15.5 gallon beer keg pot still question

Simple pot still distillation and construction with or without a thumper.

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BlackSailJ
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15.5 gallon beer keg pot still question

Post by BlackSailJ »

When using a 15.5 gallon beer keg for a pot still, what is the maximum volume that you target to fill? I was thinking 10 or 12 gallons but I am not sure what head space is needed. Thanks for any advice.
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Truckinbutch
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Re: 15.5 gallon beer keg pot still question

Post by Truckinbutch »

I have a large domed cap on mine that gives me exceptional headspace . I established my limit at 12.5 gallons with incremental increases .
Normal keg , using the sanke outlet , I would start at 8 gallons of clean wash and work up from there to establish my limit . Depends on how much your ferment is going to foam up and cause a puke .
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still_stirrin
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Re: 15.5 gallon beer keg pot still question

Post by still_stirrin »

I’ve stripped 12 gallons in mine. But, I lauter my mashes...I don’t ferment “on the grain”, so my distiller’s beer is clearer than many. If you don’t clear your mashes, you can get more foaming in the boiler. So, you have to be careful how full you fill it. For a spirit run, you can fill to 12 gallons without worry, assuming you’ve stripped your ferments already.

How you heat the boiler can affect how full you can safely fill it too. A propane burner has a lot of direct heat and can cause the mash to froth during start up.
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jog666
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Re: 15.5 gallon beer keg pot still question

Post by jog666 »

Using the 80% fill suggestion found somewhere here on the forum is just shy 12.5 gallon. Ive stripped 13.25-13.5 gallons of mash/wine before without issues but I came up to temp a good bit slower for a strip run. Not sure if I got lucky from a slower start or the mash just wasnt a foamy one but I was fine. On a spirit run, I have filled to 14.5 or so gallons. It was an even slower start up.

Over all I think 12.5-13 gallons is a safe max fill range. Given youre not throwing a shit ton of heat to it (big propane burner) or a foamy mash.
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Re: 15.5 gallon beer keg pot still question

Post by OtisT »

I shoot for about 12 to 13 gallons on a strip. Have done up to 14.5 in a pinch. I use a sight glass so I can see the amount of foaming and can adjust heat accordingly to prevent puking. (You have to be quick with the heat adjustments with only a few gallons of head space.) With foamy washes I start slow and crank it up when foaming subsides, maybe after a 1/3 of the run is done.

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Expat
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Re: 15.5 gallon beer keg pot still question

Post by Expat »

OtisT wrote: Sat Apr 18, 2020 11:28 am I shoot for about 12 to 13 gallons on a strip. Have done up to 14.5 in a pinch. I use a sight glass so I can see the amount of foaming and can adjust heat accordingly to prevent puking. (You have to be quick with the heat adjustments with only a few gallons of head space.) With foamy washes I start slow and crank it up when foaming subsides, maybe after a 1/3 of the run is done.

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heynonny
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Re: 15.5 gallon beer keg pot still question

Post by heynonny »

12-13 gallons for me
I have this {not exactly} globe -> expansion bulb <-, on my pot still column:

Image

When temp is close to "going over the top", this thing really makes a difference to prevent puking, have to be ready tho.

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jonnys_spirit
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Re: 15.5 gallon beer keg pot still question

Post by jonnys_spirit »

In my 16g milk can I have stripped close to 15g but I might get a little puke if I don't slow it down as it comes up to temp. Easily do 15g with low wines...

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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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