Hi from Hobart

Say Hi and introduce yourself

Hi from Hobart

Postby Old Hermit » Thu Aug 19, 2021 11:24 am

Hello everyone,

I live on an acreage on a hilltop half an hour from Hobart.
In the past couple of years I got back into brewing beer, after a break of about 20 years.
Things have certainly changed in that time, in regard to equipment and methods. I've given the bottles away, and now do pressure fermenting and kegging.
About a year ago, I started distilling with an air still. Used the recommended turbo stuff, and convinced myself that what I produced was OK.
Then I realised that it wasn't - and I started doing other washes. It was a pain with the 4l air still. Took forever to double distill, etc.
I then got a pure distilling reflux still, after I became convinced that it was superior to the T500.

Started doing whisky with essences, then commercial chips, and then cutting up an old port barrel and making my own.
I also make some gin, and am currently steeping botanicals in 30% spirit from the reflux, then putting it through the air still. I'm told that it tastes very good :-)

Future plans could be to get a pot still, and tri-clover connections so that I can swap the stills over easily on the digiboil.

I could tell you more, but then I'd have nothing to talk about on the forums :-)
Old Hermit
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2021 11:09 am
Location: Tasmania
equipment: Pure Distilling Spirit Maker
Air Still
35L Digiboil

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby The Stig » Thu Aug 19, 2021 11:37 am

Welcome aboard , sounds like your well on your way to greatness .
Enjoy the ride :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Last edited by The Stig on Fri Aug 20, 2021 6:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Stig
Site Nerd
 
Posts: 18192
Images: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:37 am
equipment: Only the Best will Do.
Mac4 SSG Bubbles of Joy

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby southern45 » Fri Aug 20, 2021 12:35 pm

Welcome! :handgestures-thumbupleft:

There's a handful of Tassie based members floating around here.
southern45
 
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2018 2:50 pm
Location: Tasmania
equipment: Four plate 5-Star copper bubbler

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby RuddyCrazy » Fri Aug 20, 2021 7:49 pm

southern45 wrote:Welcome! :handgestures-thumbupleft:

There's a handful of Tassie based members floating around here.


Wow are tassies that small they can all fit on one hand :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:
RuddyCrazy
Mentor
 
Posts: 2439
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:36 pm
Location: Not far from Kanmantoo SA
equipment: 4" copper bubbler with a setup for Neutral and a thumper for Whisky and my old 5 litre pot for doing maceration runs and MiniMe the baby pot still

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby The Stig » Fri Aug 20, 2021 9:44 pm

Not like us QLDers needing 2 hands :teasing-neener:
The Stig
Site Nerd
 
Posts: 18192
Images: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:37 am
equipment: Only the Best will Do.
Mac4 SSG Bubbles of Joy

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby Wellsy » Sat Aug 21, 2021 8:29 am

No I think it might be more that you Queenslanders just can’t see where you are aiming
Wellsy
 
Posts: 2198
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2020 7:48 am
Location: Victoria
equipment: FSD 4” Modular Pot Still plus 4 FSD Bubble plates on FSD 50 ltr Milk Can Boiler + 2 x 2400W FSD Element and Guard Kits

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby Old Hermit » Tue Aug 24, 2021 10:13 pm

Thanks for the welcome everyone.
Yeah, we have 2 hands. One for each head.

PeeGee - You've sent me a message, but I can't read it until I spam the forum with more posts :-)
Will try to do so in the next few days.
Old Hermit
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2021 11:09 am
Location: Tasmania
equipment: Pure Distilling Spirit Maker
Air Still
35L Digiboil

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby BigRig » Wed Aug 25, 2021 8:00 am

Hi hermit welcome to the forum.

Sorry i saw this post after your other post, i have responded to it also. :dance:
BigRig
 
Posts: 752
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2019 1:29 pm
Location: Brisbane, QLD
equipment: FSD 4" Mac SSG, 50L Milk Can, 2 x 2400w elements, 35L Digiboil Boiler, Airstill.

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby PeeGee » Sun Aug 29, 2021 5:01 pm

OK Old Hermit.

PM me when you are able. To your advantage etc etc.
PeeGee
PeeGee
 
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 2:52 pm
equipment: Air Still, 25Lite 2 inch Boka; 25Litre 2 inch Pot Still; 1 by 50 Litre 4 inch Boka; 100Litre 4 inch 4 plated still.

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby PeeGee » Tue Apr 05, 2022 8:21 am

Still Stilling Old Hermit?

Just touching base as the group still meets each month.
PeeGee
 
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 2:52 pm
equipment: Air Still, 25Lite 2 inch Boka; 25Litre 2 inch Pot Still; 1 by 50 Litre 4 inch Boka; 100Litre 4 inch 4 plated still.

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby tacman1970 » Mon May 23, 2022 4:04 pm

Welcome Old Hermit.

Good to see some Tassie members here, as I'm moving down at the end of this year!

:handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:
tacman1970
Site Donor
 
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:23 pm
Location: Southern Tassie, living the dream
equipment: modular 2" CCVM, on a 50l keg boiler
plus an airstill

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby Esi spirits » Tue May 31, 2022 6:47 pm

Another tassie just on board I also brought the pure distilling boiler reflux kit leave and forget caught my eye hoping to take some meat out and use it as a pot still sooner or later any1 else tried
Esi spirits
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun May 29, 2022 3:48 am
equipment: Don’t have 1 just looking into it

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby Bob9863 » Tue May 31, 2022 8:38 pm

G'day and welcome, once you start down the pot still road just be aware it gets addictive making your own spirits that start taking on your own flavour rather then just mixing factory flavours.
Neutral and essence can make some damn nice drink but the satisfaction of doing it all yourself is impossible to beat in my book.
I'm sure you can put your heads together and come up with something special.
Bob9863
 
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 9:35 pm
Location: Albury NSW
equipment: 118lt keg still with 50lt thumper, gin cadfy/mini thumper and shotgun condenser
5lt copper pot still

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby southern45 » Wed Jun 01, 2022 1:55 pm

Esi spirits wrote:Another tassie just on board I also brought the pure distilling boiler reflux kit leave and forget caught my eye hoping to take some meat out and use it as a pot still sooner or later any1 else tried


If it's the Pure Distilling reflux rig, then no it will likely not function very well as a pot by just removing the insides.

That rig will make a very acceptable neutral though (in my opinion at least) and is super easy to operate. Ditch all the plastic extras if you bought the bundle.
southern45
 
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2018 2:50 pm
Location: Tasmania
equipment: Four plate 5-Star copper bubbler

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby Bob9863 » Wed Jun 01, 2022 3:08 pm

There's no reflux kit on the market IMO that can be gutted to be anything other then the equivalent of an air still when it comes to being run as a pot still.
But it will give you an indication of what you might be able to produce which might make you bite the bullet and buy a proper pot still system.
I still don't like many of the pot still set ups being sold but if you wanted a basic pot still set up that will be familiar to use then I would recommend getting a 2" bubble plate sight glass and an Alcoengine pot still condenser.

I ran o e for a while and made some decent stuff off of it but I eventually got carried away and cobbled together a large but extremely good pot still.

I tried making neutral with a reflux for a while but it didn't suit me, I wasn't in it to make cheap alcohol, I wanted the fun and the challenge of crafting my own from scratch.
I even went so far as to malt and even peat smoke my own barley and malk my own corn, wheat and even rye.

Be warned if you go down the pot still rabbit hole it can suddenly become a very steep decent.
Bob9863
 
Posts: 106
Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 9:35 pm
Location: Albury NSW
equipment: 118lt keg still with 50lt thumper, gin cadfy/mini thumper and shotgun condenser
5lt copper pot still

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby rockymars » Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:26 pm

tacman1970 wrote:Good to see some Tassie members here, as I'm moving down at the end of this year!

:handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Hey tacman,

How are your plans for moving to Tassie coming along?

Cheers,
Rocky
rockymars
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2022 4:58 pm
Location: South of the Boags/Cascade Divide
equipment: Useless Vevor 20L pot still
2” tri clamp CM kit’s in the mail

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby rockymars » Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:29 pm

Esi spirits wrote:Another tassie just on board

Hey Esi Spirits,

You still kicking around? Whereabouts in Tassie?

Cheers
Rocky
rockymars
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2022 4:58 pm
Location: South of the Boags/Cascade Divide
equipment: Useless Vevor 20L pot still
2” tri clamp CM kit’s in the mail

Re: Hi from Hobart

Postby tacman1970 » Sat Sep 17, 2022 8:36 pm

rockymars wrote:
tacman1970 wrote:Good to see some Tassie members here, as I'm moving down at the end of this year!

:handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Hey tacman,

How are your plans for moving to Tassie coming along?

Cheers,
Rocky


Hi Rocky,
Plans are advanced now! Will be a Tassie resident in mid-Jan!!
Cheers, tacman
tacman1970
Site Donor
 
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:23 pm
Location: Southern Tassie, living the dream
equipment: modular 2" CCVM, on a 50l keg boiler
plus an airstill


Return to Welcome Centre



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests

x