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Post by ivyplus on Aug 31, 2007 20:32:04 GMT 12
Yes I do and I have received a still. Unfortunately I haven't stilled yet so I am a bit wary. I have heard the first bit is not that healthy to drink. Three friends who know how to distill offered me to come and show me how to use the still. None has turned up yet. I have about 50 liters of stuff ready to still. I know how to ferment. And I am nervously waiting. Already planing some liqueurs I want to make out of the moonshine.
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Post by meandog on Aug 31, 2007 20:41:04 GMT 12
You need to discard the first 80-100 mls as there could be nasties in it. But having said that don't throw it away as it makes excellent cleaning fluid. I have known it to remove black grease from carpet. I also have spilt some on varnish and it softened it to the extent it was easy to scrape away. Its probably as good as that Coopers paint and varnish remover. LOL ;D ;D
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Post by ivyplus on Aug 31, 2007 20:46:52 GMT 12
You need to discard the first 80-100 mls as there could be nasties in it. But having said that don't throw it away as it makes excellent cleaning fluid. I have known it to remove black grease from carpet. I also have spilt some on varnish and it softened it to the extent it was easy to scrape away. Its probably as good as that Coopers paint and varnish remover. LOL ;D ;D Thanks Meandog! Good to know! I will let you know when we did the first batch.
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Post by OasisNZ on Oct 4, 2007 19:18:16 GMT 12
Today we had a mate come to show us how to set up a distillery unit that was kindly given to us by a Swiss friend heading back overseas for a while. Heinz decided it was expedient to flush the coil with boiling water, so that was the first task... In the meantime, we had started setting up the distillery... All set up, ready to produce some hooch... Starting to drip... Starting to flow... The hooch will go into making Schnapps. The brew we distilled today was a whey brew, whey is the liquid left over when you curdle milk with lemon juice to make ricotta, a very simple type of cheese, somewhat like cottage cheese.
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Post by mab on Oct 4, 2007 19:24:21 GMT 12
Im a bourbon drinker. (hint hint nudge nudge )
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Post by OasisNZ on Oct 4, 2007 19:29:29 GMT 12
Pleased to meat you, my name happens to be Jim. Beam me up Scotty!
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Post by mab on Oct 4, 2007 19:51:27 GMT 12
You tease. ;D
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Post by ivyplus on Oct 15, 2007 20:34:34 GMT 12
Just an update Did the whole day distilling. I guess pictures say more than words:
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Post by OasisNZ on Oct 15, 2007 20:52:59 GMT 12
Cheers! ;D
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Post by meandog on Oct 16, 2007 5:50:36 GMT 12
;D Yes it does take all day to do distilling and one must be constantly watching the temperature. I have my set up with a header tank with a ballcock and gravity feed the water through the cooling coils as there is to much fluctuation with the town water supply. As well as not being able to use water in other parts of the house, this way it is much more steadier. ;D ;D
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Post by ivyplus on Oct 16, 2007 17:52:09 GMT 12
;D Yes it does take all day to do distilling and one must be constantly watching the temperature. I have my set up with a header tank with a ballcock and gravity feed the water through the cooling coils as there is to much fluctuation with the town water supply. As well as not being able to use water in other parts of the house, this way it is much more steadier. ;D ;D What do you ferment? I have a plum "wine" going which I want to still and then soak prunes in it. I think we call it "vieille prune"
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Post by meandog on Oct 16, 2007 18:11:56 GMT 12
I just make up a very concentrated sugar and water mix with the turbo yeast, when it has worked out it the goes thru the still and filter it. After that it is used as needed by mixing the flavourings to it. I water it down to 40% before filtering it.
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Post by ivyplus on Oct 16, 2007 18:15:13 GMT 12
I just make up a very concentrated sugar and water mix with the turbo yeast, when it has worked out it the goes thru the still and filter it. After that it is used as needed by mixing the flavourings to it. I water it down to 40% before filtering it. I have read a book about distilling and a Swiss friend showed me how to do it and what to discard. We discard what is below 80ocC and what is about 91oC. I have also read that you can filter with coal what is after 91oC. Is it how you do it?
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Post by OasisNZ on Oct 16, 2007 18:15:56 GMT 12
I just make up a very concentrated sugar and water mix with the turbo yeast, when it has worked out it the goes thru the still and filter it. After that it is used as needed by mixing the flavourings to it. I water it down to 40% before filtering it. The last one we did was double stilled, it's like rocket fuel, you don't need to drink it, just sniff it out of the bottle!
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Post by meandog on Oct 16, 2007 18:20:07 GMT 12
I just make up a very concentrated sugar and water mix with the turbo yeast, when it has worked out it the goes thru the still and filter it. After that it is used as needed by mixing the flavourings to it. I water it down to 40% before filtering it. I have read a book about distilling and a Swiss friend showed me how to do it and what to discard. We discard what is below 80ocC and what is about 91oC. I have also read that you can filter with coal what is after 91oC. Is it how you do it? I always discard the first 80-100 mls as they say it contains nasties that should not be consumed. But hey when I say discard, I keep it for cleaning purposes, it makes great stripper. LOL.
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Post by meandog on Oct 16, 2007 18:24:12 GMT 12
Filtering, I have one of those very expensive filters that I am not entirely happy with, the spirit has to pass thru a ceramic filter and then a carbon one and it takes so long, about 15hrs for 3 litres then it has to be topped up to put the other 2 1/2 litre thru. I think I was a bit hasty buying this filter.
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Post by ivyplus on Oct 16, 2007 18:29:26 GMT 12
I have read a book about distilling and a Swiss friend showed me how to do it and what to discard. We discard what is below 80ocC and what is about 91oC. I have also read that you can filter with coal what is after 91oC. Is it how you do it? I always discard the first 80-100 mls as they say it contains nasties that should not be consumed. But hey when I say discard, I keep it for cleaning purposes, it makes great stripper. LOL. I discarded about 1/3 which I guess was far too much. But I thought I want to be on the safer side. I made some hair tonic with some spirit. My daughter uses it and said it is good stuff. She usually buys chemicals and she was happy using my stuff (or she said she did! LOL)
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Post by ivyplus on Oct 16, 2007 18:30:59 GMT 12
Filtering, I have one of those very expensive filters that I am not entirely happy with, the spirit has to pass thru a ceramic filter and then a carbon one and it takes so long, about 15hrs for 3 litres then it has to be topped up to put the other 2 1/2 litre thru. I think I was a bit hasty buying this filter. Do you think it is important to also filter it? Does it change the taste as well?
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Post by meandog on Oct 16, 2007 18:53:58 GMT 12
Not sure about the taste but it is recommended by the experts. I have not tried drinking any unfiltered.
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Post by meandog on Nov 21, 2007 19:13:29 GMT 12
;D Hi Ivyplus, the wine I received from you folk last year, well it was labeled 2006, so I thought it would be to new so I have not touched it. Would it be aged enough now or should I leave it longer??? I think it was plum, from memory.
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