How many plates y'all using?

[Kegg_jam]

Been reading about flutes and plates for a while now. Getting ready to jump in.

Just curious. In reality, how many plates are you typically running? What type of product are you getting with X-number of plates?

Thanks!

[cranky]

I run 4 plates. Run correctly I can get some really nice flavor at 92-94% I think modular is a good idea and think if there is one correction I may some day make it is to remove one of the plates but I'm actually very happy with 4.

[Jimbo]

I run 2 plates. Which practically runs itself at a sweetspot of 172F at the vapor to product condensor (just above the defleg shotgun). And produces 85% straight through the run, until the temp shoots up and Im into tails.

2 plates seems great for everything Ive made so far on it, whiskies, fruit, sugarheads etc. Lots of flavor comes over if you're careful with the trickier cuts on a flute. For neutrals I need to run twice or more through, watering the output down to 30% first of course.

[frunobulax]

I run 2 plates. Which practically runs itself at a sweetspot of 172F at the vapor to product condensor (just above the defleg shotgun). And produces 85% straight through the run, until the temp shoots up and Im into tails.

2 plates seems great for everything Ive made so far on it, whiskies, fruit, sugarheads etc. Lots of flavor comes over if you're careful with the trickier cuts on a flute. For neutrals I need to run twice or more through, watering the output down to 30% first of course.

I run mine the same exact way. I have 4 sections (modular) but after MANY runs, I now only use two. I think 4 strips too much flavor. I made a scotch with 100% light peated malt and can not taste any peat, so it is
more like an Irish whiskey. Over the winter I made a 100% peated scotch with 2-plates and a medium- peat and it will knock your socks off, Probably the best thing I've ever made! I think I'm gonna go have one.

[raketemensch]

I run 2 plates. Which practically runs itself at a sweetspot of 172F at the vapor to product condensor (just above the defleg shotgun). And produces 85% straight through the run, until the temp shoots up and Im into tails.

2 plates seems great for everything Ive made so far on it, whiskies, fruit, sugarheads etc. Lots of flavor comes over if you're careful with the trickier cuts on a flute. For neutrals I need to run twice or more through, watering the output down to 30% first of course.

A question for both of you... Where are you putting the 2 plates?

I'm looking at ordering up some 4" copper this winter and building myself a reflux column, but the sight glasses and all of the construction that goes into a flute is... well, maybe not beyond my capabilities, but it's beyond my attention span for getting a build done at the very least. So I'm thinking that with plates in the right locations you wouldn't necessarily need the glass...

Another question that's been bouncing around my brain has to do with what each plate is separating. From my preliminary reading it sounds like different flavor compounds come over at different temperatures, so I'm wondering if it would be worth (for SCIENCE!) doing some runs with a thermometer at each plate to get a good idea of what sort of compounds are collecting on each one of them.

It may be worthless, but I still have to wonder.

[Stainless dude]

Three plates for me

[bentstick]

5 plates run fairly quick,plenty of flavor,clean,and cuts are easy is no mistakin them! For most of what I run(whiskey/whisky,rums) have done vodkas,takeoff of hearts is 91-92 abv down to 88-89 abv,out of a 20 gal charge of 10% wash/mash usually end with 90-100 oz of good drinkable at high proof and double that once tempered down to drinkin strength!

[acfixer69]

On my 4"er I mostly run 3 plates but can and do run more. 3 gets 88% ABV thru most of the run.

AC

[heartcut]

Two plates for most everything flavored. Seen more than one big multi-plated commercial still running whiskey and, when asked, the operator said he was only using two.
Might try rum with 3, like the island setups, someday.

[pulsetech]

4 plates for me. i have 5 but like 4 better

[Kegg_jam]

I'm building modular. 2 plates done, tested ready for sac run. Don't have another sight glass for third plate at the moment. Might just run it 3 plate with sight glasses at the top and bottom. Hmmm, with a little more work I could go 4 plate...

Would You guys running 3 or more plates miss the sight glasses if they weren't there? Or if you had to pick 2 where would you put them? Oh, running perf plates with down-comers if it matters.

[StumpJuice195]

Currently working on a 5 plate

[googe]

Run three, only have one sightglass.

[pulsetech]

I'm building modular. 2 plates done, tested ready for sac run. Don't have another sight glass for third plate at the moment. Might just run it 3 plate with sight glasses at the top and bottom. Hmmm, with a little more work I could go 4 plate...

Would You guys running 3 or more plates miss the sight glasses if they weren't there? Or if you had to pick 2 where would you put them? Oh, running perf plates with down-comers if it matters.

Bottom is most useful for judging tails.
i would go top and bottom in your case

[cranky]

Mine is a visistill, it is nothing but sight glass, I would personally not want to run it without the top glass, the bottom glass might be useful but I personally think the top one is invaluable.

[captainshooch]

I have the ability to run anything between 1 plate and 16 plates. I find the 4 plate rigs to be the workhorse for most washes unless I am after neutral or vodka.

If I was only going to be able to have 1 or 2 sightglasses then bottom would be a must closely followed by top. The reason I choose bottom is because it is one heck of an easy way to tell when the onset of tails is working it's way up the column.

[googe]

16 capt, is that all?

[Jimbo]

Capt ain't playin games

[casamayor]

Hello
i'm running two plates for rum, whiskey, with great flavor, the heart coming at 85%ABV

[Rng4]

I run 5 plates for whiskey and rum. 2 plates under a packed section for neutral

[Kegg_jam]

I've got three plates ready to go. Figure I'll start with that. Melted my controller during vinegar run. Time to step up and upgrade some components if I'm gonna be pushing more power.

[woodshed]

I can run 1 to 8. I run my all corn through 4. Tried it through 2 and every number up to 8 but prefer 4 for the flavor.
Run my Bourbon and short age through 2. Again flavor.
As per law I pull product at 80 ABV or lower for these whiskies. Prefer 6 for my gin although this is still an experiment.
Flutes are so nice to run. Once you find your sweet spot it is damn near automatic. If I only had 2 sights they would be bottom and top in that order of priority.

[captainshooch]

Woodshed, I totally relate to your requirements by law as far as abv, which is what prompted me to build the frac rig, which I am still playing with and learning how to run it, but it will eventually eenable me to pull at the disered abv, to comply, without changing cofiguration, or at least I hope it does

[Condensifier]

I run 4 plates but I think I'll use 3 plates the next time I distill hopefully in a day or two. It's good at 4 but maybe 3 will be just as good or better.

[woodshed]

I find it easy to control ABV through tweaks to heat and cooling. No matter how many plates I am running. My sweet spot for collecting would be considered low by many. Catching each grain at the right ABV to maximize it's full flavor potential means more to me than numbers.

[MoonBreath]

2 most the time on whiskey or brandy ...1 for lower (55-60%) proof, little more flavored/character drink ...2 most the time (70%ish) with good flavor...Double refluxing and packable riser/column makes mine do anything I want.

[jedneck]

When I was running my flute I ran one plate and some times ran one plate on top of a thumper. I have since went back to a pot still (strip on the grain with steam). I am planning on building another plater with 2-4 plates gonna try heating with steam and gettin done in single pass.

[mjstorm]

My column had 5 plates and any plate can be turned off.
After upgrading the column has 6 plates, plates is not turned.
If I want more aromatic alcohol (brandy, Calvados) - reduces the total number of reflux.
Now, I think to make the column with 30 plates ..............................
especially for neutral spirit.

[Hound Dog]

I was using a single plate under a packed column with great results. When I rebuilt I removed the bubble ball. It is time to make another, it ran better with it.

[Kegg_jam]

So after running my 3 plate for a while I think I've found where it wants to run. Not sure that it coincides with where I want to be though. Running a single bubble cap on bottom and 2 perf plates. Originally I had been running with a CCVM style reflux condenser but this last time I used a modified csst coil sealed at the top so I can go totally pot still mode if I want.

Anyway it pulls about 90% from when all plates are loaded and tapers off around 82% when the bottom glass starts fogging up.

Thinking about switching out the perfs to more bubble caps when I get a chance to build them.