CLEANING YOUR STILL, COPPER OR STAINLESS

This channel is designed to offer insight and background on the science, art and practice of making alcohol based products at home.

[@gabrielfuentes445]

Wow! What a great tip, George. Much appreciated.

[@DurbinsBourbon]

551 !!! I continue to learn from you George. What a great cleaner and available. I’ve been using citric acid but not the peroxide. Cheers 🥃

[@tombrady5233]

George, you are my favorite! I always do my best to respect/listen to those with more experience than me-I am a chemistry enthusiast and if you aren’t actively learning, you are actively digressing- and your knowledge is incredibly valuable to me. I think about all the other people out there that need guidance in this field and I wish they’d all watch your videos. Know that you’ve helped me and plenty of others! Keep on doing your thing, you are a master craftsman! I look forward to more of your insights in the future! Rock on, George! 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@rebeccakatana820]

Thank you for all your great help !

[@Payton-Grandpas_Cat]

I was just looking to see if you had done a video on this. Thanks so much!

[@chieft3357]

Just bought my first copper still and can't thank you enough for your advice on internal cleaning. All the best.

[@edlibey8177]

Love the mix of metric and US measurements. As a chemist I used metric in my lab. When I worked with the plant it was always pounds and gallons so, I got used to converting metric to US. The pH of a weak solution of vinegar and citric acid should be close at around 3. Adding the hydrogen peroxide really make a huge difference. Thanks for the great information.

[@geraldbaxter321]

Thanks George. Making my second run through all your videos. Very very helpful

[@shawngrabowski988]

I've watched many of your videos..... watched it eyebrows gray with wisdom.... NEEDLESS TO SAY, YOU ARE BRILLIANT SIR!!!!. THANK YOU for all your years of experience and sharing.... we never stop learning unless we think we know everything.

[@Ed-ip2sg]

As always many thanks for clearing that up.

[@damienkubik1380]

Thank you George for another fantastic video. I am learning so much from you.

[@321Lebowski]

Thank you Uncle George, you’re the Best💪🏼👍🏻🙏🏼😎, been hacking with vinegar. Will try 551 tomorrow. Mark from Port Elizabeth, South Africa

[@heinovandeventer5532]

Love your practicality

[@pwagner2]

551 what a great tip, thanks George!

[@MrTarek1946]

George. I have the utmost of respect for you i solute the mamoth efforts you presenting to people ... Every word you utter makes sense I love your way you explain things keep it up

[@Been25510]

Thank you for the great video

[@clintonbird4625]

Thanks George. Really appreciate you video. I've been noticing a left over smell in my stainless steel distiller. Tried to clean it with sanitizer but didn't get rid of it. I use copper mesh in the still and collum. I wanted to find a way to get rid of the tarnish on the mesh. So I'm going to give it a try. My potatoe barley shine turned out very well the first time. The next time there was a left over order. I filter it 6 times. That turned good as well. But this time I'll have the equipment clean(er), ready to go. To your health, cheers

[@sshepherd981]

George I would love to thank you. I made my first run of hand sanitizer for me and my friend’s insides to prevent the virus. . It was an amazing and fun time only possible with your guidance in COVID-19 prevention. It didn’t burn and put a smile on our faces. You are a amazing teacher. Next is flavored hand sanitizer in case you lick your hand turning the pages in the Bible. God bless!!

[@ThePunitiveDamages]

Great stuff. Thanks again George 👍

[@petercatto9795]

George hello,,, I bought the Turbo 500 it didn't have any cleaning instructions before use .. so I just flushed it with hot water my first batch was infected I wish this video was about 3 weeks earlier but thank you was beautiful video..

[@rayfox212]

Hi George thanks for what you do

[@johnrasmussen3752]

Awesome thanks mate ... and I didn't think this was going to be an exciting vid ... If I hadn't been doing cuts for the last couple of hours then I would go out and buy stuff to use right now!

[@stephenclifford3971]

As always great information and a cheaper solution, at times, to get the job done!

[@AlvinLamkey]

Thanks for the great videos George. When cleaning a stainless steel still after use, do you need to replace any threadtape that was used to seal the threaded parts?

[@HodgyE5]

Thank you very much!

[@bonkdk9482]

Hey George! Should I still do a sacrificial run after I do the citric acid cleaning? Very new to distilling a d learned so much from watching your videos!

[@j.ezequielgonzalezsvoboda2360]

Thanks George, your are great! Have a question, can I run this 551 cleaning trough my still like if I were distilling?

[@prof.heinous191]

Newbie here, great series, thank you! Q: is your Turbo recipe what you would recommend for folks distilling in the Tropics?

[@PyramidPureFoods]

Thank you, George.

[@tpmartins]

Great advice! How about one of those stainless steel Chinese stills that have that long condenser coil? Thank you

[@GarnettM]

Shotgun BORESNAKE .Good info George Thanks .

[@jackjones1727]

Of all the folks out there posting videos, George is chronically awesome. Thanks for all the help. -Making All George's Alcohol (MAGA)

[@jasongannon7676]

Thanks again for the reminder. Sometimes I forget the simple stuff

[@StephenMarks-yn1js]

Don't have a still yet but you just gave me the info i was looking for , thanks buddy

[@MrFranz691]

Hello George .... Italy here, i follow you for more than 3 years and before that i built myself my still with copper (reflux + deflagmator) , brass (3" Tri Clamp joint) and stainless steel (pot - ex 50 liters olive oil tank ). Recently i used your 551 mixture to clean copper and it works very good but i've some problem with brass. At the end of cleaning the 3" brass Tri Clamp seem coloring like copper. It could be some Chemical problems during distilling process ?. Anyway thanks a lot for your Tip & Tricks, are very helpfull ! Francesco.

[@aaronalexander6079]

hi George love your videos u have opened up my eyes.. in newbie at this hobbie and I'm hooked.. but I'm frazzled buy all the info u need to know ahah.. not as simple as i first though, i have a newbie question if u could help me out with it.. on my last to runs I'm getting a lot of little black bits in my shine.. I'm pretty sure its from the worm on my still.. i only have a starter one.. was wondering if u have any advice on how i go about cleaning inside of the worm..? any advice would be great many thanks..

[@timothyking2296]

Just ordered a 8 gal from Mile high. This covid got things slow I guess. Can't wait to see the product.

[@deanc2006]

I watch your channel with a notepad. thanks

[@PSYCHOPATHiO]

im rewatching this video with a smile on my face knowing your in good health

[@luismarques7169]

hi... thanks for great tips you give us. this formula 551 it's used in what kind of still volume?? my still i put 150 liters to make one run.

[@jkreg]

George, for a copper still, do you recommend anything specific to do to it before it's stored? After a run, if it's washed and had 5-5-1 run through it, is there anything else that should happen before it gets put on a shelf? I've noticed A LOT of patina built up on the inside between uses.

[@shortythompson100]

Building my first still out of beer kegs. I'm pretty sure that there's beer residue still in there because I haven't pulled the valving for the tapper out yet. Nonetheless, I don't plan on cutting the top off my selected pot. So how do you get inside a keg and clean it? Or,,,, how would you suggest cleaning it?

[@asimplelifeinthephilippine1465]

Nice video

[@smylebutta7250]

Being new to home distilling and coming from the home brewing world, my god is it so much easier cleaning and preparing everything over here. Brewing you spend as much or more time cleaning and sanitizing before and after every process.

[@chuckdontknowdoya6100]

Have been using your 551 now for a couple of years now and it works great every time I remove my packing I soak it for at least an hour then rinse it well let it dry and its ready to next time for copper worms or tubes I cork the low end and fill them up and let them soak like that if you let it soak long enough it will look brand new. Always enjoy your videos my friend even the rehash of things learned #HappyDistilling.

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Great to hear!

[@toddlenz3617]

Yes

[@toddlenz3617]

Yes

[@davemclean8086]

Hey George I was wondering can I use rye that is under malted if I just use malted barley in the mix i have 5lbs of malted barley and can get 30 lbs of rye for free

[@CapnBubbaa]

what about cleaning Fluted columns with bubbler & slotted grates is there an easy way to clean these...

[@canadianpatriot5577]

Thoughts on cleaning inside of a keg still? Obviously cant fit hand/arm inside.

[@vtbn53]

LOL I wish you wouldn't mention the prices - it makes me cry tears of blood

[@AColonDashSix]

Another banger George!

[@litaparayslechonireland3755]

Hi george, for cleaning the mighty mini 2 inch column, will dishwashing soap do the job?

[@brucemadigan6537]

Hi George, Can I use this method to clean a copper cap over my outside windows? What do you apply it with?

[@andreharrison4788]

I have a 20 gal copper still with thumper do i put water and vinegar in the thumper and pot or just the pot

[@nikiforberg]

Anyone know what strength the citric acid should be? I have a 20% liqud citric acid. Wondering if 1 liquid oz is the equivalent of the powder. Thanx in advance.

[@ernaverheijdt2925]

thank you.

[@michaelrutcosky2665]

dumb question, how often should I clean out my still like this...I clean it out pretty good after every run

[@LUCKYB.]

How do you swish around a 50 gallon pot still .. you are humorious but rt on pointn👍 not only the worm , but Arm , cap , and pot. Thats why you make cleaning brishes .😊

[@user-ef4ld7tg1b]

On a new 9.6 gal. vevor stainless steel still after I clean it with dawn soap and water, run some vinegar through it. Should I do a sacrificial run, if so how much wash do I put in?

[@thepike100]

Can you use peracetic acid to clean copper stills?

[@pshadbolt8143]

George I’m about to make a sweet potato mash can I top it up with standard potato. Will the amylase from the sweet cover it or will it become difficult to drain as you leave the sweet potato in to ferment

[@tomchristensen2914]

So I have a new 20 gal copper pot still. I pla. On doing a cleaning run with vinegar.. if not vinegar how much would i need to make to do a clea ing run but I don't know why I still ha e to do a sacrificial run. I hate to waste sugar and the alcahol. Manufacturer told me I don't even have to do a cleaning run but I will anyway. But do I really need to do sacrifice run

[@Unknown_Hobbit]

Can 551 be heated and run through the worm if it is a large worm thats not real conducive to normal rinsing?

[@chrislnflorida5192]

Can u use lime or lemon juice for the acid

[@sergelecluse0001]

Great video, George. Now, I was wondering ... that blue-greenish distillation, can it be reprocessed to consume or is it lost?

[@deadmenssilence4664]

Stop the run and clean it if you cant afford to waste the mash but best to finish the run and toss it all out... Helps a bit to watch the run to see if it stops coming out aquamarine colored at some point during run but id still toss it ... If it does clear out during hearts then good its now clean to use

[@christaylor4561]

Hey George, quick question. After the 551 solution turns blue is it safe or effective to reuse for subsequent cleanings or should it be thrown out? Thanks for your awesome videos!

[@freddylang]

Throw it out.

[@wayne10161967]

I just filled up my worm with this mixture because I had some blue looking snot coming out on my last run. I can’t see inside the tube for the cleaning effect but on the outside of the line where I kind of spilled it the copper turned really dark??

[@philippierce4742]

Can you run it, like if you were running your still?

[@coreyblackburn9289]

Thanks George!!..⚗🥃

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Any time!

[@darrensmith5544]

Hi George, I can see an oscilloscope, variable voltage/current power supply and a multi-meter in the background. Do you dabble in electronics too?

[@rocketsroc]

Here's a tip: Everyone uses StarSan as a sanitizer, but it is also great for cleaning SS and Copper. We double the dosage and just spray it on or into our equipment. Let stand for a few minutes and then rinse off. It both cleans and sanitizes in one simple step. It brightens copper, but is not a polish so don't expect the copper to come out brilliantly shiny. It does remove the bad stuff like green oxidation and that is all one needs. Try it.

[@brucedownunda7054]

Price comparison ?

[@rocketsroc]

@@brucedownunda7054 It doesn't get much cheaper than StarSan...pennies.

[@Tonnsfabrication]

@@brucedownunda7054 Most people who hobby in home brewing already have star san and use it on a regular basis anyway so the cost is already factored into the cleaning bill. Star san will certainly remove the shiot from copper theres no doubt about that, and the fact that its tasteless and odorless is I would rarely consider anythine else. I don't even put stinkin ass dish soap in any of my stuff.

[@stevenbales5126]

Will Limon juice work as your citrus acid

[@tomchristensen2914]

I have a question for ya. I have a 20 gal pot still but mostly use my small countertop still for test batches... I don't amuse the big still often but what is best practice for when I do want to use it? What kind of clean do you recommend? Just a regular cleaning run or can I just rince everything out

[@trinityneo1401]

Hi can i use lemon juice instead of citric acid?

[@johnepley7583]

In one of your videos you talked about putting glycerin in to help take out the bite. What kind do you use?

[@43pasadena]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻. How’s the book coming along? Can’t hardly wait.

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Still working on it slowly. The community keeps me busy

[@islandlifeparadise]

Hey bruddah, wen you make this mixture. Do you run the still and boil it off to clean the still? Or just scrub the still manually with the 551 as a cleaning solution?

[@richardmaitland5855]

How come the run is blue? Did a citric acid cleaning and vinegar run still blue

[@pauljconroysr4080]

will the 551 also work on alum ??

[@juto3510]

how often should i clean my worm out if i am only distilling water?

[@szunpl]

can 551 clean also stainless steal ?

[@jackgarchow1247]

George, I have a 15 gallon copper pot still with thumper and worm. I just got it and need to get it clean before my first run in it. How much water, hydrogenperoxide, citric acid do I need to heat up and run through this to clean my system or should I just run 5 g water, 2 g of vinegar, and 2 cups of citric acid like Tracy Bumgarner of Ace Custom Copper suggested? I truly appreciate your help 😊

[@redstone1999]

I think you would be better off doing like George said. Make a 500 ml or 1000 ml of 551. Add and sloush it for 20 mins. and rinse it and then do a Dawn Soap water wash and rinse well. Do a small water only run to give it a final rinsing to be sure any residue is cleared out. Heating 551 increases its corrosiveness. Thus consuming a larger small amount of the copper than room temp. 551 does. Over many times of hot 551, it can thin out copper into a weak metal and will need to be replaced.

[@mfields5625]

hello fellow distiller I've used your 551 many times. now i'm having the product coming out cloudy . am i not cleaning the worm good ?

[@andrewludwig9238]

I used to save my fore shots and heads in a clorox jug to use as a cleaner. I would then rinse well. 551 works much better!

[@davidgarland1649]

Maybe off topic but does anyone think this would work well on a swimming pool ionizer?

[@016_]

Will this wear down and degrade my copper?

[@dustonhazel3045]

Does the concentration of the 551 solution differ when using different size of stills? I have a 5 gal.

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Not that I am aware of.

[@ryannewland5572]

now if I remember correctly copper creates its own ion field that messes with the microbes over a certain period of time, so you shouldn't worry about that as much. but the actual clean up and out is something that needs to happen.

[@danthemann]

It occurs there's an equally catchy way to express in english units it's pretty much 2 2 1 (2 Pints, 2 Liquid Ounces, 1 Ounce (weight) or maybe Heaping Tablespoons. Happy Distilling!

[@leonardlaw6913]

I've had a couple of spirit runs come out a little green. I assume that it's copper? What can I do to prevent it, and can I re-distill to get rid of it?

[@robthompson8285]

That green is copper sulfate, highly poisonous. Do not re-run that.

[@andrewblack7852]

Don’t underestimate the value of your pontification.... we are learning big and little things....

[@wldtrky38]

Always great advice ! Thanks George 🇺🇸 #HAPPYDISTILLING 🥃

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

My pleasure!

[@richardbroadnax4127]

Hey George can do a video on shooting the thumper

[@NZPaul]

Any issues using the 551 on stainless? - The scenario I'm thinking of is where you have a copper column with stainless steel ferrules brazed on.

[@Brumasterj]

Did you get an answer on this I have a stainless keg with copper colum

[@NZPaul]

@@Brumasterj it doesn't seem to have any affect. I haven't noticed any issue from it.

[@Brumasterj]

So would you recommend 551 or something else

[@NZPaul]

@@Brumasterj I just rinse my column after using it with water and if it needs a deeper clean I use the 551. I use the 551 more for my copper mesh packing

[@Brumasterj]

Thanks for the info, I’m about to do a first run old beer keg and I just pieced together the copper colum and shotgun condor today so want to make sure I get a good cleaning befor first run

[@lakedog3616]

Don’t get the jar of 551 mixed up with your moonshine ! LOL

[@samc7093]

i use a trombone brush for small pipe

[@YouMockMe]

I've been using straight vinegar till clear....works ok

[@Sumofabit]

What kind of soap for stainless, please? I can't make out the first word.

[@BarleyandHopsBrewing]

Dawn dish soap or really any other brand would do.

[@louwclaassens4988]

Distilling acidic compounds should not give acidic distillates. The green normally comes from unwashed copper after acid cleaning but bluish tinges comes from distilling neutral to alkaline wash / mash which contains ammonia from nutrients. The ammonia is volatile and forms a copper tertamine complex on the way out which is deep blue. This tinges the distillate. So best to ensure an acidic wash.

[@johnfairsgoldpanningschool.]

Hello George, I am new to your channel out of necessity. I have just bought a 2 gallon stainless Still and it has copper fittings. Should i do the vinegar cleaning method before use or is there a different method as it is both stainless and copper?

[@Brumasterj]

Did you get an answr

[@johnfairsgoldpanningschool.]

@@Brumasterj No I did not get an answer so I just searched youtube and found the answer myself.

[@Brumasterj]

And what did you come up with:)

[@johnfairsgoldpanningschool.]

@@Brumasterj Wter and vinager.

[@ricky_c8199]

I really need you help sir.