I am contemplating buying the pot still attachment for my T500 with standard boiler, question is the T500 gets to boiling point pretty quick and holds steady - if I were to use the alembic attachment would I have problems with separating heads from hearts seeing it gets hot so quick? and if it doesn't go far above boiling am I likely to get a lot less tails? (Does anyone know the max temp that the T500 boiler fluctuates between?)
Would I be worth installing a power controller (reducer) to slow it heating up and being able to collect heads slower? or would it not make much difference?
I know I am probable better building my own but would be convenient being able to switch the heads over depending what im making and not going to lie...im not the handiest person you will meet!
any guidance on the Still spirits t500 alembic head would be great!
From memory the t500 element puts out about 2000 watts. Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong on this.
2000 watts into a boiler of 25L and a simple small alembic head... I would be looking at a power controller so you can slow things down during your spirit run. You will want to double distill.
If you don't double distill your heads, hearts and tails will be much harder to seperate. The overall output ABV would be quite low on a single distillation.
Having said the above I have never used and alembic on a t500. Plenty of other experience on small and large setups. Just my $0.02, I'm sure others will chime in their advice too.
I've used the same setup for some time (now I've got a modular stainless steel potstill on top of the T500) and like the others I say yes, you do need a power controller. 5 dollars if you buy it on Ebay from China. Use full power for warming up and roughly half power for your spirit run.
cheers for the feedback will get a power controller for sure then and fiddle around with heat setting until I nut it out, would you guys recommend spending the extra for the copper dome or just fit the alembic condenser to the standard T500 lid?
Gaffatron wrote:cheers for the feedback will get a power controller for sure then and fiddle around with heat setting until I nut it out, would you guys recommend spending the extra for the copper dome or just fit the alembic condenser to the standard T500 lid?
I would suggest starting with the standard lid that you probably already have. The copper dome gives a bit more reflux but adds cost and can be pain to clean.
Gaffatron wrote:cheers for the feedback will get a power controller for sure then and fiddle around with heat setting until I nut it out, would you guys recommend spending the extra for the copper dome or just fit the alembic condenser to the standard T500 lid?
I would suggest starting with the standard lid that you probably already have. The copper dome gives a bit more reflux but adds cost and can be pain to clean.
Ma.
I agree with this completely. Stripping at full tilt is fine, but a £/$5 power controller from China via ebay for your spirit run is a much better/more urgent investment than the copper dome.
The dome will improve your heads to hearts etc separation a small amount, but reducing power to 50% on spirit run will do much much better for a lot less cash.
