Does anyone have a still?

I'm looking for tips and advice for brewing your own spirits. does anyone make their own?

Hubby used to...we'll get sorted out for a visit when your hubby is there too and he can give you the tips and tricks []

My OH has been toying with the idea of brewing his own beer, would appreciate comments on that too. [] Is it a lot cheaper than buying? Is there a big investment in gear up front? Easy / difficult?? :confused:

The still was expensive, a complete kit of everthing I would need (top of the range) and enough stuff to make the first batch of spirits was $788. I'll sure have to drink a lot to justify that!! I used all my christmas and birthday 'credits' to buy it. Haven't even set it up yet as off to the south island on thursday till monday next week, so I will have a go when i get back.

Hubby has also done beer - perhaps we need a gathering of Waikato DIY refreshment enthusiasts to chat about it? I know he is looking at getting back into beer production once the house is sorted.

We also have a neighbour who is growing 4 grape varieties for homemade wine production.

The Kats Place;224150 wrote: off to the south island on thursday till monday next week, so I will have a go when i get back.

Anywhere near here TKP ????? Or I'm sure a few of those North of here would love to meet up as well.........

Christchurch, to visit 8 month old grand son who is growing really fast. And my son and daughter in law as well of course, and also daughter in Rangiora, gosh I'm not going to have long enough am I.

Sounds like a plan Tigger. I'm to be the moonshine maker by the way, no hubby

Homemade gin is rather nice too

I've made beer, and will b putting down another lot soon very nice at month 3. and best thing yet, I like strong dark beers, so a 24Lt mix made up as 18Lts was VERY rich, full and smooth

I've got a pot still, which is now about 10 years old and never used. Too much LSB work to work out how to use it ..... Will be very interested in how to use a pot still.
Beer out of beer kits is really easy and less than half price. If you don't want glass bottles and a crown capper then use 1.5L soft drink bottles. You will need a 30-odd litre fermentation container, so a big bucket or a plastic cask. Also a hygometer.
The beer kits come as malt and hops in a tin, and the yeast in a bag on the top of the tin.
Wash the fermentation flask with boiling water. NEVER use soap.
Put the kit contents and white sugar into the fermentation flask with 2L of boiling water and dissolve.
Fill the flask with cold or warm water to make the final temp about 25C.
Sprinkle in the yeast (don't stir it) and seal the flask. Stand it in a tray (so that if the fermentation escapes it spills into the tray) in a warm, dark place.
Leave to brew for about a week.
When you think the brewing has stopped, check the specific gravity with the hygrometer. If it is about 0 it is finished.
Wash enough bottles for 30L in hot water. Also wash the tops.
Syphon the beer, without the dregs, into the bottles. Put 1/2 teaspoon of white sugar per litre into the bottle (either before or after putting the beer in the bottle).
Seal the bottles.
Leave in a warm dark place for at least a week.

Now, can you tell me please LR if you can syphon through muslin or something similar to catch any dregs? Or, why would that not work?

Just wondering, as thinking of doing some wine in a month or three.

And, a friend's DH has a still; it's great. His Midori he makes for me is very palatable!

Hubby does a double reflux still for ours. He started with making all the alcohol for our wedding, and has gone on from there. He currently makes anything from lollywater to thru' to the hard-core bourbon and back again

Diane

Well thats handy to know Diane incase I have questions.
I've had lots of offers to sample the results.

Prim, for a syphon I use a length of clear plastic hose. I think that through a muslin sieve would take a long time, and ensuring it was clean enough could be a bit of a problem. With beer it is important to get some of the yeast that is floating around in the brewing container into the bottle. That bit of yeast then grows and makes the bubbles of the beer. With wine, I try to keep the sediment out of the settling bottles. I guess if you were careful to keep the sediment in the settling bottles out of the final bottles then using a sieve would be fine. My wine never gets into final bottles ..... in fact, it is good straight out of the fermentation bucket .....

See my website - homepages.ihug.co.nz/~a-hinman

It is about 10 years since I did anything on it, but I made good use of my pot still for some time before moving to the UK....

Feel free to ask questions, but it might be a bit hazy, as it's been about 7 years since I made a brew (although I still have quite a bit in my storage shed!)

Alan (in the UK for another 4 months)