Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi all

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been spending a lot of spare time reading and researching this awesome hobby and I decided I wanted to have a safety / take-5 checklist handy for when I eventually get a setup and am ready to launch into it without doing something stupid and hurting myself or damaging my equipment. I’m sharing this both so that hopefully some of you find it useful and to get some feedback for my own benefit, so please chip in with whatever you want! Working in a very safety-centric industry (mining) I’ve witnessed first hand that systems like this have prevented some seriously bad incidents from happening. Often the more serious injuries or incidents have been the old hands who’ve done a particular task a million times before who just get complacent over time because they get used to constantly working around those risks. Taking those few minutes at the start of a shift (or a run in our case :-D ) might save you a trip to the doctor or worse.

Anyway, here’s my work in progress list that I want people to add to, comment on and help build because there will be a lot of ideas that I’ve missed. A few of these are as much about making sure the run goes smoothly as it is safety but whatever :)

Pre-run checklist:
1. Fire extinguisher on hand (checked, tested – it needs to be one suitable for extinguishing ethanol fires)
2. Suitable gloves handy
3. Blow through collection hose(s) and check valves/outlets to make sure they’re clear of any obstructions/blockages
4. Check all clamps and seals for leaks (need recommendations on how to do effective pressure tests)
5. If indoors and using gas, get a fan running for ventilation so no ethanol vapours build up
6. Check that the drain valve on the boiler is closed before pouring the mash in (hurr)
7. Put your collection vessel inside a larger pot for any overflow
8. Ensure you have enough collection vessels ready and clear bench space to put them
9. Remove all other potential sources of ignition/flame from the area
10. Check that the source of water for your cooling is working prior to connecting
11. Check that cooling water input/outputs are connected to the right ends of the condenser
12. Check that the still is stable and not wobbly/likely to be knocked over before turning it on (check before and after adding wash/mash)
13. Check that you have enough gas before starting if you’re heating with gas, or check that your power supply is stable/on (I doubt any of us are running on a generator but who knows)

Other general stuff I’ve picked up from various stories/threads:
- Don’t get rugby league drunk and then fire up the still – you’ll drop something, forget something, and are much more likely to fuck something up and waste something or injure yourself
- If you have backset in a sealed container in the fridge, remember to crack the seal slightly if you remove it from the fridge/cooler due to expansion
- Don’t rest containers with anything in them on their side
- Lock the dog/cat/horse/wife up so they don’t come in and bump into stuff (from a story I read on homedistiller forum about a bloke’s dog jumping after a bug that landed on his still and knocking the whole thing over)
- Don’t keep your high-proof spirits stored on a shelf or up high on anything that could possibly collapse/tip over and drop the jars to the floor
- Use the strongest vessels you’ve got for the high-proof stuff so they are less likely to smash
- Do a quick visual check of your containers for any chips or cracks before using them for the first time or re-using them
- Clearly label all of your containers – date, time, contents, everything possible. Don’t want to tip heads from a stripping run into your carefully selected cuts! Consider keeping different coloured jars/bottles for certain things (e.g. green for stripping runs, clear for the good stuff)
- No plastics for anything
- Don’t wear thongs, shorts and no shirt, in case you get an ethanol fire and end up with serious burns
- If you need to leave the still for a slash or for any other reason, turn the heat source off! Do not leave the still unattended with your heat source still running

A lot of this is very obvious stuff but like I was saying before, it’s often the obvious stuff that gets overlooked just once that gets someone hurt. This list should also be good for me to look back on in a couple years time from my comfy bed in the burns ward and see which part of my own advice I didn’t follow :handgestures-thumbupleft: Fire away… (maybe a bad choice of words there)

Cheers and safe stilling :razz:

Good researching baldoss :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Now you just need yourself a still!

Very nice Baldy - well done mate. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

EDIT - Don't forget mate, any high-proof spirits intended for storage should be labelled as Poison. It 'aint a lie. :-B

That's a great list mate, a bit of input from me:

- Revise "No plastics for anything" to: "No plastics to be used - Apart from HDPE fermenters for wash, and PTFE (teflon) for still gaskets"
- "Check that cooling water tank (where used) is free of solid matter that could block the lines"
- During the run, check for leaks by passing a mirror around the still and looking for condensation
- During the run, monitor coolant water temperature and flow rate, ensuring that coolant water is flowing through the product condenser at all times
- During/After the run, don't try to lift a boiler full of hot stillage
- Never distil a charge over 40% abv.

I personally wouldn't switch off the heat mid run, seems to screw up the product, but then I'm lucky to have a flower bed near where I run the still
As far as checking for leaks, the only way I know of doing this is to put a small amount of water in the boiler and run it beforehand. This is a bit of a hassle to do before every run though.

bc said "During the run, check for leaks by passing a mirror around the still and looking for condensation" i have tried that and it dont work outdoors.. what works better for me is soapy water in a spray bottle sprayed onto suspect areas.
great work on check list baldoss

Often the more serious injuries or incidents have been the old hands who’ve done a particular task a million times before who just get complacent over time because they get used to constantly working around those risks.

Absolute bullshit! This could not be further from the truth and I'd strongly suggest before sprouting off about old hands ask yourself why are we still here...solid bloody work practices that cover the saftey issues that's why.

bt1

bt1 wrote:

Often the more serious injuries or incidents have been the old hands who’ve done a particular task a million times before who just get complacent over time because they get used to constantly working around those risks.

Absolute bullshit! This could not be further from the truth and I'd strongly suggest before sprouting off about old hands ask yourself why are we still here...solid bloody work practices that cover the saftey issues that's why.

bt1

Bt1, he ain't that far from the truth mate, have a chill-pill for a sec. You kinda agreed with him anyways. "..solid bloody work practices that cover the safety issues..." In my opinion, thats exactly what Baldoss is referring to. You just mis-quoted his original post.

Complacency exists in everything we do, whether it be driving a still, a lawnmower or hair dryer. We get used to those risks and accept those risks because we've used that lawnmower for the last ten years so 'she'll be right mate.'

What about the flight crew that do their safety checks before every flight? Damn sure those pilots know a thing or two about aviation safety but they still take the time to ensure absolute safety for everyone.

Thats what its all about mate. Doing the checks is just another piece of our arsenal used to protect us from bad shit happening.

My opinion guys. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

and a damn good opinion Camikaze, the legends of any trade if they have let their training slide are more prone to have an accident as complacency ever so slowly creeps in. Have and said this if they keep up good safety practices their likely hood of having and accident decreases.

As with anything to do oh&s all are entitled to their say in your hazard assessment even if they have no experience at all as their fresh eyes might just pick up on something you may or may not have missed. Also it demonstrates their understanding of why we take time to have "tool box" meetings and prepare hazard assessments prior to commencing work keeping safety as our paramount concern.

Your opinion has been noted and as it your opinion you are entitled to it.

well thing is, a couple of close calls do teach ya to respect the still and it is true that that comes with experience but complacency is something we all can be subject to. Yes bt1 newbies are likely to make more mistakes and time teaches experience it also breeds over confidence.I knew an old German chippy on the day of his retirement they planned a few beers. He was having a beer while the boys finished up and was sprooking about how all his sons had lost a finger or part of, with that he took a schlook of his beer and put his free hand down on a buzzer (he was left with no fingers or thumb)All those points on that check list are valid and to be truthful I probibly do about half of them :shhh: Half of your point is valid "further from the truth " ain't but either way lets keep the discussions polite as everyone's view has a right to be put ;-)

bt1 wrote:

Often the more serious injuries or incidents have been the old hands who’ve done a particular task a million times before who just get complacent over time because they get used to constantly working around those risks.

Absolute bullshit! This could not be further from the truth and I'd strongly suggest before sprouting off about old hands ask yourself why are we still here...solid bloody work practices that cover the saftey issues that's why.

bt1

Tell that to Peter Brock's family ;-)

No issues with safety straight up...

it's this bit...
and again I quote...

Often the more serious injuries or incidents have been the old hands who’ve done a particular task a million times before who just get complacent over time because they get used to constantly working around those risks.

It's all too easy to slip into the singling out of any group...or is he suggesting "old hands" have other issues that make them more risk prone, like age or experience...ease up !

If it where written as a general wide reference rather than focused by the word choice of "old hands" I'd have no issue and then go on to infer a higher risk level.... It's just another example of having a go or trying to make a point based on jack.

I'm not at all sure experienced and or older members would take too kindly being told their are high risk by a brand new member of 1 day...I certainly don't for one.

bt1

bt1 wrote:Absolute bullshit! This could not be further from the truth and I'd strongly suggest before sprouting off about old hands ask yourself why are we still here...solid bloody work practices that cover the saftey issues that's why.

bt1

No disrespect intended mate, just my experience. Not saying the newbies don't make mistakes too but you generally expect it and people tend to (or at least I do) be a bit more cautious when they're doing something they're not familiar with. Bit off-topic but I've seen a world-class rock climber rappel off the end of his rope because he colour-coded them according to length and at the end of a big day of multi-pitching, was so exhausted that he didn't realise he'd packed and was using a rope he'd cut to a shorter length a few weeks prior. Rookie mistake and it cost him his life doing something he'd been doing for 20 years. It's hard for all of us to be diligent each and every time we do something, no matter how experienced or in-experienced we might be, and sometimes the consequences can be pretty severe - that's all I'm saying. Again, no disrespect to you or any of the old hands around here - always happy to learn from people who've done the hard yards and are still around to share their wisdom.

Fucked if I can figure out how to edit my original post with the good feedback you guys have put up? Appreciate the feedback and glad the tips are useful.

you're blowing it all out of proportion bt1,

The term "old hands" means "experienced" in my book, even a 30yo brick layer who's been on the job 10 years can be regarded as an "old hand" at the trade.

Your first response in this topic is down right rude, pig headed & arrogant, and that attitude is not wanted here towards our newer members.

Be polite, or go elsewhere

edit: from online dictionary

old hand
noun
a person who is experienced in or familiar with a subject, area, procedure, etc.: The guide you just hired is an old hand at leading safaris.

I'll start off by saying that this topic is probably long over due in some respects, we all know or should know the risks involved as well as the causes of those risks.
All newbies need to be made aware of those risks and we should also all be aware of what to do when things do go wrong.
More than one person here knows just how quickly things can and do go wrong in this hobby if its not treated with respect.
The human race being as it is we will all, at some time take a risk.
I for one check my gear thoroughly before any run, I do keep a fire extinguisher handy and always check my water source , pumps, connections ect.
Having said that, Im a thongs and shorts kinda person, and this applies when running a still or any thing else I do at home or in my work shop. Work cover stops at my front gate, sorry if that offends anyone.
In short , at the end of the day we are all responsible for our own actions and risk management.

Well, the distillery operation and saftey is pretty much covered, now for the distiller;

The not wearing thongs thing is important, you can get mistaken for a kiwi (sorry kiwikeg, cuz)

Don't let your mates taste your mistakes, your rep will end up shattered.

Use labeled bottles if you want to transport your stuff, it could save trying to lie your ass off to a copper that probably knows enough to ask about the hand written notes on a bottle.

Cuts are important to the finnished product, take them seriously for best results.

Always cut more fores out than less- you are only cutting into the heads, no great loss.

Never put more than 40%abv in your boiler (feints runs, etc)

Seriously, be careful about high ABV alcohol and open flame, dont drink high abv alc without diluting, and dont sell the stuff and your pretty safe. The rest you learn as you go. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

A lot of good points raised in this thread.

Definitely good to see all these points in one spot so people can take them onboard. If people choose to take the advice then that is their own choice no one elses. But at the end of the day you would feel pretty stupid if you messed yourself up then thought...hmmm.. I did read that I shouldnt do that. :violence-smack:

Like SBB said, we all make our own risk assessments and we all have varying degrees of risk we are willing to take.

Like Crow, I follow some of the rules and CHOOSE to ignore others, but if something bad happens one day I have only myself to blame :O)

Nice write up mate, keep up the good work. I follow A lot of this cause its drilled into us at work every day.

Dont use turbo yeast. V dangerous, unless you want to power your top fueler or door slammer.

Thanks baldoss
It's printed and on the shed Wall
Cheers Pocket

pocket wrote:Thanks baldoss
It's printed and on the shed Wall
Cheers Pocket

Nice one pocket. :clap:

That's what we want to hear, people thinking about their safety and doing what they can to prevent becoming spaghetti sauce. :handgestures-thumbupleft: