pesjr
Tried running my first batch today,kept temp at 174 for over 2 hrs and got nothing,my copper tube was hot at bottom ,near the pot,but never got warm where it enters the cooling chamber, no moonshine???? any ideas where i went wrong
Moonshine
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replied to: pesjr
rustynail
Replied to: Tried running my first batch today,kept temp at 174 for over...
Alot of factors determine what temperature you need to run your still at to distill alcohol. Still design and thermometer placement are two of the most important factors. When i run my still with 4 gallons of mash i start getting distillate after about 30 mins. when i have 5-6 gallons of mash it takes about 45-60 mins. My heat is set to max until i start seeing liquid. my distill temps last night ran from 180 degrees to 205. I stopped distilling after 4 hours at 50 proof.
Ignore your temperature gauge and crank the heat up until your distill starts producing distilate. If the distilate is flowing too fast then back your heat off until your get a constant drip. Usually the slower you distill your mash the higher the alcohol will be.
Last night i was distilling 4 gallons of mash. the first 12 ounces came out in constant stream at about 135 proof. I backed the temp down until i got a drip and the strength went up to 158 proof.
From 4 gallons of mash made from 7 lbs sugar - and 2 lbs leftover ( tomatos, yogart, onions, beans, peas, and peppers ) i got the equivalent of about 5 liters of 40 proof. the first 3 liters have a very nice aroma even before aging. the remaining bottles will either be aged with fruit or oak or tossed in with the next batch i distill.
Ignore your temperature gauge and crank the heat up until your distill starts producing distilate. If the distilate is flowing too fast then back your heat off until your get a constant drip. Usually the slower you distill your mash the higher the alcohol will be.
Last night i was distilling 4 gallons of mash. the first 12 ounces came out in constant stream at about 135 proof. I backed the temp down until i got a drip and the strength went up to 158 proof.
From 4 gallons of mash made from 7 lbs sugar - and 2 lbs leftover ( tomatos, yogart, onions, beans, peas, and peppers ) i got the equivalent of about 5 liters of 40 proof. the first 3 liters have a very nice aroma even before aging. the remaining bottles will either be aged with fruit or oak or tossed in with the next batch i distill.