Distilling.. Legal...?

[Shine0n]

What was your OG?

What size ferment did you make?

 

[Shawn3997]

I saw some guy on the news recently get arrested for having a big copper still, but he also had a lot of drugs and guns and stolen stuff that they used for probable cause.

I still thought it was weird that they'd even put that in with the rest of the arrest stuff, like it was still prohibition days.

 

[bernardsmith]

While many states disagree the Feds still think prohibition works... After all, it worked like a charm from 1920 -1933, didn't it? Oh, right...

 

[Shine0n]

They are holding onto laws almost 100 years old because of the crap people threw into their likker that was killing people.
It's not the great depression, folks are more aware and take safety to a higher level.
A little research goes a long way!!!

Don't go to YouTube and think one of them idiots won't get you hurt, Homedistiller.org is the real deal, anything you would ever want to know is there and people that take pride in their craft just like the beer and wine and mead guys will help along the way as long as you do your part of reading and wanting to learn.

It's a shame it's still like this but it is what it is.

 

[CanadianJesus]

My OG is 1.090 and went up to 1.093 overnight either due to sugar from the grapes or the cane sugar fully dissolving. It is a 6.5 gallon batch in a bucket. I'm getting tired and not sure if I feel like checking gravity tonight.

 

[CanadianJesus]

I've done a lot of reading on the homedistiller.org forum and I've ran a still with my buddy before. My main question is if this is normal behaviour for EC-1118 yeast. Is it normal for it to take a few days to take off? My OG of this wine is lower than the OG of the mead I have used the same strain on before, so that shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Shine0n]

I guess it depends on the temp, I've had 1118 take a couple days to get going and then not look like it's doing much due to fermenting at lower temps.

I rarely use airlock unless in a carboy because buckets don't always seal properly.

Crack it open and listen to it, if it's sizzling, it's working.

Check the pH also, I like to keep it above 4.5 and below 5.5

If ph isn't an issue I'd raise the temp up to the 80's if possible, 1118 has a pretty wide range for temps and I for one like the warmer side of things for stillin.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Is there such a thing as legal distilling, and if not, why have a distilling page when forum rules say no talk of said activities...?

In most countries the answer is yes, as long as you play by a whole load of rules like Jack Daniels and Jim Beam do. In some countries the answer is still yes if you're just talking about homedistilling - but it's a question that's meaningless unless you specify what legal jurisdiction you are talking about.

You can't just assume that HBT is restricted to just one country...

If you're thinking of taking it more seriously, Ted Bruning's The Craft Distillers' Handbook ISBN 978-1903872376 may be useful, but since most of the issues with setting up a distillery are connected to the red tape, and it only concerns itself with what happens in the UK, you'll find a lot of it is only going to give you a rough idea of what you need to do things legally.

 

[seabrew8]

This is cool! I have my first sugar wash fermenting. Going to try to make a corn/pils mash when i get home.

homedistiller lots of good information, but simply the worst forum i ever seen for newbies. and i've used forums from weightlifting, nutrition, piano to name a few.

 

[seabrew8]

I've done a lot of reading on the homedistiller.org forum and I've ran a still with my buddy before. My main question is if this is normal behaviour for EC-1118 yeast. Is it normal for it to take a few days to take off? My OG of this wine is lower than the OG of the mead I have used the same strain on before, so that shouldn't be an issue.

No its not normal.

 

[Shine0n]

Some of them guys are full of themselves and bitch about anyone who asks a question but there are thousands more wiling to help.

I've helped many of people who simply ask, all I ever ask in return is to do some reading and research for a possible answer on your own. I don't bash anyone and I'll set the ones who do straight in a pm. Most the time it works but there are too many to waist my time trying to police the joint.

Have thick skin, pull up your big boy pants and play ball!

It can be a very rewarding hobby (so I'm tole)

 

[Randar]

This is cool! I have my first sugar wash fermenting. Going to try to make a corn/pils mash when i get home.

homedistiller lots of good information, but simply the worst forum i ever seen for newbies. and i've used forums from weightlifting, nutrition, piano to name a few.

The ratio of redneckerish BS and half-assery to valuable information is hard to get past. Sooooo much wasted time filtering through the junk. Reading books was a better resource for me. If you can do some basic math and wrap your head around the gas law and some valuable concepts from HS chemistry, you can have a good appreciation of where to go. And if you are coming from a homebrewing all-grain starting point, you're already light years ahead of 99% of participants on that forum.

 

[golfindia]

The ratio of redneckerish BS and half-assery to valuable information is hard to get past. Sooooo much wasted time filtering through the junk.

Yes. And a large portion of the stuff on homedistiller.org forum is plain nuts. Entertaining none the less, like reading police arrest reports.....

 

[seabrew8]

lol yeah lots of them are like thought/message police.

I seen many mention you have to read until your "eyes bleed" before asking questions lol nonsense

And there is a lot of junk on the site for sure.

 

[seabrew8]

The ratio of redneckerish BS and half-assery to valuable information is hard to get past. Sooooo much wasted time filtering through the junk. Reading books was a better resource for me. If you can do some basic math and wrap your head around the gas law and some valuable concepts from HS chemistry, you can have a good appreciation of where to go. And if you are coming from a homebrewing all-grain starting point, you're already light years ahead of 99% of participants on that forum.

So Radar do you make any corn whiskey?

I was going to follow th is recipe but use 6# of corn and 4# of pilsner instead of a 7:3 ratio. I have a sack of cracked corn but i haven't opened it yet so i'm not sure if i will run it though my mill but i believe most people do.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=17750

 

[Randar]

So Radar do you make any corn whiskey?

I was going to follow th is recipe but use 6# of corn and 4# of pilsner instead of a 7:3 ratio. I have a sack of cracked corn but i haven't opened it yet so i'm not sure if i will run it though my mill but i believe most people do.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=17750

I tend to prefer high rye bourbons and scotch... which I have heard, can also be made successfully.

 

[Shine0n]

You could also do cornmeal instead, I do a no cook method and not boil corn muck for 1.5 hours PITA

I usually get 1.065 1.070 on my AG mashes and ferment on the grain.

Honey Bear Bourbon is at the top of my list and is a fine bourbon indeed, it's in the tried and true section, I do love rum though but had to make my own due to people making it rocket science for some reason.

 

[CanadianJesus]

Ok, my grape mash has begun fermenting. I noticed that there was pressure in the airlock earlier today and even saw a bubble. Checked SG and it's at 1.092 right now. I gave it a stir for aeration, but didn't see much CO2 come out of suspension. Right now after about 8 hours, I see a bubble every half minute or so (I get buckets with good seals). It seems to be picking up speed. I think this will turn out alright.

Last night I placed an order for 9 packets of fresh yeast. 3 different strains that will serve different purposes. I'm going to stick with fruit brandies right now, but want to get into all grain mashes later in the year. Corn whisky and maybe even vodka (but I'll need a column still for that, pot still vodka tastes way too harsh for me). I really, really want to try making a vodka with oats some day. I'd love to see how that tastes because oats are probably my favourite grain taste wise. I've never seen an oat vodka in any liquor store either.

 

[Shine0n]

That's the best thing of doing your own, you can have it your way!

I've had some ag pot stilled vodka and it wasn't bad but I'm not a vodka fan per se'

I do love a good fruit brandy, the ones I've made were all fruit with no sugar as I feel I get a better flavor of the base fruit and yeast also plays a part.
If I do add sugar, it's never any more than .5 lb per gal. I also invert the sugar!

 

[clearwaterbrewer]

Yes. And a large portion of the stuff on homedistiller.org forum is plain nuts. Entertaining none the less, like reading police arrest reports.....

have you read this thread? LOL....


Seriously, though, on the subject of the original topic of "Distilling.. Legal...?":

As others have said, this forum is not just for the US, and the forum is not the police for any nation..

US rules are very clear and outlined at https://www.ttb.gov/spirits/faq.shtml

In the US we almost had it federally legal, as there was a paragraph at the end of the 'Craft beverage modernization act of 2015' bill that would have exempted home distillation from taxes 24 gal a year or something like that.. it also said 15.5gal boiler which is *convenient* for you guys, but that is not the real sticking point of the law, the tax exemption is... This exemption was dropped when the bill was renewed for 2017, sadly, and that entire 2017 bill was dropped and just a few provisions made it to the tax bill that passed at the end of 2017.. Every time you post on here, you should be thinking about sending your congressperson a letter too...

Also on the original subject, once a majority people on here understand what this forum is for and what it is not for, it would be nice to not have ever new person coming in beat ilegality like a dead horse in every 10th comment. I humbly suggest a sticky and enforcement by warnings and quick deletions of legality posts in 'non-legality' threads.

 

[Randar]

You could also do cornmeal instead, I do a no cook method and not boil corn muck for 1.5 hours PITA

I usually get 1.065 1.070 on my AG mashes and ferment on the grain.

Honey Bear Bourbon is at the top of my list and is a fine bourbon indeed, it's in the tried and true section, I do love rum though but had to make my own due to people making it rocket science for some reason.

Or you can do Breiss Flaked corn. Least mess of all, I have heard and no cereal mash needed as it's pre-gelatinized.

 

[Ryue]

Also on the original subject, once a majority people on here understand what this forum is for and what it is not for, it would be nice to not have ever new person coming in beat ilegality like a dead horse in every 10th comment. I humbly suggest a sticky and enforcement by warnings and quick deletions of legality posts in 'non-legality' threads.

Well whether or not you are in the US, this forum previously had a "no discussion of distilling" policy, so it's not that bizzar to wonder why the sudden change. And where else are you supposed to post a "legality" question about distilling other than on the distilling thread?

 

[seabrew8]

You could also do cornmeal instead, I do a no cook method and not boil corn muck for 1.5 hours PITA

I usually get 1.065 1.070 on my AG mashes and ferment on the grain.

Honey Bear Bourbon is at the top of my list and is a fine bourbon indeed, it's in the tried and true section, I do love rum though but had to make my own due to people making it rocket science for some reason.

I don't think cornmeal will work with my system it will fall through my false bottom. then again I don't have to boil it after the mash!

 

[CanadianJesus]

Well sorry for the thread derail. But my question was answered here and not yet in the winemaking thread. Well my fermentation has taken off like a rocket over the course of the day. I guess the yeast was a little old an not stored correctly, so there was a bit of a lag time until they reproduced enough for vigorous fermentation. CO2 is basically blowing straight through the airlock now. I'll check gravity in a few hours and maybe add a little more nutrients. I added less than suggested at the beginning and plan on adding the rest half way through.

 

[Shine0n]

Glad to hear the ferment took off, sometimes I've had a lag with ec1118.

It's all a mess with ag unless you have a thumper and then you could strip right on the grains.

If you dont have a thumper, you should do a few stripping runs then a spirit run.

Unless you have a flute, then just run on 2 plates with no reflux.

 

[seabrew8]

Well sorry for the thread derail. But my question was answered here and not yet in the winemaking thread. Well my fermentation has taken off like a rocket over the course of the day. I guess the yeast was a little old an not stored correctly, so there was a bit of a lag time until they reproduced enough for vigorous fermentation. CO2 is basically blowing straight through the airlock now. I'll check gravity in a few hours and maybe add a little more nutrients. I added less than suggested at the beginning and plan on adding the rest half way through.

I had a stuck fermentation with my first sugar wash, added a can of tomato paste and few tbsp;s of lemon juice and its ripping now.

I'm also using ec118.

 

[BayerischBier]

You could distill a mead. The good mead flavors are pretty volatile and don't like heat so I would think that distilling wouldn't be favorable. I think I'd be happy with the 19% and stick to that.

What about freezing it? Let's make an Eisbock Mead?

 

[Reckoning]

I've run a mead through a pot still and agree with the above comments that you lose most of the flavors typically associated with mead. If I were to do it again I might consider proofing the liquor down with undistilled mead instead of water to back sweeten it a little. Good honey is not cheap and making mead takes some time. To me it is easier and cheaper to make a rum or rye wash.

 

[travis123]

Is there such a thing as legal distilling, and if not, why have a distilling page when forum rules say no talk of said activities...?

For all your answers to your questions, please see...https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...um/index.php&usg=AOvVaw1KuaUF5U7spEYK2w-YvSeQ

Regards Travis

 

[seabrew8]

Start your research now

It takes dedication and devotion but it's definitely worth the investment of time to learn not to get hurt or hurt anyone else.

Homedistiller.org/forums Has by far the best wealth of knowledge of any other site. Anyone who may be interested in home distilling should do alot ALOT ALOT of reading before jumping in heels down.

I've had the pleasure of meeting some fine folks and tasting some of their spirits and will say that if you invest the time/research you can make a quality spirit unmatched by the big commercial boys.

how long would you age 500ml of 50% in about 14grams of medium american oak? Its only been a few days and the colour is brown. Its my first corn/malt/sugar recipe.

Done another small batch today 7lbs cracked corn and 5lbs of pilsner only got 1044 at 17 liters. Would you boil the corn or mash longer to improve? Being equal.