Putting older posts here. Going to try to keep the novice forum pruned about 90 days work. The 'good' old stuff is going to be put into appropriate forums.
My column can be run without packing and no reflux and it behaves just like a potstill. There is really no problem getting all the flavor you want from an offset head type of still.
I agree one still CAN do it all ! My column can be a lowly 3" Boka LM slant plate with 5' of packing or 1' without packing. Punkin you could do the same with your new VM setup, by detuning the column, taking out the reflux coil, capping the top and opening the VM valve all the way. It don't matter how we get there as long as we get there.
Punkin you could do the same with your new VM setup, by detuning the column, taking out the reflux coil, capping the top and opening the VM valve all the way. It don't matter how we get there as long as we get there.
I'll stick with my potstill, i think.
Tooo much fuckin round to use the Skanky Hoe for simple flavours and broad spirits.
Some of us don't have a mad scientist lab, the way you have 2 stills setup is is great ( shed envy ) Boka and off setheads are vertical no liebeg needing extra support thus making the transformation a bit easier.
Use the right tool for the job.
explain to me hookline why a shortened detuned Boka is not the RIGHT tool for the job
Tomfooleryxxx wrote:Some of us don't have a mad scientist lab, the way you have 2 stills setup is is great ( shed envy ) Boka and off setheads are vertical no liebeg needing extra support thus making the transformation a bit easier.
Use the right tool for the job.
explain to me hookline why a shortened detuned Boka is not the RIGHT tool for the job
I in no way wanted to start an unwinnable argument here. I mereley asked if i was missing something or getting confused as to why someone would be building an electric element column still for doing grain mashes.
If pheonix comes on and says he mostly wants to do neutral but doesn't want to cut himself off from trying ujsm or something in the future, i'll understand that's what was meant. I just didn't get that at first.
No-ones said that you're doing things wrong or you're a poor relation cause you only have one still and can't justify the visible means of support for a damn leibig (something i solved with a piece of threaded rod worth 58 cents and two $2 standoff brackets from the plumbing shop in a nice purple colour ).
Please don't put me in the middle of an unnessercary shitfight.
But what is the benefit of using a column to distill grain mashes?
I was merely trying to explain my benifits by answering your question. Argument shitfight My apologies for mistaking this for a discussion board.
No-ones said that you're doing things wrong or you're a poor relation cause you only have one still and can't justify the visible means of support for a damn leibig (something i solved with a piece of threaded rod worth 58 cents and two $2 standoff brackets from the plumbing shop in a nice purple colour ).
Tomfooleryxxx wrote:Some of us don't have a mad scientist lab, the way you have 2 stills setup is is great ( shed envy ) Boka and off setheads are vertical no liebeg needing extra support thus making the transformation a bit easier.
Use the right tool for the job.
explain to me hookline why a shortened detuned Boka is not the RIGHT tool for the job
"shortened"
You have kinda answered your own question. The original question was about detuning a tall reflux column, not a short one. If you have a detachable head on your reflux column, that will work fine as a pot still. And I don't doubt that removing all the packing from a tall reflux column will also give a good result. But taking out packing and putting it back in can be a real pain in the rear for a tall column, especially if, like me, you are using stainless mesh, which has a mind of its own and is not easy to put in the column to start with. So much easier to have dedicated short pot column (or detachable reflux head) with no packing in it.
Hi All,
Sorry to be away for so long but I see you were all getting along without me quite well, lol. MMA night last night and a very long golf game today is just letting me get some replys in here. I am building a propane fired offset head valved reflux. 15.5 gal keg, 2" column to be packed with copper packing. The column will be removeable and I will build a short one to use the head as a pot still. I think I am also going to build a small liebig to cool the distilate some. My main purpose is neutral spirits but I would like a chance to do some UJSM or the like if I want to. I also want to play with potato vodka thus my desire to use the keg as a boiler also. After some studying I felt the valved reflux did the neutrals really well and didn't do to bad on the other stuff either so that is the route I took. I will post some pics of where I am at in the morning and will eagerly await the inflow your combined wisdom and knowledge
Kim
phoenix wrote:Hi All,
Sorry to be away for so long but I see you were all getting along without me quite well, lol. MMA night last night and a very long golf game today is just letting me get some replys in here. I am building a propane fired offset head valved reflux. 15.5 gal keg, 2" column to be packed with copper packing. The column will be removeable and I will build a short one to use the head as a pot still. I think I am also going to build a small liebig to cool the distilate some. My main purpose is neutral spirits but I would like a chance to do some UJSM or the like if I want to. I also want to play with potato vodka thus my desire to use the keg as a boiler also. After some studying I felt the valved reflux did the neutrals really well and didn't do to bad on the other stuff either so that is the route I took. I will post some pics of where I am at in the morning and will eagerly await the inflow your combined wisdom and knowledge
Kim
Good on ya Kim. I kinda figured that's the go when JD pointed it out.
You haven't filled in the where in the world you are bit, if we know what country we can advise a little better.
If you are in Australia there is a common plumbing fitting called a Copamate flange . It solders direct to your copper column and bolts to studs welded in your boiler. Four inch cutout allows you to get your hand in ( i haven't needed to in over a hundred potstill runs) and attachment is simple as doing the nuts up.
I believe they might be harder to get in some countries.
The way i've done my Column still was a direct copy of Hooklines attachment with a 40-50mm stainless reducer welded direct to the keg top. By far the simplest, cheapest connection, and it's simply screwed in for a leakproof connection.
Punkin,
That is some sweet stuff there. I'm in the great white north, Canada, in British Columbia. I have never seen a fitting like in the first pic but it looks really easy to use. I ordered a 9" heavy copper mixing bowl off ebay yesterday. I'm going to attach it using 12 studs and some angle iron clamps that should just about cover the whole lip of the bowl so I should avoid blown gaskets or flour paste seals, I hope. I like the idea of the SS fittings as per your last pic but I do want to use this as a boiler and a mash/potato cooker till I get another keg to use as the boiler alone.
Kim
Not to drag this out, but just for the sake of contemplation...
My column is about 38 inches. Its 2" all the way... add a couple more inches for the offset part and then there is a condenser. Without packing and reflux how is this different than any other potstill? How does that vapor path compare to how punkins is built with the copamate flange? I'd dare to guess that its a shorter vapor path to the condenser than an onion headed alembic... Not too far from a long lyne arm short column style... Insulate the column and I bet it works the same. If you want to talk numbers...(I hate numbers... ) When I run as a potstill, I get potstill numbers for temp, abv etc. If I add some reflux I can easily go to 90% or maybe more... (I rarely have seen the need to go higher... only for the novelty of it.) Personally, packing has never been an issue. I made this nifty cedar handle and epoxyed in a stainless filler rod for tig welding. It's about 36"... on the end I made a little corkscrew... makes putting stainless scrubbies in or out a breeze. just twist it up and it holds them tight, to take it out just twist the other way...
I do prefer to run my other one tho... the short column with a coil in a keg...
HI All,
So here's where I am at this point. I am waiting for my packing, thermometer, copper mixing bowl and my SS needle valves to arrive. Come on Canada Post . The liebig is 3/8" inside a 1/2"x 18" long water jacket. It is just to further cool the distilate but I still hope I made it big enough. I had to lower the burner in its stand as it just blew itself out when I turned it up when it was at its original height but seems to work well now. I think I will get the studs welded on to the keg before I cut out the top so it won't warp, I hope.
Kim
phoenix wrote:HI All,The liebig is 3/8" inside a 1/2"x 18" long water jacket. It is just to further cool the distilate but I still hope I made it big enough.
Kim
Your liebig is more than big enough to handle a 2" pipe. If you find your distillate isn't cool enough push a few strands of packing in there to slow the flow down and create more surface area.
YOU DO GOOD WORK there Kim, You won't regret getting the SS needle valves. They're worth the extra cash.
Thanks minime,
I think while I'm waiting for my goodies to arrive I'm going to make a "parrot". Are all alchoholmeters the same diameter? I have one coming from Smiley's but I don't know how fat it is . It's the 30cm model. I see most people are making theirs from 3/4" and I just found a brand new 1.5"-3/4" reducer at the scrap yard. I just have to go back and get some more fittings and pipe and I think I'll give it a try.
Kim
phoenix wrote:Thanks minime,
I think while I'm waiting for my goodies to arrive I'm going to make a "parrot". Are all alchoholmeters the same diameter? I have one coming from Smiley's but I don't know how fat it is . It's the 30cm model. I see most people are making theirs from 3/4" and I just found a brand new 1.5"-3/4" reducer at the scrap yard. I just have to go back and get some more fittings and pipe and I think I'll give it a try.
Kim
3/4 is perfect, You want to keep the volume in the parrot as low as possible so it reacts to changes immediately. Applies to height also. Only needs to be deep enough to accommodate 95.6 with maybe a 1/4 inch to spare. Best to wait 'till you've got the meter to do the final cut on hight. Hope you have some 95.6 on hand to check the float level. If not make it a little taller and cut it after you've got some pure product. Had a couple tonite so maybe this advice is not very well stated.............
ive been waiting on some parts to finish building my voltage controller and in the spare time ive build a extra liebig 'cooler' for my reflux's output and a parrot.
my liebig is 1/4 X 3/4 and about 18 inches long. mine is overkill but just built it out of scraps laying around so no complaints. and it works fine BTW. i tested mine on a stripping run (since thats all i can do till my damn controller gets finished )
minime wrote:3/4 is perfect, You want to keep the volume in the parrot as low as possible so it reacts to changes immediately. Applies to height also. Only needs to be deep enough to accommodate 95.6 with maybe a 1/4 inch to spare.
Can't remember who, but somebody a while back made the excellent suggestion of putting a small piece of scrunched up mesh on the bottom of the main tube in the parrot, so there is no danger of the meter bottoming out on a hard surface.
eternalfrost wrote:by the way, any reason for (what looks like) sand blasting the copper? besides looks i 'spose
Looks mainly, the pics don't do it justice, it's all sparkly . I built the sandblast cabinet a while ago and use it for everything I can get in it, lol. I can't wait till I can "have a couple" of my own stuff, that GG is stinking expensive! I have 2 WPOSW on the go right now but they seem to be going real slow so I just started another packet of EC-1118 and will add it tomorrow to see if it speeds things up a bit. Should I add more nutrient to the washes when I add the fresh yeast, they are already 3 days into fermentation. They were 1.070 to start with 1tbs of "Nutravit", all the local brew shop had for nutrient, in the 20lt wash. Citric acid to a 4.4ph. 2 packets of EC-1118 in one and 2 of BK1, I know that's not the best to use but I wanted to use it up, in the other. I just sprinkled it on top dry. They are holding at 30C. Is that temp OK? Tonight they are reading 1.048 and 1.051 respectivley. Is that normal fermentation speed? Will more yeast speed things up? Do I need to speed things up? If this is OK then I can just start 2 more washes tomorrow with the yeast starter I have going and put these in carboys as soon as I filter and bottle the wine that's in them now.
Kim
phoenix wrote:all the local brew shop had for nutrient, in the 20lt wash.
Kim
Kim, with that amount of ribs and that Barby I'd say you're a go big or go home kind of guy. You'd better be scaling up those washes so's you don't have to worry they're going slow. Always have lots on hand and you can still when it's convenient. Them yeasties work on their own schedule so go get yourself a couple (or more) trash cans and you'll be able to stay ahead of the crowd.
Thanks for the compliments, I just thought the BBQ went well with this content of this sight That's 72# of beef ribs on there and yes they were fantastic! A buddy of mine and myself built the beast a few years back, I love BBQ!!!!!
Kim
( shed envy ) Boka and off setheads are vertical no liebeg needing extra support thus making the transformation a bit easier.
).
) When I run as a potstill, I get potstill numbers for temp, abv etc. If I add some reflux I can easily go to 90% or maybe more... (I rarely have seen the need to go higher... only for the novelty of it.) Personally, packing has never been an issue. I made this nifty cedar handle and epoxyed in a stainless filler rod for tig welding. It's about 36"... on the end I made a little corkscrew... makes putting stainless scrubbies in or out a breeze. just twist it up and it holds them tight, to take it out just twist the other way... 
. I built the sandblast cabinet a while ago and use it for everything I can get in it, lol. I can't wait till I can "have a couple" of my own stuff, that GG is stinking expensive! I have 2 WPOSW on the go right now but they seem to be going real slow so I just started another packet of EC-1118 and will add it tomorrow to see if it speeds things up a bit. Should I add more nutrient to the washes when I add the fresh yeast, they are already 3 days into fermentation. They were 1.070 to start with 1tbs of "Nutravit", all the local brew shop had for nutrient, in the 20lt wash. Citric acid to a 4.4ph. 2 packets of EC-1118 in one and 2 of BK1, I know that's not the best to use but I wanted to use it up, in the other. I just sprinkled it on top dry. They are holding at 30C. Is that temp OK? Tonight they are reading 1.048 and 1.051 respectivley. Is that normal fermentation speed? Will more yeast speed things up? Do I need to speed things up? If this is OK then I can just start 2 more washes tomorrow with the yeast starter I have going and put these in carboys as soon as I filter and bottle the wine that's in them now.
