How Long Does It Take To Make A Run Moonshine?

How Long Does It Take to Make Moonshine? – As you can see, the process of fermenting and distilling moonshine is quite time-consuming. In general, you can expect it to take between 1-3 weeks to make moonshine, as the mash must ferment and the distillation process must be continued until the final shine is safe for consumption.

Contents

1 How long does a distilling run take?
2 How long does it take to run 50 gallons of moonshine?
- - 2.0.1 How do you know when your moonshine run is done?
3 How long does it take to run mash?
4 How long does it take to distill 25 liters?
5 How many times should I distill my moonshine?
6 Can a sip of moonshine get you drunk?
- 6.1 When should you stop a distilling run?
7 How long does it take to distill something?
8 How long does a spirit run take?
9 How long does it take to distill 1 gallon?

How long does a distilling run take?

Home / Distillery / Step 3 – Performing the first distillation or “Stripping Run” Posted on March 18, 2020 May 9, 2020 — 2 Comments After fermentation is complete, we are left with a soupy, grainy solution that now contains alcohol anywhere from 8-10%, due to the yeast doing its job. This solution, or ‘distillers beer’, also referred to as a wash (when the grains are removed by straining them) is technically referred to as low wines (although we’re not sure where that came from).

We choose to distill on the grains – we don’t remove them – because we feel it helps create a deeper flavor profile. When we perform our first distillation – called a ‘Run’ – it is referred to as a stripping run, because we concentrate and strip all of the alcohol out of the wash. Different alcohols come over at different temperatures and in this run, we want to collect them all – the good, the bad and the ugly.

We do this by heating up the wash between 75 and 94 celsius to concentrate and collect all the alcohol – the photo below shows 3 hoses from each of our collection valves, but we could put all of the hoses into one tank because we’re not concerned about separating alcohol in this run.

How long does it take to run 50 gallons of moonshine?

Home Distiller Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling. Moderator: Novice Posts: Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2012 4:20 am by » Thu Aug 02, 2012 3:30 am I tried searching but “time” is to common of a word. I am looking at building an 8 gallon still with 220 volt 5500W electric element.

If I run a 2″ pot still, how long does a stripping run take? What about a spirit run? If I run a 2″ Boka, how long for it to run? I know every still is different and all that but what is a general guideline? 4 hours? 16 hours? Just wondering how long it will take. Also if I go to a 15 gallon with 3″ will it take about the same time? If this has been asked before, I didn’t see it in the reading section, sorry.

Tom Site Mod Posts: Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:04 pm Location: North Palm Beach by » Thu Aug 02, 2012 3:43 am Just carve out at least a half day. If You dont know your rig yet then error on the longer side of half day. For the bok,life time? Trample the injured and hurdle the dead. Posts: Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:38 pm Location: Indiana, USA, Inc. by » Thu Aug 02, 2012 3:48 am There is no general guideline as it is dependent on the individual still and how you run it. My experience is that my 15G keg with a 2″ pot head takes 4-5 hours for a 10 gallon strip run.

by » Thu Aug 02, 2012 3:56 am Sorry, half day as in day light.Trample the injured and hurdle the dead.

Swill Maker Posts: Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 7:46 pm by » Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:27 am I just did my first spirit run. Started with 6.5 gallons of 40% which I diluted out to about 9-ish gallons of 30%. I ran nice and slow with the 3″ pot still and it took over 7 hours.

The last gallon (tails) I pushed hard and cranked up the heat! retired Posts: Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:42 am Location: Somewhere in the Ozarks by » Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:43 am Anywhere from 4 hours to 14 hours. Best thing to do is dedicate one whole day to your fist run. So you can get a feel for it. And find out what works for you.

If your trying to divide what still to build? Time is not what you should be looking at. What product you want to make with it is what you should be looking at. Novice Posts: Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2012 2:31 am Location: North Lincolnshire, U.K. by » Thu Aug 02, 2012 12:20 pm I built a simple pot still (plans available within this forum) with 1 metre liebig and ran a 6 imperial gallon all bran wash in 3.5 hours.

Although i got some amazing product, honest it was fabulous, I lost out on some of the hearts. I saved all the tails for my next run in a weeks time. What I have learned is that you cannot rush things, good things come to folks that wait! Novice Posts: Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2012 4:20 am by » Thu Aug 02, 2012 4:20 pm Why do people build a 3″ or 4″ column if it is all determined by the smallest diameter in the system? Novice Posts: Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:17 am by » Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:44 am I agree.

Just ran 10 gallon 12% wash in a 15.5 gallon pot still with 2″ copper column. Strip run took 4hrs after first drip. I heat up slower to get as much low temp crap as I can out. Will do an 8 gallon spirit run slow, fast drips. Dedicate an afternoon and set up so you can weed whack and BBQ. Posts: Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 7:58 am Location: The Milky Way by » Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:48 am On a strip you want to collect fores low and slow then bump it up to as much power as your PC can handle. Strip should be fast and dirty.15g strip takes me about 1h or so after I’m done collecting fores.

Stripping hard and fast to close to 0%ABV out of the PC.
Spirit run much slower and may take 8-10hrs depending.
Cheers! -jonny ———— i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred ———— Master of Distillation Posts: Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:38 pm Location: little puffs of dust where my feet used to be by » Fri Jul 17, 2020 1:08 pm wrote: Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:44 am Dedicate an afternoon and set up so you can weed whack and BBQ.

leaving your still unattended is a very bad idea, and a worse suggestion be water my friend Distiller Posts: Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:29 pm by » Sun Jul 19, 2020 3:51 pm I construct, load, fire and cool my stills so that they run from 2 to 12 hours.

A 60 L still with max 5 kW heating and water cooling or a small still with 8 L load with 375 W heating and air cooling. And preferably in such a manner that I can read the paper or a magazine between changing the samples. That is why I prefer cooling on air, rather than with water. And running slowly, rather than fast.

Much less risk. It takes a bit of experience and trying before you find the right way. Novice Posts: Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:42 pm by » Thu Jul 30, 2020 7:33 am My 15 Gal (1/2 bll keg) boiler with a 1 inch column (i need a larger one and larger condenser) takes 16-18 hours from set up to tear down to strip 15 gal.

If i get up at 6:30 on saturday and transfer to the keg and get it heating i will turn it off at 2330 or 0000.
T Novice Posts: Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2014 9:53 pm by » Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:04 am The length of time your run will take, depends on the amount of heat you’re applying and your ability to cool.

If you don’t have quite enough heat it will take much longer to run. Similarly if you are having to ramp back your heat because you’re overloading your cooling and starting to get vapor, you can also have to ramp it back. In addition, the type of still you’re running (pot vs column) will impact.

Pot can be run faster) I use pot stills personally. I also don’t have quite enough cooling, so I can’t push my equipment quite as far as it could handle. For a low wines run, it takes me about 6-7 hours including liquid transfer and post-distillation equipment clean up to run a 50 gallon batch. Spirit runs take a bit longer, 8 ish hours.

(I run those slower intentionally looking for more distinct cuts). The size of the still doesn’t seem to make much difference to the length of the run, as long as the heat input and the cooling output are kept proportional. My test 10 gallon still takes a very similar length of time to my main 80 gallon still.

Novice Posts: Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2014 9:53 pm by » Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:07 am wrote: Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:48 am On a strip you want to collect fores low and slow then bump it up to as much power as your PC can handle.
Strip should be fast and dirty.15g strip takes me about 1h or so after I’m done collecting fores.

Stripping hard and fast to close to 0%ABV out of the PC. Spirit run much slower and may take 8-10hrs depending. Cheers! -jonny do you collect your fores at strip? I tend to collect mine at the spirit run, as I find everything separates a little more cleanly at that point. Posts: Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 7:58 am Location: The Milky Way by » Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:25 am I typically run very low and slow for about an hr to collect fores both on ~15gallon strip and spirit runs (pot still here) just to be sure to concentrate any that may have smeared.

First jar of heads never makes it into the cut anyway though so probably not too big of a deal but that’s how I typically collect fores. As it comes up to temp (full power) I’ll turn it way way back and collect slow drips for fores. On a strip this low/slow fores of the strip-charge also provides a protein break on the AG runs that contributes to preventing a puke.

Then ramp it up fairly quick to full power to get the strip run over and done. Some folks may only do it on one or the other strip/spirit. Hope that helps! -jonny ———— i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred ———— Novice Posts: Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:17 am by » Mon Aug 17, 2020 9:22 am Just did a slow spirit run of 9.5 gallons from 3 strip runs.

Took a total of 7 hrs with set up and clean up.
So slow on a 15 gal pot still I made it hold at 85%.
I do need to extend my condenser.
Was a corn mash.
Last edited by on Tue Aug 18, 2020 12:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Novice Posts: Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:17 am by » Mon Aug 17, 2020 9:26 am Put a lead free 3/4″ union at lyne arm to adjust angle.2″ column.

Last edited by on Tue Aug 18, 2020 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total. Site Donor Posts: Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:10 pm Location: PNW by » Mon Aug 17, 2020 9:51 am wrote: Mon Aug 17, 2020 9:22 am 20200703_131600.jpgJust did a slow spirit run of 9.5 gallons from 3 strip rins. Took a total of 7 hrs with set up and clean up. So slow on a 15 gal pot still I made it hold at 85%.

I do need to extend my condenser. Thats not a silicone hose coming off your PC inot the jug is it? Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade. Novice Posts: Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:17 am by » Tue Aug 18, 2020 12:46 pm Yes it is.

I had to reach my table. I will be extending that condenser. I also used teflon tape instead of flour paste on that tee. Hoping to redesign that to add to. Novice Posts: Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:17 am by » Sun Aug 23, 2020 7:43 am wrote: Tue Aug 18, 2020 12:46 pm Yes it is just inside the jar top 1/2″.

I had to reach my table. I will be extending that condenser. I also used teflon tape instead of flour paste on that tee. Hoping to redesign that to add to. Novice Posts: Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:17 am by » Sun Aug 23, 2020 7:44 am wrote: Mon Aug 17, 2020 9:22 am 20200703_131600.jpgJust did a slow spirit run of 9.5 gallons from 3 strip runs.

Took a total of 7 hrs with set up and clean up. So slow on a 15 gal pot still I made it hold at 75%. I do need to extend my condenser. Was a corn mash. : Home Distiller

How do you know when your moonshine run is done?

This is one of the most exciting moments in the hobby. You have completed your first fermentation, your wash has been cleared, and you are ready to create your masterpiece. Unfortunately, this is also the most nerve wracking moment in the hobby. Fear of messing everything up fills your mind.

This hobby, which started out sounding so simple, now seems so involved.
There are so many places to make mistakes.
What if you don’t get all the methanol out? What if it tastes awful? Relax.
Take a breath, realize that you have been reading and learning what to do and what not to do, and lastly, remember that in the worst of situations, you can always redistill your spirit, so there is nothing to get worked up about.

So let’s take baby steps, and everything will be fine. Step 1: Ferment and clear your wash. This has been covered well enough already, so it is not necessary to go into great detail again. Simply ferment your wash and allow it to clear naturally or use a clearing agent to do so more quickly.

I highly advise clearing the wash to reduce the risk of scorching material to the bottom of your kettle. Clearing is absolutely required when using internal heating elements to heat your still. Step 2: Transfer the wash to your kettle. While you can use a funnel and simply pour the wash from your fermenter to your kettle, this will also drudge up the sediment and transfer it along with the clear liquid.

It is far better to transfer the wash using a siphon, which makes it much easier to move just the clear liquid, leaving behind all the sediment on the bottom of the fermenter. Never fill your kettle to more than 80 percent of its total capacity! This extra space is needed for expansion and potential foaming that may occur during heating and boiling.

Overfilling your kettle can create issues that will be extremely frustrating.
To reduce issues associated with foaming, it can be very helpful to add an anti-foam agent to the wash.
Step 3: Complete the assembly of your distiller.
Hopefully your distiller came with instructions, but regardless, this part should be rather straightforward.

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Drawings are provided in the Resources section for several popular distiller styles, just in case. You will place the pot still column onto the kettle and ensure that it is fully sealed. When vapor starts being produced is not a good time to find out that your distiller is not sealed.

Step 4: Start heating the still and be patient.
Depending on the heat source and size of your wash, the heating process can take up to a couple of hours.
It can be tempting to turn the heat up to the maximum to get the still producing as quickly as possible, but this is not always a wise decision.
This is especially true when using certain types of propane cookers.

These cookers can be capable of producing a very large amount of heat, and while they can get your wash boiling rather quickly, they can also put out enough heat to damage the bottom of your kettle and scorch any sediment that may have been carried across when transferring the wash.

Trying to rush any part of the distillation process will usually show in the finished product, while patience will be rewarded. Now that you have started heating your wash, you should not leave the still unattended until the distillation process is complete. Step 5: Start running your cooling water. While you do not necessarily have to start running your cooling water immediately after you begin heating your still, it is imperative that you start running cooling water into your condenser before any vapor starts being produced to avoid an extremely dangerous situation.

Step 6: Remove and discard the foreshots. If you have a thermometer in the still head, you can use the vapor temperature as a guide. Once vapor starts to appear, the temperature will suddenly spike, and a few moments later you will see drops of distillate begin to flow into your collection container.

Continue to watch the temperature until it reached 175° to 176° F (79.5° to 80° C), or until you have collected at least 4 ounces (125ml) of distillate.* Even if the temperature has risen to above 175° F (79.5° C), continue collecting until you have at least 4 ounces (125ml) of foreshots.
Do not be afraid to discard a little bit more of the first distillate.

The total cost in doing so is literally pennies, and your finished product will often be improved by doing so. Discard the foreshots. They are poisonous, so there is no reason to keep them. Note: The volume of foreshots is based on a five-gallon wash size.

You must adjust this volume based on the size of your wash to ensure that all the foreshots are removed.
Step 7: Start collecting the heads.
Change your collection container and begin collecting the heads.
If you are watching the temperature, it should now be over 175° F (79.5° C).
The speed at which distillate is coming from the condenser will have increased, and will now likely be a medium to fast drip, but should not be a trickle.

Continue to collect the heads in pint-sized glass jars until the temperature rises to 195° to 196° F (90.5° to 91° C). It is helpful to mark each jar with “heads” and number them as you draw them off. Although you will use your nose and taste buds to decide which, if any, of these jars will be included in your finished product, numbering the jars will help you get a good feel for the changes in the distillate as the process progresses.

It is also a good idea to test the alcohol percentage/proof of the distillate as the process progresses.
Many distillers use the alcohol percentage as a guide instead of temperature or use both to be more exact in where they want to make their cuts.
This is where a distiller’s parrot can be a very helpful tool.

A distiller’s parrot is connected between the condenser and collection container so that the distillate flows through it on its way to your container. The parrot holds your alcoholmeter, allowing you to take real-time readings of the alcohol percentage as the distillate is being produced.

While the readings in a parrot are slightly inaccurate due to constant blending of the distillate, they are generally more than sufficient for deciding on when to make your cuts.
Because of this blending, and to avoid any contamination from the foreshots, always collect your foreshots in a separate container before attaching your parrot.

Generally, you will find the heads to be over 80%abv (160 proof). Step 8: Collect the hearts. Now it is time to start tasting! Yes, you can use your nose and taste buds with the heads, but especially at the start of the heads you may find this to be less than pleasant.

Once the temperature hits around 195° to 196° F (90.5° to 91° C) and/or the alcohol percentage drops below 80%abv (160 proof), it is time to start collecting the hearts. Change your container to a new container marked “hearts,” and just as you did with the heads, number them. The distillate will be coming out more quickly now, as a very fast drip or even a slow trickle.

This can result in a slightly less accurate reading on your alcoholmeter if you are using a distiller’s parrot, as there is a noticeable flow from the bottom of parrot, where the distillate enters, to the top, where it is being drawn off. It is still generally sufficiently accurate to make the cuts between heads, hearts, and tails, as these cuts are not usually extremely precise.

Continue collecting the hearts until the temperature rises to around 202° F (94.5° C) and/or the percentage alcohol drops below 65 percent (130 proof). If you want to ensure that you have a very clean middle run that will not require a second distillation, then do not be afraid to stop collecting the hearts slightly earlier.

This will mean that you have slightly less volume of hearts and a little bit more tails, but the tails can always be added to a subsequent batch to avoid wasting any of the ethanol that they contain. Step 9: Collect the tails. Change your collection container and begin collecting the tails.

Most of the ethanol has been collected by this point, but there is still a little bit remaining. The point of collecting the tails is to avoid wasting this bit of alcohol. Continue collecting until the temperature rises to 207° to 208° F (97° to 98° C) or until taste and smell reveal little to no remaining alcohol.

Step 10: Shut down the still. Turn off the heat. DO NOT TURN OFF THE COOLING WATER! Just because you have turned off the heat does not mean that there is no vapor being produced. The liquid remaining in the kettle is still very hot and well above 173° F (78° C)–the boiling point of ethanol.

That means that if there is any ethanol remaining in the kettle, it will continue to rise and make its way into the condenser.
Eep the cooling water to the condenser running until you are certain that there is no more vapor being produced, as even a little bit of alcohol vapor in the air can be extremely dangerous.

As soon as you are sure that no more vapor is being produced, you should remove the thermometer from the top of your still head or loosen the still head to allow adequate airflow back into the distiller. Just as expansion takes place when heating the still, when the still is cooling, the vapor inside of it will condense.

Without adequate airflow, the still can literally implode! Once the still is cool enough to handle, you can remove the still head completely and dump the liquid remaining in the kettle (or keep a portion of it for use as backset, if you are running a sour mash recipe). Wash and rinse your distiller as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Step 11: Blending. Depending on how you have made your cuts, you may wish to blend some of the heads with the hearts, or maybe you are pleased with the hearts that you collected and you want to keep all the heads separate. Either is fine, and your decision will depend on the flavor and aroma of each container that you collected.

If you decide to keep the heads separate, you may either use this part of your distillate as it is, add flavoring to it, or combine it with your tails and redistill.
Another option is to add the heads and tails to your next run.
The choice on this is yours.
Step 12: Aging and cutting.
Once you have blended your final distillate to your liking you need to decide if you will age the spirit or leave it “raw.” Aging your spirit will allow the harsh bite of the distillate to mellow, and the flavors will become more complex.

However, not everyone prefers this character, so the choice is ultimately yours. If you do decide to age your spirit in oak casks or with alternatives such as oak chips, oak staves, or another type of wood, you will generally want to age your spirit at just over 60%abv (120 proof) and cut the spirit (dilute it) after it has been aged.

Cutting, also known as “proofing down,” is a fancy way of saying that you are diluting your distillate.
It is a very simple process of just mixing water with your spirit.
There are a couple of reasons to cut your spirit.
First, reducing the alcohol percentage makes the product noticeably smoother, reducing the bite and harshness of a 120 proof spirit.

The second reason to cut your spirit is that aroma compounds are more easily released at this lower proof, resulting in a more aromatic spirit.

How long does it take to run mash?

1) 2-3 hours to heat up a mash/wash in an uninsulated boiler in the winter.2) Around 1 gallon/hour for the stripping.

How long does it take to distill 25 liters?

Takes as little as 4.5 hours to distil a 25 L (6.6 US Gal) wash to produce 8L (2 US Gal) of spirit when watered down to 40% ABV.

When should you stop a distilling run?

How to Take Cuts During Distillation Learning how to take cuts during distillation may seem like a daunting process to begin with but by following some basic steps and getting some practice, you’ll be a pro in no time! Taking cuts refers to the process where spirit is collected in small portions of similar sizes during distillation as opposed to allowing the distillate to collect in just one large vessel.

This process gives you more control over the flavours and aromas that make it into your final product, allowing you to create something truly unique and to your taste. During fermentation, many compounds are produced along with alcohol such as acetaldehyde, esters, and ethyl acetate. By taking cuts, we can minimise how many of these by-products make it into our final spirit.

Some of these by-products appear earlier on in the distillation, and others come out later or towards the end of the distillation – this depends entirely on the compound itself. Not all these by-products are bad. Some do not taste wonderful on their own, however, it can be beneficial to introduce them in small amounts to contribute different attributes to your final spirit.

The foreshots are the first part of the distillate (usually 50-200 mL depending on what is being distilled) which are discarded as these can contain harmful compounds and off-flavours. The heads are the distillate collected immediately after the first 50-200 mL of discarded foreshots. They can contain some undesirable, but not harmful, compounds and off-flavours. Some of these are blended into your final spirit, however, most will be discarded or retained in a separate container for redistilling in future batches. The hearts are the middle part of a run and are the cleanest and most flavoursome part of the distillate. A minimal amount of undesirable compounds come through into the spirit. They make up the bulk of your final spirit. The tails are the final part of the distillation and contain some vegetal off-flavours. These are also typically discarded, however, like the heads they can also be kept in a separate container for redistilling.

The Stripping Run The stripping run is done first and ‘strips’ the wash down to a cleaner, more concentrated low wine. This distillation is usually done hot and fast, meaning temperature control isn’t as important as the aim is to strip the wash quickly. Just be sure to take care not to run it too hot to avoid the loss of vapour from the condenser.

The purpose of a stripping run is to capture as much distillate from the wash as possible, therefore, there is no need to remove the foreshots (50-200mL) as these can be removed during the spirit run. The Spirit Run Once you’ve completed the stripping run, it is then diluted with water to 40% ABV or lower and then distilled again – this is where cuts are taken. During this distillation run, the flow of the still should be kept slower than on the stripping run, and ideally, the voltage going to the boiler should be controlled to ensure a nice gentle boil – the is a great example of a boiler that can double as a brewing system to make Whiskey and Bourbon washes, and then control the voltage during distillation. How to Take Cuts During Distillation

There are a few different methods to work out how to split and collect the different cuts from a spirit run, some people base it on temperature or ABV, while others evenly split the whole run and then taste and smell later. Either way can work but to simplify things, we’re going to talk through splitting the entire run.

To do this, you will need an adequate number of glass jars, preferably 300-500 mL in size, that will be able to collect the entire run – this amount will depend on how many stripping runs have been done, if it is only one, then approx.24 x 400 mL jars should suffice. For best results, number these so you know where exactly the cut was made.

The next step is to fire up your pot still and get ready to start the process. You will need to discard the foreshots as usual. Depending on how many stripping runs you have done this could be anything from 50 to 200 mL. Once the foreshots are discarded, you can start collecting the remaining distillate into the jars.

Ensure you collect the same volume into each jar (250 mL – 300 mL is usually a good figure – you can test and adjust this to suit your still later) and then set the jar aside. Depending on what you wish to do, and what you’re making, you can stop collecting the distillate once the ABV drops to 10% or below, although some stop it even higher.

You may start to notice some more visible by-products forming in the last number of jars – this could be an oily looking substance or off-colours coming through. We then suggest you let the jars air out for 24 hours for the more volatile aroma compounds to dissipate.

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When should I stop running moonshine?

#3: Tells you when your run is ending – Water boils at a higher temperature than alcohol, and as alcohol boils off from the pot, there is more water being boiled. So, the longer you run your still and the hotter it gets, the more water there will be boiling into steam at the later stages of your run.

What happens if you run mash too early?

What Happens if I Run my Mash too Early? – If you run your mash too early, you run the risk of getting a lower yield of alcohol as the fermentable sugars are not fully converted into ethanol. You also run the risk of your mash boiling over during the distillation process because of the sugar present in the mash.

Should I stir my moonshine mash while fermenting?

Final Thoughts – Stirring the mash after adding the yeast is not a good idea. You risk disrupting the fermentation process that turns sugar into alcohol. Instead, make sure your mash has the optimal conditions for the yeast to thrive. : Do You Stir Mash After Adding Yeast? 4 Things To Know

How fast should moonshine drip?

Next, dial up your heat source to high until your still starts producing. Time your drips as they speed up until you reach 3 to 5 drips per second. Once you reach this rate, dial down your heat to maintain it (usually the ‘medium’ setting).

How many times should I distill my moonshine?

The Distillation – Distilling Alcohol – For distillation use the entire mash, both liquid and solid parts. Don´t filter the mash before distilling. You would lose taste and smell by filtration. Therefore the stills contain solid parts. Hence it is necessary to use a burn protector, Large stills are jacketed kettles in common, mostly equipped with a stirrer, but this system is not appropriate for small copper stills of hobby distillers. If the mash contains less than about 10 %ABV alcohol, you have to distill twice (double distillation). If the alcohol content is higher than that, a simple distillation is completely sufficient. This kind of distillation produces the most intense taste and smell, more than double distilled alcohol. Don’t forget to separate the heads (foreshot). Also if your mash is free of heads, you should separate about 30 drops per 1,5 liters (1.5 US quarts) of mash. Collect the hearts until 91 °C (196 °F) steam temperature, after that you can collect the tails or stop the distillation.

How much alcohol do you get from a 10 Litre wash?

Still Spirits Air Still System 10L & essences STILL SPIRITS AIR STILL SYSTEM 10L & Ingredients For details on the Ultimate Spirit Package read below. This system will make 10L fermentation batches per go exactly as depicted in our video. Ideal to make simply and easily on your kitchen bench.

Still Spirits Air Still
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Air Still Carbon Filter & Collector Set
Hydrometer
Alcolmeter & Test Tube
Brewclean 500ml & 2 No Rinse Sanitiser Sachet
Distilling Conditioner and Boil Enhancers
Mixing Spoon

PLUS AIR STILL PRODUCTION PACK All the consumables required to make 1 10lt spirit wash fermentations

2x 2.5KG Dextrose
2x Turbo Pure Yeasts
2x Turbo Carbon
2x Turbo Clear
4x Air Still Carbon Filter Cartridges

A selection of essences to make 9lt of very first Spirits (note if you prefer alternative essences or spirit styles please put a message at the checkout and we will sort it)

Still Spirits Top Shelf Vodka
Still Spirits Top Shelf Jamaican Gold Rum
Still Spirits Top Shelf Scotch Whiskey
Still Spirits Top Shelf Southern Bourbon

Plus 2 x Flavoured Vodka Essences Why Choose the 10lt Air Still Kit? Choose this kit if you love the idea of a compact and very easy to use unit. It would suit small spaces, kitchen bench top etc. Every ferment you make 2lt of spirits and it is only 10lt so it is light weight and easy to handle.

The 10lt Kit comes with a compact 10lt fermenter which enables you to ferment 10lt wash each time (enough to run 2 batches through the Air Still).Each batch will produce 1lt of spirit at 40%. How does it work? (check out our video) 1. Ferment your batch using sugars and Turbo Spirit yeast (5-10 days) 2.

Distil your fermented wash to create distilled spirit (2 hours) 3. Dilute the spirit to 40% and then purify it through a carbon filter. (6 hours) 4. Combine with a spirit essence and age for 72 hours before enjoying How much does it cost to make spirits with the Air Still? Approximately $10-$13 per bottle of 700ml spirits PLUS you get our support for life Tip Choose the alternative 25lt Air Still Kit if you wish to make larger batches ie 5-6 litres at 40%.

Frequently asked Questions
Is making my own spirits easy?

The Still Spirits process involves the fermentation of alcohol from a mix of nutrients, sugar and yeast to create a distillate. The distillate is then filtered with activated carbon to remove unwanted flavours. Pure clean alcohol is the result that in most cases is cleaner alcohol than that produced from more traditional sources.

How difficult is it to make spirits at home? It is an easy 4 step process. Firstly the sugar and water is turned into alcohol by fermenting with yeast. Secondly, you separate the purified alcohol from the water in the wash by distilling. Distillation is done by heating the wash in a still, boiling off the alcohol and condensing the vapour back into a liquid.

Thirdly water down the alcohol to 40% then, use a carbon filter to filter out most of the remaining trace impurities. You will now have a clean spirit with no flavours or tastes. Finally, simply add your favourite spirit or liqueur essence to make your favorite, scotch, bourbon rum or liqueur.

There are hundreds to choose from How much does it cost to make spirits at home? A fraction of what it costs to buy spirits such as scotch bourbon rum gin and liqueurs.
It will vary a little depending on the ingredients you use or the type of spirit you make.
Most spirits you make will cost between $8 and $13 per 700ml bottle.

Making spirits at home can become a brilliant hobby and you will be able to amaze your family and friends with the quality of the drinks you have produced.

How long does it take to make each batch of spirits?
Depending on the type of yeast and nutrients and the process you follow, you can be drinking your own home made spirits within 7 day
Legality
Is it legal to use a still in Australia & New Zealand?

AUSTRALIA in Australia it is legal to purchase and own a still less than 5 litre capacity. It is legal to use a still without a license for either water purification or essential oil extraction. In New Zealand, Switzerland and Italy it is legal to own a still and use it to extract alcohol.

NEW ZEALAND In New Zealand it is legal to use up to a 25L still at home to produce spirit for home consumption
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: Still Spirits Air Still System 10L & essences

Is boiling water enough to distill it?

Does Boiling Water Make it Distilled? – It is true that the first step in producing distilled water is to boil it. However, this doesn’t mean that your kettle is capable of enacting the entire distillation process. The reason for this lies in the definition of ‘purified water.’ Purified water refers to water that has been mechanically processed and physically separated from its impurities.

Deionisation: this involves ion exchange resins that remove ionic impurities from the water Demineralisation: this is very similar to deionisation and is used to remove mineral salts Distillation: this is a separation process that purifies water by causing it to vaporise

Because distilled water has undergone a physical separation from its impurities, it is classed as having been purified. Boiled water is not processed in this way and, therefore, can’t be classified as a purified product. Therefore, if you boil water, it does not make it distilled because it does not make it pure.

Is moonshine better with age?

So, you want to age your own whiskey, huh? No matter if you made it yourself (having obtained the appropriate permits, of course), got it from a friend who made it, or bought some white whiskey at the store, I would certainly highly recommend aging your own! Aging any whiskey, moonshine, brandy, or other spirits can add a lot of flavor, complexity, depth, and smoothness to the final spirit.

Not to mention that having a barrel sitting on your bar counter is a great conversation piece! However, there may be a lot more to aging your own whiskey than you think.
Believe it or not, whiskey (and any distilled spirit, for that matter) comes out of the still clear as an ice cold mountain stream.

All of that beautiful color that the spirit in your glass has is the result of something that happened after it was distilled. It can pick up these colors from oak, charred oak, fruits, and botanicals. So let’s start there, with the pure unadulterated white whiskey.

Can a sip of moonshine get you drunk?

Consuming Methanol In Moonshine – Upon first sip, the dangerous potential of methanol is undetectable. It will simply get people drunker. However, after it is metabolized, the methanol can have an extremely harmful effect in someone’s body.10 milliliters (ml) of methanol is all it takes to permanently damage the optic nerve and cause partial, if not complete, blindness.30 ml of methanol is lethal.

For reference, and standard shot glass in the United States holds 40 ml. If less than 10 ml of methanol is consumed then the worst someone will experience is a hangover, (albeit, quite possibly the worst hangover of their life). However, if someone consumes 10 ml or more of methanol, even split up among drinks, that can be enough to cause permanent damage or kill them.

While there are processes today to discard the toxic alcohol that is visually indistinguishable from water, some illegal Moonshiners will add methanol back in to provide a stronger potency. Obviously, without regulation, there is no way to know if illicit alcohol contains methanol.

When should you stop a distilling run?

This process gives you more control over the flavours and aromas that make it into your final product, allowing you to create something truly unique and to your taste.
During fermentation, many compounds are produced along with alcohol such as acetaldehyde, esters, and ethyl acetate.
By taking cuts, we can minimise how many of these by-products make it into our final spirit.

To do this, you will need an adequate number of glass jars, preferably 300-500 mL in size, that will be able to collect the entire run – this amount will depend on how many stripping runs have been done, if it is only one, then approx.24 x 400 mL jars should suffice. For best results, number these so you know where exactly the cut was made.

Ensure you collect the same volume into each jar (250 mL – 300 mL is usually a good figure – you can test and adjust this to suit your still later) and then set the jar aside.
Depending on what you wish to do, and what you’re making, you can stop collecting the distillate once the ABV drops to 10% or below, although some stop it even higher.

You might be interested: How Long Does It Take For Alcohol To Thin The Blood?

How long does it take to distill something?

In the first part of our series on Scottish pot stills we dealt comprehensively with their geometrical shape and their production, This article deals with operating the stills. Of course different distilleries operate their stills differently. Some heat fast and then distil slowly, others heat and distil fast. Glenfiddich – Still House The following chart shows the principal setup of a Scottish Malt Whisky distillery with two pot stills. Distilleries with three pot stills and triple distillation are extended by one step correspondingly. Many large distilleries have four, six or more pot stills, which aren’t operated in series but in parallel.

The connection of the pot stills can be even more complex, if for example the first distillate from several wash stills or from several production cycles is led into a single spirit still,
A ratio of 3:2 or 4:3 of wash stills to spirit stills is also common.
You can also triple distil with two pot stills by distilling the final product of the second distillation again in the emptied spirit still,

The chart shows a simple distillery with a wash still and a spirit still, Functional Chart of a Pot Still Distillery The principle of distillation was already known to the ancient Egyptians. Different evaporation points allow for the separation of substances by heating. The substances that evaporate first at low temperatures may be collected and separated from the rest.

But the Egyptians used distillation only for producing perfume.
Only in the middle ages Celtic monks discovered the production of Whisky – the water of life,
Through alcoholic fermentation the wash ( beer ) contains approximately 8% to 10% alcohol (ethanol = ethyl alcohol).
The alcoholic strength is determined by the yeast used and the duration of the fermentation,

When heating the wash, the substances with a lower boiling point than water evaporate with rising temperatures. The wash can’t be heated further than up to the evaporation point of the lowest-boiling substance. All heat energy is absorbed by the substance that changes its aggregate state (from liquid to vaporous), and the liquid can’t be heated further. Royal Lochnagar – Wash Still The wash still has a simple task: It is used for the first distillation of the wash, or in plain English: the beer, The capacity of the stills and the wash backs is usually coordinated.4000 US. Gal. (15,000 L) to 8000 US. Gal.

(30,000 L) are most common. When hot steam is led into the heating cylinders, the wash still starts to heat the wash, Through the heat movement (convection) inside the still the wash is turned. The wash rises along the warm areas of the cylinders and sinks back along the cooler areas. After some 30 minutes it gets interesting: Above the heating cylinders the liquid starts to boil, and light substances (predominantly flavour -carrying esters) rise into the air above the liquid level.

The constant supply of gaseous substances leads to a slight overpressure in the still, and the gases rise into the neck of the still. But they don’t get far. The wall of the still is still too cold, and the evaporated substances condense at the wall. As time goes by more and more droplets accumulate at the wall and form bigger drops that flow back into the pot. Macallan – Inspection Window of a Wash Still That’s why wash stills have small windows in the neck, through which the bubbling wash can be watched. For if the boiling temperature of the wash is too high, liquid can get into the condenser via the lyne arm,

This wouldn’t be so bad if the wash didn’t contain solid parts of the barley grains, which clog the thin pipes of the condensers. Therefore the stillman must be watchful. Distilleries that don’t have the time for watching the boiling put soap into the wash, which destroys the surface tension of the wash and prevents it from boiling over.

Since the soap liquefies at 122-140°F (50-60°C) and only boils at temperatures far exceeding 212°F (100°C), no soap molecules can get into the distillate. The first distillation in the wash stills takes approximately 4 to 7 hours. The wash still has a temperature of approximately 173°F (78°C), the evaporation point of ethanol. Mannochmore Low Wines & Spirit Receiver However, the low wines receiver doesn’t contain only alcohol but also all substances with a lower boiling point than alcohol, as well as some substances with a higher boiling point. They have been torn out of the molecule groups by the bubbling liquid and have been pulled into the low wines receiver together with the light alcohol molecules.

Among these molecules is also plenty of water, which forms an azeotrope with the alcohol. After the first distillation the low wines typically have an alcohol content of 20% to 25%. After distillation the pot ale (also called spent wash ) remains in the wash still, It has a residual alcohol content of approximately 1%.

However, not only alcohol but also valuable proteins and minerals from the barley grains remain in the pot ale, That’s why after emptying the still the pot ale is concentrated through evaporation and sold as high-quality animal feed. Glenfarclas – Concentration System for Pot Ale Since the large pot stills only have a wall thickness of a few millimetres (ca.3/16″) they are very sensitive to overpressure and negative pressure. The worst-case scenario is therefore the collapse of a still caused by negative pressure.

When the distillation has been stopped, the pot ale is drained and the pot still cools down, negative pressure is created inside. If it becomes too high the pot still implodes with a loud bang. Since this happened more than once in the past, every pot still now has an automated pressure relief valve that keeps the pressure balance with the environment.

For filling and draining the stills, there’s another vent valve, which is usually operated simultaneously with the pumps. Fettercairn – Automated Pressure Relief Valve (Top) and Manual Vent Valve (Bottom) The table below shows the distillation balance of a wash still distillation,

	Wash	Low Wines	Spent Wash
Liter/gallon(US) Total	30.000/7925	11.212/2960	18.748/4952
Vol. % alkocol	10%	25%	1%
Liter/gallon(US) alkocol	3.000/793	2.813/743	187/49

The figures in the distillation balance show that the reduction of the water volume from the wash to the low wines significantly reduces the second distillation volume for the spirit still, In summary, the sole purpose of the first distillation is to reduce the liquid volume by 1/3 and to remove the solid parts of the grains that are still in the wash, Royal Lochnagar – Spirit Still The second distillation in the smaller spirit stills is carried out much more carefully and slowly. It typically takes approximately 8 hours. Since this takes double as long as the first distillation, often the result of two wash still distillations is collected in the low wines receiver and filled into the spirit still as a whole. Dallas Dhu – Pot Ale Receiver (Spent Wash Tank) & Heat Exchanger As described in the first part of this article, the spirit still has the bigger influence on the taste of the new make spirit, The second distillation is carried out much more carefully so the alcohol and the flavour substances can be separated more effectively from the water, Functional Chart of a Pot Still Distillery In the past, the so-called Worm Tubs were used to cool the spirit after distillation in the Pot Still, A Worm Tub is constructed as follows: The Lyne arm of the still is simply continued as a conduit and placed in the form of a spiral in a tub filled with cooling water,

In this way the Spirit cools down while it is passed on. However, this is a rather complex process that requires a lot of maintenance. For this reason, many distilleries no longer use this type of cooling, but prefer the so-called ‘shell and tube condensers’. These modern heat exchangers are much more space-saving and easier to handle.

In some distilleries you can still find the traditional worm tubs, for example at Lagavulin on Islay or Balmenach in the Highlands. Many do not want to do without their worm tubs despite the higher maintenance costs, as this type of cooling can also have a positive effect on the character of the distillery character,

Due to the increased copper contact and the temperature control of the water in the tub, the result is a heavier and spicier new make spirit, Since the aggressive foreshots are unwanted in the new make spirit, they are redirected in the spirit safe and not led into the spirit receiver, The functional chart from above is shown again to illustrate the function of the spirit safe,

This spirit safe has a long history and a special function. Under British law all pot stills and pipework must be padlocked. So the stillman cannot taste the spirit. Then how is he supposed to know when the foreshots have run through and the desired middle cut has started? Glenfarclas – Spirit Safe with Hydrometers and Thermometers The first thing experience teaches a stillman is the time needed to heat the still until the middle cut appears. Since thousands of gallons/litres must be heated to more than 158°F (70°C), it takes some time until the first spirit runs through the spirit safe,

Then the foreshots run for about 20 minutes. In order to determine the right moment to switch the spirit flow so the middle cut can be collected, the spirit safe contains several glass boxes in which the spirit can be collected and instruments start to swim. If you measure the density of the spirit with a hydrometer you can determine its alcohol content with a chart.

While the foreshots are running, the alcohol content of the spirit sinks from approximately 85% to 75%. Glenfarclas – Spirit Safe with Switches for the Spirit Flow Yet this is not the only instrument that must be monitored. The density of the liquid depends heavily on its temperature. So the temperature is also measured in order to rectify the density. With density and temperature measured, the stillman can then read the alcohol content off a chart hanging next to the spirit safe.

What happens to the foreshots ? They aren’t poured away but led back into the low wines receiver. However, the foreshots aren’t enriched by this constant reflux, This is where the real magic of distillation happens. The aggressive foreshots are transformed into enjoyable aromatic substances through catalytic reactions with the copper of the spirit still.

This is a continuous process, and the quantity of foreshots remains constant in the spirit still, After the foreshots have reached the low wines receiver, the stillman changes the flow direction in the spirit safe and leads the middle cut into the spirit receiver, Aberfeldy – Spirit Receiver and Filling of Casks The distillation of the middle cut must be carried out slowly and carefully. If the spirit still is heated too much, the reflux of condensing substances with a higher boiling point at the wall of the still is prevented.

Therefore fusel oils can pass the lyne arm and get into the spirit receiver, While the middle cut is being collected, which takes approximately three hours, the alcohol content falls from 75% to 60%. But even after switching at 60% abv, the distillation continues. The fusel oils ( faints ) that appear now are led back into the low wines receiver where they are again catalytically transformed by the copper during the next distillation run.

The distillation of the faints goes on for a long time and is only halted when a residual alcohol content of 1% is reached so no valuable alcohol is lost with the liquid remaining in the spirit still (called spent lees). You don’t often get the chance to view a low wines receiver from the inside.

It contains a milky grey-white mix of alcohol and water on which the thin, oily layer of faints swims. The distillation process is now complete. The distillation balance for the second distillation in the chart below shows the emerging quantity of new make spirit, In our example of 7925 gal. us. (30.000 L) of wash with 10% abv, the resulting quantity of 734 gal.

us. (2.780 litres) of alcohol means a yield of 92.6%.

	Low Wines	raw Whisky	Spent Lees	Faints & Foreshots
Liter/gallons total	11.252/2972	4.117/1088	3.376/892	3.759/993
Vol. % alcohol	25%	67,5%	1%
Liter/gallons Alcohol	2.813/743	2.279/602	34/9

Particularly interesting in the balance are the faints and foreshots that are led back for redistillation. They increase the amount of liquid of the low wines as well as their alcohol content, Since they are a transit item appearing in every new distillation, they are neglected in the balance.

This initially confusing fact is the reason why the alcohol content of the low wines is alternately stated between 20% and 27% in technical publications or when mentioned in a distillery, For the balance in our example we simply assumed an average content of 25% in the first distillation run and 67.5% in the second run.

In our example the spent lees amount to 30% of the volume of the first distillate. This is, like all the figures in the balances, just an educated guess. If you want to know more about the production of pot stills follow this link, Once the distillation is completed, the raw distillate is obtained.

This distillate is turned into Whisky (or Whiskey ) by being matured in casks for at least three years (USA: two years). Just as the minimum maturation period differs in Great Britain and the USA, so does the name for the raw distillate. In Scotland and co it is called ‘ New Make Spirit ‘. In the USA the term ‘ White Dog ‘ has become established.

It is not known where the term comes from, but it was probably used by the first American settlers. ‘White’ certainly because the spirit does not take on a brown colour without cask maturation, Where the ‘dog’ comes from is not known. Some American distilleries even sell their ‘ White Dog ‘ without cask maturation or an ageing period for only a few days or weeks.

These products are called, for example, ‘White Whiskey ‘, ‘White Lightning’ or ‘Legal Moonshine’. The term ‘moonshine’ contains something quite illegal per se. Moonshining is the illegal, domestic production and smuggling of spirits. As this used to take place mostly at night under the ‘moonlight’, the resulting distillate is called Moonshine.

In Europe it is not allowed to sell a spirit under the name ‘ Whisky ‘ unless it has been stored in casks for at least three years. But in the USA, many distilleries have seen a chance in selling their ‘ White Dog ‘ to make up for the revenue shortfall until they can sell the first Whiskey, which has matured for years.

How long does a spirit run take?

Fermentation: 1.5 hours hands on, 6-10 days of waiting patiently. Distillation: Plan for approximately 5-7 hours for the stripping run and 5-6 hours for your spirit run. Makes: Approx.4 L of 40% ABV finished product.

How long does it take to distill 1 gallon?

How long does it take to distill water? It takes around 4-6 hours for a countertop water distiller to produce one gallon of distilled water. Like most high purity water filtration methods, the process of water distillation is a slow one. The water distiller produces purified water one droplet at a time.

Gaspar Aparicio