Definitely, better ingredients = better shine, hands down! My thoughts and opinions basically mirror your own, I give slightly different advice though... I started brewing with wine and found fruits to be an easy starting place, so typically I advise starting there or with some kind of sugar cane product to make rum same as you mentioned. The sugar wash is where we differ though, I typically don't recommend starting with any non-inverted sugar (or just plain invert sugar even tbh) as many have found it harsher and difficult to remove certain flavors it can leave behind from the yeasts enzymatic inversion process which it has to do prior to being able to ferment any of the sugar anyway. I've helped quite a few newbies find more enjoyment in their own shine after teaching about that one simple step that typically ends up helping them in more way than one 😁 I only used some lower quality ingredients once following someone else's recipe, I'll never do that again... It turned out absolutely awful, but through some ingenuity and a LOT of hard work. I was able to salvage it and turn it into a decent spirit, though would have been sooo much faster and less work to just start it right. From then on I've been using better ingredients, as well as not following recipes anymore. I just make my own now, the world is absolutely full of possibilities. I've got a few spirits on my list nobody I've ever heard of has ever made before, so they could be interesting nobody knows tho 🤷♂😅 Since I started distilling a few years ago, I've overhauled everything more than once and I learned real quick how to make and/or modify equipment to suit my needs. I also preach people go modular, but also bigger than they think they'll need. So that they can grow INTO the still and more parts, not OUT of it completely then have to buy or build another shortly after the first because most people love it and will continue headfirst into this wonderous and exciting hobby with is many aspects to explore and enjoy 💯😂 And one thing specifically that I see new distillers have non-stop issues with is cuts breakdown and understanding. I've been making a list of things I can bring to the table on the topic, with my science background I've been thinking about a few aspects of simple analytical chemistry people can do at home that can help new distillers differentiate the cuts and their contents. That's one of my more ambitious projects as of right now. Though geared towards beginners, that video is one I think really has the ability to help both the new distillers and the more adept ones as well because there's some analysis methods most people won't even know are possible let alone think about using it on their spirits, I think that'll be fun🔬👨🔬😋 That'll probably be one of my first videos at the new place next month though, I think the new background would make a good set and setting for it and a month is a good bit of time to prepare all what I want to cover in it as well 😄 --RuneShine, Michigan's Norse-Druid Alchemist✌💚🙃
Too cold of water going into your condenser can lead to the still going into "shock" which will basically cause the distillate coming out to puke. It can also lead to other output problems and or problems with diluting the strength of your alcohol coming out.
@@milehidistilling1 hmm, I am not sure about the shock as I almost always go in with water in the 40 to 50 degree range. Never had a puke, turn power down so distillate is a moderate rate drip. what should be the water temp to avoid this?
Resistance Hot plates with some sort of an SCR or IGBT controller are probably most common, as the boiling vessel material is not an issue. However, using an Induction hot plate that is more efficient in that the heat is induced into the bottom of the vessel. The only "catch" is when using stainless steel, the alloy of the material is important. Not inso far as quality of the product, but the materials ability to be inductively heated. One would want a vessel that that a magnet is attracted to, material like a 400 series stainless. 300 series is less magnetic and harder to heat inductively, In that 400 series SS is generally cheaper, so my Amazon Vevor "China" still heats well using a 1500 watt, induction hot plate. So Boo, do you know the alloy of the stills that Mile Hi provides? Thank You for your time.
@@milehidistilling1 Generally speaking,304 & 316 alloy ss are non-magnetic. They will heat with induction, but not as readily as 400 series SS. Boo, have you received any comments from distillers that might be using induction stoves or hot plates? Thanks, Jetta
@@jettapup Hi, Jetta. Correct, our stills won't work inherently with induction cooktops and would require a heat diffuser plate in the middle to work. They heat fine with hot plates, though. I occasionally use hot plates as a heat source for our stills, and they work pretty well.
I think you mean ATF. I'm not sure if you are old enough, but before weed became legal, we would go to a headshop to buy a bong, and the guy would say it's a water pipe, not a bong.
Ah, yeah, total brain fart. DEA is only drugs. Completely spaced ATF. And yep, the whole "water pipe" thing is just like the whole "water distiller" thing. Not wrong, it's just that most people are using it for that purpose.
@@abrad3061 I bet you make some amazing quality water with your still no doubt! Thank you for using the system responsibly and not making any tasty moonshine with it, you're a real class act.
@@abrad3061 Yeah. I'll see what we can do! George is living a less active life and doesn't do RUclips as much but I'll see if we can bring him up or we can maybe go down and get a video done at his place.
Definitely, better ingredients = better shine, hands down! My thoughts and opinions basically mirror your own, I give slightly different advice though...
I started brewing with wine and found fruits to be an easy starting place, so typically I advise starting there or with some kind of sugar cane product to make rum same as you mentioned.
The sugar wash is where we differ though, I typically don't recommend starting with any non-inverted sugar (or just plain invert sugar even tbh) as many have found it harsher and difficult to remove certain flavors it can leave behind from the yeasts enzymatic inversion process which it has to do prior to being able to ferment any of the sugar anyway. I've helped quite a few newbies find more enjoyment in their own shine after teaching about that one simple step that typically ends up helping them in more way than one 😁
I only used some lower quality ingredients once following someone else's recipe, I'll never do that again... It turned out absolutely awful, but through some ingenuity and a LOT of hard work. I was able to salvage it and turn it into a decent spirit, though would have been sooo much faster and less work to just start it right. From then on I've been using better ingredients, as well as not following recipes anymore. I just make my own now, the world is absolutely full of possibilities. I've got a few spirits on my list nobody I've ever heard of has ever made before, so they could be interesting nobody knows tho 🤷♂😅
Since I started distilling a few years ago, I've overhauled everything more than once and I learned real quick how to make and/or modify equipment to suit my needs. I also preach people go modular, but also bigger than they think they'll need. So that they can grow INTO the still and more parts, not OUT of it completely then have to buy or build another shortly after the first because most people love it and will continue headfirst into this wonderous and exciting hobby with is many aspects to explore and enjoy 💯😂
And one thing specifically that I see new distillers have non-stop issues with is cuts breakdown and understanding. I've been making a list of things I can bring to the table on the topic, with my science background I've been thinking about a few aspects of simple analytical chemistry people can do at home that can help new distillers differentiate the cuts and their contents. That's one of my more ambitious projects as of right now. Though geared towards beginners, that video is one I think really has the ability to help both the new distillers and the more adept ones as well because there's some analysis methods most people won't even know are possible let alone think about using it on their spirits, I think that'll be fun🔬👨🔬😋
That'll probably be one of my first videos at the new place next month though, I think the new background would make a good set and setting for it and a month is a good bit of time to prepare all what I want to cover in it as well 😄
--RuneShine, Michigan's Norse-Druid Alchemist✌💚🙃
Good learning..thank you
I heard you can go blind with methanol cut. Thank you for clearing this out
Great video Boo, as always, very informative for the novice...
Glad it was, thanks for watching my dude!
Thanks for those helpful tips Boo & Team. 👍.
Our pleasure!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge Boo!
My pleasure! Thanks for watching!
Don't go cheap because you will end up spending more money in the end. I love my dual purpose 8 gallon combo pack it's amazing.
You da man! That's a great unit!
i understand the heat input as a critical element but not sure i understand why the condensing water temperature matters?
Too cold of water going into your condenser can lead to the still going into "shock" which will basically cause the distillate coming out to puke. It can also lead to other output problems and or problems with diluting the strength of your alcohol coming out.
@@milehidistilling1 hmm, I am not sure about the shock as I almost always go in with water in the 40 to 50 degree range. Never had a puke, turn power down so distillate is a moderate rate drip. what should be the water temp to avoid this?
Resistance Hot plates with some sort of an SCR or IGBT controller are probably most common, as the boiling vessel material is not an issue. However, using an Induction hot plate that is more efficient in that the heat is induced into the bottom of the vessel. The only "catch" is when using stainless steel, the alloy of the material is important. Not inso far as quality of the product, but the materials ability to be inductively heated. One would want a vessel that that a magnet is attracted to, material like a 400 series stainless. 300 series is less magnetic and harder to heat inductively, In that 400 series SS is generally cheaper, so my Amazon Vevor "China" still heats well using a 1500 watt, induction hot plate. So Boo, do you know the alloy of the stills that Mile Hi provides? Thank You for your time.
Hey, Jetta.
We use 304/316 for all of our builds.
@@milehidistilling1 Generally speaking,304 & 316 alloy ss are non-magnetic. They will heat with induction, but not as readily as 400 series SS. Boo, have you received any comments from distillers that might be using induction stoves or hot plates? Thanks, Jetta
@@jettapup Hi, Jetta. Correct, our stills won't work inherently with induction cooktops and would require a heat diffuser plate in the middle to work. They heat fine with hot plates, though. I occasionally use hot plates as a heat source for our stills, and they work pretty well.
It will be BATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) that has jurisdiction, not DEA nor FBI
Yeah, totally right. Not sure why I said DEA since they're only drugs. Thanks for the correction.
I think you mean ATF. I'm not sure if you are old enough, but before weed became legal, we would go to a headshop to buy a bong, and the guy would say it's a water pipe, not a bong.
Ah, yeah, total brain fart. DEA is only drugs. Completely spaced ATF. And yep, the whole "water pipe" thing is just like the whole "water distiller" thing. Not wrong, it's just that most people are using it for that purpose.
I only make high Quality H2O
@@abrad3061 I bet you make some amazing quality water with your still no doubt! Thank you for using the system responsibly and not making any tasty moonshine with it, you're a real class act.
Go watch George he is the godfather he will teach you everything you need to know. Hey Boo you should invite him up for a video
Yep, I love George's videos. Would love to do a video with him one day!
Well hit him up
@@abrad3061 Yeah. I'll see what we can do! George is living a less active life and doesn't do RUclips as much but I'll see if we can bring him up or we can maybe go down and get a video done at his place.
If I send you a sample would you guys critique it for me and tell me what you think?
Love everything about Mile High!
@@Reallymydaughter135 We would be honored, absolutely :) Thank you for choosing Mile Hi, we greatly appreciate all of your support