[BeverageCommander]

Just one pack of that- it works really well.
http://www.thegrape.net/browse.cfm/distillers-yeast-whiskey/4,12684.html

[BeverageCommander]

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?

[BeverageCommander]

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.

[BeverageCommander]

What yeast are you using?

[BeverageCommander]

Sounds Interesting- I think a 2 inch column would be a bit large for such a small boiler.

How would that condenser work?

[BeverageCommander]

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 jar

These guys have a pretty good tutorial on making cuts:http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/12206385-making-moonshine-the-dummies-guide

[BeverageCommander]

You can get flaked maize online from any homebrew shop- it is more expensive but you will extract the sugar from the corn..if you use cracked corn you will have to add sugar.

I do about 1:1

7 pounds cracked corn
5 gallon water
7-8 pounds sugar

[BeverageCommander]

How large of batches are you making at a time?

I use flaked maize from the homebrew shop but I know folks use this with good luck as well: http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-cracked-corn-50-lb?cm_vc=IOPDP1

Folks also use this: it has 4 ingredients (Rolled Corn, Oats, and Cane molasses.) (no pellets!!)
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-all-grain-feed-50-lb

[BeverageCommander]

The hearts will be somewhere in the middle- there should be a few jars– they will taste smoother and usually a bit sweeter than the heads and tails.
The first jars will be heads
middle jars will be hearts
the last jars will be tails
Let your taste buds decide-

How big is your still? 20 hours is a long time!! I usually run 10 gallons in about 8-10 hours depending on how fast I run.

I run my tails between 10-20% and save those and toss them into my still on the next run.

After 20 hours I would stop now as I would want to sleep!

[BeverageCommander]

I run my still to around 205– but I run my still until my tails are around 10% ABV or 20 proof.

Cuts take time to learn- the best way to do it is just to collect in small collection jars- label them 1-15 (or whatever the last number is) Taste each jar at the end of the run and take notes in a notebook.
You will be able to taste the heads– then the heads turn into the hearts– and then hearts turn into the tails.
On your next run you will have a better idea on what each part of the run tastes like- use small jars- take notes, put your finger under the output and taste it as you go.

[BeverageCommander]

I don’t really pay attention to temperature except for taking notes.
I just crank the heat until it starts producing and then dial it back until I have a 3-10 drips a second. I use the temperature to take notes but I don’t rely on it for production.
Always go by flow-

Smart move on turning it off when it started leaking!!!! never run a still that is leaking

[BeverageCommander]

How long were you running the still? Once you hit the tails the temp can jump- Where are you measuring your temperature?

[BeverageCommander]

I don’t do much with sugar but I know most folks that make sugar push the starting gravity. I pretty much only do single malts as that is what I prefer.
Maybe you would do a test?
a batch at 8% and a batch at 18% and see if you can notice a difference? I think that would be a cool experiment.

[BeverageCommander]

I personally don’t like Turbo- but I also have no need for it as I don’t push above 8%

[BeverageCommander]

I’ve found yeast starts to leave off flavors if I push above 8%. I like the flavor that comes though with 8. I’ve talked to a lot of craft distilleries over years and I have yet to find one that pushes over 9%

There is a good Interview with short mountain distillery- they discuss this:

“Short Mountain Distillery: We use a specific gravity hydrometer to calculate our potential abv. The initial density of the Short Mountain Shine mash is usually at 1.068 S.G. At this starting density our completed fermentation will have an abv content in the 9% range. Starting gravities in excess of 1.070 tend to have extended fermentation times and risk becoming stuck when using traditional yeast strains. You can use alternate yeast strains such as turbo yeast (which have an increased tolerance to alcohol) to bump your initial density, but these yeast strains generally produce a distillate you would rather put in your vehicle instead of your mouth.”

here is the article link: http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/14266277-secrets-of-moonshining-with-short-mountain-distillery

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