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I'd be interested, I just moved to North Bend

Go to https://homedistiller.org/forum/index.php and go to New distiller reading lounge. Distilling has a much steeper learning curve than brewing, read read, read read......

Here's what I'd do to make good cuts, but it's just what -I- would do in YOUR case with such teeny tiny amounts of a pretty low proof in not many jars. You tried, and that's great. But you'll be disappointed in it. That's a really small amount at a low proof., it'll be tough to make anything...

Your first brandy! Post up some tasting notes when you try it! Be sure to make your cuts with your senses, not by a meter. Numbers are good to have, but don't make cuts by them.

:mug:

Was it plastic? I hope that all of your 300ml samples are in separate jars for making cuts! If not, I would just combine it all with the tails included and call it a strip to be re-run again.

Turbo is probably just DADY or champagne yeast with nutes that CAN get to a high abv. The problem is that, like any yeast, at high abv it's still stressed and puts out bad flavors and smells. And most people specifically use it in high gravity worts to get a high abv. It might be OK in a 1.065...

It'll work as is with the screw on. I'm not sure about converting to triclamps, but do it if you can. A better idea: convert your old distilling keg to electric! A keg is one of the best boilers for hobbyists. Put a triclamp fitting near the bottom for the element and you're set.

Bad yeast, stressed yeast, wrong yeast, bad ferments, bad ferment temps... What good could possibly come from any of that? I treat mashes the same as brewing for beer. I use enough, of the correct type yeast, in a nutritionally sufficient wort, and at the correct temperature. If you don't...

First off, throw the turbo yeast in the garbage where it belongs. High abv ferments like that taste terrible, just like in beer. Trash in, trash out. Use beer, wine, champagne, or even bread yeast(makes great rum and bourbon, really!). Keep your ferments to 10% or less. Just like beer. Yeast...

That still is no better than the ones with the shell type condensers. It's an old design that also doesn't work very well. The cooling water runs through sections making an X through the top of the column. It'll cause a little reflux, but not enough for 95%! Go with a real dephlegmator, they're...

The shell type condensers that don't really work have the condenser section on the outside of the column pipe, the flow of vapors will pretty much blow through without being cooled enough to condense and drop back down. They're just not effective, and I can't ever recommend spending money on...

No. That shell style of reflux condenser doesn't work. It's a gimmick. You need a real shotgun style deflag to get enough reflux. I would buy the potstill set from them, and then down the road buy a reflux column from somewhere else that'll work properly the first time. One like this, but I...

Yeah, in your case with what you're looking for the 8 is better. Look for one like this, it's KISS: https://moonshinedistiller.com/distillation-equipment/8-gallon-stainless-steel-still-pot-still-2/ A basic potstill. It should do fine for almost anything except super high neutral abv booze. It...

@specialkayme Clawhammer seems....no, IS expensive. I'd take a look on Aliexpress or Ebay first. A potstill doesn't need a thermometer to run, that looks to have 3? Or you can build one for even less $, it's pretty dang easy. I taught myself how to solder when I made my first column. The milk...

You aren't. I would save my money and buy a real still. It's a lot of money for only a teeny tiny amount of keepable booze. That $170 could get a lot of nice parts to build a nicer still. If I absolutely HAD to to use one of those for some crazy reason, I would do strips until I had enough...

I would use the 05 everyday over 1118 for grains. 1118 is best used with fruits since it's so neutral. Be sure to do a proper cleaning run or 2 before making something you intend to drink. Do 1/2 water and vinegar first, then all water or junk alcohol to throw away. It'll run different with...

You're probably right about Turbo being regular DADY yeast with nutes. It's the use of Turbo and and too high OG that causes most of the problems. Honestly, if you are doing and AG mash, or fruits you probably don't need any nutes if you keep the OG at a reasonable level. 14.5% is pushing into...

Yeah, if you're going electric and don't want to weld then absolutely get the milk can! It already has the fittings. Good luck!

Also a one-and-done distillation isn't done very often. Almost everyone(except maybe giant commercial distilleries, but we're talking small hobby level) does fast strips and then a slow spirit run. It helps to separate the cuts better, increases the output abv and volume, and most prefer the...