Common questions

How much moonshine can you make with a 10 gallon still?

How much moonshine can you make with a 10 gallon still?

A 1 gallon run will yield 3-6 cups of alcohol. A 5 gallon run will yield 1-2 gallons of alcohol. A 8 gallon run will yield 1.5-3 gallons of alcohol. A 10 gallon run will yield 2-4 gallons of alcohol.

How thick should copper be for a still?

Most pot stills have a wall thickness of 1/8″ (3mm) to 3/16″ (4mm). Wash stills tend to have a wall thickness of 3/16″ (4mm), spirit stills mostly have 1/8″ (3mm).

Is it illegal to have a copper still?

A. It is legal to own a copper still in the United States. And it is legal to use the still for the production of essential oils. However the production of spirits (or moonshine) is illegal without a BATF permit.

Why is copper used for moonshine stills?

Copper is the preferred material in the construction of a still to impart flavor into the distilled spirits. When distilling in copper, the copper reacts on a molecular level with the sulfurs put out by the fermenting yeast. It “cancels-out” the sulfur taste which would otherwise be bitter and not as smooth.

How can you tell if moonshine is safe to drink?

How to Test for Purity. Folklore tells us one way to test the purity of moonshine is to pour some in a metal spoon and set it on fire. 6 If it burns with a blue flame it is safe, but if it burns with a yellow or red flame, it contains lead, prompting the old saying, “Lead burns red and makes you dead.”

How much sugar does it take to make a gallon of moonshine?

Step 3: The Recipe For example, for every 1 gallon of water, you would use 1 pound of sugar, and 1 pound of corn meal. So for a 5 gallon mash (which is recommended for your first batches of moonshine) you would use 5 gallons of water, 5 pounds of corn meal, and 5 pounds of sugar.

How much is a gallon of moonshine worth?

It costs around $8 per gallon for the sugar and wheat to make the moonshine. The selling price is around $25 a gallon if sold in bulk, or $40 for retail price.

How do you paste a seal a still?

  1. 3/4 cup rye flour.
  2. 1/3 cup water.
  3. Mix the rye flour and water together with hands.
  4. Roll the flour paste into a snake.
  5. Once the boiler reaches 115 degrees apply the flour paste to the still.
  6. As the still heats up the rye flour paste will cook onto the still creating a seal at the joint.

What states allow home distilling?

This tax is built into every bottle of spirits you buy so it’s not a special tax on home made spirits. If you do the calculations, you’ll find your favourite spirits cost up to 90% less when you take the tax off.

Can I use stainless steel for a moonshine still?

Therefore, a stainless steel still can be used for distilling a variety of substances because you can use the copper column packing to distill your alcohol and then remove the column packing (or use ceramic raschig rings) to distill your water and essential oils.

What is a flute still?

Flute Stills are sectional distilling columns with copper plates in between each section. This modular design allows the distiller to take plates out of some or all of the sections to run spirits like whiskey, rum, and brandy where flavor carry over from the wash is important.

What is the best moonshine recipe?

Apple Pie Moonshine. Apple pie flavor moonshine is by far the most popular. Wide Open Spaces suggests to start by stirring 1 quart of apple juice, 1 gallon of apple cider, and 10 cinnamon sticks in a large pot. Once you’ve brought that mixture to a simmer, stir in 3 cups of brown sugar and 1 cup of white sugar.

How do you cook moonshine?

To make moonshine mash, boil water in a 20 gallon pot. Add cornmeal and boil for 5-7 minutes. Then, reduce the heat and add sugar and yeast. Stir the mixture for 5-10 minutes, until it becomes soupy, and remove it from the heat.

How much is a gallon of moonshine?

As with most liquor, the price you’ll pay for moonshine depends on the quality, amount, and where you get it from. “Street” moonshine is more commonly sold by the quart or gallon. You can expect to pay $30 to $100 for a gallon. Moonshine is a high-proof, unaged alcoholic beverage otherwise known as white whiskey.

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Ruth Doyle