You might be the best and most well-spoken presenter of practical science on the internet. I always get excited when you post a new video no matter the subject.
Hammered on isopropanol, according to him... uh huh. never mentioned this stuff in his old distillation vids. Bet he got a visit from someone. There's a reason the distillation UA-camrs are in NZ. It's the only westernized country where it's not regulated.
This distillation series has been unexpected and awesome! This is about the highest quality content I've seen on YT, PERIOD! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and techniques!
Just imagining the sick tunes playing from your homemade tower speakers while making your own rum. I'm growing more hairs on my chest just watching this.
I have used fractional stills many times to distill rum. And as you have it there I was able to start with about 189 proof. I usually do exactly half your quantity of wort at about 23L. Here is my feedback. The beautiful column still you have is a dream. But I use it only to make vodka. Most of the flavors are gone when using a fractional still. A normal copper alembic still is the best to extract flavors and also the extensive copper traps a lot of the sulfur giving you a much nicer product. Also I don't grab any alcohol until the thermometer shows 78C. Everything before that temperature is discarded. Love your channel. The way you talk and explain things makes it a joy to listen and learn.
This is the question I wanted to ask. I also have a column still with bubble plates but run pot still mode when doing rum, Sometimes one bubble plate running with small dephleg works great. What i seen was vodka production, it would have been nice to explain the difference and the reason you choose this option, I know Rum has a strong flavor and some probable carried through. That said as per the 100s of the comments I scrolled past another great production...
The combination between narration and cameraman and new providing content is exceptional. It is live. You don't have to see here and do a bunch of prompts. You don't do a bunch of fast forwarding. I got it to say I love your videos
The traditional Brazilian spirit is also made out of sugar cane, but instead of molasses it starts by fermenting sugar cane juice with cornmeal then going to distillation. The finished beverage is called "cachaça" or "pinga" depending if the final mixing gets more heart or more tail alcohol ("pinga" means literally "droplets"). It can be consumed right away or be matured in different casks, usually made of "umburana", an indigenous Brazilian tree which gives a distinct flavour. I hope you find these information to be interesting, and maybe in the future we might see some cachaça making going on the channel! Thanks for the great content!
@@stoppernz229 Molasses is made from sugar beets too, at least here in central europe it's more common to get molasses from beets, if you buy locally made stuff.
@@lucasdallagnol Um método tradicional muito difundido em São Paulo e Minas Gerais adiciona fubá ao mosto da cana para atuar como starter do processo de fermentação. A traditional method used mainly in São Paulo and Minas Gerais states, in Brasil, adds cornmeal (fubá) in the sugar cane freshly pressed and filtered juice to start the fermentation process.
@@SoraKatsuya No Brasil a cachaça é muito consumida em doses (shots). Para os coquetéis, como a caipirinha, usamos cachaças simples e de baixo custo. Yes, in shots!!!
Although I already do this as a hobby, I thought this to be a very informative and useful pair of videos for someone who may be seeking the knowledge. For me it was more a reinforcement of correct principals. Very good sir. I appreciate quality, well researched content.
The Thought Emporium channel did an interesting video on aging alcohol using an ultrasonic bath and it had surprisingly promising resultse. It could be interesting to see something like that on this project
Agreed! A great aspect of using US is that one can devote small percentages and get fast results. That would help privide a more "sciency" atmosphere :-) Depending on how he blends it might take well to aging. I think I mentioned US in the last video so its nice to hear others have the same thought.
He did some rapid aging in the whisky video, though not with any ultrasound. Just requires toasting oak sticks and placing into jars. That and the increased surface area from being in stick form allows aging whisky within a few weeks. Not as quick as the ultrasound method I'm sure but accessible to anyone and not years like traditional aging.
Enthralled. I apologize if I seemed to be anything other than helpful in my previous comments on your channel. I will stand by my previous comments, but I appreciate what you do and hope I can continue to watch with no qualms. Truly excellent and the epitome of what the internet should be and can produce.
"That's a different conversation for a different channel...stay tuned" Me: *mountain man Robert Redford nodding his head* ok you have my attention, I can't wait!
@@lordjaashin My dialect of internet-speak comes from the generation that played Pogs at school. Early internet was like everyone learning how to communicate simultaneously without any established benchmarks to go off of.
3 ideas: - Keep the leftovers after the distillation, let it dry up (to remove water) and mix it later with the dunder. - Add some flavours like cocoa beans at the beginning of the fermentation step. - Store the alcohol with copper/silver pieces soaked in it to remove even more sulphides (although some sulphides are great for the aroma, like grapefruit flavour for example)
Ehhh I love this guy, but this is how you teach semi-advanced stuff to already interested and somewhat knowledgable people on UA-cam. Not the same thing as teaching math to someone who is not interested, has problems concentrating or you know, life stuff.
@@greenveg42 I don't think that's entirely on point. The semi-advanced science is comprised of simple knowledge such as chemistry, physics, and math. You are saying people are not interested in math, but of course when you present someone with problems and solutions completely devoid of real world applications that's going to happen. And even with few examples of "real world" problems in textbooks, they are very dry and do not cultivate interest, you know, just like those "life stuff" you speak of. But they don't have to be. The same fact of learning fractions can be one of your boring "life stuff", or it can be a part of advanced problem break down from constructing a tesla battery powered boat, or in this case, measuring the alcohol content in your distillate. There's also effort to gauge viewer interest and garner participation. These are all essential in education that modern educators lack. At the end of the day, students have all of their interest stripped away, hard memorize some formulas, and missing the foundational ability to break down a large problem into chunks of smaller problems.
With electric burners being easy to obtain, along with pressure gauges hydrometer and the internet, one law could be written allowing anyone to make it free of regulation as long as you throw away the first amount in the beginning and use the above stated equipment. But big brother needs lunch money,
It cracked me up @21:35 when he said "really careful" in that way.. 😂 Guys like him and his team is amongst what keeps UA-cam valuable platform. I'm addicted to this channel though.. 😍
This guy is a legend. All his vids are super easy to follow. I don't know anyone else that conveys information as clear and as concise as he does. I look forward to every video you release :)
@@drott150 Herzog Wilhelm IV. and Ludwig X. would like to have a word with you about then calling the brewed liquid a beer. Also this is a great way of blowing up your bottles.
I’m the grandson of a bootlegger. Worked with him to make grappa and whiskey until he passed when I was 12 years old. His product would have been greatly improved with the technology today.Your scientific instruction brought up a lot of the memories of the way he produced alcohol interspersed with his non-scientific methodologies and homespun work arounds. Thank you.
Your videos are truly resonating and delightful for me especially in this chaotic and depressing world. And reminds me there are still authentic and bravery out there. Thank you
This is the content that made me know you, never stop making your distillation as content pls. The science is all great too, just produce what you love :)
Another fantastic video! You might replace that dephlegmator supply valve with a needle valve. It has a little more control and is also much easier to manipulate. Cheers!
Thank you for explaining the methanol bit as clearly and quickly as you did. It took you 3 minutes 45 seconds to clear up something I've wondered for years.
You absolutely nailed every part of the science and process of distilling. If I was hard pressed to make a suggestion it would be, instead of airtight capping off all the jars try leaving them open to the atmosphere covered with coffee filters/cheese cloth. By letting your cuts rest open for 24hrs after distillation, it allows undesirable lighter alcohol compounds a chance to evaporate. By doing this extra step, it makes the blending process easier.
Same question here. I'm new to the craft, but is seems counterintuitive to use that much reflux with bubble plates and dephlag that strips out the profile of all that wonderful molasses.
When I was younger we made a simple still with a pot and some copper tubing. Our mash was based off bananas and potato. We were young and dumb and didn't dispose of the foreshot. (!) The resultant hooch was never very good and just stayed on the top shelf, more as a dare if the party lasted too long. Nobody got hurt but I shiver thinking that someone could have. Well, 25 years later, I watch your process and I'd love to try it again, albeit with a bit more safety and a bit more foreshot. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks for the great video. I love your clear communication and demonstrations. There is a burning question, though. As I understand it, dunder is put into the ferment to add flavour/character. The reflux still will produce high alcohol concentrations, largely by stripping out those flavouring compounds. Wouldn't a pot still be more appropriate for rum? Sorry to be a pedant, still love your work.
The great benefit of watching you is the technical detail you use in explaining the processes, while not being boring at the same time. It might not have hit you, but you are demonstrating in reality the most common question that students pose to their teachers and usually goes unanswered: “what the heck am I learning this for? How is this going to be useful in the future?” Well you never know what life will give you as opportunities and of those which will you take, but at least you get to know one or two practical applications. Motivation is largely driven by understanding the goal of an endeavor. That means that if there were more teachers out there using as a teaching method what you are doing, there would be far less drop outs everywhere. The only thing that might be missing is some trusted links or documentation that will allow people to carry on further ahead if they so wish to. For those that really want to dig deep into the matter. Overall, congratulations are in order. I take my hat off for people that like yourself devote time and effort to put great content available to others. Watching your videos has been some of the best use of my time on UA-cam. Keep it up, and if I can think of anything to suggest I will do so later, for now I just had to thank you and your team.
That depends on where you shop, you can get a stainless steel beer keg, and if you or someone you know can weld you can make a set up of equal size and build for around $800 depending on your column size selection.
@@quatre1559 I think it would be a lot more than that. Just looking around the column he is using runs almost $1500. shop.distillery-equipment.com/collections/stills/Moonshine-Still-Columns. I'm sure there are better deals to be had out there, but if it's anything like beer brewing equipment, it'll be all about the same new. That's probably not what you were saying, it seems like you meant building one like it. But I think that's what Tracy was asking.
I know hillbillies that make cheap ones from copper pipe and miscellaneous parts. I'm sure you can find how to do it online. They usually use potato mash and it tastes like vodka but you could make a similar mash to what they used here.
This would be an entertaining video. Given the breadth of topics covered on this channel, I think the discussion while sampling and enjoying the rum would be delightful :)
I really enjoy how you break things down simply. But you're not dumbing it down You're just listing out observables. Like this is how you recognize when you get to a certain threshold.
Fantastic info, I have been making Wine and Beer for 14+ years, won many awards, but in the process of moving into distillation. And by chance, Rum is my drink. Thanks for the in-depth info.
I'm guessing you guys have quite a long way from home to a liquor store, considering how professionally your taking creating home brew hard drinks while it seems like an alternate-alternate hobby compared to the main subjects covered on this channel :)
I think it’s about the fine control over flavor, not so much about the distance to the liquor store. I can’t stand store bought, cheap booze. Anything made like this at volume will cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars a liter.
I think the professionalism he brings to this is more of a reflection of the fact he brings an air of professionalism to seemingly everything he does, and less of an indicator that he's hard up for a boozing.
Brewing is serious stuff. Here in Norway, it used to be illegal to not brew and drink beer. It was considered extremely blasphemous and if you refused to brew three times in a row, half of all your assets would be given to the king and the other to the bishop, then you would be told to leave the country and never come back. That's how Iceland was formed. The only exception is if it was caused by old age, making you incapable of riding and drinking, in which case your assets would be transferred to your oldest son and you'd be in his custody from then on. True story. Anyway, brewing is a very serious hobby and if you're not going to treat it as such, you really shouldn't bother. The reason you can buy store bought bottles, is that someone took it seriously enough to be able to brew something that was good enough to _sell_, which is obviously a lower bar than good enough to _drink_.
@@AtlasReburdened - Alcohol being what it is, and doing what it does almost universally to everyone, I have to admit that I am trying to picture that quiet reserve and calm manner of his after slamming one of those high-proof Mason jars of hootch. Just imagine his frenzy if we managed to convinced him then that the English Major kidnapped the French Minor and she was in peril. I bet he'd McGyver-up some plan to save her that would be simply Brilliant!
I really appreciate the content that you produce. It's fun informative and I love and respect the willingness to set boundaries where your expertise may end and someone else's may begin.
Great video again ! nice to see distillation and nice rum. Isn't your distillation tower a bit too good at separating liquids, since you leave behind quite a bit of different aromas with higher vapor pressures that would get through a less performant distillation tower.
Hydrometers/alcoholometers are fine when you first start out, but refractometers (good quality ones at any rate) are game changing. They self adjust for temp, you don't have to cool boiling liquids to prevent damage to the instrument, they are way less fragile, and you only use a few drops of liquid per test. I'm totally jealous of your still, those things cost more than my first car did. Great stuff man, keep it coming!
I've brewed beer/wine and distilled a bunch in the past. It's fascinating to see someone so "method" and detail oriented do things I've done in my garage and it's humbling that there's not much difference in the SWAG parts. On my first distillation experiment, I was 110% nervous and picky and threw away a lot of the heads. Probably too much to be honest. But I appreciated this series. Can't wait to see you do a sit down with your crew, enjoy a snifter and do a Q&A video to your viewers. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with the world.
Technically, I think you can set it on fire and watch the color of the flame, but you really shouldn't try to dance on the edge of methanol poisoning, because methanol tastes just like ethanol, just a little sweeter and by the time you realize your mistake, you'll probably be blind. If you want to be safe, either be generous and throw some away, or mix your whole batch together.
I love how you're using an optical bench to put your computer on 😃 I'm a laser display guy with 30 years experience and those things were laying about all over our workshop in the early days. Great scientific explanations of the whole process, love it 😍 thank you
I worked at a small distillery for a day & they actually kept the fores off each run & actually run them again through the still with new mashes to “extract extra flavour” from them. Did same for faints as well.
Dude, make some kind of chromatographic or spectroscopic methanol detector. It is a science channel after all - not a primitive moonshine/gin joint. e.g.: shine a laser at the distillate and measure the Stoke's scattering ...or just do IR absorption spectrogram if you are lazy.
TI “That’s for a different day” Me “ oh, I’ll watch that” TI “on a different channel” Me “Boo, why are they shying away from the history and politics?” TI “Stay tuned” Me “ wohoo, read my mind” And now you have too
I loved that. Science is science, politics is politics and the art of blending spirits is the art of blending spirits. It's good to keep those things apart as much as possible.
The requested comment! and Science IS fun! Even for retirees. I learned why the copper in the still 50 years after taking Organic Chemistry. Thanks for that and a crystalline explanation and demonstration. Regulation stands in the way of practice, but I love knowing how things work.
Very well presented and filmed. That is a beautiful still and must have a substantial price tag. I have a better appreciation for the spirits I enjoy. Thanks.
If you allow me a suggestion, you could add a "T" fitting and a second tap to the fermenter so that when you want to stop the flow of liquid, after you close the tap on the vessel, you can open the second one , letting air enter through the hole and thus we will be able to empty the hose completely into the can we are filling...
I found this channel through your self made air con/cool system build. Found myself coming back for rocket motors, and now I'm hooked on your distilling videos. Fantastic channel! Sending you much admiration from Ireland.
Nice video! I did beer for a number of years. Very different, but much the same as this. I did get some chills a good bit watching what in beer making would be considered contamination. But with the heating and distilling, anything bad gets left behind. Thanks for the dedication and precision.
Good morning from South Africa. Only recently came across your channel, and do appreciate the wide field you are covering. Thanks for a very informative video. I do this for a hobby....but still learn something new. I just might try out your chest freezer setup.
Excellent job you're doing. I never throw away the methanol, i put it in the garage in a antifreeze bottle and use it for that and it's great for cleaning and disinfecting work surfaces. Thank you.
I haven't done a rum,I have a still that will do the job,the dunder was an issue,make a first run,then collect for a second run,it all comes down to time,even though I'm retired,time is always an issue,here in Colorado temperature is an issue,your chest freezer cooling water is perfect,then I thought why not make a two 7 gallon bucket fermenting box,use my temp controller and a heat lamp,solve two problems,thanks for stimulating a ventage brain! I get a lot of information from Jesse,a go to channel.
Thank you for explaining the differences and dangers between ethanol and methanol. I've had many people try to tell me there was no need to throw out the "Heads" because it didn't pose any risks because of the better equipment used today versus that of the '50s
Hi, new to distilling, I’m on my second run and have produced some excellent vodka in a pot still with thumper. My next run is going to be a sugar wash for neutral spirit then on to rum. Your channel is immensely helpful. Thank You!
Keep these up! Fantastic! I am an electrical engineer and learn something from EVERY one of your videos. Come on UA-cam algos - show this guy some love....
Totally appreciate the links over to the channel! Pretty awesome of you :)
Sure.
You cover a lot of material and it's always a worthwhile watch.
Two best channels on UA-cam right here folks.
Fucking GC, NZ on the map again, tu meke 🤙
I subscribed to Still It, sight unseen, based on the TI recommendation and have since verified that it's an amazing channel, also.
@@hxhdfjifzirstc894 ah thanks man :)
You might be the best and most well-spoken presenter of practical science on the internet. I always get excited when you post a new video no matter the subject.
Thanks!
"wait until the next day to do the analysis" that's science for getting hammered.
Ha, I thought exactly the same!
The proper scientific term is a bioassay ;)
Hammered on isopropanol, according to him... uh huh. never mentioned this stuff in his old distillation vids. Bet he got a visit from someone. There's a reason the distillation UA-camrs are in NZ. It's the only westernized country where it's not regulated.
Another good distilling channel is Barley and hops brewing. George has a great knowledge of distilling.
This distillation series has been unexpected and awesome! This is about the highest quality content I've seen on YT, PERIOD! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and techniques!
Just imagining the sick tunes playing from your homemade tower speakers while making your own rum.
I'm growing more hairs on my chest just watching this.
I have used fractional stills many times to distill rum. And as you have it there I was able to start with about 189 proof. I usually do exactly half your quantity of wort at about 23L.
Here is my feedback.
The beautiful column still you have is a dream. But I use it only to make vodka. Most of the flavors are gone when using a fractional still. A normal copper alembic still is the best to extract flavors and also the extensive copper traps a lot of the sulfur giving you a much nicer product.
Also I don't grab any alcohol until the thermometer shows 78C. Everything before that temperature is discarded.
Love your channel. The way you talk and explain things makes it a joy to listen and learn.
This is the question I wanted to ask. I also have a column still with bubble plates but run pot still mode when doing rum, Sometimes one bubble plate running with small dephleg works great. What i seen was vodka production, it would have been nice to explain the difference and the reason you choose this option, I know Rum has a strong flavor and some probable carried through. That said as per the 100s of the comments I scrolled past another great production...
I may not ever distill alcohol, but new knowledge exercises my brain as I work towards understanding. So, thank you. 👍🍻
"It`s got alcohol in it... It`s good. It`s really good!!"
-- Ingredients, Tech (2021)
except for the first cut!
@@j121212100 the first cut is for REAL men.
@@Clintotron Blindness from methanol poisoning is...manly mkay
@@ericlotze7724 REAL men don’t let methanol blind them.
@@Clintotron Blindness is weakness leaving the body!
The combination between narration and cameraman and new providing content is exceptional. It is live. You don't have to see here and do a bunch of prompts. You don't do a bunch of fast forwarding. I got it to say I love your videos
The traditional Brazilian spirit is also made out of sugar cane, but instead of molasses it starts by fermenting sugar cane juice with cornmeal then going to distillation. The finished beverage is called "cachaça" or "pinga" depending if the final mixing gets more heart or more tail alcohol ("pinga" means literally "droplets"). It can be consumed right away or be matured in different casks, usually made of "umburana", an indigenous Brazilian tree which gives a distinct flavour. I hope you find these information to be interesting, and maybe in the future we might see some cachaça making going on the channel! Thanks for the great content!
Cornmeal on cachaça? where the hell are you from?
Molasses is made from sugar cane.
@@stoppernz229 Molasses is made from sugar beets too, at least here in central europe it's more common to get molasses from beets, if you buy locally made stuff.
@@lucasdallagnol Um método tradicional muito difundido em São Paulo e Minas Gerais adiciona fubá ao mosto da cana para atuar como starter do processo de fermentação.
A traditional method used mainly in São Paulo and Minas Gerais states, in Brasil, adds cornmeal (fubá) in the sugar cane freshly pressed and filtered juice to start the fermentation process.
@@SoraKatsuya No Brasil a cachaça é muito consumida em doses (shots). Para os coquetéis, como a caipirinha, usamos cachaças simples e de baixo custo.
Yes, in shots!!!
Although I already do this as a hobby, I thought this to be a very informative and useful pair of videos for someone who may be seeking the knowledge. For me it was more a reinforcement of correct principals. Very good sir. I appreciate quality, well researched content.
The Thought Emporium channel did an interesting video on aging alcohol using an ultrasonic bath and it had surprisingly promising resultse. It could be interesting to see something like that on this project
Agreed! A great aspect of using US is that one can devote small percentages and get fast results. That would help privide a more "sciency" atmosphere :-) Depending on how he blends it might take well to aging. I think I mentioned US in the last video so its nice to hear others have the same thought.
He did some rapid aging in the whisky video, though not with any ultrasound. Just requires toasting oak sticks and placing into jars. That and the increased surface area from being in stick form allows aging whisky within a few weeks. Not as quick as the ultrasound method I'm sure but accessible to anyone and not years like traditional aging.
Enthralled. I apologize if I seemed to be anything other than helpful in my previous comments on your channel. I will stand by my previous comments, but I appreciate what you do and hope I can continue to watch with no qualms. Truly excellent and the epitome of what the internet should be and can produce.
"That's a different conversation for a different channel...stay tuned"
Me: *mountain man Robert Redford nodding his head* ok you have my attention, I can't wait!
what is this weebo type of commentary in your comment?
@@lordjaashin My dialect of internet-speak comes from the generation that played Pogs at school.
Early internet was like everyone learning how to communicate simultaneously without any established benchmarks to go off of.
Heh you too huh?
3 ideas:
- Keep the leftovers after the distillation, let it dry up (to remove water) and mix it later with the dunder.
- Add some flavours like cocoa beans at the beginning of the fermentation step.
- Store the alcohol with copper/silver pieces soaked in it to remove even more sulphides (although some sulphides are great for the aroma, like grapefruit flavour for example)
Educators of the world take notice.
THIS is how you teach.
Ehhh I love this guy, but this is how you teach semi-advanced stuff to already interested and somewhat knowledgable people on UA-cam. Not the same thing as teaching math to someone who is not interested, has problems concentrating or you know, life stuff.
@@greenveg42 I don't think that's entirely on point. The semi-advanced science is comprised of simple knowledge such as chemistry, physics, and math. You are saying people are not interested in math, but of course when you present someone with problems and solutions completely devoid of real world applications that's going to happen. And even with few examples of "real world" problems in textbooks, they are very dry and do not cultivate interest, you know, just like those "life stuff" you speak of. But they don't have to be. The same fact of learning fractions can be one of your boring "life stuff", or it can be a part of advanced problem break down from constructing a tesla battery powered boat, or in this case, measuring the alcohol content in your distillate. There's also effort to gauge viewer interest and garner participation. These are all essential in education that modern educators lack. At the end of the day, students have all of their interest stripped away, hard memorize some formulas, and missing the foundational ability to break down a large problem into chunks of smaller problems.
I wish people who doesn't like science could try your video, they are so much educational and relaxing.
It's always a good day when Tech Ingredients publishes a video.
Yup.
Every time Tech Ingredients does a shoutout to a youtube channel, you can be sure that it's a good one
I subscribed to it on principle.
Taxes, then safety. In order of importance. Great video series.
Safety is just the cloak that control wears lol
It's always about the money. They always claim it's about the children.
With electric burners being easy to obtain, along with pressure gauges hydrometer and the internet, one law could be written allowing anyone to make it free of regulation as long as you throw away the first amount in the beginning and use the above stated equipment. But big brother needs lunch money,
The two are interrelated. Stop paying taxes and you'll find out why.
@@drott150 yup. Stop paying taxes and they'll make sure you aren't safe.
It cracked me up @21:35 when he said "really careful" in that way.. 😂
Guys like him and his team is amongst what keeps UA-cam valuable platform. I'm addicted to this channel though.. 😍
So now you have made rum and a boat, you are officially a tech pirate. Would love to see more of the boat videos
I laughed at that way harder than I should have.
Next is making gunpowder and damascus steel barrels.
This guy is a legend. All his vids are super easy to follow. I don't know anyone else that conveys information as clear and as concise as he does. I look forward to every video you release :)
" I would generally stay away from sugar." I second that.
good advice in lots of ways
@@drott150 Herzog Wilhelm IV. and Ludwig X. would like to have a word with you about then calling the brewed liquid a beer. Also this is a great way of blowing up your bottles.
@@drott150 I just wanted to make a joke about Germans being sticklers for the Reinheitsgebot. Do you use bottle caps or flip-tops for your beer?
I really like this youtuber. He seems like an all around legitimate Guy. Not just in a few specific areas of Expertise.
Greatest intro!
Techingredients to Boozyingredients
He is the real Heisenberg
Intros always on point. Covid intros were perfect.
As a former inorganic chemist, I love your distillation setup! Excellent explanation of the subject.
i cant even legally drink alcohol but here i am watching how to brew at 2am. thank you for making qualty content
I’m the grandson of a bootlegger. Worked with him to make grappa and whiskey until he passed when I was 12 years old. His product would have been greatly improved with the technology today.Your scientific instruction brought up a lot of the memories of the way he produced alcohol interspersed with his non-scientific methodologies and homespun work arounds. Thank you.
loving your creativity ,
from smoke devices to directional speakers , to vanilla rum ,
very nice , thankyou for sharing
I have followed from the very beginning and adore this channel and its content. You forgot rocket motors.
Sounds like prep for a party lol
Your videos are truly resonating and delightful for me especially in this chaotic and depressing world. And reminds me there are still authentic and bravery out there. Thank you
This is the content that made me know you, never stop making your distillation as content pls. The science is all great too, just produce what you love :)
That's why i don't watch TV. Contents on this channel are perfect. "Guten Tag" from Germany
😀
I have been doing this for over 18 years and you STILL :) taught me some new stuff I didn't know
I see it
Professor Freedom recommending reading up on the Whiskey Rebellion. Most excellent. Also an extremely well made and informative video.
Hands down one of the best channels anywhere. Perfect lessons for anyone who values being self reliant, as well as being capable of serving others.
Another fantastic video! You might replace that dephlegmator supply valve with a needle valve. It has a little more control and is also much easier to manipulate. Cheers!
Agreed.
Love it! Also, big shoutout to Jesse at Still It as well!
Thank you for explaining the methanol bit as clearly and quickly as you did. It took you 3 minutes 45 seconds to clear up something I've wondered for years.
Sure.
Some of the best distilling content on youtube, so wonderfully explained in a way that makes sense. Thank you for doing this!!
Lovely science behind the science behind distillation of beverages
You have a fantastic way of explaining things, fair play to you.
Totally in love with your content here. I've been getting more into my own homebrewing and stumbled on your channel and really enjoy it.
Thanks and welcome!
You guys are awesome. I love watching this in high resolution too; that is some very shiny distillation gear you have there.
Knowledge of the process is important to understanding distillation I enjoyed learning more
Your talent truly shows no bounds. If I could only watch one UA-cam channel for ever more, this would be it ;) I can't wait to see what you do next!
Thanks!
actually I think I fully second that, Tech Ingredients would be my desert island youtube channel
You absolutely nailed every part of the science and process of distilling. If I was hard pressed to make a suggestion it would be, instead of airtight capping off all the jars try leaving them open to the atmosphere covered with coffee filters/cheese cloth. By letting your cuts rest open for 24hrs after distillation, it allows undesirable lighter alcohol compounds a chance to evaporate. By doing this extra step, it makes the blending process easier.
As cool as the bubble plates are, why did you distill rum in reflux mode versus pot still mode? BTW, love your content.
I was just going to ask the Same question I thought the point of a rum run was to preserve as much of that molasses flavor as possible.
I was wondering the exact same thing 🤔. I could see running one maybe two plates but 6 would defeat the purpose, would it not ? 🤷♂️
Same question here. I'm new to the craft, but is seems counterintuitive to use that much reflux with bubble plates and dephlag that strips out the profile of all that wonderful molasses.
I don't comment too often, but your videos are magnificent enough that I'd love for them to be spread to others.
Thanks.
Here goes for the algorithm.
In my Top 3 favorite channels ever. Can’t wait for the rest of the Rum Series.
When I was younger we made a simple still with a pot and some copper tubing. Our mash was based off bananas and potato. We were young and dumb and didn't dispose of the foreshot. (!) The resultant hooch was never very good and just stayed on the top shelf, more as a dare if the party lasted too long. Nobody got hurt but I shiver thinking that someone could have. Well, 25 years later, I watch your process and I'd love to try it again, albeit with a bit more safety and a bit more foreshot. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks for the great video. I love your clear communication and demonstrations.
There is a burning question, though. As I understand it, dunder is put into the ferment to add flavour/character. The reflux still will produce high alcohol concentrations, largely by stripping out those flavouring compounds. Wouldn't a pot still be more appropriate for rum?
Sorry to be a pedant, still love your work.
The great benefit of watching you is the technical detail you use in explaining the processes, while not being boring at the same time. It might not have hit you, but you are demonstrating in reality the most common question that students pose to their teachers and usually goes unanswered: “what the heck am I learning this for? How is this going to be useful in the future?” Well you never know what life will give you as opportunities and of those which will you take, but at least you get to know one or two practical applications.
Motivation is largely driven by understanding the goal of an endeavor. That means that if there were more teachers out there using as a teaching method what you are doing, there would be far less drop outs everywhere. The only thing that might be missing is some trusted links or documentation that will allow people to carry on further ahead if they so wish to. For those that really want to dig deep into the matter.
Overall, congratulations are in order. I take my hat off for people that like yourself devote time and effort to put great content available to others. Watching your videos has been some of the best use of my time on UA-cam. Keep it up, and if I can think of anything to suggest I will do so later, for now I just had to thank you and your team.
Thank you.
What kind of investment would one need to make, to acquire the setup used in this process? $500? $5000?
That depends on where you shop, you can get a stainless steel beer keg, and if you or someone you know can weld you can make a set up of equal size and build for around $800 depending on your column size selection.
@@quatre1559 I think it would be a lot more than that. Just looking around the column he is using runs almost $1500. shop.distillery-equipment.com/collections/stills/Moonshine-Still-Columns. I'm sure there are better deals to be had out there, but if it's anything like beer brewing equipment, it'll be all about the same new.
That's probably not what you were saying, it seems like you meant building one like it. But I think that's what Tracy was asking.
I know hillbillies that make cheap ones from copper pipe and miscellaneous parts. I'm sure you can find how to do it online. They usually use potato mash and it tastes like vodka but you could make a similar mash to what they used here.
I just bought a big pressure cooker 40 bucks a copper tube 30 bucks and I use a bucket for my cooler downer. 3 bucks. And that's about it
I've skipped ahead to Part 3 - Drinking flavoured Rum!
dude - I'm already at the hangover - way ahead of you
Waiting for Part 4 - "But why the rum is gone?"
Part 5 - "I'm never drinking again, and this time I really mean it."
This would be an entertaining video. Given the breadth of topics covered on this channel, I think the discussion while sampling and enjoying the rum would be delightful :)
😁
I really enjoy how you break things down simply. But you're not dumbing it down You're just listing out observables. Like this is how you recognize when you get to a certain threshold.
I'm so glad I've found your channel, you guys rock
Fantastic info, I have been making Wine and Beer for 14+ years, won many awards, but in the process of moving into distillation. And by chance, Rum is my drink. Thanks for the in-depth info.
I'm guessing you guys have quite a long way from home to a liquor store, considering how professionally your taking creating home brew hard drinks while it seems like an alternate-alternate hobby compared to the main subjects covered on this channel :)
I think it’s about the fine control over flavor, not so much about the distance to the liquor store.
I can’t stand store bought, cheap booze. Anything made like this at volume will cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars a liter.
I think the professionalism he brings to this is more of a reflection of the fact he brings an air of professionalism to seemingly everything he does, and less of an indicator that he's hard up for a boozing.
Brewing is serious stuff. Here in Norway, it used to be illegal to not brew and drink beer. It was considered extremely blasphemous and if you refused to brew three times in a row, half of all your assets would be given to the king and the other to the bishop, then you would be told to leave the country and never come back. That's how Iceland was formed. The only exception is if it was caused by old age, making you incapable of riding and drinking, in which case your assets would be transferred to your oldest son and you'd be in his custody from then on. True story. Anyway, brewing is a very serious hobby and if you're not going to treat it as such, you really shouldn't bother.
The reason you can buy store bought bottles, is that someone took it seriously enough to be able to brew something that was good enough to _sell_, which is obviously a lower bar than good enough to _drink_.
@@AtlasReburdened - Alcohol being what it is, and doing what it does almost universally to everyone, I have to admit that I am trying to picture that quiet reserve and calm manner of his after slamming one of those high-proof Mason jars of hootch. Just imagine his frenzy if we managed to convinced him then that the English Major kidnapped the French Minor and she was in peril. I bet he'd McGyver-up some plan to save her that would be simply Brilliant!
@@jeschinstad seems Icelanders have no trouble with drinking these days...
I feel this is the way to get a The right education in this subject…! Great delivery!
I really appreciate the content that you produce. It's fun informative and I love and respect the willingness to set boundaries where your expertise may end and someone else's may begin.
Very interesting. I never realized how much work it really was.
Great video again ! nice to see distillation and nice rum. Isn't your distillation tower a bit too good at separating liquids, since you leave behind quite a bit of different aromas with higher vapor pressures that would get through a less performant distillation tower.
Hydrometers/alcoholometers are fine when you first start out, but refractometers (good quality ones at any rate) are game changing.
They self adjust for temp, you don't have to cool boiling liquids to prevent damage to the instrument, they are way less fragile, and you only use a few drops of liquid per test.
I'm totally jealous of your still, those things cost more than my first car did. Great stuff man, keep it coming!
Running a small batch dream still. Wish I had one.
You gotta choose to make things happen, buddy. Dreams don't happen on their own.
I took a great tour of our local distillery, but I learned far more about the science just now watching this video. Kudos!
Thanks!
The 6 People disliking this went blind from drinking the precursor Methanol thus missing the Like Button!
Great explanation of how one goes through the process of distilling from start to finish. Thank you.
I feel breaking bad was inspired by this gentleman 😁
His mentally and emotionally healthy version maybe...
All the knowhow without all the drama.
I've brewed beer/wine and distilled a bunch in the past. It's fascinating to see someone so "method" and detail oriented do things I've done in my garage and it's humbling that there's not much difference in the SWAG parts. On my first distillation experiment, I was 110% nervous and picky and threw away a lot of the heads. Probably too much to be honest. But I appreciated this series. Can't wait to see you do a sit down with your crew, enjoy a snifter and do a Q&A video to your viewers. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with the world.
Is there a way to test the first portion of the distillate to see what % is methanol?
Technically, I think you can set it on fire and watch the color of the flame, but you really shouldn't try to dance on the edge of methanol poisoning, because methanol tastes just like ethanol, just a little sweeter and by the time you realize your mistake, you'll probably be blind. If you want to be safe, either be generous and throw some away, or mix your whole batch together.
Perhaps thin layer chromatography?
GLC
I love how you're using an optical bench to put your computer on 😃 I'm a laser display guy with 30 years experience and those things were laying about all over our workshop in the early days.
Great scientific explanations of the whole process, love it 😍 thank you
Thanks.
Have you checked out some of our earlier videos on lasers including some interesting custom built display systems?
Isn't a pot still recommended for rum and whiskey rather than the reflux still?
I was wondering this too. I thouht that reflux was mainly used for stripping, and a pot is used for keeping flavour.
I worked at a small distillery for a day & they actually kept the fores off each run & actually run them again through the still with new mashes to “extract extra flavour” from them. Did same for faints as well.
Guess that makes you the "dunder cheif"
I finally understand that AC/DC lyric.
The lyrics are: "Dirty deeds done dirt cheap",silly.
Totally absorbed by this channel , hifi speakers, whisky, totally brilliant presentation and a deep knowledge. The best.
Dude, make some kind of chromatographic or spectroscopic methanol detector. It is a science channel after all - not a primitive moonshine/gin joint. e.g.: shine a laser at the distillate and measure the Stoke's scattering ...or just do IR absorption spectrogram if you are lazy.
Neat concept. I wonder if he’d do a side episode on it.
Hi, so nice of you to shout out to Jesse and his channel. I'm a big fan of Still it, as of yours. Thanks for all of your content.
TI “That’s for a different day”
Me “ oh, I’ll watch that”
TI “on a different channel”
Me “Boo, why are they shying away from the history and politics?”
TI “Stay tuned”
Me “ wohoo, read my mind”
And now you have too
I loved that. Science is science, politics is politics and the art of blending spirits is the art of blending spirits. It's good to keep those things apart as much as possible.
@@jeschinstad totally, is still like his unbiased approach on politics. Excited about the possible new channel.
The requested comment! and Science IS fun! Even for retirees. I learned why the copper in the still 50 years after taking Organic Chemistry. Thanks for that and a crystalline explanation and demonstration. Regulation stands in the way of practice, but I love knowing how things work.
Very well presented and filmed. That is a beautiful still and must have a substantial price tag. I have a better appreciation for the spirits I enjoy. Thanks.
Best lesson in distilling spirits I ever seen thank you for the information and the still is beautiful
No questions. Just appreciate your fantastic content.
I love this channels wide range of subjects covered. Of course, its all science, but the contexts used are all interesting.
Thank you
I really enjoyed this one. Not counting the Jack Daniel's Distillery tour that I took years ago this is the only time I've ever seen the process.
If you allow me a suggestion, you could add a "T" fitting and a second tap to the fermenter so that when you want to stop the flow of liquid, after you close the tap on the vessel, you can open the second one , letting air enter through the hole and thus we will be able to empty the hose completely into the can we are filling...
WOW, everything is about the science ! Thank you for an in depth and easy way to understanding RUM , and it makes me appreciate Rum all the More!
21:36 reeeeeeeely carful. This guy is my favourite
I found this channel through your self made air con/cool system build. Found myself coming back for rocket motors, and now I'm hooked on your distilling videos. Fantastic channel! Sending you much admiration from Ireland.
Thanks!
And thanks for sticking around as well.
Nice video! I did beer for a number of years. Very different, but much the same as this. I did get some chills a good bit watching what in beer making would be considered contamination. But with the heating and distilling, anything bad gets left behind. Thanks for the dedication and precision.
Good morning from South Africa.
Only recently came across your channel, and do appreciate the wide field you are covering.
Thanks for a very informative video. I do this for a hobby....but still learn something new.
I just might try out your chest freezer setup.
Thanks and welcome.
Good luck with that, it is really convenient.
Don't forget George at Barley & Hopps. Another great distillation channel.
Excellent job you're doing. I never throw away the methanol, i put it in the garage in a antifreeze bottle and use it for that and it's great for cleaning and disinfecting work surfaces. Thank you.
I haven't done a rum,I have a still that will do the job,the dunder was an issue,make a first run,then collect for a second run,it all comes down to time,even though I'm retired,time is always an issue,here in Colorado temperature is an issue,your chest freezer cooling water is perfect,then I thought why not make a two 7 gallon bucket fermenting box,use my temp controller and a heat lamp,solve two problems,thanks for stimulating a ventage brain! I get a lot of information from Jesse,a go to channel.
Thank you for explaining the differences and dangers between ethanol and methanol. I've had many people try to tell me there was no need to throw out the "Heads" because it didn't pose any risks because of the better equipment used today versus that of the '50s
Sure.
Best information ever, spoken in a scientific language I can understand
Thanks.
Your pace and details are really good given the complexity of the data.
Hi, new to distilling, I’m on my second run and have produced some excellent vodka in a pot still with thumper. My next run is going to be a sugar wash for neutral spirit then on to rum. Your channel is immensely helpful. Thank You!
Keep these up! Fantastic! I am an electrical engineer and learn something from EVERY one of your videos. Come on UA-cam algos - show this guy some love....