StillSmart

Hi all please be gentle

Finally my Birthday came with a Easy Still from my wife so i decided to make myself a brew-fridge over the weekend. As I've never done any kind of brewing in the past should i have a go with the kit supplied from the lovebrewing shop or just jump straight in with a Kale wash.

Hi, and welcome.

Homemade brews can get complex, there are endless threads here on kale or lentil washes with debates on PH levels or gypsum to baking soda.

I recommend getting a good product from your Pure yeast or Vodka Star before you you start mucking about with kale. I made this mistake when I first got my Airstill. Learning how to use the still while trying to make home made washes at the same time made for a steep learning curve.

But that's just me, I'm a bit sloe.

Regards, Marc.

Hi, very impressed that you've got a brew fridge for your first brew! That's something I can only aspire to! I'd never get one up the loft ladder to my "brewery"!

I did a thread a few days ago reporting on my first still, also bought from lovebrewing (did you go to the shop or was it online?)

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4693

The TL;DR of that is you'll be fine with what's supplied with the still - you'll probably get better results from kale etc but do things in small steps, you'll learn a lot from the first run.

Don't panic when things go wrong (they will); the whole process [of brewing] is more forgiving than many people think.

Do make sure you follow the process outlined here:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1216

Under no circumstances follow the rotten instructions supplied with the still. Double distillation is required for drinkable results (you'll be able to verify this after the first distillation - that horrid smelling muck is what the instructions would have you end up with!)

Good luck!

Nice brew fridge well done. Its very important to
keep your temps steady and that should do the job
nice. Like the tube heater, cheap to run and
efficient.

[quote="Duffer26"]Hi, and welcome.

there are endless threads here on kale or lentil washes with debates on PH levels or gypsum to baking soda.

I recommend getting a good product from your Pure yeast or Vodka Star before you you start mucking about with kale.


Dunno Duffman.....OTTOMH those debates mostly point to the el word

The kay word is about as uncomplicated as it is possible to be.

Overall, if you go with the goodies supplied from Love Brewing first, you'll have a feel for the ease of the difference when you get there

packapoo wrote:

Duffer26 wrote:

The kay word is about as uncomplicated as it is possible to be.

Not quite as uncomplicated as a pack of Vodka Star.

Your still seems to have come with a "starter" kit. Use it.
If it says to use more than 5KG sugar to 25litres,diss-regard said advice.
Play with your first brew and then consider kale or lentil brews.
Make and/or adapt the rest as you go.
When you feel that you are flying by the skin of your teeth/seat of your pants, then you have reached the place.
The approach can seem scary.
After that, it all makes sense.
And becomes a routine.

Robert.

Good fridge dude holds the JD chips up nicely

Have fun.
Don't panic.
Don't throw anything away - we can fix most things.
And did I mention.. have fun.

ITMA wrote:Hi, very impressed that you've got a brew fridge for your first brew! That's something I can only aspire to! I'd never get one up the loft ladder to my "brewery"!

I did a thread a few days ago reporting on my first still, also bought from lovebrewing (did you go to the shop or was it online?)

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4693

The TL;DR of that is you'll be fine with what's supplied with the still - you'll probably get better results from kale etc but do things in small steps, you'll learn a lot from the first run.

Don't panic when things go wrong (they will); the whole process [of brewing] is more forgiving than many people think.

Do make sure you follow the process outlined here:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1216

Under no circumstances follow the rotten instructions supplied with the still. Double distillation is required for drinkable results (you'll be able to verify this after the first distillation - that horrid smelling muck is what the instructions would have you end up with!)

Good luck!

yes i got the kit as a present but i did also order myself a Alcotec Vodka Star Turbo Yeast, TurboKlar Finings, Liquid Carbon Homebrew Spirit from amazon yesterday so i will be giving that ago when it arrives this weekend wish me luck .

Also thanks for all the info everyone !!!!! much appreciated

Just don't bother with the liquid carbon it will not improve anything just make it worse.

Ohhhhh !!! That 'orrid black stuff. No get behind thee Satan.
As Brewhunter says don't use it. It doesn't do anything, stains
all it touches and is impossible to get rid of. >:D

Yup. proper shite

stevieboy2k wrote:Hi all please be gentle

Finally my Birthday came with a Easy Still from my wife so i decided to make myself a brew-fridge over the weekend. As I've never done any kind of brewing in the past should i have a go with the kit supplied from the lovebrewing shop or just jump straight in with a Kale wash.

spot on with the fermenting fridge,just a couple of tips .had mine for about a year now,use it all the time.the shelf you have i would Swiss cheese it with holes to allow the warm air from the tube heater to rise and also might be worth fitting a small computer type fan to allow even temp all around the FV. i see you have the inkbird controller,a great bit of kit i have 2 now 1 on the fermentation fridge and 1 on my kegerator .

Just a quickie on liquid Carbon.
Don't.
Or do and learn yourself.

Robert.

What kind of heating element are people using in their repurposed fridges?