Moonshine Making 101

[@demoman2798]

Tip, put your bag of sugar in the fridge for about an hour before adding, this will cool the wash down in half the time.

[@mmeacham]

As a moonshine rookie I decided to use this instructional video after searching for and watching several. I liked this one for the simple homemade still setup and the simple ingredients ... sweet feed. I followed the directions exactly. After getting rid of the head and the tail I had about 110 proof. I cut it with distilled water and got two fifths of 80 proof. I took it to my retirement party where there were a lot of "experienced" drinkers (old southern gentlemen like me, who know their liquor). They were amazed and so was I. It had the feel in your mouth of a tequila but was slightly sweet and very smooth. Soon everyone at the party wanted a taste. It was all gone in a short time. They all wanted to know how to do it. Whatever comments people add here about how to do this or that better, you can't argue with pleased consumer results like that. Quick, simple, easy ... great shine.

[@roandehaas2483]

What grains did you use? If I might ask?

[@anastyb]

All that work for the equivalent of two fifths of Dubra $14 I'm sure Graves grain alcohol must be cheaper even.

[@doon714]

That's not the point of buying It cheaper, The point Is you made It yourself and I bet It don't taste like grain you at a state store.

[@johnanthony3683]

What grain ? And where did you find it

[@mottthehoople693]

@@anastyb dumbarse...you missed the point of the whole thing didn't you.....

[@gwarrichmond6232]

If anyone is curious....4" of grain is 7.69 lbs. Just in case someone wants to make larger amounts by this video instruction. Great Video 👍

[@hogue3666]

A standard tape measure is like 20 feet. We're good. :)

[@mistermilehi991]

Thanks for the clarification. I was curious about that...👌🏿

[@billhickok7007]

@@hogue3666 ya might need a bigger bucket

[@g45sp4]

Nice😉

[@davidfroese3979]

Anyone else read "If anyone is curious...." in Stewie's voice?🤣

[@BuddyRHS1965]

This may possibly be the greatest video I've ever watched on KZbin only because of the incredible music and Popcorn dancing.

[@TampaBayContests]

Loved the intro

[@richeydale3245]

Your rig is the simplest, least expensive, most effective solution I have seen. And your making higher proof liquor than most of the guys I've seen who are building $1000 contraptions. Kudos my friend.

[@d0nramon]

how on earth do you know what proof his product is?

[@bgoutdoors7418]

Ramon Smith he measures it in the video

[@BG322]

@@d0nramon He checked the proof at 37:50

[@MawoDuffer]

He could still get it higher proof with a reflux still or if he redistilled it

[@Polamish]

@@d0nramon proofing hydrometer. He used it after the first jar was full

[@georgefenrich4119]

#1 @4:00 MEASURE and MARK you 5gallon bucket on the inside with a marker to know you have 4" of Grain! #2 Place that Grain into the LARGE cooking pot #3 Add 4

[@joanneseader2802]

Like the detail. Could you please finish this up with all the steps to the end?

[@dockerydesigns]

Well done sir, Excellent!

[@Boggyboytad]

​@@joanneseader2802It's very important to let the mash cool to below 90 because higher will kill the yeast. Yeast is alive. The "magic cork" or airlocks prevents room air from getting into the mash. Room air has pollen and bacteria that will reproduce and thrive in the mash because it's warm, moist and plenty of food to eat. Basically your mash can spoil. It also keeps bugs out. While fermenting, the yeast will give off a gas(carbon dioxide), so it needs to "burp". Tap water has chlorine in it with other stuff. Chlorine will kill the yeast. The other stuff changes flavor and can slow fermentation, so you do need distilled water. When you run the mash into moonshine, the alcohol turns to steam at about 173 and water turns to steam at 212. It has to be above 173 but less that 212. The higher the temp the faster your run will be, but it will be less pure. I run mine at about 182 and usually run it twice to get 180-185 proof. That 15-20 proof that's not shine is the flavor. Imagine "rye" whiskey. Liquor companies add rye to the mash so their 10% that's flavor is rye. You can basically add whatever you want for flavor. Hope this helps some people

[@jakobhettinga1669]

This video was extremely informative. We came to this video knowing nothing about moonshine and now we can confidently say we are the wiser. Thank you Dan, have a nice 2012.

[@Ghost_hunter-f9h]

He just made sugar shine. Yeast eats sugar burps carbondioxide and shits alcohol. Either the yeast will eat all the sugar and starve to death which if it was wine would be very dry cause all the sugar is gone but then also weaker cause the yeast coukd of kept eating. If there's enough sugar where the yeast can keep eating eventually the alcohol level.will get to strong and kill the yeast like he mentioned the yeast tolerance was 7%. It takes 225 lbs of corn to make a bottle of bourbon so there was a teaspoon of alcohol made from all.thst work with the grain. The bag of sugar he poured in was enough for the yeast to eat enough til 7% was made. That sugar comes from sugar beats not grain so it's neither whiskey or moonshine but rather sugar shine which is delicious infused with fruit. It's considered a rum. If you wanna make a whiskey or close to it in a home still use corn syrup for the sugar and call it bourbon. Not technically but same ingredients. I like to.put in mason jars with burnt apple tree wood chips and cinnamon stick in the jars. True burboun would be charred white oak and for minimum of 7 years. My recipe is flammable strong tastier and smoother then 70 proof fireball

[@iheartthensa]

@@Ghost_hunter-f9h have a full DIY on, or close to, your set up brother? clearly know your shit

[@ElDuderinoh]

@@Ghost_hunter-f9h I’ve seen like 30 videos tonight but your explanation of how that works actually clicked for me, thanks stranger

[@HealwaysRemembers.]

2012😂

[@clementyanick]

I suggest letting the mash rest with the grain and liquid combined for at least 90 minutes. This way all of the sugars in your grain can convert all of its carbohydrates into maltose and so on (simple sugars). You can get the enzymes naturally from adding barley husks when you mash or you can add it by buying beta-amylase enzyme from your local brewing store. This would increase your efficiency.

[@StonemanRocks]

Then strain it thru cheesecloth or a cotton dishtowel instead of that wire strainer! You can dip it in some water after its in the cheesecloth then twist it to flush all the water out!

[@StonemanRocks]

Lol dude heres a tip: siphon tube!

[@Boggyboytad]

I was thinking he was leaving a lot of sugars behind since it's just cracked corn and not ground

[@cowdough94]

the corn makes starch. malted grains contain alpha amylase, an enzyme that converts starch to long chain sugars. beta amylase is then added to turn the long chain sugars to fermentable sugars (sachrification). you don't need any other kind of sugar. if you use sugar and champagne yeast you're a loser wanna be. geez

[@OutpostH]

Looks like I've found a new hobby while the COVID lockdown is on :-)

[@joemcpherson8161]

Yes

[@jmichaelmccarty]

We have known for a long time that You Tube influences our behaviors, and the government seems fine with it... so I am go extrapolate from the fact that randomly showed up in my video feed that while on quarantine the government must want me to be making moonshine...

[@stevetreadway1017]

Glynne Hather Me too! But if anyone asks I’m making hand sanitizer

[@runnerup6936]

Same here, South Africa could use some drink right now.

[@mr.mister4071]

@@stevetreadway1017 Good use of the heads. One part heads five parts water. Sanitator is hard to find right now. If too strong can always cut with more water. Just start with a small batch. Spray and wipe. If it evaporates before 10 seconds add more water.

[@markcard2704]

The vice grips surrounding the top of the still lid really made me laugh. One of the best tools ever invented in the history of mankind...:-)

[@mstout2u]

I know I saw another video where the guy went in depth on how to make a rubber gasket and this guy just used a bunch of vise grips.

[@phukov21]

All fun and games until the alcohol vapor hits that open flame

[@screaminscott]

I wonder if binder clips would work

[@ElDuderinoh]

@@phukov21 for real though

[@StonemanRocks]

@@phukov21 you got that right and ive seen it happen first hand! Better watch your ass around open flames! Plus with no gasket i know he is leaking alch vapor which means less product at the very least! His worm is set up all wrong too it should go thru the ice bath first before it drops down! It would be a better cleaner product! My first batch was 160 proof!

[@alyssaherrera4442]

I'm a sixteen year old suburban girl who doesn't even like wine and yet here I am learning how to make moonshine at 2 am even though I have an English exam tomorrow. Why am I like this.

[@Jonpo]

Alkyhall is fun

[@sheeeesh716]

Your white ?

[@dingo3225]

17 year old male awake at 11:57 wondering how to make it so one day I could make it and be a supplier for my dad 😂

[@marcosantiago3253]

That means why are you up so go to bed

[@georgevanaken925]

Because, you’re smart. 👍 Never listen to the naysayers. They are stupid.

[@fross1203]

I will probably never do this, but I had a great time watching you make your shine. Thank you sir.

[@albericozoino4456]

Excellent video and down to the basics with lots of knowledge. This is how instructional videos should be. You Showed the old fashioned way how to do it in a modern setting. I really appreciate this videos including the in between events that can happen...like making a mess!!! Advice into anticipation is great!!

[@TheMrat123]

if you are reading this guy who made the video your proof on the first jar was vey low . I use 4 inches deep in a 5gal bucket of cracked corn and 10 pounds sugar and I use 3 packets of red star . I get 170 -180 with just the worm only then as the run gets into the 3rd pint jar the proof drops to 160-next jar 140 you can keep running it till you get to 70proof then cut it off .you can then mix the 70 proof with the higher proof and check it with your hydrometer till you get it all around 100 proof . if you need to proof it down more you can add spring water and do the same .another way to get your proof up is to use a thumper . if I run a thumper my first 3 jars out of a 10 litter pressure cooker is 190 -199 proof. another thing you need to do is never have the alcohol that close to the flame like you did in this video. if you had knocked over the hydrometer while you were checking the proof it could have cost you your home or your life. alcohol burns hotter than gasoline and is harder to put out. I notice you set the finished jars very close to the flames on your gas stove also that could cause a explosion if left there long . you also should never leave your still unattended if you have a leak spring up what is coming out is pure alcohol !!!!!! it will drip dip down to the flames and at that point all hell will break loose! making whiskey is not a thing you need to try if you have not been around some one who has made it for years folks this is a very dangerous thing if you don't know what you are doing .first thing anyone should know is you never do this inside your home for many reasons. a garage is ok if you have ventilation and have the proper kind of fire extinguisher. also you should have proofed your 3rd jar and then the 5th to see if the proof was dropping . watch the video on here by pop corn Sutton last dam run of liquor you will see his buddy proofing the whiskey . pop corn would get his down to 93 proof which is about a good drinkable proof anything hotter will take your breath . I proof mine to around 100 -105 .hope some of you reads this that is thinking of making some and it mite help you .

[@Big88Country]

mrat, everything you just said is correct, never, never make liquor in your house!! I grew up in the hills of North Carolina and there are many folk that made that same mistake. Of course, they were probably sampling it a little too much as it was coming out!

[@satanicpanic1313]

What is the amount of yeast needed? If i buy bulk how much is 3 packets?

[@imgrateful2750]

+mrat ratlin Thanks for posting this. Great information. Made lots of beer but never moonshine. I'll be using the burner for my turkey fryer outside and away from anything flammable. Would not have thought about it if you hadn't posted.

[@skipsassy1]

In law school I tried moonshine one time - I could not feel my legs. It was at a Spring party - never had it again because it's so rare. 130 seems fine? could you die at pure? Just fascinating video.

[@SELEEJR]

Daniel Hertzler fffffffffffffffff FCC. C ccff cfff fffffFfffF Fff.

[@MaxHammer47]

For 1. all the peeps that are doing the hating, you probably couldn't put 1 minute of a video like this man has. I say good job!! and a tip for ya. when your 5 gal bucket is close to full like that was, just take another empty bucket and pour off about 1/4 of the full bucket into the empty. it will be easier to then pour into funnel. cheers

[@buggsy5]

Or simply take a stainless sauce pan and dip some out of the 5 gallon bucket. Keep dipping until the 5 gallon bucket is about 1/2 empty, then the rest pours easily.

[@thenarrator4413]

I want you to know that your video is hands down one of the best and most lay man directions...! You rock brother...!

[@sharonprice1401]

Thanks....I am on my second batch. You gave me confidence to be able to shine. BTW 25 of the views were mine.

[@normellow]

Rock on Sharon.

[@stevenfeil7079]

Only one counted.

[@tomlompa6598]

Try leaving the grain in instead of wasting it. Strain it before you run it. You can run the same grain again then. That's how you get "sour mash" whiskey

[@MycoMafia]

Rip

[@DrO111-z1v]

Yes you can use sour mash but it will never make as good as the first run of your mash

[@aununally4274]

I use a siphon method when I transfer large amount of fluid from one place to another it's much easier and I never spill a single drop

[@landrion7]

Good advise many a jar of good shine parish on the floor during transfer

[@DNMEBill]

Especially when filling a carboy (big fermenting jug) a siphon is the only way to go. Besides, the wife HATES finding sticky spots on the kitchen floor. The hardware store should have all sorts of tubing.

[@dwolf1014]

The man dancing is popcorn rest in piece good soul

[@mikebatty9632]

Killed by revenuers. RIP Popcorn.

[@artm7411]

Mike Popcorn Sutton's body was riddled with cancer. He was suppose to report to prison the next day. He would have died in prison so he drove his truck to the back of his property, Connected a hose to the exhaust pipe and ran it into the cab, He died on his terms.

[@DrMurdercock]

@@artm7411 lived a rough life too, was only 62, looked 82

[@darkking7163]

RIP popcorn I open a jar of shine to you

[@captain7767]

Dwolf 101 -----absolute legend.........Popcorn said FUCK YOU

[@rickalford]

Thanks for the great video Dan. I've been a fan of moonshiners for several years and threatening to try this since we were locked down for covid. Wish I'd seen this one then as I would have dove right in. You've made this very simple and easy for the layman to understand. I will start putting my tools together. Last tip is to use a small section of 1/2 or 3/4" hose to siphon your mash into your container. I saw that spill coming. 🙂 Thanks again. Rick

[@imjentzplaysmc]

Best moonshine I’ve ever made everyone loves it! Thank you soo much!

[@scottlawson6167]

how much sugar did you add and does it matter what yeast i use

[@chrisplatzer]

Greetings from Germany, where everything is admitted for honest citizens. I appreciate your lesson on producing soulfuel.

[@poeticdisaster7500]

So if u were to call the police in Germany and say...hey, just so you guys know, im going to be making moonshine . ...thats legal right? And they say yes, fully legal....? I dont know why i highly doubt this😂

[@salvadordollyparton666]

The irony... You can make liquor and drive as fast as you want on the Autobahn, and America is now a fascist state. But we have guns, so we're free somehow...

[@Mordrayso]

Thanks for sharing. Even all this time later the video is informative, of good quality, and well put together. I have no idea why anyone would give it a thumbs down but hey, I stopped trying to figure out the rest of the world years ago. Thanks for sharing young man. You made a good video

[@BigBodyBiggolo]

Because this wouldnt qualify as moonshine according to the discovery channel and anyone who pays 100$+ for a bottle of shine

[@spencermeeks3533]

Can it be done on electric stove?🤔

[@joeybreezedad]

@@spencermeeks3533 Electric is the safest way; alcohol + open flame = Burn houses. btw Ethanol flame is colorless you wouldn't even see it till its too late

[@GregoryDegraw-wb3os]

I got to say ur video helped me the most.thank u for explaining the temperature and stuff. I loved the 101 policy.this really helped

[@GregoryDegraw-wb3os]

Keep up the good work.ur video been the most helpful. These other guys just want to talk and try to sound like rocket scientists. Good work.i subscribe shared and liked...........

[@goodgdm8321]

I’m not planning to make moonshine at all and yet this is just somehow satisfying to watch

[@kosh2001]

Same here. Great video, thanks!

[@genewiley1079]

Thank you for all the tips on how to do this. And thanks people for your input also. Be careful making your shine folks.

[@carlosherrera4068]

Thank you Dan, I like your easy to follow step by step process to do moonshine. Simple and practical!

[@bryanmcdonough2436]

Good stuff brother, I put down the shine about 7 years ago due to the fact of wen u make ur own u tend to drink more lol I did all the corn an fruit brandies for a few years and found that most my customers enjoyed wat I called a neutral spirit, just straight sugar and yeast. I'd run about 15lbs of sugar for 5 gallons of spring water for my mash, to me it seemed slot smoother taste, with higher yields and higher alcohol content. 5 gallons of mash on average would produce about 1.75-2.5 gallon in 4 hours, low and slow baby. I would start proofing at about 165-175 and the last jar would normally run about 90. Once I mixed all the jars I would normally end up with around 2 gallons at about 130-140. Depending on the customer, some would want the uncut, but most wanted around 100-115 max. Just saying u can get more and stronger yields on just straight sugar. Give it a try sometime and see how it works for you :)

[@iguanapete3809]

Good idea. Most people are just trying to get shitfaced anyway.

[@robertvernon2186]

Would you make a video specific to making the still? I'd like to see full details on that. Thanks

[@robertdelisle2412]

Me too

[@MrPAULONEAL]

You can buy stills from Amazon.

[@victoria859]

@@MrPAULONEAL Wow Paul xo

[@billtreadway6407]

Holy catfish had I known how to do this in my youth Ida been famous by now.... Too easy! Thanks for putting this together

[@davidfishferrell]

We hauled shine most of my life! Haven’t broken the law in several years, but there was a time that I committed a felony everyday! I’m very lucky I’m not in prison. Thank goodness I changed! Good luck to you guys still in the game

[@timken88]

Last year I moved up here in the mountains in North Carolina Is watching your video here I started making my own moonshine Thank you a lot for all info I've really enjoyed your video

[@wakter96]

you should add a tap at the bottom of the bucket to let the water drain out so that you can add more ice

[@markgrewe9462]

Excellent idea!!

[@charlescomstock4518]

No worst Idea! ice at all is a bad idea look up shock cooling!

[@mottthehoople693]

@@charlescomstock4518 it works....

[@markhayward2955]

Charles Comstock thats a good idea u need more ice throughout the process for the distilling and temp rising

[@charlescomstock4518]

@@mottthehoople693 lol it's the absolute worst way it smears the heads and hearts! Only a moron would distill that way!

[@lillyblessings8475]

Hello. Very informative and well done video. I was looking for videos on how to distill water for camping and bug-out scenarios using a pressure cooker and somehow came across your video. Anyway, the reason I am writing is to make a suggestion and minor tweak that I think will help you and others. Instead of using the flat mesh strainer I suggest you purchase a Large colander that will sit on the rim of the bucket, then line the inside of the bucket with several layers of cheese-cloth. This will allow for several things; less chance of spillage and mess (your wives will thank you), more grain can be rinsed at once, and...finally, when you have rinsed the grain you can bring up the ends of the cheese-cloth and ring it tightly allowing all that sweetness to be strained from that grain. Best Wishes! Thanks for a good watch.

[@ricks.5849]

Ive got a better tip for that,At your local paint store ask for a 5 gallon paint strainer,it has an elastic band that fits snugglie around the outside edge of the bucket,after dumping Mash into the Pail grab the strainer and squeeze the rest of the liquid out ,clean and simple and reusable

[@bluestudio67]

How'd your attempt at making liq'r go? Not too well, if you followed this video as your tutor, I imagine.

[@JarlSeamus]

Home Brewers don't go through the hassle of straining grain. Add your grain to either a gauze sock or nylon mesh grain bag. Do the boil and either dump the bag or throw it out....

[@danburch9989]

You're not making shine, you're making hand sanitizer! At least that's what you want to tell the Feds.

[@ThinksDeeper]

Literally that's the truth!

[@scottyweimuller6152]

Ffs, literally nobody cares, ive had my home distilling permit from the ATF and TTB which is free for the use of making ethanol as fuel. Its a loophole so you can make alcohol legally. The part that's annoying is you have this surge of new people trying to distill and its only a matter of time before some uneducated idiot blows themselves up cause they didn't know how to be safe or really how to even distill properly in the first place. It only takes a few idiots and trust me I'm a admin for a distilling group on Facebook with 14k people so i see stupid people all the time butcit only takes a few people to blow themselves up or poison themselves for the government to crack down on people distilling. Distilling isn't something you can learn overnight and takes many years to become proficient in. So if that happens im going to be pissed since distilling has been a huge passion of mine for well over 10 years and you can't take shortcuts or you can potentially harm yourself and other people. High proof ethanol is not only explosive but can get you really sick lets say if you were to down a few glasses of 180 proof (%90) ethanol which some people don't care and will drink it anyways.

[@anthonyrivas4276]

haha.. exactly for hand sanitizer!

[@normal_media]

I'm gonna use some for fuel.

[@martybanks3798]

Well when I was coming up, it was always referred to with one saying concerning drinking the poisonous first drips. "You gonna shit or go blind, one or the other. Just don't do it.lol

[@Diglett_Dude]

I heard a brief mention of Popcorn in someone's conversation whilst on a bus in the U.K. It was that conversation that piqued my interest in moonshine, which in turn led me to your vid. Thank you I found it very informative. Edit: Nice shirt, Jack's is and always will be my favourite, enjoying it for 30 years now.

[@joecanad7893]

When you are going from the Pail to the Water jug, try using a pitcher to measure out the first couple gallons so that the pail isn't so full... that is what we do with our liquid transfer process.

[@nickallen13]

Definitely, then you don't spill the 1/2 cup on the floor, lol. I was thinking "there MUST be a better way" :)

[@davidmcfarland3341]

I am preparing to start my very first batch. This was very informative. I'm a better visual learner, and just reading it wasn't clicking. Thank you.

[@Chanel584-y1y]

Ditto!

[@mistermilehi991]

The most straightforward video I've seen yet. Good job telling me WHY I need to do/don't do certain things. 👌🏿 I'm bout to make some 'Shine!

[@theoneandonlyfalafel]

Mister Mile Hi be careful, this will make you have the runs.

[@jessehart5599]

I bought a 10 gal. stock pot from Amazon, turned into a pot still, and a 50 gal. barrel to ferment my wash. If you use 100 pounds of sugar and at least 10 pounds of malted grain. Corn, barley, wheat, sweet feed. 1-2 jars of baker's yeast. You will collect at least 5 gallons of top shelf shine. The forshots on a 10 gal. still is 5 ounces. I normally throw away 6-8 ounces just to be safe. If your ferment stalls add a couple 2 liter bottles of mountain dew. Depending on the temp. of your ferment area, it could be 3 days to finish , or 30 days. The wash should taste bitter, and have no bubbles. Baker's yeast won't handle more than 2 pounds of sugar per gal. of water. Champagne yeast will take more sugar, but baker's yeast give a better flavor. Always use spring water.

[@nonirusty58]

You can use ground malt corn (contains yeast) instead of normal yeast because it has better flavor and it makes the hangover much much less evident

[@razenhell6514]

I enjoy the educational part of KZbin immensely.

[@starlightengram1]

When recanting a large amount of fluid from one container to another I first use a hand held pot of maybe a quart size. Using this at first brings the amount in the large pail down to pourable scale without wasting any.

[@donjansen6568]

My grandfather, who was a deputy sheriff during prohibition, told me that a lot of the 'shiners' would add fresh horse manure to their mash to get it going. He said he would never drink anything they made. He also said he never busted up a still and never arrested anyone who was poaching a deer when he knew they had a family to feed, but he smashed a lot of slot machines because the money from shine was staying in the pockets of the locals and the money from the slot machines didn't.

[@oasntet]

Sounds like a terrible way to get yeast. Bread yeast would be a better option, or the skin from almost any fruit is a cheap natural source that doesn't come with a pile of microbes you aren't interested in. Either that's an urban legend (probable, there's no shortage of urban legends about shiners), or those shiners had no idea what they were doing (possible).

[@flyfishing1776]

Sounds like related to Sheriff Buford'' movie Walking Tall:'👍

[@BlueRonin44]

That manure bit sounds like something the shiners told him so he wouldn't want to "confiscate" any of it.

[@savagex466-qt1io]

@@oasntet Buddy .... his great pappy was a law dog. Full of all sorts of storys. No way in hell would they use shitt ...

[@coreycadden2888]

Fresh horse manure huh???

[@robertprice9052]

I brewed beer for years.. You can buy buckets with a valve on then. Sit it on the counter and use a tube to let transfer without spilling a drop. Or, do it outside. Great video! Makes me want to brew a batch!

[@SW-ii5gg]

Go for it!

[@tefocharlesmodise9937]

Love the intro, RIP Pop Corn.

[@hlabakimadondo4257]

One of the best videos ever, with measurements even. I like that you gave a closer view of the still, and using common sense one can make their own still. Thank you

[@marieblaszak8552]

I never made moonshine, but I made wine yrs ago... elderberry, dandelion, ginger, coffee, even chocolate. I used to use a dipper to pour it into the carboy jug. I never drank any of it. I have it all away. Now I am 70 and too old to do much anymore.

[@youknowvin]

I have long thought about trying sweet feed but haven't gotten around to it yet. Thanks, glad to see someone do it.. Why distilled water? What tiny bit of chlorine there is will be quick to boil off while you are cooking. The minerals in tap water are actually good for the yeasts. I always use tap water for beer, wine, and spirits. Good tap water tastes better than distilled water so unless you have skanky water with a lot of iron or sulfur in it I would not hesitate to use it. The rule of thumb for fore shots and heads is 1/3 pint per 5 gallon batch, quite a bit more than you stated. While the boiling temperature for ethanol is 173 degrees that is the temperature for pure alcohol. Mixtures boil at a temp that rises with dilution. The thermometer at the cap was reading the temperature of the vapor at that point. The liquid temp was probably much higher until all the alcohol is gone.

[@checkbehindyourarse3740]

I LOVE that Hank III was used for this since there are many songs about moonshining! Though not many mention Popcorn like Hank 3 did.

[@irvingwinkler5436]

Can you use a bag to make your wash

[@irvingwinkler5436]

Instead of straining it

[@PigFeathersBBQ]

Great video man. Thanks. This is probably the best video start to finish that I have seen on the subject.

[@nathandhill]

When filling the airlock try using vodka instead of water. It will reduce the possibility of bacterial contamination.

[@erniew5805]

hydrogen peroxide is cheaper

[@TheMakemebad25]

ernie w does that mean it's expensive to get a airlock?

[@MrCOUNTYCORK]

Best and easiest to follow example of how it's done ,hats off to you from Ireland

[@rileywelch4350]

Loved the DEA cup in the corner😂😂😂

[@warrenhenderson3308]

Shut! Is he an undercover DEA AGENT conducting a sting on KZbin mountain dew distillers???!!!

[@tomstanley7772]

Thank you you answered the very questions I had. How to know the head, heart and tail. I had always known the head was not safe to drink but no one would tell me how to safely know when it was safe to collect for drinking. I have made beer and been around the ethanol production for fuel but not for drinking. Thanks again for the video.

[@wj7495]

It goes by percentage. People know how much liquid is inside. Then they calculate a percent, i.e. 2%, and then when the first 2% arrives (a jar of that size fills up to a mark they make) then that's the heads they toss. Tails they toss by taste. It doesn't taste as good as the rest.

[@squawk3120]

Genius! clamping a bowl on as a cap..perfect..

[@camtwo1466]

Its called an ablemic design.

[@iguanapete3809]

Vice Grips are the #1 tool to have. I broke the kickstand off my Enduro dirt bike one time and used a Vice Grip as a kick stand for 2 years.

[@dannygjk]

😂

[@joeybreezedad]

Brother! you really motivates me and, kept me smiling with that moonshiners ambiance music. A+++

[@ivonna.tinkle]

I thought of a way to drain the grain from the water after you semi-boil it. Put your sive on the 5 gallon bucket but then put a layer of cheesecloth or a tea towel over the sive, pore the grain & water onto the cheesecloth/teatowel, wring it out into the bucket, throw away the leftover grain, repeat until all of the water and grain is out of the stock pot. Hopefully this makes sense.

[@MrAres1love]

I was thinking the same because there's a lot of liquor still in that grain...

[@BigLicker76]

Use a paint straining bag.. not cheesecloth

[@julmen12]

i was watching cat video's and now i know how to make moonshine, Thanks pontiuspylate and thank you youtube.

[@tommy2x4]

without a doubt, the best DIY moonshine video on the interwebs

[@ToT0MoD]

for draining your grain after cooking, i suggest using a towel or something so you can really twist and press almost every drop of delightness out there ;)

[@robs9574]

nah he can wring out his mop lol

[@jamesbattles1398]

Bad sound

[@snickelfritz4706]

Molasses=rum. Grain=moonshine. So would this be rumshine?

[@dailysandwich4838]

Moonshine mixed with rum

[@davidhorton7162]

Sweet feed....I'm not drinking that but I can't knock it either never tried it but cane sugar =rum molasses or processed sugar = black pot aka rot gut

[@rdmman9962]

A headache .

[@bewernia]

Ummm...Morum or Moorum? I was gonna say "moron" but that wouldn't make sense.

[@masteroutlaw100]

a waste of some good corn and sugar when I tried it

[@bradley1995]

great video, very instructional! Very nice setup you got there aswell! Keep up the awesome work!

[@levicochran4357]

Probably the best video I've seen on this

[@lancebarkhurst821]

Make a tutorial on how to build a condenser and everything you need to make the lid and stuff

[@chuckdontknowdoya6100]

Go to Barley and hops Brewing let George teach you the right way he has a great library of videos and post his phone number for questions

[@frankmora7302]

That George knows it all, I tried asking him about my new still build. Sent him an email, commenting on one of his posts, Even tried calling once. No response, I’m assuming he knew I’d figure it out. Smart man that George.👎🏼

[@chuckdontknowdoya6100]

@@frankmora7302 He has always answered my phone calls emails and comments maybe he was overseas or traveling when you tried to contact him. The one time I did leave a message he called me back within an hour I'm sure if you tried again he will respond

[@davearonow65]

Questions, 1, do you think this video will eventually get taken down by KZbin? I hope not. 2, does using different grains make a difference in the cooking process, I.e., if I used only cracked corn, would I still follow all other temperatures, quantities, times, etc, and will I end up with pretty much the same amount and proof of the final product? 3. What is the smell during the distillation process like? You hear all the stories and cautions about the smell of "burnin likker" being a dead giveaway for law enforcement, so is making small batches in your kitchen going to give off enough of a smell throughout the neighborhood you'd need to be worried? 4. Hypothetical question, because we know you are not in the business of selling illegal moonshine, what would your best guess be on what one of those jars would sell for to people interested in such things? 20 bucks? 25 bucks? 5. For this particular still, about how many feet and what diameter is the copper line the worm is made out of? I live in Florida but I was born in Lynchburg Virginia, pretty much the moonshine capital of the world so I'd really love to honor all my hillbilly brothers and ancestors and cook up a batch or ten! It's in my blood! Thanks. Awesome video!

[@chuckdontknowdoya6100]

@@davearonow65 Dave I'm in Florida to an honor my Grandfather and Great Grandfather to little old Italian guys who taught me you need to checkout Barley and Hops Brewing George has videos on everything and he post his phone number and email to handle any questions or if you're in South Florida maybe we can meet. The only time you get a burnt smell is if you don't run a clear mash and scorch it then you have ruined the whole batch because you will never remove the burnt taste from it

[@entername9632]

A few tips from an old fellow shiner: 1) Your temperature probe should not be submerged. It's not waterproof and when water gets inside it will eventually foul the probe. 2) Proof your yeast before adding by putting a teaspoon to a tablespoon of sugar in some 90°-100° F. water and waiting to see if it starts foaming. If it starts foaming in 5-10 minutes, then add; otherwise, toss it and proof another pack. 3) For a fun flavor kick, roast your grain a little until it smells nutty, which creates a bit of malt. 4) To get the maximum sugar from your grain, either grind it (a little coarse, like cornmeal) before you cook it or put cooked grain and a little of your liquid in a blender and whiz it up before fermentation. 5) Something I learned while making and filtering wine: when the bubbling in the fermentation lock is ready to stop, that yeast has survived very high alcohol content. Strain through some gauze to capture some of that live yeast and either start another batch immediately or freeze it, using the gauze to start the next batch whenever you wish, after proofing of course. After a few generations, you'll find that your yeast will live to higher and higher alcohol concentrations. The highest I was ever able to get was 27%, which started from yeast that consistently produced 12% concentration. The more alcohol in the mash, the more you can distill from the same batch of materials. 6) Your thermometer is inaccurate; ethanol boils at 125° F. at sea level. But as long as you know how your thermometer behaves ("knowing where your still produces," as you say), it will work. You just have to be careful to not overheat so you don't lose ethanol.

[@bbowling4979]

Does the alcohol content vary from one jar to the next the further you get into the body?

[@mattberg6816]

B Bowling not if you proof it in a single container before you bottle

[@MaverickWindsor351]

Another thing I had heard from a few old moonshiners is to distill on anything sanitary as long as its not plastic, because that causes a lot of batches to come out cloudy. The reason being is the chemicals from the plastic leeches into the drink. Not sure how true it is, but that's what I've been told.

[@GREENLASERDAVE]

Ethanol boils at 172.4 degrees F

[@RedbrushDan]

Dan, this is a wonderful video-clear, simple, and informative. I can’t wait to try it!

[@roamer3727]

Greetings from Nova Scotia Canada.........Excellent video very informative. THANK YOU SIR...

[@arturgorniak3741]

Masz dostęp do bieżącej wody, a budujesz wiadro z lodem jak w lesie. I gar do gotowania, z miską mocowaną na szczypce. Brawo geniuszu.

[@alanwakefield3828]

Use surgical tube. 3/8in 3ft long cut one side put around the lid. And clamp

[@JWolf180]

The first bit you take off is called "foreshots" and should be more like 100ml IMO to be sure all the methanol (poison) is out. Then come the heads which are drinkable but smell like nail polish remover due to the acetone and other chemicals still present. I would toss out a whole 350ml mason jar as foreshots and heads. Then you get the good stuff for several jars worth. Then the temp starts to jump up, anything that comes out above 185 deg is tails IMO, it will taste bad and should just be used in your next batch. Maybe I'm too picky.. Also the flame heat source is dangerous, especially indoors. I use electric and do it outside.

[@gimlion]

as a chemist 1% of the total is pretty much the safest option. That is just my opinion. I can't make it in west virginia. They frown considerably. LOL

[@JamesRWeber-ee1kr]

remember he is at a higher altitude S.T.P.

[@LeGridStudios]

Mr. Dan Paylate thank you so much. My family moved into what is now Union County Georgia in the 1790's "Ivy Log" from the Shenandoah Valley Virginia. my Grandfather came in the great German migration to the red river and set roots in Sunset Texas. Many time's I have traveled back to visit family up in them Hill's

[@tommyreynolds5480]

would you make a video on how to make that still

[@jamesersher7705]

If you want a still you don't have resources to make your own. Still Spirits has a system that works nicely and produces higher alcohol content. Just get their T500 boiler and then one of their condenser top units. If you make the wash according to their guide you will get just about a gallon of 90 to 95% ABV or 180-190 proof from one run. The set up is about $400 to $500 but it is so worth it if you like great tasting booze. But if you do decide on making your own homemade still I would recommend buying high temperature food grade plastic tubing instead of copper. It makes filtering the distilled beverage easier due to less heavy metals in it and it improves the taste. Northern Brewer got the best prices I have seen online for the high temperature food grade tubing. Hope this helps you out and have fun

[@joshmcdermott9649]

A steel pot, some straight copper, a huge steel bowl that fits the top, some copper union, a five gallon bucket some coil copper, copper elbows and couplings, torch and sauder

[@vincivedivicilextalionas4036]

I have a 15 gallon reflux still thinking of making a vid on how to build. I made it when i was 18 cost me about 100 to build. Can make up to 190 proof

[@jessierussell4147]

great video. like alot of folks though id like to know how to manufactor a cheap good still. and info on how many coils you need and how long the tube should be

[@fgrippe]

@@vincivedivicilextalionas4036please do make the video

[@denzilritchie2806]

I would liked to have seen you test each pint to see exactly what the proof was as each pint was produced. I would think the proof rating would drop as each pint was produce causing each pint to be different, but maybe I'm wrong? If this is the case would it be OK to mix all the batches so that your entire run was exactly the same proof at the end of the batch? I've also heard that it's OK to add distilled water to dilute the shine down to 80 proof as most hard liquors are if it's desired? I've never made any of this stuff, I'm just asking questions trying to learn. I did find your video very interesting.

[@BushPilot444]

Watch the vid again. He covered watering it down to 80 proof or so.

[@wtrlvr241]

first qt is about 170 for mine and i take it all the way down to 40 and when i blend it comes out to 105 at that point i reduce it down to about 85 and everybody is happy with end product

[@Jsalazar3269]

Anyone else notice the D.E.A. coffee cup next to the coffee maker? This is a little suspicious

[@sassycat4157]

+Jose Salazar That's what I thought too....highly suspect......

[@dmithsmith5880]

+Sherry Lee you need to play into it..tell him you are about to do a 500 gallon run and its going straight to NYC.. lol

[@benwayne5208]

+Jose Salazar DEA "drinking every afternoon." it's a common joke. ;)

[@dmithsmith5880]

if you notice in the beginning of the video how he stands, the way he wears his ball hat, and his overall composure..He has DEA written a over him....maybe not DEA but he is some type of fuzz anyway. lol possibly ATF

[@dmithsmith5880]

+dmith smith also the fact that he never responds to any comments is also suspicious lol

[@theeaskey]

Very nice video...I made moonshine many times in ireland , we didn't use grain ,just 50 lbs of sugar and one pound of yeast, makes about 4 or 5 gal, your right about the first stuff that comes out ,you don't want to drink it, I knew a few guys that went blind after drinking it., your video brings back great memories when the police would be sniffing around.

[@rotorav8]

I want to add a safety tip here. There is alcohol heated to steam, he has an open flame going. Just know if the alcohol steam escaped the still where it isnt well sealed at the top it goes boom and you have alcohol around to fuel the fire. A lot of fires have started this EXACT way. A coil burner would be a lot safer than an open flame.

[@beebob1279]

Funny. Didn't see that. I see you're getting bored too. I'm looking for anything to keep myself occupied. Can only split so many logs or look in so many beehives

[@VincentSmith1776]

Coil heaters give poor results. Not only do they heat unevenly but by nature they heat by cycling which makes it difficult to maintain a steady heat. Equals more tails and less hearts.

[@chrispeters1510]

How well in a convection stove work .? I think in would be safer

[@wrathofamemory]

@@chrispeters1510 fumes moving around while heated ?

[@MrAtrophy]

sometimes they over pressure and pop. then you can get an additional boom from the alcohol , so ...Pop-Boom. this is why people do this outside. that and it is illegal so in the middle of a forest it is easier to hide everything.

[@robotjeans]

Great vid, loved the Hank 3.

[@MagicAmmo]

An excellent video. Of all the ones I have seen on KZbin this one has ade me confident in actually giving this a try. :)

[@b.johnbeaumont7435]

This is a VERY good tutorial for beginners. There are a few things I do differently. I have a fish tank heater in my wash to keep the temperature at 90F for max yeast activity. My distillation rig has a thumper, which has a better output for the drip. Instead of JUST ice, I use an 8 gallon Ice & water with a pump to circulate the water. That copper coil will heat up and kill a couple bags of ice. The final moonshine has lots of impurities in it, so I run it through a Brita Filter pitcher, which removes 99% of impurities. It's only a couple bucks at Walmart.

[@fictional25m]

I was waiting for any moment the wife to come in and say "what the hell are you doing?" or what a mess! lol

[@edgarhernandez2022]

He dont like girls lol

[@anthonyrivas4276]

Haha!

[@jennifern297]

@@edgarhernandez2022 that's obvious otherwise he would be doing this " past time" out in the barn/shed..etc.

[@philmcclellan3174]

I don't ever run anything in the house, even in winter time. However I do make all my matches and washes in the house. The temperature is more regulated. My wife does complain about the smell every once in awhile, but she knows it's something that I enjoy doing. So she's okay with it

[@timcarter817]

Lol at you thinking that kitchen in this video has ever seen a woman in it.

[@starshooter1003]

Is it safe to assume that jar one (132 proof) may be a bit stronger in proof than the last jar close to the tails? Would it be common practice to blend all of the jars together so the collected batch is all the same proof? Thanks for the video!!

[@staticfive]

I'm not a distiller, but I believe your instincts to be correct. As the temperature rises, you're getting more water in your product, which means a lower proof. Winemakers (and I believe distillers as well) like to homogenize their batches before putting it into barrels or bottles. In a winemaker's case, they'll run all the barrels into a large stainless tank, mix it for a while, then put it back into the barrels so they're all consistent. Sometimes they want each barrel to be unique, but most wineries will homogenize for flavor consistency when blending large batches with other varietals.

[@tobeysdonutshop8251]

I wanted to see the hydrometer test on the other jars. That would tell you for sure when it stops making alcohol and starts steaming water.

[@Squidstixvob]

Tobeysdonutshop I’d end up mixing them all and proofing to 100

[@billcran5009]

I found my how to video. You kept it real. Real world simple. Nothing fancy! Thanks for this down to earth tutorial. Happy Moon shin in😎

[@dbohler8640]

Great video. Funny thing is I’m from Tennessee and I’d never heard it called moonshine until I joined the army. My granddaddy made it and he and my uncles all called it “Sploe”. Probably a good idea considering that it was better to keep the word moonshine out of common parlance with us big mouthed youngens running around.

[@augustdenger8231]

I'm from North Georgia and it was always called white liquor. Of course, if you called it moonshine people would still know what you're talking about, but white liquor was the default

[@STEELSLINGA]

23:00 now put this in your grow room and let the CO2 run out and increase your yield . tadaa! depending on your grow op size .....

[@drillmasterdmc]

yea i was sitting thinking what the ppm output would be in a small romm haha

[@jamesedmonds5693]

No, your room will be to warm. It would be better to pipe it into there.

[@gsavedra]

That's was very interesting, I love beer, but I hang out at a new bar called MoonShiners. They serve beer and shots out of jars ANd sell little jar shots of flavored MoonShine. Mmm tried them got fkered up🙃 lol. Can't do that tooooo many times. They were good though. Thank you for the video ♥️ 😎👍🍻 From Northern California 40 miles north Sacramento!!!

[@karenmiller6131]

My BF and I LOVED this video :) Awesome job!!! Thankyou so much!!

[@galereynolds4171]

When you get to the tails it will get a blue tint. I always hold my jars to a white wall to see it change. Because you always have to be sample taste ing it .lol. good video

[@squidly3480]

instead of just dumping all of it into the milk jug to get it in why not just get a cup or something to pour it in and when there is less in the bucket just pour the rest in so you wont loose 25% of the stuff

[@BiteThis]

Or you can just use gravity and set the bucket above the fermenter and siphon it with a hose

[@ronp1018]

Or maybe you could just get a lid for the bucket with a spout.

[@alekszed]

Are you sure you should be distilling alcohol on a gas range?

[@Maltinis]

why not?

[@mistermilehi991]

Yeah, why not?

[@chuckdontknowdoya6100]

His set up will get you killed

[@chuckdontknowdoya6100]

To many vapors that close to the open flame and you go boom. No sane person keeps his output that close to the fire.

[@mistermilehi991]

@@chuckdontknowdoya6100 what vapors? With a properly sealed pot, they should be minimal. I'm not versed in home brewing shine, but I do know science. Long way from the open flame. Maybe in a small closet...bad. in a kitchen...I don't think so.

[@rafaelperez-ep7wi]

Lo disfruté mucho, eres un buen profesor, bien explicado. Me hizo feliz ver al hombre viejo bailar.

[@russyehl3598]

Oh I have to love that dog he was only trying to see what you're doing😂

[@Delta9SFBay11]

he didn't have smack it out of the way...😂😶

[@joeyv9688]

God I miss Rudy’s. God bless Texas!!

[@Hasher411]

To all the negative comments, If its to dangerous for you then you probably shouldn't fill up your own car with gas then. There are probably a few places where its illegal to make the stuff but I don't know where that is. I've made the shit before and only someone really stupid would blow themselves up! I also can my own food with a pressure canner and people will say that's dangerous too. Its all about the TAX, don't kid yourself and stop being a snow flake! .... PS Both my grandfather and great grandfather were bootleggers and that's not what killed them!

[@Hasher411]

And another thing! I'm so sick and tired of people commenting without a profile pic. We all know that those people are just trolls trying to anger others. get out of your parents basement, get a job, and from time to time please put down the pipe.

[@Exlaax]

hasher411 check it

[@JohnNelson-ft2vd]

hasher411 really where's your profile pic?

[@johnbutterworth1369]

Takes about three days for calm down in the jar. Add a peach during that time, strain and invite your friends over for a pull. Good job with a thorough demonstration. Kitchen hooch, the best.

[@russmontgomery5211]

little helpful hint add ice cream salt to your ice. do it in layers of ice and about 2 tbl spoons of salt per layer approx 4 layers the salt will create heat to melt the icde faster but the the ice will get colder and harden causing the temp of the ice water to drop drastically which in turn will use less ice and greater condensation.

[@72Bluemax]

If I use just cracked corn do I need to add enzymes?

[@carloayars2175]

All you have to do is use cold water and top it off with ICE. Ice alone is no good as you contact with the copper tube.

[@drdzdd]

0:06 Beeing drunk and dancing in front of your still is not a good idea But this guy is a legend he can do it thats fine (your not, or you dont wanna become one...yet) RIP

[@recedingteen2790]

The distillation process please I wanna know where you got everything

[@willwarro4054]

there are many distillers sites. morebrew, midwest distillers. heck you can even make your own. the equipment, tractor supply, walmart, lowes, home depot, the internet, if you need to ask you haven't done enough research. learn is the answer.

[@johnlivingston9217]

Most simplest and least equipment used process. Great job!