new here, need to get some equip.
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Hey folks. Well, I am new here, but not new to “brewing”…I’ve brewed beer for years, and then got into making Hard Ciders, and eventually “mead” (honey wine). I love brewing. Just thought I’d try my hand at “shine”. I don’t have a still yet, but have the other equipment to do a mash, fermentation, etc.
I guess my first questions are..I’d like to get a 5 gallon still, looking for something that won’t break the bank, but will have everything, with good instructions on how to set it up and use it. I am a “tools” type of brewer, meaning I like to be able to read thermometers and such so I know exactly what is happening at all times.
Anyway, I hope to learn much here. I dont want to make a TON of shine, just enough to make a gallon or two every now and then, whenver the mood so hits me.
Thanks much for any advice, and hope to talk more soon…. 🙂
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What is your budget? That will determine quite a bit. You also have to decide if you wan to go stainless steel or copper? If you are on a budget the clawhammer 5 gallon copper still is a good choice. I personally have been using the 10 gallon clawhammer still for 4 years.
Give us your budget and we can help you make a good decision. ALso, what kind of final product are you going to make -
Jimmy what do you use on your 10 gal as far as heating? I have a 10 gal and have for about a year just haven’t really had time or talked to the right ppl to see what I really need, and I don’t get on here much lol
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I use a 1500 watt electric hot plate made by BroilKing. It takes some time to heat up- but I don’t like to use propane.
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Would anyone here using a still like mine wanna add me on FB and let me pick your brain? I just ordered my hot plate and fermenter today… Trying to get this thing up and going
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What type of still are you using?
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Clawhammer supply 10gal
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I have clawhammer 10 gallon. I don’t use facebok though. Feel free to ask questions here and I’ll respond.
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All I have is a iPhone and this site is unfriendly on mobile lol
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I’m 100% new at this but I don’t wanna ask anyone for their rescpie but I get 10 gal of mash made up let it ferment then get it to 140 deg and keep it there?
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I’m wanting to make a easy of run as possible but make good stuff lol
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Start simple:
do a sugar and water mash:Ingredients
18 Pounds Sugar
2 Pound Of Raisins
11 Gallons Water
2 Packets Wine Yeastonce it is done fermenting run it in the still- leave behind the yeast and raisins.
Crank the heat on the still
once the still reaches 130 apply the flour paste to seal the still
once the still reaches 150 turn on the water to the condenser
continue to crank the heat unti it starts producing
once it starts producing dial the heat back until you have 5-8 drips a second- I like to see the individual dripssugar shine is the not the best—but it is the best to learn on
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How do I tell when it’s done fermenting?
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And what’s drinkable and how much total alcohol will be produced… Drinkable and not drinkable
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Can I half everything and just make 5 gal? I only have a 7.9 gallon jug to ferment with
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Exactly. Cut everything in half for 5 gallons.
That 7.9 gallon jug will work great.
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Thanks you all, I kinda thread jacked but it’s all helpful to noobs lol but what kind of still do you use Jimmy?
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I have an 10 gallon clawhammer copper still and an 8 gallon stainless steel still with a copper column and condenser.
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Sorry if it’s not the thing to be asking here, but do you have any social network site or something to chat easier then here if you wouldn’t mind me picking your Brian when I need to lol
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I don’t use the social media- I’m old school I guess.
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Would active dry yeast from Walmart be the same as the wine yeast?
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active dry yeast from Walmart would most likely be a bread yeast (which I use for my rums and corn mash lately)
You can get wine yeast at any homebrew shop or on amazon. -
Well… I was gonna try and get a mash together today…
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use the bread yeast.. it will do the job with great results.
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I found a place that carried the wine yeast, I just showed up to early, I got 2 of each of what I found they had
Montrachet. Premier Cuvée, Cote des Blancs all red star and they say active dry wine yeast and then I got 2 Lalvin K1-V1116 that just says wine yeast don’t say anything about active -
Hey jimmy I made up that mash last Sunday and after a day it was raising my water lock and then for a few days bubbled but yesterday was the last day, and it has now pulled my airlock down and is not doing anything. I used the lalvin yeast
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Sounds like it is pretty much done fermenting. I would let it sit another day or two and then take a hydrometer reading to see where the mash is at.
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I have a proof and tralles hydrometer. Will that one work?
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not for the mash– you need a brewing hydromter– a few bucks on amazon or the local homebrew shop
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Ok I will get one, that’s where I got this one and they said they had wine and beer and then the one I got for the higher proof, and my mash is not bubbling anymore, it didn’t much anyway but I don’t like my air lock it’s hard to tell but is it ok to let my mash set for a few days after until I get the chance to make my run? I work a ton of hrs and won’t have a chance to run it until possibly Wednesday
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It is good to sit for a while. I usually let mine sit 2-3 weeks—same reason as you. It also allows the yeast to settle to the bottom which makes a clear end product.
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Sweet, now is testing this mash a absolute have to? All my local stores are shut down and I would like to try this first run today. Is there a way that I can somewhat test the shine once it produces? Like how much do I throw away and what’s drinkable and what not?
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This is what I normally follow:
1 gallon batch – discard the first 2/3 of a shot glass
5 gallon batch – discard the first 1/3 of a pint jar
10 gallon batch -discard the first 3/4 of a pint jarThese guys have a pretty good tutorial on making cuts:http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/12206385-making-moonshine-the-dummies-guide
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Thanks, I messed up my last mash and I may have messed this one up, I couldn’t get this side to load so I went of Clawhammers sugar shine
5.5 gal water @ 70deg
With 1 lb of raisins and 8 lb of sugar
2 packs of wine yeast
Here is where I think I messed up
It just says to rehydrate the yeast and read the back of that package so I did and I added the yeast to the amount of water it said and put it in between the temp it said 104-109 and let it set for 10 min no sugar or anything then I stired it up good and put it in my mash.
Should have I activated it separately with sugar and let it rise?
I took a reading before I added the yeast and it was at 15 balling -
Should I take 2 more packets of yeast and put them in a glass with sugar and Luke warm water? And add that to my mix?
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I would not sweat it- you don’t need to re-hydrate the yeast.
It will be fine.
Just let yeast do what they do- it will start bubbling in less than 24 hours
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Ok my last brew turned out to be junk but I have better info this time with the reading before and will get one after, I ran it and got boring until 215 deg and got a qt and wouldn’t even catch fire.
What temps should I be looking at once I go to run it? And when I do was that 5-7 drops a second like just before a stream or 5-7 drops a min -
My father in law said that I may have killed the yeast at 107 deg
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And I still don’t have any movement in my airlock after 30 hrs
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What temperature did you pitch the yeast?
I don’t add my yeast above 70
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The package said mix in a cup between 104 and 109 and I put it in a cup for 15 min that stayed 107 for the 15 min then I put it in the mix (that was 70 deg) and put the air lock on it, I took the lid off it earlier and seen some bubbles setting at the top, not many but some, but still no activity in my air lock
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What kind of yeast were you using? I’m assuming bread yeast? I just sprinkle my bread yeast directly on the mash around 70.
If you don’t see any activity just sprinkle some more on- no harm
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I put red start wine yeast in the red packet. Also I’m using tap water. Should I have bioled it and let it cool over night and used that?
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No need to get that complicated- tap water is fine as long as the container you are using has been sterilized.
Some wine yeast likes to be hydrated in warm tap water- I tend to be lazy and sprinkle it over my mash in the 70’s. If you don’t see any activity within 48 hours I’d re-pitch some new yeast.
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10-4 and I washed it out real good with Ajax dishwashing liquid… That fine?
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Ajax will work… but can leave behind reside
I recommend picking up some brewing cleaner and sanitizer.
I recommend PBW as a cleaner
and StarSan as a sanitizerAny homebrew shop or amazon will have these.
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Ok thanks I’ll check my local store later then week when I run into town.
If this mash don’t work I’m going to give up on the sugar shine…
But about what will I expect as far as temps to start producing and about what temp to hold it at. And you said 5-7 drops a second like just before a stream? -
Just crank the heat- don’t go by temperature.
Always go by flow-crank the heat until it starts producing- then dial back the heat until you have less than a stream.
Don’t go by temp- go by flow.
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So I want it to drip just before a stream? And on a test run well the run that was junk that I did when I kept it there it was real inconsistent and you could hear it purging
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So I want it to drip just before a stream?
yup- that is how I run mine.
And on a test run well the run that was junk that I did when I kept it there it was real inconsistent and you could hear it purging
What are you using to heat it?
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Hot plate 1500 watt from Walmart
And on my yeast I only had lalvin 116 and I put sugar and 70s deg water and been about 20 min and only raised about 3/4″ in a typical drinking glass
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The hot plates tend to cycle a bit– just try and find the sweet spot…. you will have some cycling though.
And on my yeast I only had lalvin 116 and I put sugar and 70s deg water and been about 20 min and only raised about 3/4″ in a typical drinking glass
Sounds good- I’d just toss it in.
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I had trouble with my hot plate so I think I’m going to step up to the propane burner on the next run lol
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Propane is harder to regulate in my opinion- unless you are running a pretty large still.
Electric elements with a control panel are the best way to heat smaller stills– no cycling.
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Ok I’m gonna try and fix my hot plate but once again the mash is not having any movement in the air lock…
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Do you have a brewing hydrometer?
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Yes, the one for beer and wine?
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Took a reading and got 17 on the balling with bubbles spun it a few time bobbed it a little spun it again and it said 16 before I put the yeast in it the other day it said 15
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It should read like 1.010 or something like that.
check this out and report back.
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The starting the other day was 1.060 and now it’s 1.062…..
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That is strange.
Did you add more yeast? What temperature is the fermenter at currently?
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Yea yesterday I took 2 cups put some sugar and water at 75 deg and let it set for 20 min or so a rise about 1 in then added both cups to the mix, and it sets in the corner of the kitchen with no sunlight at 70 deg so it could be plus or minus a couple
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Let it sit for a few days and take another reading.
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I let it set another day and still wasn’t doing anything, so I got some frenchmans or what ever bread yeast activated it and put it in (2 packs worth) and was getting some movement the next day, well that lasted 2 days and went to nothing so I gave it a little shake and it started back bubbling.
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I’m glad it is finally going! Let it for for a week or so and then take another gravity reading.
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If it stops activity in the air lock just giving it a shake to get it going common?
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I don’t shake – just because it is not bubbling does not mean it is doing its job. Just let it sit for a week or so and you should be good to go. The yeast will do its thing
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I took another reading 2 days ago and it said its now at 1.037. At what number should I run it?
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I always ferment 1.010 or below.
Let it keep going and take another reading in a few days.
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I just checked it before I read this but I’m down to 1.029
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There is a little pressure on the air lock but no bubbles but when I took the lid off I could still hear the bubbling inside if I listen closely
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That is fine– just let it do its thing! Leave it be for another week and then take a reading.
It sounds like it is working slowly but surely.
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I checked it yesterday and finally got down to 1.010 and I plan to run it tm. Should I boil a gallon of white vinegar to clean it out and if so do I need to rinse it out with water or the water with the sanitizer before I run it, so it don’t taste like vinigar.
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Still haven’t ran it had some things come up and wasn’t able to get a early start
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If you have PBW – use the PWB to clean the still. Vinegar works well but you do have to rinse it pretty well after you run it though. I use PWB 90% of the time as I find it easier.
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Idk what pbw is but I use one step or something, but I made a run and for the first one I think it was a success. I got a total of 6qt after I threw my first 200 ml away (150 ml is 1/3 pint) and I got 120,110,90,70,50 and it was late so I haven’t checked my 6th one, I took the first 3 and added them with a little left of the 90 and ended up with 110 and added a resipe a buddy of mine gave me to make it into Apple pie since sugar shine don’t taste very good and it’s not bad a little stout. But with a Calc I found on the web it says adding 1 cup of water to 2 1/2 cups of 110 shine would put you at 78 proof
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Sounds like it was a success! It will only get better from here!
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I’m going to start going 2lbs of sugar to 1 gallon of water and gonna get a juicer and put apples in the mash and then squeeze the juice and alcohol out of them.
I have a really good quick way to make apple pie, his next time I’m going to make a apple pie with a hint of Carmel
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