I built a still in my garage for distilling liquids. It's easy, quick, and every component was bought online or in town at grocery and construction supply shops.
Hey Bryan, I like your video because you get straight to the point and explain what you did in a straightforward way. So many people on RU-vid waffle on and on, but you just get on with it, which is what I and other viewers are looking for, so big thanks!
I wish every video on RU-vid was made this way. no long as intro video, no talking bullshit, no repeating shit, no long pauses. just informative speak, thanks mate.
Yup that's about it. My setup is almost identical. Only difference is use a plastic jug as an ice mold that drops inside my condenser. That way I don't have to keep buying ice. I keep several in my drop freezer and when they melt I swap them out. Place the frozen jug of water inside your coil and top off with water. I also use an electric hot plate for my boiler for safety instead of an open flame. When I distill my sugar washes using a turbo yeast my first runs can be 150 proof which is dangerous around a flame. I love this stuff!
To give you a tip on filtering, you only want to filter after you let the mash set for how ever many days you are doing it, then it is best to use for your first strain to get all the big bits out is use a calender or bowl shaped strainer, then you can get a filter for straining cooking oil to get all the fine bits out, run it through that 2 or 3X, then you will be able to distill it better... Also to pour it into the water bottle to ferment try using a funnel, they are not that expensive... Also you can just freeze water in a small drinking water bottle, place a few in the 5 gal bucket and replace as they melt, it will keep the condensing water cold so it will condense faster Sorry if I sounded rude... all in all it was a very good video...
Just learning this kind of stuff for off grid living. This was my first ever lesson on it and I'm sure I can make this work. Time to learning about the actual distilling process now. Thanks and this was a great video!
This was so helpful! Smart! I've been doing quite a bit of research & watching a bunch of videos. This seemed to have the best amalgamation of all the different designs I've seen! Thanks man. Nice job!
Thanks for sharing. It is a ton of still out there on RU-vid and I think I learn something from all of them. Some are simple still and some or more complexed, but over all I think all I have ever seen even the simple stills I have learnt a lot by watching them all. I enjoy watching them all and I thank you for sharing your build video. I have learnt so much from you and other on this matter. I remember years ago seeing the yahoo commercial where they guy ask the dolphin how he learnt how to talk and he said Yaaahoooo. I think RU-vid could have a commercial just like that, because there is so much information out there where people want to share their information and I just want to say thanks for sharing your information it was very informative. Thanks
Great video Bryan... I wasn't expecting it to be as good a it was. Very informative and real. Great run though of the gear needed. Pretty creative with the boiler cover from the bowl.
Great video. Love the start to finish explanation of what is for what and that mobile cart is awesome. Great idea and I'm going to try make one for my garage also.
Love how once you got started, you had a natural head of steam. A natural born presenter, completely practical, even down to using vice grips to hold the "lid". lol. Great job.
An easy way to coil your copper pipe is to fill it with water,put caps on it leave room for expansion, put it in a freezer or outside in the winter cold, bring it in and wrap it around your form. The ice will keep it from crimping. Thanks for the video.
You can also use a tube bender from an auto parts store. Like one that it use to bend brake lines. I also believe they sell at HD or lowes for larger piping
@@johnbennett69 vendors are nice you can go to one of the auto parts that loans tools for a small deposit bring the tool back and they give you your money back I thought I will let you know in case you didn't, love your videos keep up the good work🇺🇸
Very good video. No haters here. Never occurred to me to use a SS bowl. I already have everything else for my home brewing. Thanks for the video. Now i can turn my gallons of wine into brandy.
Very awesome vid to watch if you are already a home brewer or wine maker! With the exception of your smart design for lid and copper pipe, I already have everything to do this! Thanks for opening a new door for me!!!
Hey Bryan, Great video, I have been looking into building my first still. Ran across your video and love the idea of using the mixing bowl. Excellent idea! Thanks A lot, Shine On!!
Hi Bryan, the leaks in your system plus an open flame from the lpg burner is a seriously dangerous combo. Leaking Alcohol vapors are highly flammable & could catch alight from the open flame. For the safety to yourself, family & property be sure the system is airtight, seal all leaks and maybe change to a hotplate burner or place a metal sheet between lpg burner and the still to prevent vapor contact with open flame. Take care Brother
Hi Bryan. I am just starting to learn about brewing and distilling. This video is great. I love simple home made solutions. My next piece of the puzzle is a good recipe. Thanks!
Great video bryan, good job on the simple build of the still. Im looking to build something like that, using a stainless pot and mixing bowl top. Fantastic creation. Thanks
so, in the beginning, i had about 100 views and a dozen comments. Then, i turned around and had 24,000 views and a ton of comments. THank You! Someone asked about the silicon, but i cannot reply to their message. I don't know why. I stopped using silicon and cut a circle out of a shammee. I don't know the best way to spell that, but it's the lamb skin product used to dry a car after you've washed it. It works amazingly. Also, after 20,000 or so views, i've got some haters. I guess that means i'm popular. Hehe. You're right, though, i didn't use a level and i'm not a finish carpenter. I just built this on the fly with a bunch of stuff i got online and at my local stores. Honestly, i'm pretty proud of it. Also, my flavors are amazing and my friends love it.
Bryan, the reason you should never use silicone or most any other sealer is because you are dealing with alcohol vapor which will cause these types of compounds to break down and or release some nasty chemicals. Food grade doesn't mean anything when dealing with alcohol. There are other nasty's in the foreshots such as acetone just to name one. Cork as long as it is 100% pure works ok. Be sure it's not the automotive type which generally has rubber and glues mixed in it.
Robert Tainio not to mention if you wander around the hardware store you can find copper pressure fittings pretty cheap that can do the same thing as a sealant and actually create a tighter fit
Yes 63 it's not. Moonshine is made in the back woods and bootlegged out. This is urban shine. Anyone can do it. Not everyone can get away with moonshining.
Hey great help man. Good plain talking description of a still. Big help to me for building my first still. Couple of times I think you misspoke in your haste to get the information out, but any one thinking to build should know what you meant. Brilliant effort, I couldn’t do it any better and I appreciate all your effort and time. Cheers Brian 👍🏻
Great setup. One of the best vids on this topic. Been doing my homework and this setup you have here is what im going with. Pretty sure I can build if for at or around 100 bucks. Great video.
Hey Brian. Thanks for the shout out! Great job on your still. Especially your still stand. Very ingenious. I have dubbed my (and yours) still design the R2D2 still. Lol. It's perfect size for the first timer. And it makes some great shine! I have since upgraded my still to a 15 gal beer keg still. Probably gonna make a vid on how to build that still because I get so many requests on still building. Again, great video!! Shine on!!!
Dude. Thanks! Yours is the video I watched when I was figuring out how to get started. I've gone back many times for additional help and to find forgotten details. Thank You!! Shine On!!!
Both your video were the inspiration for me. Another R2D2 in the mix. Turns out Bryan and I have the same stockpot so he gave me a tip on the right mixing bowl to fit and a few other tips. In the final assembly stages now. Just need to get the male + female fittings, drill and assemble.
I enjoyed this video! I have no intention of making moonshine, but wanted to know how to make a still that could distill water in a shortage/ emergency. I found this and thought it was pretty cool. Easy to do! Good job on the video! Have fun distilling!
Brother I wish I seen your video earlier, this is what we need out there I'm a polak and a new brewer, and I agree like I buy a siphon but I need Other crap separate to make it work like wtf, keep it up man this is amazing
Thanks for the video...VERY clear instruction, and your attention to the details I needed to know are great and I plan on checking to see what else you've done. I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to share this with us because I found it very helpful in planning my own equipment out. =)
Great idea for making a still. One other website mentioned using the same pot but with some old moonshine tactic with using flour dough putty to seal it with the lid and then putting bricks on it. Your method of using cooking silicone and vise clips would hold it much better. Not to mention the availibility of stainless steel pots and bowels.
Dude, great video. Very informative, if you have upgraded since this video, could you possibly put another one up? That would be awesome. I've been looking into doing this for awhile now and your setup looks great and easy to manufacture. -Thanks
Thank you for your comment back. I'm making one of these stills next weekend. That's why I am trying to get all the accurate info. Thank you so much man.
Great stealth setup. Old Moonshiners used to use a flour and water paste to seal up any escaping gas/bubbles. The paste will heat up and seal what ever is leaking. You would need to reapply every few runs or as needed.
Bryan nice set up almost like mine but more portable. I would say to you add a thumper and larger piping coming off your pot going to said thumper. I am on my third rebuild. Every one has been better. Just went to the SS bowl with 1 1/4 coming off the top of boiler going into thumper. I get about 160 proof from my set up. 5 gal of mash gives 1 gal of shine. The mash is bubbling right now. Good luck and stay safe with open flame :)
To expand the air lock knowledge. You were correct about the bubbles are letting out CO2. But it's main purpose is to keep oxygen out and keeping your brew from oxidizing. Thanks for the video, I've been making mead, but am looking forward to making shine here soon.
+Bryan Blaskowsky You could also use a 'shine instead of water, which will kill any little beasties trying to get in there. Also, if for some reason it gets sucked in there, it's not going to hurt anything
I live here in Brazil, here we produce pinga, sugar cane alcohol. I won a bottle of boubom and liked it so much and I have corn plantation, which I decided to do at home for consumption. American voices, are light years from other countries, do not hide projects and show how they do. grateful for producing this video, as I was looking for a simple project. If you know the proportions and fermentation times and indicate to me, I'm grateful.
Great video! The thing with silicone is that alcohol acts as a solvent and melts it a little, the old timers use flour and water paste that hardens when it gets hot, cheap, effective and safe.
simple, concise and well done. as for your boat....i have some plans for a 35 foot single chine boat which i was hoping to start building in january, 1/10th scale before i build the real one. will keep you posted if i can get to it. i was in an accident and at this time, i have issues doing anything but hurting
love boat building. i did finish that 13' stitch/glue. never used it. sold it to someone. i didn't want the boat. i wanted the education. i'm currently sailing my 18' Hobie and restoring a 21' monohull sailboat. my next build will be a shallow water "scooter". Can't wait. Would love to see your progress.
I think your still design could be a little better, as you mentioned wanting to maybe make a more perfect one, but this is a great video. You covered absolutely everything. I made a "wort chiller" for brewing beer, to get the boil down to yeast-friendly temperature quickly, and I found that I can also use it as a still. I just put a hose barb on the lid of my brew pot, and I run a hi-temp silicone hose from that into my wort chiller. I sweat the solder joints a bit too hot, and they leak slightly, but it works. The problem is that the copper tube inside the coiled chiller isn't slanted down enough to make it easy to collect every last drop of product, or to reliably measure the first bit of methanol, if alcohol is what I am distilling. I think I could get away with a much shorter length of condenser tubing.
bryan, I hate to be a bearer of bad news. but I did notice one thing that was incorrect. first off, great video. loved it. and I don't know if anyone has brought this up, but messing with the temperature when actually distilling is a huge no no. the reason you are getting a higher output when cranking up the temp is because you are evaporating not only the alcohol, but the water as well. the reason a distillery works is because the alcohol has a lower boiling point than the water. so you should be cooking at around 200-220 degrees farenheit. depending on how strong your trying to brew it. I would suggest getting a second thermometer to measure the actual temperature of what you are cooking. or a longer thermometer. great design all in all. but for a higher proof output, you gotta really watch that temperature. :)
I was taught in school that water books at 212. I am 42 and learned this in probably 1987,but I am sure that is the correct answer. So master distiller is you are recommending a temp of 200 to 220 all you will have is water vapor. I would seriously brush up on basic knowledge before spouting out information like you are the master distiller at Jack Daniels.
I will give you a little tip. Methanol boils off around 145°, that is what you throw out. Ethanol boils off around 171°-179°, that's what you want to keep. Water boils off around 212°. Of course all of this varies depending on your elevation, but use that as a guideline. If you bring the vapors to 168° and hold it there for about ten minutes the still will start to run methanol and when its done it will stop, throw that out. Go ahead and bring it around 175° and make your run, just keep a taste and smell out for the tails, they smell like old wet cardboard.
Nicely done. I want to start relearning this and most videos online are for these new products that are like a faux DIY process. This dude basically just uses stuff that was just lying around the house. That's how it should be done
Cool video. Very detailed. Thumbs up. However, I'm a big fan of using a thumper (aka: thump keg, or doubler) between the still and the worm. Also, a clean white pillow case works well to strain your mash.
I'm with the others, let's see that boat! I started with a still similar to yours. I moved up to a 5 gal. number from Clawhammer Supply. Fun stuff. I put a pump on it and 50' of hose and ran the inline consider on my still cap to my pool. My wife hates this because I sit with the slider open for about 8 hours while distilling. Slower heat equals nice cooking fuel, if you get my drift. Excellent vid man.
To keep the metal spoon from scratching the inside of the bucket... take super fine wet dry sand paper and polish the sharp edges off it. Then it wont scratch it up.
I have watched a lot of videos on how to make the alcohol, but yours is the first I have seen to actually make the still itself....thank you for showing..and if you come up with any improvements or easier ways, please let us know...( not that it's that complicated ....) : )
FYI - The word bung is from the Scottish word bunged which means blocked - If you have a blocked nose we would say our nose is bunged up. Considering bungs were first used in whisky distillation and it was to bung up a hole - they called it a bung.
Scottish boat/shipbuilding got it from whisky making. Which makes sense if you think about it - Scotland has a long tradition of ship building, builders who obviously drank firewater. But we were making whisky long before we were making ships and we've been making ships for a very very long time. :-)
@@oojimmyflip Fun factoid. It was a Scot that created the US Navy and it was a Scot that taught the Russians about naval warfare (which is why the Russian navy flag is the reverse saltire and their patron saint is St Andrews) - So in a round about way, Scotland is responsible for the cold war. LOL
Great presentation...well thought out. The funny-looking thing that looks like a thermometer is a hydrometer and the tall skinny beaker is a graduated cylinder (the hydrometers come in different graduations...you could get one for METHANOL to measure that first 200-250ml if "discard". You might put a comp fitting 12" out of the pot to allow for easy disassembly/storage....got everything but tubing and ss bowl...gonna build one. Thanks again.
Good concept. Nice video for the basics. You need to get the seal under control to stop any leakage on the boiler pot. Any leaks hitting the burner and you could be visiting the man upstairs. Again Dude nice video, have fun and keep shining!!
Thank You! And, I agree. I've started using a "shamee". I don't know the proper spelling, but it's what you can use to help dry a car after washing it. It's usually made out of lamb skin. I cut a piece out and replaced the silicon with it. It works great.
Great video Brian. I thought is was very informative and the cart is pretty sharp. I have been home brewing beer for several years and is a fun hobby. I have now got the interest in making moonshine or even aging the run into an oak barrel. Do you have any videos that you actually cook the shine? Thanks again and take it easy!
thanks for all these infos very detailed and i really appreciate and also would you please write all the list of materials you used and specifically where someone can buy them in case. i would like to copy and paste your style straight in my garage. thank you. hope to hear back from you. Blessings!
