DIY Stills

Hey curious if any of you guys have plans for diy stills.

The kits seem awfully steep.

just Freeze distill your Apple Jack man

put it in a jug out your back door when the snow starts , when there is a good crust of ice over break the ice to make a hole and pour the concentrated alcohol out into your new jug.

http://www.distillingliquor.com/2015/02/13/how-to-make-applejack-freeze-distillation/

I've made plenty of apple jack. I'm getting curious to give distilling a turn. Just for poops and giggles.

Many years ago, after posting what you are looking for, I received a PM from one of our members. He was a retired ATF agent. I was informed that stills for danged near everything, are/were illegal. I promised to keep my big fat mouth shut.

That said, you can find a lot of information on equipment and recipies online. Don't forget to get your alcohol fuel license, and happy motoring.

Be extremely careful not to accidentally ingest any of that fuel, especially the heads and tails.

Dang, I sure miss the old days.

Now, with Covid, I need tons on hand sanitizer, and can't find it, or the main ingredient, isopropyl alcohol, that I need to make it. Ethyl alcohol would work, but, even though it is simple, enough to make.......but, well, our government knows best.

Aluminum turkey fryer pot and some copper line is all you need. Drill a hole through the lid just big enough to fit a compression fitting through. Tighten nut on bottom to snug up. Stainless steel washers help. Attach copper into compression fitting. Have copper coiled inside a trash can and epoxied through the bottom. Make sure to stir the water in the worm barrel while you are distilling. It will heat up if not circulated enough. Best to put a bunch of ice in the water. Seal the pot lid edges and any other places that the alcohol steam could leak out with a paste made of 50/50 flour and oatmeal. Add just enough water to make it workable. When it dries it dries hard.

From what I understand stills are legal as long as you don't put them together.

I'll make sure I'm real careful not to drink that fuel. I just want things to stay nice and sanitized.

Thank you

if the air temp is <40 is it really necessary to have a barrel of ice to get the cooling down ?
wouldn't just a coil of copper be enough

I haven't tried it , just thinking

also pressure cooker with the gauge removed and a copper fitting threaded in would be my first though to a pressure vessel that would seal up well.

I never got to distilling , home made wine was potent enough for me

I was thinking the same thing about the temp thing. He's located in GA. Up here in Wisconsin in the Spring it should be cool enough.

So if I buy a very large pot with lid and drill a hole for the coil and probably also drill a hole in the pot for some sort of thermometer I should be good?

160 is the temp I should shoot for?

Home distiller.org has about as much info on distillation as this site does on trapping. I heard some people use a senke half barrel

I live in the south. Even our winters are warm. In cold temps Im sure it would help but I would still keep some water handy just to be safe. The steam gets the copper so hot it will burn the mess out of your hand if you touch it.

Alcohol steams at 173. Keep it as low as possible to 173 but dont let it get to boiling.

What would be the best height for the thermometer, low mid or high?

In Missouri it's legal to make your own. You're allowed to make 100 gallons a year per legal adult in the household for your own consumption. It's when you go selling it that the sheriff gets involved.... Unless he's in your household lol. And if you carry it across state lines other people get involved

The old timers I was around never used them so I can’t say. If I were you I would probably put it up high just enough in the mash to get the temp but make sure to leave some space between the mash and the opening in the lid. The mash can expand with the heat so you want to avoid stopping up the opening and boom.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=homem...8D572F1&FORM=QBLH&sp=1&ghc=1

Good homemade hand sanitizer.

Don’t forget the coon bone.

Is there much difference in taste when using sugar rather than corn N barley?

They use cane sugar in my neighborhood. Corn is too expensive right now. $4.95 / bushel Harrisonburg,VA.

Tremendous difference. Straight sugar made tastes like battery acid all the way to the gut. It must be mixed to enjoy. Corn with sugar has a warm smooth taste.

I think the still is a neat idea but have you tried vodka.
just

I worked with a older man about 50 years ago that made shine. His brother and him ran a still when he was a young man, his father died when a piece of shale fell and crushed him in the coal mine where they worked. That's when they left the mine and went to moonshining. Mush told me you could make enough in a teapot on the stove every night to keep yourself supplied instead of using a still. They finally got caught and his older brother took the rap and went to prison for a couple of years, Mushy stayed home and took care of their mom.

Ive heard a rumor you can take a cheap used pressure cooker and pop out the relief valve and thread copper tubing into it. For about 5 bucks in a used pressure cooker pot and a couple more in copper ive heard you would have a little unit.

I guess if the Feds follow you home from buying your pressure cooker thinking maybe you are a Boston bomber, just tell them naw, I'm making shine!

They were looking, tryin to book him but my pappy kept on cookin'
Whshh, white lightning

what do you mean , people went mad this year buying pressure canners , and canning supplies

just buy a case of jars and lids to put your shine in and your just home preserving.

Knew a fellow who said he knew a fellow that said sugar was for selling, corn was for sipping. It's an old argument.

I've often wondered just how a straight corn malted sour mash done in the scotch style adapted to the south using hickory instead of peat then aged in a port wine made from muscadines or other southern grape barrel would turn out.

Its true. First time I tasted the difference it was unreal. Even 140 proof corn goes down like warm water. Sugar. Sucks.

Thanks guys on the feedback regarding corn v sugar.


Got any mash recipes?

Mighty, mighty pleasin', pappy's corn squeezin'
Ssh, white lightning