Hi my name is John and I live out in Westport Massachusetts. I've been shining for about 1.5 years now and I run my copper still app. once or twice a month in small batches mostly for myself. Since I'm introducing myself I figured I'd tell you why it is exactly that I registered. I ran into somewhat of a delema, my last brew came out horrible to say the least. I use a 6 gallon copper pot still with an eight gallon plastic condencer auto fed with cold well water. My last mash was comprised of one gallon of raw 100% honey and 4 gallons of water. After cooled I introduced my Alcotec 48 Pure Turbo Super Yeast and kept it for a total of six days mixing once a day at an everage temp of 76 degrees. I ran it through my still and ended up with one miserable gallon at 68 proof. With only one gallon I wasn't goin to run it again and oh yeah it came out cloudy as sewer water. So I guess my question is I got this receipe online and from what I read it was sapposed to be one mean shine. Is there anything I did wrong, I kept the temp at a steady 175 degrees after it boiled , through out the first 50ml and discarded the tails as they were only 20 proof to begin with. Any suggestions. I appreciate any help I can get.

I appreciate your answer but just to better understand, the condencer tubing is all copper but the drum is plastic does that still make a difference.

"My Boiler was just under 3/4 of the way full but it did spit at the start but then I lowered the heat and it cleared up but always a little merky.
I've had a few buddies taste it and they love it but I can't stand the way it looks. I might just restill it with banana shine next week but I dont want the same mistake twice. Also I was using propane as the primary heat source."

Thank You. I figure your probably right, but why only one gallon that boggles me and especially at 68 Pf. I usually get about 1.5 to two gallons of shine per run and then I water it to about 90 Pf and finally run it through the carbon unless the taste is absolutly perfect in which case I dont mess with it.

So your saying to run a clean wash through the still and see if that would improve my next run or are you implying I should add those ingredients in my mash on the next run.

"

So when you still you get 1.5-2 gallons of distillate from your 6 gallon wash? And then you dilute it down to 90 proof and it makes a greater volume?

Have you ever made that recipe before or just that time and was it ever different than the last one???

Someone mentioned re-running it -- that does clean it up and if thats your idea it will work. Use what hooch you have add enough water to make ohhhhhh 3.5-4 gallons and then re-distill it. That will leave behind even more of the yuckies."

"

Please find and read up on making cuts and --how and why-- we do that.

You jsut told me you dont discard heads or tails. Even iin a grain mash you still have lots of stuff to toss.

In my expirence, I make 5 gallon washes and only keep 2-2 1/4 quarts of hearts.

You said I never collect all of the run -- not sure what that means but 1.5 gallons from 6 gallons is really pushing it. How much more do you think is there?? If its good to you though thats all that matters."

Do this...take that one gallon add 4 gallons of water to it and then re-distill it. That will really clean it up. Take it slow (low and steady heat) but dont collect all in one jug, use a bunch of small ones then tomorrow use your nose and see which jars are the cleaniest and best hooch.

No that's not what I'm suggesting. Keep the output of the stinky run, add the bs and salt, and re-run after letting it cure for a couple of days (after diluting to the appropriate ABV). I do stripping and reflux and have found adding the bs and salt really helps in reducing off flavors. DON'T TOSS ANYTHING. It can be reborn.

Merry Christmas to you as well and to all the members/readers of this forum.