How to make Homemade Rum

• Thursday, April 8, 2010, 9:20
• Miscellaneous, Tutorials
• 55,982 views
• 130 comments

About the Author

Shonari has written 37 stories on this site.

130 Comments on “How to make Homemade Rum”

• 
  Jammy wrote on 10 April, 2010, 7:50

  Well at least if there is a rum shortage u can make ur own.
• 
  Ras wrote on 5 October, 2010, 11:29

  Yeah Man!
• 
  MonthOLDpickle wrote on 17 November, 2010, 23:47

  I am having an issue trying to figure out what size pressure cooker and why are we taking the copper tubing and poking it through the bucket to the outside?
• 
  Chad wrote on 30 December, 2010, 14:02

  How long does the whole thing take?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 30 December, 2010, 14:04

  On the short side 3-4 days. On the long side about 7-9 days. It depends on how much wash you’re fementing and how active the yeast is.
• 
  Chad wrote on 2 January, 2011, 18:43

  Is it a good idea to keep it in a dark area? i have it on the cooler side of my heater with cloth around it
• 
  Shonari wrote on 18 January, 2011, 11:00

  The size depends on how much fermented mixture u plan to make. So if u make 2 liters of fermented mixture you need a 2 liter or more pressure cooker.

  The hole is made in the bucket so that the now liquid alcohol can come out of the copper tube and into the drip container
• 
  marko wrote on 18 January, 2011, 21:16

  Is this something a person could double easily to make more in one batch?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 19 January, 2011, 6:56

  Yes, like i said its really a trial and error thing but if you add twice the amount of water you need to add twice sugar, yeast & molasses
• 
  Gibsonguitars180@hotmail.com wrote on 25 January, 2011, 13:58

  How long did it take to ferment using your measurement and what temp did you keep it at approx?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 26 January, 2011, 6:10

  3-4 Days to ferment and i left it on top of my cupboard (so room temp)
• 
  Harry wrote on 27 January, 2011, 16:36

  got all the stuff in and ready to make, how many grams of yeast did you add? Thanks alot, Harry
• 
  Shonari wrote on 27 January, 2011, 17:57

  7 grams of yeast will do which is the standard package size of a packet of bakers yeast found in the supermarket
• 
  johnny wrote on 2 February, 2011, 21:16

  does the alc. % go up the more time you distill the rum or down?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 3 February, 2011, 5:40

  % Alcohol depends on many factors…how much sugar u use mainly and how saturated the fermentation mix becomes. But after about a week the fermentation will slwo down to almost zero. % alcohol will not go down, it will remain steady.
• 
  yankeeswagman wrote on 4 March, 2011, 10:38

  i boild sap up here in the north east, Think i’m gonna try and make some Maple Hooch, Wish me luck..
• 
  Shawn wrote on 5 March, 2011, 16:22

  Going to give this a go later this month, will the copper coupling fit on the pressure cooker? how do we make sure we pick up the right coupling to get the vapour from the pressure cooker
• 
  roro wrote on 16 March, 2011, 1:35

  1 what exactly did you use to sterilze the equipment for first use? 2 what do you use exactly to keep the equipment clean? 3 have you ever mixed any sugar/molasses/brown sugar mixture back into the distilled alcohol? 4 i read that using an oak barrel, or more effective method a piece of shaved* charred oak will provide further color/flavor back into the mix, what do you think about this?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 16 March, 2011, 6:45

  The fermenting bottle was a brand new unopened2 liter bottle of water. The distilling appraratus i just relied on the heat generated during the process to kill any germs. For the utensils, i dropped them in hot water for a few minutes.

  I have never mixed back the sugar/molasses/brown sugar mixture…dunno what that would taste like.

  A oak barrel will work wonders for the taste as well as a piece of charred oak. You can also double distill the alcohol for a more pure smooth taste and you can also use a brita water filter after double distilling for more of a vodka taste and texture.

  There are also table top distillers available on amazon that will cut the process in half
• 
  joe q. wrote on 22 March, 2011, 23:05

  how long does it take for the still to produce the first drop?
• 
  steven wrote on 23 March, 2011, 4:04

  how do you know about the methanol in the product? i am going to make some but i want to be sure that there is no methanol. and where would the methanol go?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 23 March, 2011, 6:27

  Depends on how much liquid you have in the pot and how high your heat source is, but should be around 30 mins, make sure all you seals are air tight and that the bath (your coil) is cold enought to get the alcohol back into a liquid state.
• 
  Shonari wrote on 23 March, 2011, 6:29

  There will always be some methanol, but the quanity we are working with will only produce a few milliliters, like i said, orange juice prolly has more methanol than this mixture. But to be on the safe side, discard the first 5-10 drops of the distillate as the methanol is always the first layer to come off.
• 
  steven wrote on 24 March, 2011, 4:32

  ok thanks, also do you know anything about using a water distiller to make rum? i read that it works but do you know anything about it, like say if there is any modifications that need to be made to the distiller
• 
  Shonari wrote on 24 March, 2011, 6:03

  I have been looking into one myself and from what I’m seeing there is no extra modifications, and it works just the same.
• 
  steven wrote on 24 March, 2011, 23:48

  ok thanks, i found out some more about the water distiller which you can use and the only thing that is recomended is to take out the carbon filter because it removes some of the good flavors apparently
• 
  steven wrote on 25 March, 2011, 0:08

  and do you distill all of your “mash” untill the pot is dry or do you only do part
• 
  bill wrote on 6 May, 2011, 15:30

  another moonshiners words of wisdom I have heard, toss the first few oz’s, clear glass flask filled… when shook hard, will show no bubbles if over 150% and always test for poison by pouring into a table spoon and light it on fire… blue your cool…red your dead… so I have been told
• 
  Shonari wrote on 6 May, 2011, 15:32

  Great words of wisdom @Bill
• 
  bill wrote on 6 May, 2011, 15:41

  Great write up.. I just worry about non testing better safe than sorry…
• 
  bill wrote on 6 May, 2011, 15:43

  for all I know,, the red your dead could be mountain myth…however I doubt it.. the good ole boys knew a thing or two..
• 
  bill wrote on 6 May, 2011, 16:01

  There is a great series called “the foxfire book” ao-36 has a very nice how to section on this lost art. the books can be hard to find, however ebay, amazon and used book stores will have copies now and again this might be considered #1 “however it is not numbered as such” other editions I have are numbered on the cover. good luck and enjoy.
• 
  yankeeswagman wrote on 6 May, 2011, 18:04

  You can usually tell pretty easy by the fore shots, cloudy sometimes,, smells bad,, and after that just keep checking it,, usually by smell is good,,after you’ve made a few runs,, you can tell easy,, same with the tails.. stops dripping or, running as fast,, and can start to get the different smell again.. like your mix, not much good hooch left there .. but can keep it in a different jar, and put it in with your next batch,, but yes dump the foreshots ,, it’s all bad,,
• 
  bill wrote on 7 May, 2011, 6:15

  Great youtube.. stories look up popcorn sutton.. more great knowledge from a legend..
• 
  bill wrote on 7 May, 2011, 6:23

  @ yankee,
  never gave a second thought to the tailings.. however it would make sense…

  another great site for answers http://homedistiller.org/wash-sugar.htm
• 
  yankeeswagman wrote on 7 May, 2011, 6:36

  but i must say,, even with the foreshots i don’t think i’ve ever had a red flame.. The foreshots is quite volitol,, but NOT GOOD to drink,, contains too many bad chemicals, Please Dump that out , or use it for paint remover, or nail polish remover , Just Please Don’t ingest it.
  But like i said some of the heads i save and mix it with the tails,, then when i make another batch i just dump it in and redistill it. Take care and hope this helps some,
• 
  mmr wrote on 2 June, 2011, 3:39

  not sure of the sugar quantity. is it half pound or 1.2 pound. Shonari, please clarify.  
• 
  Shonari wrote on 2 June, 2011, 6:55

  @mmr..Sorry about that. its 1 TO 2 lbs of sugar
• 
  Hillbilly wrote on 4 June, 2011, 0:05

  Any idea what the alcohol content is of this recipe? I understand that it’s very strong, but is it comparable to Cap Morgan’s Spiced (35% alcohol), or is it more like a strong beer?
• 
  Hillbilly wrote on 4 June, 2011, 2:15

  Nevermind, I just reread the instructions and see that you don’t. Anyone who has tried this and has access to tools for AC testing have any idea?
• 
  Lewis wrote on 8 June, 2011, 13:59

  How exactly did you form your copper tubing into a coil? Did you do it your self or buy it like that? Thank you!
• 
  Lewis wrote on 8 June, 2011, 14:08

  I would also like to know how you attached your tubing to the pressure cooker. Did you take off the valve and replace it with the tubing? Thanks!
• 
  Lewis Howard wrote on 9 June, 2011, 12:57

  Do all pressure cookers have a place to screw on a coupling? I was wondering if you took off the valve and then screwed your tube on.
• 
  Shonari wrote on 10 June, 2011, 6:10

  Not all pressure cookers have screw on valves. luckily i found one that did so my coupling went on perfectly. If you cant find a cooker with a screw on coupling you will have to improvise
• 
  Shonari wrote on 10 June, 2011, 6:10

  I took the valve off and attached the copper tubing via a copper coupling.
• 
  Shonari wrote on 10 June, 2011, 6:12

  Copper tubing is very malleable. So just find a cylinder with the diameter you want the coil to have and start wrapping it around it. I used an old paint bucket.
• 
  bill wrote on 12 June, 2011, 7:15

  @hillbilly,
  you should try corn brew.. 150/180proof

  this is in as even an amount as I can give. if you have a brain now, write this down because when your finished you won’t and just increse as needed in like amounts.1 pound ground corn, white corn is best (were talking about seeds) grind them up in a hand mill.. 1 lbs worth add 2 lbs
  natural sugar .. ( for you city folk) real grain sugar. it looks a little brown, and is larger in size than white sugar.
  now this beer (that is what it is called) start your beer with 1 pound unground seed in a barrel change your water often but keep it warm like a greenhouse till the seeds have growth
  amen…god gave us this and we should repsect that. when your seeds have green growth add the sugar and ground corn.. ( you do not need yeast) yeast dies in AC this high as can you. after two weeks or when the corn makes a lid in your pot… remove the “corn lid” and distill as shown … please folow all caution and remember this is old school… water it down, follow the rules, or it will kill you
• 
  Graceie wrote on 3 July, 2011, 14:14

  So I am wondering…what would happen if you did not distill it? Is it just about the flavor and quality or is it rreally bad to just brew and use without the distilling? I can’t find a pressure cooker anywhere but am going to start the rum today. Maybe I will keep looking for other ways to distill, any ideas or advice on ways to do this without a pressure cooker would be awesome and much appreciated. Thanks!!
• 
  Shonari wrote on 7 July, 2011, 9:45

  Without distilling it is not rum…it would be a really bad wine/beer. Distillation is the process of removing the alcohol from everything else. You could distill beer/wine/cooking wine to get alcohol (dont know what you would call it but think vodka, whiskey, rum from beer/wine)

  You could ideally drink that fermentation mixture but i doubt it would taste very well and since this is not the ideal sterile condition watch out for bacteria etc. Distillation essentially kills any bacteria and any live yeast and gives you nothing but alcohol (and water)
• 
  mike wrote on 7 July, 2011, 23:23

  Is it necessary to have a pressure cooker to heat up the mash, or is any device that has the ability to boil the mash and force the steam through the copper tubing able to be used.
• 
  Shonari wrote on 8 July, 2011, 15:36

  No it is not necessary but a closed circuit with hot vapors passing through it need high pressure containment. So a lid thats loose (a regular pot) is not ideal. A pressure cooker can withstand the high pressure from steam and other vapors and come with a small ready made spout at the top of the lid.

  A copper container is best. Anything that can be screwed on, locked on and metal is good. Also the tube needs to be metal (copper) and have an airtight connection to the boiling pot.

  I would advice sticking with a pressure cooker unless you buy a container made specifically for distilling.
• 
  Shadow wrote on 8 July, 2011, 17:01

  Is the amount you need to discard during the beginning of the distillation process proportional to the amount you are distilling? Or is it just the first bit regardless of the batch size?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 9 July, 2011, 8:45

  You are discarding what is called the ‘heads’ of the mixture. This is normally your short chain alcohols and they have a different smell and texture to the alcohol you do want (the hearts). Commercial distillers have fancy gadgets that they use to tell where the heads stop and the hearts start. For our purposes we just want to take off the first few drops, the more mix you have to distill the more of the heads need to be removed. But like i said dont worry about this too much. The amount of heads you produce is about as dangerous as a glass of orange juice.

  Moonshine back in the days of prohibition caused blindness etc bcuz the distillers were using some pretty shady techniques such as cutting the alcohol with all sorts of chemicals and even regular rubbing alcohol!
• 
  ALPHA wrote on 13 July, 2011, 22:41

  hey great rum recipe you should make a youtube video sorry do not know much English
• 
  Caprius wrote on 21 July, 2011, 9:04

  MUST READ
  The is a very important bit of infomation missing. Not knowing this can be deadly.

  Water boils at 212º F, METHENOLE boils at 148º F, and Ethenole (Alochole) boils at 173º F. METHENOLE WILL KILL YOU. Minor Methenole Poisoining will leave you blind. When you are distilling you have to watch the fluid tempiture. If it is 148º F you need to throw all that product away. When it gets to 173º F your are making your rum. Keep that. and finally when the temp gets close to the boil point of water you are done cause you don’t want water in your rum. I suggest a distilling atleast 2 to avoid the methenole plus it makes a stronger rum.
• 
  Shonari wrote on 21 July, 2011, 9:13

  @Caprius Thanks for the info. i did mention that fact. But some things to consider. The amount of methanol produced here is negligible, as i said, processed orange juice probably has more methanol than this mix. Also as methanol is the first alcohol to come off the distill (and its also lighter than ethanol), if you throw away the first few drops (10 drops or so) you will be more than OK. If you were making a drum full of rum then you would have to get technical with how you process you mixture, but two liters of rum…no worries.

  I also agree with distilling twice as you will get a stronger more vodka-like rum.
• 
  Marcos wrote on 3 August, 2011, 23:51

  How much water is added after the rum has been twice distilled?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 4 August, 2011, 9:54

  You dont have to but any water but i would advise a taste test. Taste the raw rum and if it is strong add water little by little and taste in between until it is about the strength you want it. Remember rum is normally chased with some sort of juice (coke, orange juice etc) so i would advise you not to add any water. Just add a small amount to your cup and top up with chaser when you are ready to drink.
• 
  m.david wrote on 5 August, 2011, 10:27

  Great recipe an technique. I’m actually anxious to try it. My question is tho; when you’re distilling for a 2nd time. is it just the clear liquid collected or the mash and everything else!
• 
  Zouthernborne wrote on 5 August, 2011, 17:05

  Once the rum has been twice distilled, you can age it on charred used oak chips for up to six weeks to get the vanillins and the oaky flavor from the wood. It’s worth it for the color that the wood gives and the vanillins. You can also add a piece of vanilla bean, maybe some orange peel, some cloves and some allspice with a cinnamon stick for good measure to recreate Capt Morgan’s Spiced. Age at full strength and then dilute with water to 40% alcohol. This is still stronger than Capt Morgan’s. Buy a cheap alcoholmeter off amazon or something to help you with the dilution. Keeping it at full strength while drinking is a good way to get alcohol poisoning.
• 
  Shonari wrote on 6 August, 2011, 7:09

  @m.david Just the Clear liquid. Try not to distill twice though. One run is enough
• 
  Ron wrote on 22 August, 2011, 13:33

  Question- my wort has been fermenting for 12 days, at about 80 degrees. The thing is, it’s not bubbling like I’m used to when making beer. It’s just a bucket of liquid with some light foam on top. NOTHING like I get when brewing beer. I used “super high gravity yeast” and pitched at about 90 degrees F. Is this a normal “look” for fermenting rum or did my yeast not take for some reason? Thoughts?
• 
  Chris wrote on 23 August, 2011, 7:29

  Graet writeup, did the distillation last night and made about 6-7 hundred mL of the stuff. I found the product was actually surprisely clear and tasty however i did get a bit of sediment in the collecting cup, do you think i could filter this out using coffee paper or would it be better to just leave it and deal with it?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 23 August, 2011, 7:32

  @chris I always went ahead and drank it but what you can do is pass it through a brita water filter. This will make your rum much clearer but you will also lose alot of it (carbon in filter will soak up alot until it becomes saturated). Try the coffee filter and let us know how it turns out!
• 
  Shonari wrote on 23 August, 2011, 7:34

  @Ron It should be bubbling (thats the yeast converting the sugar to alcohol and producing carbon dioxide) maybe you have a bad batch of yeast. Was it bubbling initially? Like Day 1? I find that after 5 days the bubbling stops. 12 days is rather long. especially if youre only doing 1-2 litres.
• 
  Mofo wrote on 26 August, 2011, 5:02

  The recipe looks brill!!!!, but i take its for white rum and not spiced?? or golden?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 26 August, 2011, 5:14

  Hey Mofo. All Rum, Vodka, Whiskey etc, after distillation is white (clear). You get the golden color from the aging. You take a wooden barrel (maybe charred inside) add your white rum and leave it for a few days to a few years. The tannins seep into the rum giving it the golden color.
• 
  Eric wrote on 29 August, 2011, 17:15

  Wow, great read, thanks!
• 
  Shadow wrote on 10 September, 2011, 17:46

  Can you take the left over mash, add more yeast to it and then ferment and distill it again?
• 
  Dime wrote on 5 October, 2011, 9:56

  I think mine may have stopped prematurely. In the first half hour I had a nice thick foam on the top of my ferment, but within an hour it was gone. It has been about 12 hours since then and it is completely flat on the top but I can see tiny bubbles rising if I look in through the sides and hold it up to the light. I can also hear the fizzling sound if I get close to it. Is this how its supposed to look? I used a little over 2 liters of water, 8oz of molasses, 2lbs of sugar, and a 7g packet of yeast. Thats about .5kg of sugar per liter of water and apparently most yeast can’t handle more than .25.
• 
  Shonari wrote on 5 October, 2011, 10:03

  @Dime. Yep that sounds about right. The balloon should be inflated and you should feel air coming out of the holes. Also you should see alot of tiny bubbles running up the side of the bottle.
• 
  Zouthernborne wrote on 5 October, 2011, 13:12

  Dime, You have wayyyy to much sugar in there. You need to use a wash calculator to get around 9% alcohol in your final wash. I would suggest getting a hydrometer and learning to use it. About $5.00 on Amazon.com. Your yeast is struggling to survive in there, and what alcohol you do make will have off flavors.

  Try this calculator for your wash:
  http://www.homedistiller.org/#yield
• 
  Dime wrote on 5 October, 2011, 21:56

  @Zouthernborne: Yeah I found that site and started reading up after i had made it. Could diluting it with more water help or is it too late to change anything?
• 
  Zouthernborne wrote on 5 October, 2011, 22:14

  I would say you should add another liter of water, and repitch your yeast. A packet of ec-1118 champagne yeast would do a fine job. Brew shops or amazon, $1 a pack.
• 
  Shana wrote on 6 October, 2011, 10:30

  So I have tried the rum about 3-4 times now and each time my acohol contect is only about 10%.  What am I doing wrong?  I have let my mixture ferment for a few days and for a couple of weeks to see if that changes it – nothing changes.  It’s still about 10%.  Do you think the mixture it too hot or too cold in the pressure cooker?
• 
  Shana wrote on 6 October, 2011, 15:42

  Reading some of the other posts I think I may have too much sugar also….
• 
  Zouthernborne wrote on 6 October, 2011, 17:16

  10% is a good number to aim for. The thing that really makes it a rum is the flavors from the molasses, and you won’t get those flavors at a higher alcohol percentage. For those of you who really want to know how to do this, here’s a Never Fails Recipe:

  24 Ounces of Grandma’s Unsulphered Molasses
  12 ounces (by weight) of dark brown sugar
  5 grams of baker’s yeast

  Boil the sugar and the molasses in about a liter of FILTERED water for a few minutes. Once it is thoroughly dissolved, let it cool for a bit, then put it in a clean 1-gallon fermenting vessel. Top this with more filtered water to about an inch or two from the top. Put a lid on it and shake the crap out of it. You want oxygen in the water for the yeast to feed on during their first stages of reproduction. When the temp of the wash is around 90 degrees F or so, pitch your yeast on top and cover it with a cloth or something for about 15-30 minutes. Come back, put on your airlock or whatever, and let it work.

  You can also use some yeast nutrient to help give your yeasties extra staying-power during fermentation. Remember though, low ABV (8-10%) is where the flavor is.
• 
  Zouthernborne wrote on 6 October, 2011, 17:19

  Oh, and when it comes time to distill it, run it through the still pretty fast the first time to get all the flavor out, turn off the still when it starts smelling like cardboard and tasting like stale water.

  Then run it through again very slowly, a few drips per second. Catch about 2 ounces at a time in small jars, cover them with tissue or something, and let them air out. Usually the jars nearer the middle will have your “hearts” in them. After a couple of days, maybe three, smell each one, and blend the ones that smell/taste the best. You’ll get it after a few tries. Read, read, read, practice, practice, practice….
• 
  Shana wrote on 6 October, 2011, 17:57

  Thanks for the info.  How long do you usually let your mixture ferment before you distill?
• 
  Zouthernborne wrote on 6 October, 2011, 19:38

  Fermentation, when done properly, usually takes around 2 weeks to a month. There are some recipes that can ferment out in 36 hours flat. It’s astounding. The recipe above should be ready to distill in about a 3 weeks. In the end, if you don’t add in the first 20-25% of the jars you collected, you’ll get about 2 cups of drinkable alcohol at around 65% ABV. Those first few cuts are what give you a headache and leave you with a hangover the next morning. Leave those out, (they contain aldehydes), and you will never have an alcohol-induced headache again. Let those jars air out covered with tissues, for about 2-3 days, and blend them carefully. Do that, and you’ll have rum anyone would be proud of.
• 
  Zouthernborne wrote on 6 October, 2011, 19:41

  Oh, and save that murky brown leftover from the first run. It’s known as dunder. Keep it in the fridge and some of it to make up 25% of the total volume of your next wash. Keep doing this, and the flavors will get stronger and stronger. I do 5 gallon washes at a time and am on the 12th generation of dunder. The tastes and smells are amazing!
• 
  Niko wrote on 8 October, 2011, 22:45

  Great article. Im gonna get drunk off free rum some day

  My two cents:

  A pressure cooker with a built in thermometer would be ideal I think. Simmer at 180 = no blindness & less other vapors.

  Otherwise its hard to gauge the inner temperature of a pressure cooker. ( A pressure cooker will be hotter inside than an open pot on the same heat).
• 
  Dime wrote on 10 October, 2011, 17:42

  alright i’ve finished distilling. I’m trying to get an idea of how strong it is. I used 4 liters of water, 16 oz molasses, and 2 lbs of sugar. All together thats 1.4kg of sugar and using the formula on homedistiller that should produce about .7 liters of pure ethanol. After ditching the first 30 – 40 mLs of the distillate and stopping when i could taste that it was losing strength, I collected 1 liter of rum.  Assuming I got all of the ethanol out, that would mean its 70% ethanol. Could that be accurate considering I used a pot still? The arm from the pot is rising at an angle of maybe 20 – 30 degrees and is about 3 feet long, so I should be getting a good amount of reflux.
• 
  Zoutherborne wrote on 14 October, 2011, 12:30

  You don’t want reflux when it comes to rum. A short column with a lyne arm down to the cooling worm is best. Reflux is for neutral spirits.
• 
  Josh wrote on 17 October, 2011, 1:11

  If I distill twice, do I need to remove the first 10 drops or so twice, or only the first time around?
• 
  Kris wrote on 28 October, 2011, 1:55

  I think you should make a video on this that would awesome
• 
  Shonari wrote on 2 November, 2011, 7:54

  @Josh First time around is fine
• 
  hayden wrote on 19 November, 2011, 18:15

  why is my rum comming out clear i did everything exactly right and it taste like nasty water
• 
  amature wrote on 24 November, 2011, 0:11

  where could i buy a pressure cooker that has a thermometer and the valve thing yours has?
• 
  Johan wrote on 18 December, 2011, 23:51

  It’s true the distilled liquid at the bottom would be methanol, and must be removed. But it’s also true that the last portion is other unwanted alcohols, such as isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and should also be removed. The final product should be tested for purity by carefully using a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity.
• 
  Shonari wrote on 19 December, 2011, 6:11

  @amature: you will have to look around. Try home depot or somewhere that has a wide variety of pots
• 
  Shonari wrote on 19 December, 2011, 6:11

  @hayden Sounds like you distilled too long.
• 
  Dr.Shweaty wrote on 21 December, 2011, 23:49

  instead of a pressure cooker, could you use a slow cooker? for instance a crock pot?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 23 December, 2011, 7:33

  @Dr. Shweaty You need something airtight, preferable metal (high temperatures) and has a controlled way of letting the alcohol vapor out such as a spout, tube, pipe etc.
• 
  Darebear wrote on 7 January, 2012, 23:58

  With the pressure cooker, are most models the same? Is the regulator/chimney valve that you connect the copper tubing to suppose to be small? How should I know what size to get the couplings?

  Also, my batch finished fermenting several weeks ago and because I havent been able to locate a pressure cooker until recently, do you think it will still be alright to distill?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 9 January, 2012, 6:58

  @Darebear: Carry the pressure cooker with you to home depot and get the couplings fitted. and yes you connect the regulator to the copper tubing. There are many different ways to make the distiller, just google alcohol distiller and you can either buy one or use one of the many guides available online to make one.

  Cheers
• 
  mikeh wrote on 14 January, 2012, 18:43

  just a fun fact, if you plan on using the still more then once or twice, you need to make sure you use a stainless steel one, the alcohol vapors eventually break the aluminum and it will carry over into the distillate, its not deadly but it will grossly effect the flavor and can make you sick. plus the actual pot will start to corrode. good basic write up
• 
  John wrote on 18 January, 2012, 9:16

  A cork will work fine for a coupling. Just drill it out. Tubing will slide right in. Drill out the nipple on top of the pressure cooker also to allow better steam flow.
• 
  John wrote on 18 January, 2012, 9:22

  darebear – chuck that old batch. It will have gone off. Hooch is cheap to make. Dont try and save a buck by sacrificing quality for quantity. Discard the heads and tails.
• 
  scott wrote on 19 January, 2012, 10:45

  so how do you determin when to start discarding the tails of the process
• 
  BrewerDrew wrote on 28 January, 2012, 19:47

  One thing worth mentioning is that many copper and brass compression couplings contain lead. Please be sure you are using fittings rated for potable water systems as these are certified to not contain lead. No need to add any additional toxins…
• 
  vonjagerson wrote on 31 January, 2012, 17:11

  what diameter should the tubing be?
• 
  Stan wrote on 2 February, 2012, 5:47

  I have been doing a small amount of distilling and will try your recipe for rum. One observation. I looked into ‘doing it yourself’ stills and, to be honest, its too much work for me and too time consuming and possible error prone (for me). So I ended up buying a pot still on ebay. Not the fancy ones but the basic pot still around 100$ depending on size. Just buying a new pressure cooker and copper fittings etc., gas to stores to but parts, and time and study effort to do it right, ends up not saving too much, if any. So I let the “professional” who i bought the still from, do the homework and the ‘construction’ work. So far this has worked out fine for me.

  Just my two cents.
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  Danny wrote on 23 February, 2012, 20:40

  I have an old preasher cooker like yours on the cover has the middle hole like yours and the hole near the side the fitting is gone can i put a tempreture gage in there and make it tight do you think that will work
• 
  Cordann wrote on 25 February, 2012, 5:31

  I am trying this recipe for the first time. I’ve got my rum mix fermenting. You guys are scaring me with your talk of alcohol poisoning and going blind though LOL sheesh… Not sure how the mixture is going to taste, but the bubbles are working, everything looks fine. Looking forward to the distilling in a few days. I couldn’t find a pressure cooker with any coupling on top so had to get a copper elbow and got creative with it. 

  I’m not going to go blind right? Because I really enjoy my sight. *grin*
• 
  Chaz wrote on 4 March, 2012, 23:16

  Shonari, thats a great basic writeup you provided and thanks for the additional pics! I’ve used your recipe and have a batch settled into a cupboard for its weeklong nap! @others, i realize the methanol boils at 145, the ethanol at ~175, and (of course) water at 212… Where are you measuring these temps? In the boil (cooker) during distill or at the pipes before the condenser? I’m used a modified electric fryer with a sealable pressure cooker top that i believe will go well above the 212. I’m planning the distill process next weekend and want to be prepared. Thanks all!
• 
  Stan wrote on 6 March, 2012, 20:11

  Do not “pressurize” your boiler! The point is that the vapor is condensed after boiling off so you want a non pressurized system. Temp is usually measured for the vapor just before the condenser. Makes the most sense since you want the vapor temp to be over the ethanol vapor point but below the water vapor point of 212. That said, even measuring temp in the boiler still has value (under 212). As for methanol, don’t worry. For an equivalent amount of alcohol you drink even without discarding the first part of a distill remember, beer and wine are made without removing any methanol. The general rule for discarding using a pot still is to remove about 100ml per 20 liters of “wash” (the input) (I might be off by a few liters) so just divide that by 5 for 1 gallon (approx) which comes to discarding the first 2/3 oz to get rid of almost all methanol.
• 
  Danny wrote on 11 March, 2012, 8:59

  I just got done distilling my first batch how come it taest verry watery did i do something wrong did it not ferment did the yeast not work
• 
  Aidan wrote on 21 March, 2012, 9:55

  I just set up the fermentation.
  I didn’t have any molassas, so I used treacle instead. The treacle had been in the cupboard for well over 12 years and made a very dark ferment, so I think it might have turned to dark treacle/molassas anyway.
  Why do you use distilled water though? I just boiled some water and waited for it to cool.
• 
  jc99 wrote on 22 March, 2012, 17:34

  do you boil on high and keep everything in your desired temperature zone, remove from heat and repeat….. or do you get to that desired temp. and hold and distill the whole amount?
• 
  Shonari wrote on 22 March, 2012, 17:53

  @jc99 The ethanol vaporizes at 173°F so if you have a thermometer you need to keep the temperature around that point. If you cant measure it just wing it. Just remember to discard the heads and tails.
• 
  Shonari wrote on 22 March, 2012, 17:55

  @Aidan Less bacteria the better. You can boil the water and cool it or just use bottled water, whichever.
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  Shonari wrote on 22 March, 2012, 17:58

  @Danny Was the yeast bubbling during fermentation? Does the mixture taste tangy?
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  Brent wrote on 24 March, 2012, 16:18

  i did everything the way you said but at the end the mixture from the pot didn’t all fit in the bottle. is this normal ?
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  Soraz wrote on 28 March, 2012, 22:05

  I made the mixture and set it out yesterday, right now I can hear it bubbling :through the ballon holes
  and Shonari which would be better 3 days before distilling or 4 days?
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  Alex wrote on 9 April, 2012, 15:02

  I have made a few batches of rum from this basic instruction, and it works very well. Learned a lot of valuable lessons too. For instance, don’t use cloves to flavor the mix as it ferments, or it will taste awful but makes a GREAT oral anesthetic. I sstarted with a gallon of basic brown sugar, 12 ounces of molasses, and 3 packets of yeast, and got pretty good rum after it fermented for a couple weeks, yielding a quart of rum. I have found that adding a large handful or two of raisins to the fermenting mixture helps the yeast a lot. Whole Allspice in the mixute is a great way to get spiced rum, but make sure to remove it before you distill, or you it will 1, make you sick, and 2, numb your mouth, throat, and even stomach. Finally, my base recipe is perfected, and the friends who tried it all make the same two claims. 1, it tastes as good as most high-end spiced rums. 2, it is potent! I tend to agree, as three shots worth tends to make one’s face go numb.
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  jerry 3 wrote on 19 April, 2012, 21:33

  i just made three batches of mash corn and banana’s my first time destilling my mash with a pot still didnt go so good how long does it take for the coil to get too dripping ? im using a gas stove and a pot still and coil in bucket ice cold and i notices that when it wASNT steaming i turn the heat of and blew into the coil too see the problum and some alcohol came out but why was it staying in the coil and not dripping i need some advice please and thankyou
• 
  Shonari wrote on 20 April, 2012, 13:07

  Try bending the copper arm at a lower degree. Try 90 degrees then start going lower. If the angle is too high the alcohol will end up back in the still. Also the bucket should be at the same height or lower than the pot still
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  Shonari wrote on 20 April, 2012, 13:10

  @Soraz: Just keep watching the mix. The balloon will start to deflate and you will see a definite drop in the yeast activity (very little bubble production)
• 
  Shonari wrote on 20 April, 2012, 13:11

  @Brent I am not following. Maybe you should get a bigger bottle?
• 
  Brent wrote on 20 April, 2012, 18:29

  i made the batch and it worked great i got 500ml. i have a hydrometer to measure the alcohol content and was very high thanks for all the help
• 
  Stan wrote on 21 April, 2012, 17:13

  regarding methanol. I understand that distilling pure molasses will not produce any methanol. However, distilling sugar will produce small amounts of methanol. The amounts, at best, might contribute to a hangover effect but are not dangerous (remember in distilling beer and wine none of the methanol is removed and the key issue is the amount of alcohol consumed — you will drink more wine then distill alcohol to get a similar effect)
• 
  Stan wrote on 21 April, 2012, 17:20

  regarding using a balloon. It really is not necessary if you simply put on a loosely fitted cap. Contamination gets in through dust and the fermenting produces CO2 that forces any remaining oxygen out of the container and weighs more than oxygen. So the CO2 sits on the fermenting medium. Oxygen is necessary at the start of fermentation because the yeast needs it to multiply and once consumed the expanded yeast colony converts sugar etc. to alcohol. That is why it is important to shake the container after adding yeast to aerate the liquid.
• 
  jerry 3 wrote on 21 April, 2012, 19:39

  thanks people i really appreciate it i was going nuts because my shine wasnt coming out of my tube i was just sitting in there but i havent tried it out again but if i do should i do it with water to see if it works and if so how ? and how long does it take for the pot still to start dripping
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  jerry brown wrote on 26 April, 2012, 1:46

  I got half alcohol half smells like dirty water why??
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  kyle wrote on 1 May, 2012, 14:52

  just thought i’d throw this out there so people don’t kill themselves.  There should be NO Methanol at all in the final product.  If there is some in your product you did it wrong, this is not normal.  a basic thermometer should be attached the same way the copper tubing is attached to the closed teapot (don’t use a pressure cooker, it can result in explosions at worst and destroy alcohol chains at best).  Methanol evaporates at a lower temperature than Ethanol (around 135, and 175 respectively).  The distilled liquid that comes out first with be the methanol, you should watch your thermometer during this, as the temperature will not rise at all so long as there is Methanol present.  It will plateau for a time, then the temperature will raise again and more liquid will come out at the new plateau temperature, this will be your Ethanol.  Here the first few drops should be discarded to ensure ridding any excess Methanol.  

  There should be no Methanol at all in your drink, there is a tolerance of 0% in all liquors, and this is the reason why distilling is illegal without proper licensing of a still.  Methanol can kill you quickly if consumed in large/any amounts, and causes blindness along with a host of other illnesses.
• 
  George Rum wrote on 2 May, 2012, 9:30

  Made a how to video referencing the first part of instructions on this site  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd8iZ19iJzY
• 
  jerry brown wrote on 4 May, 2012, 17:29

  When im destilling my shine comes out smelling lije water and it doesnt burn Help me please !!!!!!
• 
  Zouthernborne wrote on 5 May, 2012, 15:06

  Jerry, your “shine” coming out smelling like that could be any number of things. But smart money says you are running your still too hot. You shouldn’t really have to go above the medium setting on your burner. Low and slow is the secret to good rum. Let it drip about 5 drips per second, collect in small jars and let them air out overnight covered with paper towels or something. Smell and taste the jars, don’t use the first couple that smell sweet, or the last ones that smell like wet cardboard. Most of you people have this whole thing dead wrong.
• 
  Alex wrote on 11 May, 2012, 1:16

  Made a HUGE batch that took four months to ferment. 12 pounds of brown sugar, a gallon of molasses, 4 gallons of water, 3 ounces of whoe allspice, 12 ounces of vanilla extract, a pound of raisins, and a dozen packets of good old quick-rise bread yeast. Given the random weather in Missouri, it was a wonder the yeats survived at all, but the final beer before distilling was rather strong when I began. I distilled a gallon at a time, with each gallon producing a little over a quart of rum, until I had a full gallon and a half of rum. This in turn was all blended together to even out the flavor. Still havent used a hydrometer to get the actual alcohol content, but it burns when a match is set to it, so pretty high. Overall, the flavor is very siilar to Captain Morgan’s Tatto, but without the bite. This batch was sampled by over a dozen people at my son’s engagement party last weekend, all of whome were impressed with the flavor and strength. Work to the wise: for absolute safety, I throw out the first 2 to 3 ounces of liquid from each distilling, this practically gaurantees that any methanol is gone. It is also worth noting that I only distill my rum nce, and it is both strong and flavorful, without any hint of oiliness. My main fermenting vessel is a 7 gallon Coleman waterjug, I leave the vent cap slightly loose to let CO2 escape and keep critters out. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Someone I though might know what they were about suggested using dry ice to cool the coil. DON’T DO IT. My pressure cooker exploded because the dry ice overcooled and blocked the coil, thus buildinng pressure to lethal levels. Luckily nobody was hurt, but the mess will haunt me for months, as will the 2×5 foot hole in the garage wall.

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