Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Yep, we've got kids who loooove their spaghetti bollognaise (us parents are siiiick of it) and the pasta sauce jars make excellent collection jars. Over the weeks/months/years I've collected heaps.

Dammit! I have been chucking them out for weeks. I do bolognese meals for work lunches.

Lesson learned...

EDIT: My partner does have some 500mL apothecary bottles, which typically hold mixtures with around 70-90% ABV. They will be a good start

Ask your friends to collect them for you and in no time you'll have heaps. Like Carol said, use beer stubbies while you build up your jar stocks. Good excuse to drink beer too.

I settled on beer bottles works for me :handgestures-thumbupleft:

The Gin Genie has arrived. It had an extended stay north of the border, but was eventually handed over this morning.

Good news, I won't need any copper. Andrew stuffed so many Chupa Chups in the still head that I couldn't fit any copper in! So many little surprises.

Andrew, thank you for your excellent and speedy service. Two thunk drumbs up! :handgestures-thumbupright: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

One question... the included 1/2-inch copper tube... is that for outbound liquids, off of the tap via the compression joiner?

Photos tomorrow, once I clamp keg to Boka. Then it is vinegar run, sacrificial run, and maybe some distilled water, before the main event.

One more question... Gin, can it be done (using botanicals) via this still, in it's current design? Copper out, stuffed calico bag in?

I haven't tried gin yet - it is on my list of things to do. Calico is often heavily starched and is quite a thick fabric so I am not sure how well it would work in the column. For my planned gin adventures I have looked around for finer weave light fabric ( eg muslin, organza, fine cotton) so that the botanicals are in the vapour stream but that the crushed bits stay put. I have bought some very fine nylon bags with a drawstring - like a largish tea bag - for a few dollars on fleabay (will test them in heat first ). You can also get DIY teabags at Daiso and online. I have not tried any of these yet - but I don't think calico would be ideal. This is based on sewing experience (lots) more than distilling experience ( not much!).

You can get tea infusser balls like this

100% stainless. They come in a range of sizes my advice get a big one. Not sure how much botanicals are needed for vapour infusion but i used about 1/2 sandwich bag to make 6l maccerated gin :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Carol wrote: have bought some very fine nylon bags with a drawstring - like a largish tea bag

I think they call then nutmilk bags? Soak some almonds, crush them up, then put all of it into one of these and squeeze! Only the liquid comes out, none of the pulp. That's a great idea. I have a couple of these and didn't even think of them.

Failing that, Bluc's tea balls! :laughing-rolling:

The calico bags, I get for free with my coffee beans (unroasted, green beans). But if they need extra work to use, then blah!

EDIT: From what I have read, it isn't a lot of botanicals that are needed. But I guess you adjust to suit your tastes...

Shano592 wrote:Andrew stuffed so many Chupa Chups in the still head that I couldn't fit any copper in! So many little surprises.

I would recommend removing the Chupa Chups :laughing-rolling:

Shano592 wrote:
Andrew, thank you for your excellent and speedy service.

You are more than welcome

Shano592 wrote:the included 1/2-inch copper tube... is that for outbound liquids, off of the tap via the compression joiner?

100% correct

Shano592 wrote:Gin, can it be done (using botanicals) via this still, in it's current design? Copper out, stuffed calico bag in?

Not the best way to go, you would be much better off getting the pot head and do it properly
.
Oh and what you do with Blucs balls is between you 2 guys (sorry Carol :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: )

Thanks Andrew
I am quite happy to leave Bluc's balls to the guys!

Sorry but my balls are not for male use :teasing-neener: :laughing-rolling:

Female interconnections only?

Pot head is being built, so I shall wait on that, and maybe do some "bathtub" batches in the meantime.

Shano592 wrote:Female interconnections only?.

2 of these : https://www.5stardistilling.com.au/prod ... ptor-12mm/
2 of these : https://www.5stardistilling.com.au/prod ... connector/
And your hose to and from the Boka

All sorted. I keep a bunch of those in the shed, albeit plastic at the moment... plus I have 16mm OD clear pipe, that attaches on snugly!

Tube is stuffed to the gills . 4x 125g copper, 8 stainless scrubbers.

Just need to go to Aldi later, and get loads of vinegar...

Right, I completed my first run today, on a raw sugar wash. I think the starting gravity was at the high end, and it wasn't particularly fast to ferment. Couldn't tell you what the fermented volume was, but it wasn't 20%. There wasn't enough gear in there for more than about 10%. Also, I used baker's yeast, so it was always going to be slow anyway.

So, I took 6x 400mL cuts. The first 3 came in around 95%, and each took close to an hour. Day off today, so I didn't want to rush it. Fourth cut was about 93%, then 5th and 6th were 86% and 74% respectively.

With the last cuts, the temps rose dramatically to around 93 degrees, so I found myself refluxing it quite a bit, in order to maximise what I could get. In the end, the final spot check was showing 30% ABV on the refractometer, so I called it at that point.

For a couple bucks of sugar, and a small investment in the Gin Genie, I'm really happy with the result. 2400mL, of 89.67% average ABV.

I have in mind to initially tub some gin. Should I cut then steep, or steep then cut?

Yeah I wouldn't drink all the stuff you collected.
That first jar will have heads and the last will more than likely have tails.
So your out 800mL from the get go.
Small cuts are advised no matter what still you run.
150-200mL is a good place to start.

Easiest thing to do would be dilute what you collected to 40%ABV with water and run it again.

Gin should only be made with the cleanest of hearts anyway.

I did take 150mL off for heads to start. That stuff is distinctly on the nose. The first 100ml beyond that was definitely more pleasant to smell.

I agree that I was into the tails by the time I finished.

Guide to cuts by kiwstilleri is a good read.
click me to read the guide

Thank you for that, it was a very interesting read, indeed.

I went in to the Reject Shop the other night. They have the 12-packs of the 350mL preserving jars, for $10. I bought 2 packs. :handgestures-thumbupleft: