder at the end of fermentation to give it more rum funk from gen 1? I Plan to do this

Re: gen 1 as neutral
I've got a 5 star 4 plated
Would that be enough to scrub out the rum flavour to use as neutral?

You mean a 200l rum ferment vs a 25-30l ferment i have had the lid of olive barrel full of wash at day 3 with zero activity left(woulda love to see that volcano) on here mac has a ferment pretty much sums it up. Give it lots heat i often pitch at high 30's even 40 and add less yeast then normal 50-60g per 200l ferment 25kg sugar 25l molasses. Lots esters dark fruit(dried fruit) leather tabacco,,(cigars) and rum raisen all familar flavours to me. I find less yeast more dark fruit esters. ( Lowans is yeadt of choice) have done rum yeast edv483? And got crazy honey esters

Edv493 :romance-kisscheek:

Hey Bluc
Are you saying you only need 50 to 60 grams of yeast for a 200 litre wash ?
Or is that just for high temperature rums ?
Only time I have gone that big was WBAB and I threw in the whole 250g pack of bakers yeast. Maybe I went overkill but it worked fine and tasted fine :)

I only use 60-80 on rum(180-200l wash) it helps up the amount and type of esters.
On a neutral I use 1.5-2tubes lowans. Try to limit ester production. On uj i use same as rum but add fresh yeast each gen if ferment doesnt take strong hold after 24hrs.

Rum I dont do gens.

Thanks Bluc
On my WBAB I used 500 grams of bakers yeast only $4:00 and it worked out perfectly so I won’t deviate from a winning recipe :)

Wow only 80 grams
Males sense that the yeast would ester up like crazy being stressed
Didnt end up with any metallic taste on that low of a pitch rate?

Don't the yeast multiply to fill the available resources?
You could do it with 5g of yeast if you rehydrated and grew them on your wash a few times.

No but lots dried fruit esters once aged ended up like rum and raisen..