Another great video, you guys produce some of the best educational videos I have ever seen and have helped many of us! I would love to see you guys offer a hands on class like a several day course...and I'm sure there would be many that would pay to attend it! But thanks for these GREAT videos.
Couple of things you said broke me up. the parrot equals cool points with my friends hah ha. My old Hungarian neighbour ( I live in Canada ) told me of the way he would distill on the farm by placing a bowl on a three legged stool inside a pot and inverting the lid to collect the sprit. That was the way I made my first. That was 54 years ago when I was 17.
George, I always look forward to your videos, but it seems like we keep covering the same topics that you have previously covered in great detail. Looking forward to some of the more advanced topics that you alluded to in your video.
I have watched about every video and bought everything i think i could need. i have not even put the still iI bought together yet. I bought a 18.6 gallon pot still and think it will work great for me. I like a 70 proof to 80 proof tops. then I watched your apple pie moonshine recipe and thought I would like some 160 proof so I could add more of the flavoring. So my question is would you go with just a reflux still for that 160 proof or just go to about a 4 teir bubble plate system to be sure to reach that number constantly? Thanks for your time and I love your channel.
Great educational Vlog, Have to agree with everything you've said, particularly around using copper in a still. I've been advised it causes a catalyst with the ethanol but have found no evidence. I think it's important to separate fact and tradition.
Best educational , honest videos ever . George I like the way you explain with patience . I hate new luke and sound . Background Blue noise killing me .
George I’m thinking about getting a 8 gallon still with a three inch column. Almost bought it until I saw this. It looks like you think the three inch column will require extra heat.
I wanted advice: I read in the forums about the diameter of the column and it seems that everyone has his opinion, but in your experience what diameter to prefer between 2 inches and 3 inches for a boiler of 25 liters? I built a 3-inch that I use both as "reflux" and as "pot still" and I was wondering if it is worth making a 2-inch change since it seems the most used. Would I have any benefit?
A 2 inch column is standard mostly because it is less expensive. The 3 inch column offers twice the surface area inside (3.14 X the radius squared) so the 2 inch column has 03.14 inches and the 3 inch has 7.06 inches of circumference. That is twice the amount of a 2 inch which really relates to time for a run. You can run a 3 inch column about twice as fast as a 2 inch column. George
Any chance you could do a video on the Alembic version of the turbo still George ? keen to know what the quality of product coming out is ,how good they are .
I just got a Stainless Steel 13 gallon 3" with 5500 electrical unit, what is this bit about cleaning before first use? Is it just running a batch of say old wine thru it to break it in? (I have 26 cases of sour wine - it one of the reasons I bought the still?) Will that work?
Nathan, I went to a metal warehouse here in Texas and a 4X8 sheet of copper (fairly thick) was going for around $300. I started looking real hard and found that the best suppliers were roofing and gutter companies and kitchen refurbishing outfits. Appears that some people like copper counter tops or back splashes and there is a market for copper roofs and gutters. Anyone else have any ideas? George
Good afternoon George. In your intro you mentioned you were going to discuss some of the differences between the 2 inch column and the 3 inch. I may have missed it but is it just a production related thing? Less time to extract the goodies?
You are right. I did overlook that. I was going to go into detail about how sizing up one inch doubles the size of the area vapor can flow in but forgot to do so. It is all about time and has nothing to do with quality. George
Hey George. Will a thumper added to a pot give you the same net result of a reflux column? They’re both effectively “re-distilling” the product, no? Thanks for all of the information you provide, it’s invaluable!
No, the thumper does not re-distill like a reflux which happens multiple times during its cycle. The reflux strips all flavor whereas a thumper does not.
Not really. There is no difference in quality. The only difference is time. A three inch column can pass more vapor quicker than a two inch. I would stick with the two inch if that is what you have. It will add a couple of hours to your run but that's nothing compared to the time you've invested in the hobby already. George
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing with the setup my buddy has it takes 8-10 hrs to complete a run. Its one of the cheap China made 5 gal stills with like 1/4 copper worm. How fast would this 8 gallon with 3 inch be compared. I just think 8-10 hrs for a half gallon is kinda crazy
@@gulfcoasthunter1022 Well, in a small 5gal still you probably put in 4 gallons so if go from the copper tube to a 3 inch column you could cut more that 2/3 off the time it takes to run
Hey George can I use less sugar than what is recommended on a pack of Turbo yeast? Say if it calls for 14 lb and I want to use just 10 to lower my ABV a little bit. It's just a cleaning run on a new still.
On a new still I run vinegar through it then I buy a gallon of cheap wine and add some of my old feints on previous runs for cleaning. Why waste a good wash on a cleaning run ?
A parrot is an added piece of equipment that is not required. It allows one to instantaneously read teh proof of the spirit while it is running. Some use it as a gauge for making cuts. The other option is to make your collection then pour that into a test jar and check with a proof hydrometer. George
Hey George I've got a question and I'm not sure who to ask and i thought maybe you would know.I've been reading allot on distilling laws in Missouri.I live in Missouri.one thing says it's legal up to 200 gallons while the next sentence says it's illegal .or it's legal to own a still. Now i don't want to do anything illegal.so what do you suggest.or do you know any more than what I've read because law to me is confusing.
The laws are very strict and state law is another story. Distilling spirits is illegal (period) unless you have a license. This is a federal law. States often look the other way and even in some instances will allow it in small amounts like the federal govt does with beer and wine. That;s where the 200 gallons per adult per year in the household. This is a Jimmy Cater administration move when the federal govt changed the federal law to allow 200 gallons a year per adult of wine or beer without a license. All I can say is there are thousands if not more people that practice this hobby but all understand that it is basically illegal. George
Yes you can. Since vodka is a purely neutral spirit I would recommend using the reflux option with your PSII. This way you will have a smooth neutral spirit to cut. George
the band heaters are crap. well, they work but mine tour itself apart in the cooldown and also put a big dent in my pot. never getting another one. ill stick with the nuwave. never had a problem.
The heater isn't crap (in my opinion). The screw on the side is for adjusting the band as it heats up and cools down. Metal expands and contracts with heat. That's why there is an adjustment screw on it. George
well I don't have one , wish I did, but as you explained in your videos when they first came out, adjusting it is mandatory both heating and cooling, as most all that has to do with this hobby, you can't leave it unattended,, you can ( and will ) most of the time have something go wrong if you do.
i was just mad at myself basically for not paying constant attention to it. it worked well when it worked. when everything is said and done, I just like to pull the plug and start the cleanup.
Mr George I'm in Prairie Victoria Australia and follow your shows with eyes wide open ! Do you sell your 3INCH COLLOMS complete ready to fit to a beer keg ? If so how do i get one here in Australia and how much Australia $ please Kind regards Gary Brown Prairie AUSTRALIA.
Best way is to know the ABV beforehand so I can remove the parrot before tails show up. Otherwise, tails will bleed into the parrot and cuts are impossible. George
Thank you very deeply George your teaching is appreciated
I think I saw BIGFOOT behind those trees, you know, the green ones, great video.
Hi George. Just wanted to thank you for yet another great video. Your videos are the best on the Internet. Keep up the great work 👍👍.
brilliant good to see you back George really missed your videos
Love the back ground. So much better then the green screen. .lol thanks for continuing to make these videos
Another great video, you guys produce some of the best educational videos I have ever seen and have helped many of us! I would love to see you guys offer a hands on class like a several day course...and I'm sure there would be many that would pay to attend it! But thanks for these GREAT videos.
Couple of things you said broke me up. the parrot equals cool points with my friends hah ha. My old Hungarian neighbour ( I live in Canada ) told me of the way he would distill on the farm by placing a bowl on a three legged stool inside a pot and inverting the lid to collect the sprit. That was the way I made my first. That was 54 years ago when I was 17.
Thank you George!
My 3 legged stool is: what George, PAY ATTENTION TO George, then watch George again. Take notes people, take notes. This is very accurate information.
George, I always look forward to your videos, but it seems like we keep covering the same topics that you have previously covered in great detail. Looking forward to some of the more advanced topics that you alluded to in your video.
LOVE IT George
I have watched about every video and bought everything i think i could need. i have not even put the still iI bought together yet. I bought a 18.6 gallon pot still and think it will work great for me. I like a 70 proof to 80 proof tops. then I watched your apple pie moonshine recipe and thought I would like some 160 proof so I could add more of the flavoring. So my question is would you go with just a reflux still for that 160 proof or just go to about a 4 teir bubble plate system to be sure to reach that number constantly? Thanks for your time and I love your channel.
thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Where can you purchase the band heaters? TY
Great educational Vlog, Have to agree with everything you've said, particularly around using copper in a still. I've been advised it causes a catalyst with the ethanol but have found no evidence. I think it's important to separate fact and tradition.
How do you keep the heads from mixing with the hearts and then the tails when using a parrot?
Best educational , honest videos ever . George I like the way you explain with patience . I hate new luke and sound . Background Blue noise killing me .
What kind of efficiency can I expect out of a 6-ft piece of 5/8 copper tubing and a 8 gallon steel with no cap only a flat top
And I have subscribed why do you never comment back to me this is not the first time I have messaged
George im just wondering if you could use the gin basket with the outflow and condenser, instead of using the longer column?
How do a run with out making cut
where can you buy the 8 gallon pot 3 inch column wit?
George I’m thinking about getting a 8 gallon still with a three inch column. Almost bought it until I saw this. It looks like you think the three inch column will require extra heat.
I wanted advice: I read in the forums about the diameter of the column and it seems that everyone has his opinion, but in your experience what diameter to prefer between 2 inches and 3 inches for a boiler of 25 liters? I built a 3-inch that I use both as "reflux" and as "pot still" and I was wondering if it is worth making a 2-inch change since it seems the most used. Would I have any benefit?
A 2 inch column is standard mostly because it is less expensive. The 3 inch column offers twice the surface area inside
(3.14 X the radius squared) so the 2 inch column has 03.14 inches and the 3 inch has 7.06 inches of circumference. That is twice the amount of a 2 inch which really relates to time for a run.
You can run a 3 inch column about twice as fast as a 2 inch column.
George
Thanks for your reply, so do you advise me to keep my 3 inch column?
I would keep it.
Demy B definitely do not keep it. Send it to me and I'll dispose of it accordingly. 😀
😂😂
Any chance you could do a video on the Alembic version of the turbo still George ? keen to know what the quality of product coming out is ,how good they are .
I could but I need to get through the others in the cue first. I also need to wait since purchasing more equipment is costly.
George
I just got a Stainless Steel 13 gallon 3" with 5500 electrical unit, what is this bit about cleaning before first use?
Is it just running a batch of say old wine thru it to break it in? (I have 26 cases of sour wine - it one of the reasons I bought the still?) Will that work?
Sorry one other question, would I run old wine as a reflux tower or just the short pot still to deal with the wine?
Thx for your time.
Totally up to you how you run it. You have enough to run it both ways.
Have fun and enjoy
Where can I get some copper sheets? Home depots only has some with some other metal in it and to small. I need just copper sheets. Thanks
Nathan,
I went to a metal warehouse here in Texas and a 4X8 sheet of copper (fairly thick) was going for around $300. I started looking real hard and found that the best suppliers were roofing and gutter companies and kitchen refurbishing outfits. Appears that some people like copper counter tops or back splashes and there is a market for copper roofs and gutters.
Anyone else have any ideas?
George
amazon
Good afternoon George. In your intro you mentioned you were going to discuss some of the differences between the 2 inch column and the 3 inch. I may have missed it but is it just a production related thing? Less time to extract the goodies?
You are right. I did overlook that. I was going to go into detail about how sizing up one inch doubles the size of the area vapor can flow in but forgot to do so. It is all about time and has nothing to do with quality.
George
Hey George. Will a thumper added to a pot give you the same net result of a reflux column? They’re both effectively “re-distilling” the product, no? Thanks for all of the information you provide, it’s invaluable!
No, the thumper does not re-distill like a reflux which happens multiple times during its cycle. The reflux strips all flavor whereas a thumper does not.
Is a 3in vs 2in column really going to make much difference on say a 15 gal boiler
Not really. There is no difference in quality. The only difference is time. A three inch column can pass more vapor quicker than a two inch. I would stick with the two inch if that is what you have. It will add a couple of hours to your run but that's nothing compared to the time you've invested in the hobby already.
George
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing with the setup my buddy has it takes 8-10 hrs to complete a run. Its one of the cheap China made 5 gal stills with like 1/4 copper worm. How fast would this 8 gallon with 3 inch be compared. I just think 8-10 hrs for a half gallon is kinda crazy
@@gulfcoasthunter1022 Well, in a small 5gal still you probably put in 4 gallons so if go from the copper tube to a 3 inch column you could cut more that 2/3 off the time it takes to run
Hey George can I use less sugar than what is recommended on a pack of Turbo yeast? Say if it calls for 14 lb and I want to use just 10 to lower my ABV a little bit. It's just a cleaning run on a new still.
Absolutely.
Barley and Hops Brewing. Ok thanks for the help.
@Barley and Hops Brewing Can you do a video using a thumper without using a thermometer?
On a new still I run vinegar through it then I buy a gallon of cheap wine and add some of my old feints on previous runs for cleaning. Why waste a good wash on a cleaning run ?
where can i get a gin basket that you show in the video?
Can someone please tell me what use the parrot is for?
A parrot is an added piece of equipment that is not required. It allows one to instantaneously read teh proof of the spirit while it is running. Some use it as a gauge for making cuts. The other option is to make your collection then pour that into a test jar and check with a proof hydrometer.
George
Thank you it makes sense now I couldn't see what part of the process it played but its really just luxury thing it
It's just a cool addition, that's all.
George
Hey George I've got a question and I'm not sure who to ask and i thought maybe you would know.I've been reading allot on distilling laws in Missouri.I live in Missouri.one thing says it's legal up to 200 gallons while the next sentence says it's illegal .or it's legal to own a still. Now i don't want to do anything illegal.so what do you suggest.or do you know any more than what I've read because law to me is confusing.
The laws are very strict and state law is another story. Distilling spirits is illegal (period) unless you have a license.
This is a federal law. States often look the other way and even in some instances will allow it in small amounts like the federal govt does with beer and wine. That;s where the 200 gallons per adult per year in the household. This is a Jimmy Cater administration move when the federal govt changed the federal law to allow 200 gallons a year per adult of wine or beer without a license.
All I can say is there are thousands if not more people that practice this hobby but all understand that it is basically illegal.
George
George are you still making the PID for sale and how much do you charge for a basic one?? Also can I still by the stills through you??
I do not sell stills. Email me for PID prices.
I just bought the 8 gallon psII from you guys. Can u run this to make vodka ??
Yes you can. Since vodka is a purely neutral spirit I would recommend using the reflux option with your PSII.
This way you will have a smooth neutral spirit to cut.
George
Great little film
I’m a bit lost
Can someone please tell me what that all is in metric.....
Need Cooper for consumables but not if your running your lawnmower off ethanol.
the band heaters are crap. well, they work but mine tour itself apart in the cooldown and also put a big dent in my pot. never getting another one. ill stick with the nuwave. never had a problem.
The heater isn't crap (in my opinion). The screw on the side is for adjusting the band as it heats up and cools down. Metal expands and contracts with heat. That's why there is an adjustment screw on it.
George
well I don't have one , wish I did, but as you explained in your videos when they first came out, adjusting it is mandatory both heating and cooling, as most all that has to do with this hobby, you can't leave it unattended,, you can ( and will ) most of the time have something go wrong if you do.
i was just mad at myself basically for not paying constant attention to it. it worked well when it worked. when everything is said and done, I just like to pull the plug and start the cleanup.
Mr George I'm in Prairie Victoria Australia and follow your shows with eyes wide open !
Do you sell your 3INCH COLLOMS complete ready to fit to a beer keg ?
If so how do i get one here in Australia and how much Australia $ please
Kind regards Gary Brown Prairie AUSTRALIA.
Im quite new to the hobby and found i live quite close to your location is there any chance i could drop by to pick your brain for a bit
Copper removes the sulfur from you run
How do you get around the 'smear' from the parrot when making cuts?
Also, is it possible to get a column for this unit with 3 of the 360* flutes?
Best way is to know the ABV beforehand so I can remove the parrot before tails show up.
Otherwise, tails will bleed into the parrot and cuts are impossible.
George
Do you entertain visitors? I would like to visit and watch you make a run, and taste the results of course!
Sorry, that is not something I would do.
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing understand, thanks anyway!
How many stills do you own lolol
Several...
@@BarleyandHopsBrewing ya iv been binge watching your channel. Iv noticed 😁
6:45 "gonna keep this simple and go right at it" thats your problem right there, you never get right at it, its what is known as verbal diarrhea