Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Finally got around to deciding on and buying a still from FSD. A big thank-you to Andrew :handgestures-thumbupleft: for all his help and assistance, looking forward to doing my first sacrificial run but I am only just loading up the fermenters today (or maybe tomorrow now). I had the unit outside to check all the plumbing and the elements (I need to reseal some of the plumbing fittings) but otherwise all went well so thought I'd take a quick snap and show her off a bit and so here it is.



I am sure I will be on here with a lot of questions as the months roll by. I would not have gotten even this far without this forum so thanks to all.

Congrats mate, you will never look back.

I am sure you will have a few OMG what have I done moment but nothing is irrefixable

Enjoy the journey, give yourself half a dozen runs to feel comfortable but you will definitely get there.

Looking good :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Nice. Good bit of kit you got there.

And so very shiny! :happy-partydance:
Good stuff!

Thanks all.
Just pitched the yeast for my sacrificial wash, now the hard part, keeping in it from going too much higher than 30. Even for Qld this is crazy weather.
Yes it is shiny - love it!! :music-deathmetal:

Very nice :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Very nice, congrats. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Looks great! Many happy years ahead for you :-D :-D

tacman1970 wrote:Looks great! Many happy years ahead for you :-D :-D

and some hard days at work when ya get a little excited after trying a batch :)) :))

Yes I am really looking forward to my first drinkable batch and many more after that.

pistolknight79 wrote:

tacman1970 wrote:Looks great! Many happy years ahead for you :-D :-D

and some hard days at work when ya get a little excited after trying a batch :)) :))

Work??? :whistle:

Just got my first TPW fermenting away. Already made the rookie mistake of forgetting to take an OG reading (not that it really matters for a sacrificial run) which is made worse because I used to brew beer and should have known better, but that was a good 13 - 14 years ago before moving to QLD.
Anyway what is the preferred method of taking gravity readings toward the end of the ferment, Open the lid and just chuck the hydrometer in the wash, pull out the airlock and crack the tap and take a sample or use a thief (of some description) through the bung hole for the aquarium heater? All three of those methods use to concern me when doing beer for risk of infection. I see you can buy a little float-able Bluetooth pill that just lets you know gravity and temp in real time via mobile phone app - could be promising and only $50 - any thoughts.

Please don’t expect much from a TPW over 4 plates .
You’ll end up with tomato tasting whiskey :laughing-rolling: not pleasant

NFI wrote:Yes I am really looking forward to my first drinkable batch and many more after that.

pistolknight79 wrote:

tacman1970 wrote:Looks great! Many happy years ahead for you :-D :-D

and some hard days at work when ya get a little excited after trying a batch :)) :))

Work??? :whistle:

Just got my first TPW fermenting away. Already made the rookie mistake of forgetting to take an OG reading (not that it really matters for a sacrificial run) which is made worse because I used to brew beer and should have known better, but that was a good 13 - 14 years ago before moving to QLD.
Anyway what is the preferred method of taking gravity readings toward the end of the ferment, Open the lid and just chuck the hydrometer in the wash, pull out the airlock and crack the tap and take a sample or use a thief (of some description) through the bung hole for the aquarium heater? All three of those methods use to concern me when doing beer for risk of infection. I see you can buy a little float-able Bluetooth pill that just lets you know gravity and temp in real time via mobile phone app - could be promising and only $50 - any thoughts.

When the air lock has stopped bubbling for a couple days i open the lid and take a sample with a teaspoon, if there is no sweetness i run it.

If there is still sweetness i put lid back on and let it go for longer.

I follow tried and true recipes and dont deviate so i never take any readings whatsoever.

Double dipping with the teaspoon is ok too :music-deathmetal: :laughing-rolling:

Thanks BigRig, I sterilized my hydrometer and holding the very tip of it lowered it into the wash. At no time did it seem like it was willing to float (not even a little) so I did not let go for fear of it ending up at the bottom - I'll get there eventually. I will give the taste test ago but it has only been bubbling for 5 days but has slowed right down(never when I am around), reading other posts everyone says but what are the readings so I thought I should try - was planning to let it settle another week anyway.

The Stig wrote:Please don’t expect much from a TPW over 4 plates .
You’ll end up with tomato tasting whiskey :laughing-rolling: not pleasant

Hi Stig, I have only brewed this up to do a sacrificial cleaning run but are you telling me that TPW is no good on a 4 plate bubbler or that it really needs a packed section to clean it up. Only learning, what would you recommend on just 4 plates as a starter (I am more a whiskey person than rum but I intend to try it all) but no tomato flavored whiskey dose not sound too good.

NFI wrote:Thanks BigRig, I sterilized my hydrometer and holding the very tip of it lowered it into the wash. At no time did it seem like it was willing to float (not even a little) so I did not let go for fear of it ending up at the bottom - I'll get there eventually. I will give the taste test ago but it has only been bubbling for 5 days but has slowed right down(never when I am around), reading other posts everyone says but what are the readings so I thought I should try - was planning to let it settle another week anyway.

The Stig wrote:Please don’t expect much from a TPW over 4 plates .
You’ll end up with tomato tasting whiskey :laughing-rolling: not pleasant

Hi Stig, I have only brewed this up to do a sacrificial cleaning run but are you telling me that TPW is no good on a 4 plate bubbler or that it really needs a packed section to clean it up. Only learning, what would you recommend on just 4 plates as a starter (I am more a whiskey person than rum but I intend to try it all) but no tomato flavored whiskey dose not sound too good.

When the wash is done the hydrometer will sit very low, a lot lower than any of your beers will but it wont sink. Chuck it in and see what its at. It should go below 1.000.

The tpw through a bubbler will have a slight sweetness to it, especially if you compare to some of the grain / weetbix washes but it aint that bad. (Try a kale wash through a pot still or any turdbo wash) :puke-huge:.

I probably wouldnt spruik it as being vodka (even vodka has a taste to it), I use it for gin and my w@nker brother in law loves it and cannot taste any tomato. He thinks i am pulling his leg when i tell him it has tomato paste in it. Also use it for limoncello and nonno and his compares go silly for it.

I managed to take a reading today and it was 0.880, it taste very alcoholic and I could not taste any sweetness so I think I'm right to go. Even though this is just for a cleaning run, am I still better off raking it off into another fermenter and allowing it to settle for a day or two before putting it through the still. I am still trying to clean up the shed to make room for the still so time is on my side.

You are about a week behind me, so no expert, I did my sacrificial run Sunday week ago with TPW.
I ran mine before it had cleared completely and i had a bit of burning at the bottom of the boiler so i think wait longer.

Royalwulf wrote:You are about a week behind me, so no expert, I did my sacrificial run Sunday week ago with TPW.
I ran mine before it had cleared completely and i had a bit of burning at the bottom of the boiler so i think wait longer.

:handgestures-thumbupleft: