"My first post on the forum to say Hi and Thanks to Rick for letting me in on this great forum. I am just getting into the hobby and will have a bunch of questions which I am sure you all have answered many times before.
I have a little experience in beer brewing from college days. I am building my own rig from a 10 gallon SS kettle. Built a 2 in. x 36 inch column and a 36 inch condensor. Running all copper with 1/2 inch piping. Still need to build a parrot for proofing as the product comes off. will run 2 copper scrubbers in the column. Heating with propane and cooling with a recirc. pump. Would like to try a SF mash after I get things hooked up and cleaned. Still need to get a ferment barrel with lid and airlock.
My first question: what would be the working size of wash for a 10 gal kettle? Dont want to have puking problems. 2: What do you guys use for cleaning solutions that dont leave a residue but still get the job done. I use to get these tablets that you dissolved in water, but I assume the industry has come along way since then (early 80s_) Any and all comments are welcome, Thanks."

Welcome Backwash. Vinegar and H2O is fine for cleaning runs. If you meant sanitizing I use Starsan. I never had a problem with just hot water and liquid dish soap though. Rinse, rinse rinse. I have a 15 gal boiler also and I run 12 gals. 10 gal pot I would not worry about running a 7.5 to 8 gal wash. Have fun and be safe.

For the Sweet Feed - I recommend the tried and tested recipe listed on this forum:
http://www.brewhausforum...?2711-Sweet-Feed-Whiskey

Your setup seems fine. Since it's a custom build, you will have to make a few runs to see how she's gonna play wif ya. I recommend sugar washes or even some cheap wine to brandy runs for that... Some effort goes into the SF recipe and it's a shame to lose that effort due to a mishap or something accidentally coming off the rails - I only say this from my own experiences- In no way am I suggesting anything else

As for considerable experience, let's not start tossing babies up in the air

Hi Backwash. After you do your cleaning run you should do a "sacraficial" run. An alcohol wash acts differently than water. I usually suggest just a simple sugar wash for that run. Not so much wasted effort as with sweet feed. Some people use cheap box wine which is what I did but I often get box wine for zilch. Use that run to get to know your still. Like dieselduo said the Sweet feed is just there for the flavor. I would try one or two runs without trying to convert the grain before you get into trying a mash. Just a suggestion. Good luck and have fun

A gallon of wine+gallon of water, is plenty..

As far as a glass carboy, fine for sugar washes, not so good on grain washes .. Pain in the ass to get the grain out after wards....

Heya B

most Food grade buckets wif lids will have an Rubber O-ring in the lid - Not all as some use a wedge form, but the Home Creepo orange buckets w/lids all do and they stay sealed. I get about 4-5 ferments outa a lid before I inevitably crack it and pull another from the stash.. But, they are cheap lids and one can harvest the O-Ring from a cracked one for future use.

And let me clarify - If one is doing a grain wash it needs to be racked to another clean buckit and not left on the grain/yeast bed (aka "lees") - off flavors can happen in some cases..so, once a ferment is done and settled, I rack it to a separate bucket till I have a still chargin' moment.. I do the same for my sugar washes... Now, that's just my way at things... Not the rule..

Yes, I have a number of orange buckets.

Tex-Mex can cause this condition in humans to the point of becoming an explosion hazard in the stilin' shed Ventilate well to avoid Silent, But Deadly releases...

"Guys, my pot is a 10 gallon brew kettle, like a big soup pot. has a raised lip that just sits on the lip of the pot. My column is 2 inch and the rest is 1/2 inch copper tube so i feel backpressure is minimal. I think i need to have a better seal on the kettle top with some clamps to hold it down. The condensor weight and coolant tubes will be enough to tip the lid.
As far as the Tex-Mex issue. I have been known to clear a room. Maybe a Beano for the brewer would help that also. B."

RCRed, Understood and this was my question. What do stillers use on their kettle pots to seal the lids. I can fabricate a gasket if I know what kind of material to use that will not affect the wash flavor. B.

Hokey, Thanks for the tip. I can make up a couple of these and have on hand for later runs. B