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Kinda surprised I haven't heard from anyone else in the one-and-done camp with me. I ferment ~13g batches off grain to go into a keg shell boiler with CM reflux column. I run coolant at the beginning to compress the foreshots, then shut off the coolant to get the heads and a good chunk of the hearts...

I have a few years more experience under my belt since I first posted this thread. From what I've noticed, if you are looking for what I consider the classic rye flavor in a bourbon or rye whiskey--I'm thinking strong grassy, pepper/spicy and/or fruity flavors--unmalted rye has a much stronger flavo...

+1 on the silver solder. Add a stainless tri clamp: https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tc15rsf.htm and/or buy a stainless 1/2" npt spud and solder it on. I added one of each on my boiler. Super strong and only requires a blowtorch, silver solder and a good flux. Having cast iron on a boiler...

A dephleg with no packing won't do much other than require more power to send the product to the condenser. The packing is where the magic (reflux) happens, not the dephleg. But there will always be some minimal reflux even without packing. Maybe it would be useful to run a dephleg without any packi...

My controller is much like yours only I installed a 3 position selector switch PID/Off/Variable. I can select PID for mashing, variable for distilling and off. It makes operation very convenient. This is the way I have my controller setup also--3-way selector PID/Off/Variable. Mine is switched thro...

You may need to wrap a PTFE gasket in PTFE tape to get it to seal. They can be very stiff.

If the gasket is only going to touch low abv wash, I’d say your fine with a food grade silicon, rubber or similar.

Stay Thirsty, JW

Maybe I’m missing something, but why is a plated column the right tool for the job for making whiskey and rum and a packed column is the wrong tool? I don’t doubt that a plated column can do the job, and do a good job. But I’ve had good results with a packed column, and others have too. Maybe plated...

You dont need or want a packed column for making Rum. You need to be using a pot still or plated column. That or take all of the packing out of your column. I disagree. It all depends on the amount of reflux and proof you run the still at, i.e., the theoretical plates of distillation. Put a needle ...

Also--on a separate subject--flaked grains, especially corn, have all of the oil removed. The oils from whole corn will help with fermentation and mouth feel of the final product. I guess flaked grains must differ from type to type, but I have used flaked (micronized) maize that had so much oil in ...

The boiler is at whatever temperature the combination of water and etOH boils at. Can't do much to control that. But you can control how much vapor is being produced. You can't change the boil point but you can control the temperature (ie hold it) and vapor rate based on monitoring the temp. Keep i...

The boiler is at whatever temperature the combination of water and etOH boils at. Can't do much to control that. But you can control how much vapor is being produced. The dephleg (and the refux taking place in the packing below) cools the vaper to something lower than the temperature of the boiler. ...

The peppery-ness was pretty low. Overall I think the fruity-orange and clove was stronger, but not overwhelming. After some time in a barrel those flavors will definitely take a backseat to the oak. It is fairly easy to control the flavor contribution through selecting cuts. The orange and pepper c...

Yes, I built a 10 gallon lauter tun with a false bottom out of an igloo cooler. When I poured the mash in, it allowed mayyybe half a gallon to pass, then it clogged, slowed to a slow drip.... I let it sit for a very long time.... over a day.... and it had reached maybe a gallon/ gallon and a half. ...

After messing around with the PID on the defleg, I found that a simple on/off valve is just too touchy. Even with a needle valve upstream from the on/off PID controlled valve, too much cooling water would come through on each on/off cycle. I'm not sure if its a problem with steam flow rate, but ther...

Get a PID controller that you can manually set the duty cycle—like the TD4. Then you can use the PID control for warm up, then set the % power (via duty cycle) to do your run.

so after trying everything known to man lol I have come up with this... I will ferment on the grain (seems to definitely be the best option). Then I will separate the grain with the squeeze method since (as Twisted Brick said) they don't lauter for $h*t (I tried) Just curious but what is your recip...

Thanks for the feedback, Yummyrum. The length of the duty cycle is easy to change -down to less than 1/100's of a second. I just felt it would be easier on the SSRs to not pulse them all the time. What do folks feel is the upper reasonable frequency of cycling the heat to prevent surge boiling in a...

Also it has been common practice for distillers to monitor head temperature for the last 200 years. Head temperature is part of the traditional distilling method. I'm always keen to learn about the ins and outs of still operation, Id love to hear more about how head temps were monitored 100 years a...

Something is a little off. I think you want a SSVR (solid state voltage regulator) not a SSR (solid state relay). They get confused easily, SSVR controls voltage based on the potentiometer input (resistance). The SSR just turns things on and off, like a light switch. The potentiometer does not need ...

Hi everyone, time to fess up. I made the mistake of building a PID controller for my reflux still with some disastrous results, and I'm looking to switch to something that works. Before you dump the PID setup, what type of PID controller is it? Many of them have a manual mode that allows you to man...

The only comment I would have is to look at the 1.5 TC version if you don’t already have a TC on your boiler. Seems like there are more options for installing 1.5 TC bungs then 2” TC. But then I have a bunch of 2” clamps around already for my column, so that is convenient. Stay Thirsty, JW My only ...

I have the Brewhardware pod, it's great. Worked first shot with no leaks. Easy to remove and holds the power lead nice and solid. +1 I move it between my boiler and brew kettle. Going on 3+ years. Works great and seems plenty strong. The only comment I would have is to look at the 1.5 TC version if...

Does anyone know if a good reference vapor temperature v. ABV that also take into account higher than sea level altitude For pressure other than sea level I think you have to go the thermodynamic route. Here is one calculator https://checalc.com/solved/binary_vle.html" onclick="window.ope...

I'm thinking about my next distillation project and realized that since I moved from essentially sea level to 5500' the process I have developed is going to be out of whack. My strategy has evolved to rely on monitoring my head temp to get ABV info which is useful for setting refux and monitoring th...

Mashing with corn is a pain, but sparging is doable if you add rice hulls. I do that all the time with my brew system. I even circulate the wort/beer during corn mashes (HERMS system). Stay Thirsty, JW The only thing is, when making beer, your not using over 50% corn. Not talking about beer brewing...

Flaked corn has the oils removed to make it easier to mash with. I can’t say I’ve done a head to head test, but I believe there is a flavor and mouthfeel difference. Most corn meal has the corn oil removed also. Mashing with corn is a pain, but sparging is doable if you add rice hulls. I do that all...

Beta amylase is what you want to drop the FG to sub-1.00 numbers. Unfermentable dexterines are what keeps the FG above 1.00, not branched starch. I ran 2 batches head to head, without and with beta amylase added. The FG was 1.008 without, and sub-1.00 with. The beta amylase seriously boosts the yiel...

Where are you reading your voltage and current for the meter? The meter expects a perfect sign wave, so the signal after the SCR will not be accurate. I have the same meter (I think) and it works fine to read the watts on the input power--the voltage of course always reads 240v or there about. That ...

+2 on the GFCI/RCD. I've never had mine trip, but I would rather it trip than have an unknown ground fault--however small. It only takes 100mA for a fatal shock--so yea, they are sensitive. I think the bad rap for false GFCI trips is from older electric motors. The old brushes had a lot of arcing th...

Distillers yeast--it loves the heat, and not too expensive. Can handle temps into the 90sF and high alcohol. Whether its worth it over bakers yeast probably depends on what you are making--flavor and abv of the wash. But you are talking highs around 40C, so find a cool spot, or a hole in the ground ...