moonshiners...i wanna learn

tytheguy111

Well-Known Member
They show just enough to make someone think they can do it. Just like that explosion the other night.
That was setup, but in real life is easily done. That's why I say be careful and probably shouldn't smoke and run a still.

People do not understand you are running a flammable liquid and vapor under pressure.

Oh and for the ones that don't know.

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i:aps,k:copper still


oh fuck i like that 10 gallon one




i have a guy that can make me one tho for close to the same price

when i moved i let him have my old still


if i can find a pic ill post it but i got it hand made by him and it lasted me a good 2 years which is good for copper outdoors


but im looking to upgrade to something bigger and maybe sell to high school kids and tourists to fund my grow op
 

anzohaze

Well-Known Member
Yea moonshiners is full of shit i no esp when 1 camera crew is with the police and the others are with the shiners. in the last episode where the still blew up the camers showed the leak but they didn't know it was leaking and it blew up..give me a break. I think its a funny show. Chico is wacked out lol
 

GrowerGoneWild

Well-Known Member
Make sure you rinse off the copper packing after each run, took me a few runs to realize it was contributing to off flavors. Its doing its job,GGW its set up for reflux in that pic, the worm is 1/2in about 8ft. When I'm doing a pot distill for whisky I have a tighter coiled (12ft) 3/8in worm
Yeah I wash mine in vinegar. And I let it ride in the dishwasher for awhile before I hang it out to dry. I bet citric is better.. Either that or get a new packing for every run.
 

wascaptain

Well-Known Member
here is mine, I named her shiny . she is stored in a mail storage box from the early 20's when prohibition was in effect. I now use a 15 gallon stainless steel keg for my boiler. the last pic is some shine in quarts, reefer, pain meds, and Viagra in the test tubes. .........i keep that box stored at the camp for hard times.
 

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Singlemalt

Well-Known Member
here is mine, I named her shiny . she is stored in a mail storage box from the early 20's when prohibition was in effect. I now use a 15 gallon stainless steel keg for my boiler. the last pic is some shine in quarts, reefer, pain meds, and Viagra in the test tubes. .........i keep that box stored at the camp for hard times.
Nice! And damn you I want a mailbox like that
 

Commander Strax

Well-Known Member

wascaptain

Well-Known Member
yo singlemalt, there's a story behind that mail box.....as a reservist, I would make week end drills, the box was just lying around and always in the way. we would move it from the drill hall to storage containers thru the years. I bet I moved that box at least 5 times myself. on my last week end drill before I retired, sure enough it had to be moved...another inspection. this time from supply to a conex box outside. I told the supply sergeant, I've been thinking about stealing this box for 17 years...he said, you know what, I am tired of it being in the way...get your truck!
 

tytheguy111

Well-Known Member
yo singlemalt, there's a story behind that mail box.....as a reservist, I would make week end drills, the box was just lying around and always in the way. we would move it from the drill hall to storage containers thru the years. I bet I moved that box at least 5 times myself. on my last week end drill before I retired, sure enough it had to be moved...another inspection. this time from supply to a conex box outside. I told the supply sergeant, I've been thinking about stealing this box for 17 years...he said, you know what, I am tired of it being in the way...get your truck!


Why the hell did they have it in the first place hahaha
 

Smidge34

Well-Known Member
There's a lot of good info in this thread. My simplified version that I've been using for 20 years:

I make my still from a pressure cooker, removing the pressure gauge and attaching a double male fitting in its place. Buy a small roll of copper tubing -- I think I used 3/8"? -- that is already coiled in its box. I think I bought like 10 ft. Anyway, I straightened out a few feet of the coil of copper tubing, bent that end 90 degrees and attached it to fitting I inserted in pressure cooker lid. I then insert the still coiled end into a 5 gallon bucket, straightening the last 6 or so inches and inserting it through a predrilled home in the bottom/side of the bucket, then silicone around hole/copper line to seal. I attach a water hose to a fitting I inserted in the side, at bottom of bucket, attached to my sink, and crack the valve a tad to super slowly fill the bucket. Another hose fitting at the top side is attached to another hose that runs to the sink or to the yard for overflow water. Basically the water cools the copper coil.

I heat the pressure cooker on my stove, a hot plate or a little more dangerous propane turkey fryer base outside.

My mash is similar to the first one in the thread. I put 5 pounds cracked corn, 5 pounds sugar and a pack of yeast in a 5 gallon bucket and fill with spring water. Place a grain sack or large cloth of some kind over bucket. I taste with my finger daily and when the sweet is gone and the alcohol is strong, you are ready to strain off your liquid (beer) and add to still.

I strain my shine through a coffee filter as it comes out and throw away the first cup or so. The proper flow rate is drip, drip, drip, run a second or three, drip, drip, drip, etc. when the shine no longer ignites I stop and run for a second time, what I've already distilled. I usually get 3+ quarts of strong double run, that gets cut to 90 proof with KY spring water.

You can freeze 2 liter bottles of water and insert them into prefilled with water bucket, between coils, in place of running water. You can also just keep bucket filled with ice.
 
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UncleBurnie

Active Member
I never understood the recipes that call for corn meal to be added with sugar and yeast. Yeast needs sugar and nutes. Corn meal is nothing more than startch. All grain (including corn) needs to be converted from startch to sugar before its used. Adding corn directly to the fermentation ain't doing squat. Any alcohol produced is solely the result of the extra sugar added.

And for small scale, you can't beat a water cooled reflux stil with a beer keg boiler.
 

tytheguy111

Well-Known Member
I never understood the recipes that call for corn meal to be added with sugar and yeast. Yeast needs sugar and nutes. Corn meal is nothing more than startch. All grain (including corn) needs to be converted from startch to sugar before its used. Adding corn directly to the fermentation ain't doing squat. Any alcohol produced is solely the result of the extra sugar added.

And for small scale, you can't beat a water cooled reflux stil with a beer keg boiler.



The corn meal gives it a flavor
 
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