Hey Everyone

[stillts]

Hello from Victoria. Just started my journey of learning this craft. Been really enjoying this site and the wonderful level of content on all sorts of topics.

Pursuing this as a hobby. Been doing beer for a while, started with my ol' trusty Coopers kit, and eventually moved up to 19L keg and fridge.

Made my first batch using the Turbo kit. Had a few hiccups, with water flow and had to run it through twice but got there in the end. Lots to learn!
Reasonably happy with the results so far for my first run.

Want to move into Whiskeys/Gins, so looks like I will need to invest in a Pot Still soon. Which I had done my research a bit more throughly before buying the T500.
Been looking at Water Reticulation options as water usage will become a problem soon.

I am an avid chilli lover, so would like to make some Chilli spirits too.

Pleased to meet you all, and any constructive advice you can provide me along the way is welcome!

Cheers!

[The Stig]

Welcome Stillts.
Your about to head down the rabbit hole most of us have been in for a long time.
Have fun and enjoy the ride :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[stillts]

Cheers Stig!

[The Stig]

Thanks for the chat just before , hope I sent you in the right direction my friend

[stillts]

Always interesting chatting with you. Thanks again for your time.

I am now researching the Water reticulation system we discussed. Will let you know how it goes. Will also research operating a Pot Still.

[Wellsy]

Welcome stilts
I was lucky enough to chat to Stig before I purchased anything. His advise and options are first class or five star whatever you prefer. I started on the pot still road and found the help and advice I received here, given I was a complete novice, made the journey very enjoyable. Have fun and remember to double check everything because afte4 all you are going to have to drink your mistakes :laughing-rolling:
Have fun and enjoy the ride

[stillts]

Hi Wellsy,

Thanks for the warm welcome - looking forward to getting into pot stilling. I have a TPW and WBAB wash nearly ready so I will see how they go with the reflux still while I wait for the pot still to arrive. Think I better curb my enthusiasm for a while and stop buying new gear!

Been out and about getting all my bits and pieces ready for a water reticulation system today. Looks like a job for tomorrow.

[Wellsy]

Go hard or go home, oh wait you are already home lol.
I can promise you the temptation to buy more does not stop. I started looking at an airstill then decided T500 was the best option. Found this forum before I purchased anything and took a chance and called Andrew. Had a long chat about the 2 inch pot still and was almost set until I mentioned that hopefully if things tasted alright I would upgrade to a bigger option. Another chat with Andrew and I discovered I would have limited options with a digi boil boiler as they are not strong enough to put to much weight on. So spent a heap more than originally budgeted for and have never looked back. Absolutely the best thing I ever did and of course have spent even more since then. I have said many times how great Andrew’s advice is, he does not have to sell his gear as it sells itself, he just gives fantastic advice about possible future options.
Enjoy the hobby mate and remember if you and your missus are happy with what you produce you have been a success. I used to hate cooking until I discovered I had been try8ng to cook the wrong thing all my life lol
Now I love it and spend many hours cooking away in the shed :)

[Wellsy]

Not sure where you are in VIC but if in central there is a guy that goes to the Sunday market in Bendigo that has a massive range of plastic barrels which are great for storing grains or as fermenters which a nice and clean and super cheap. $15:00 for a litre litre drum etc. he is based in shep I believe so probably does a few others

[stillts]

Thanks for the tip Wellsy. I am in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne. Have you come across any good bulk suppliers of sugar and grain? Only ones I know about are Home Brew places.

Biggest bags of raw sugar I can get are from Woolies 3Kg. I have decided to start with a 2" pot still from 5star which I can adapt to my T500 boiler to dip my toe in the water with Pot Stilling bourbons, etc. Got the T500 for clean spirit. Just working through the water system in preparation for the pot still and trying to get some semblance of order in my shed.

Been reading a few articles in the book section about making your own essences for Gin etc. Looks promising.

[hgwells]

Welcome Stillts,

Sure you will have fun.

Best keep buying sugar from the supermarket, still the cheapest, Costco is also good. Unless you buy commercial quantities you can’t really get 25Kg bags of sugar cheaper.

Try beer co for your grains

Cheers

HG

[Hick1960]

Welcome Stillts

If you have room, a second hand 1000lt ibc is a good option for recirculating water. They are cheap as chips. All you need is a cheap pump and some hose and away you go.

Cheers Steve

[stillts]

Thanks Steve. That's exactly what I am planning on. I have 3-4 of the 1000L IBC tanks, and bought the 350W Ozito submersible pump yesterday after getting some good advice from Stig. I was planning to have it done today, but life happened. Finished off another TPW and WBAB wash around domestic duties.

Want to get it setup so I can run both stills depending on what my requirements are.

[stillts]

2x TPW wash & 2x WBAB wash... which one will finish first? :))

[The Stig]

TPW , use it for the cleaning run :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Wellsy]

Gidday Stillts
Supermarket is the best I have found for Sugar, I can go to Campbell cash and carry which is a wholesalers but the 25 kg bags are still more expensive than the home brand sugar, and way more inconvenient. I reckon you would have an ant invasion if you were not careful.
As for the grains I went to a local feedstock store, a pet food place might be able to get it for you do some research before the order though mate to make sure it is cheaper. Wheat oats, barley , cracked maize (corn) should be heaps cheaper but the malts etc you will really only have the hbs suppliers.Grain and Graoe is probably the closest to you but I am not sure on their prices.
Great you got the 5star pot mate you are going to love what you make after about 3 months and then be embarrassed after you taste it at 12 months lol, we have all been there.
Buckle up and hang on it is a hell of a ride

[stillts]

Thanks again Wellsy. Yeah, I was checking out Grain and Grape actually over the weekend. Might have to drop past after work.

That's a good point about storage. Would need some pretty well sealed plastic tubs, and even then ants typically find a way in if they really want to.

[Wellsy]

And don’t let anyone tell you that rats are clean pets, I had one get into one of my 20 kg corn bag. Bastard shit and pissed right through it , the whole bag was chucked out because of the contamination. Initially it might be a little more expensive to get the smaller grain batches but a lot gets down to how much storage you have and h9w quickly it will be used

[stillts]

A good friend of mine did have two rats as pets. They were good fun. As someone who has live through several mice plagues I don't think I want rodents of any kind in my grain bags!

FSD sent the Pot Still and other goodies my way so hoping to get it before the weekend. Will let you know how I go. I might need to pick your brains once I do!

Cheers,

Sillts

[stillts]

Pot Still arrived today! Cue dramatic music and party poppers.

Now I really need to get my spit together.... Prepare for an onslaught of annoying questions! :)