Home Distiller

So I was told by my girlfriend that I talk about my still too much. There is not many people that know about my hobby that I can talk to about it with. so I am going to start a thread that I can talk about what I'm up too and my random things I am thinking about trying. Hope you guys/gals don't mind.
Also not sure were I should post this.

Talk all you want. Better yet, how bout some pictures.

I'll post some photos soon
just built ccvm
a keg boiler with a 4" ferrule for the column (reduced to 2")
With a 46" column.

Also built a shotgun, 4 x 1/2" Id inside a 2" (24" long jacketed) I did my water/vinegar run when I got home from work.

I had the ferrules welded onto my keg, the inside the inside of the weld has a dark buildup :/ was able to scrub most of it off with alcohol going to have to take a better look at it.

Klein wrote:
I had the ferrules welded onto my keg, the inside the inside of the weld has a dark buildup :/ was able to scrub most of it off with alcohol going to have to take a better look at it.

In case you haven't already, you may need to repassivate that SS because of the weld.

No I have not, I had been thinking of using some new sandpaper and clean up the area.

Rather listen to distilling fanatics than religion or Amway zealots.

I did my sacrificial run, found a small leak on my column. Touched it up and gave it a good scrubbing. Then continued the run.

Tried to remove the spear from a 20L keg. It's Threaded with a catch. Going to look for a video on how to get to the catch.


Broke my 0-40abv hydrometer last night
I use it on my stripping runs to tell me when I have hit 20%

Got the spears out of the 20l kegs and rinsed them out. Too bad there is a fair amount of rubber on the spear, or I would just remove the catch and use the spear to seal them, I'm glad I ordered caps and clamps ahead of time and should have them in 1 to 4 weeks.

I'm thinking about filling one of them with Odins cornflake whiskey and aging it for 2 years on oak.

Started a birdwatchers tpw three days ago, so that should be finishing soon.

Going to do another 2 stripping runs tomorrow and then starting another birdwatchers. Was going to start a corn flakes wash but just noticed I'm on my last jar [FACE SCREAMING IN FEAR]
Going to get my vodka stock a little bit up again then start the cornflakes in about 2 weeks.

Starting to reread about oak aging. Going to figure out a plan for aging the cornflakes.

Klein wrote:So I was told by my girlfriend that I talk about my still too much...so I am going to start a thread that I can talk about what I'm up too and my random things I am thinking about trying.

welcome
Yeah I am guilty of that as well in a similar fashion I set up a secret group on Facebook where I share my journey with other local distillers.

A while back i read that with a boiler charge of 27%abv the hearts should average to about 65%abv (depending on many factors) and then would not have to be watered down for aging. (Again depending on different factors) but with that idea dose anyone do this but for drinking white? Say at 40%abv instead of 65%abv

I am starting to move on from just making neutrals.
Going to start with Odins cornflake whiskey.

Those numbers look about right. I do not water down the spirit for ageing if that is any help?

I sometimes do more than one cut from a run, especially if it is a new product, doing variations of something like this:

Run into equal sized jars for the whole run, aiming for at least a dozen jars.
Air overnight.
Identify the jars that are going to make the cut.
Mark the end jars at 1/3 from the bottom and the middle jar at 1/3 from the top.
Draw a line through the lineup, curved or straight, connecting the marks.
Make up two blends using above the line for long aging and below it for white dog.

To do three different blends, I take a third from each jar before doing the above.

kimbodious wrote:Those numbers look about right. I do not water down the spirit for ageing if that is any help?

Ok I'm glad to hear I'm not off base.

NZChris wrote:I sometimes do more than one cut from a run, especially if it is a new product, doing variations of something like this:

Run into equal sized jars for the whole run, aiming for at least a dozen jars.
Air overnight.
Identify the jars that are going to make the cut.
Mark the end jars at 1/3 from the bottom and the middle jar at 1/3 from the top.
Draw a line through the lineup, curved or straight, connecting the marks.
Make up two blends using above the line for long aging and below it for white dog.

To do three different blends, I take a third from each jar before doing the above.

That sounds like a good idea. I'm going to try that, thank you.

So an update on my last run, used my new ccvm with marbles. I did a lot of tweaking during the run and had many unevenly filled jars. Kept changing jars so that I could see what the effects my changes were making.

So I made pretty conservative cuts.
I then makes my maple vodka mix as normal.

I tryed my maple vodka the next day and it seems watered down... but smooth and clean (20% as normal) I know I did the same mixture but there is only one change.

Before I was getting ~92%abv from my t500 now I'm getting 96.5%abv with my new rig.

I'm wondering if my conservative cut and new rig making a cleaner product and higher abv made this difference.

Well it's time for a bigger column (that's the plan at least)

I upgraded to a 2" column (wanted to cut down on the 12 hour days for a spirit run I doubled my output with marbles) but before I could use it I started building a boiler and now my boiler is at least twice the size (15.5 gallon keg)

So I'm going to make a 4" copper column 60" long.

I'm skipping over 3" and going straight to 4" so I won't have to increase my column size again. Also the 60" is because I don't have to worry about the height were I run my still.(shed)

Klein wrote:I'm skipping over 3" and going straight to 4" so I won't have to increase my column size again.

Do you know, that it is useless to have more diameter without more wattage? If you don't have more than 5kW, 3" is enough. If you have more, excuse my cheeky posting...

der wo wrote:

Klein wrote: Do you know, that it is useless to have more diameter without more wattage? If you don't have more than 5kW, 3" is enough. If you have more, excuse my cheeky posting...

Yes and I'm sure I would be happy with 3"
But... I am always building things and I'm sure i will eventually add a section of a keg to my current keg ( making it taller/ larger capacity) and with that I'd also add another element.

Also I have ~249 volts in the shed so my 5500w element is actually giving 5920w.



I have a 4" ferrule on my keg and a 4" to 2" stainless reducer with a 2" column and a 2" ccvm head.

I would be able to take the 4" column and put it right on the keg and then use the 4" to 2" reducer on top of that and then use my current 2" ccvm head. I did a test last night with an empty column and water. At full power it only let a drop every 3 seconds passes my coil when it was in full reflux position.

With three inch I'd have to get a 4" to 3" reducer and a 3" to 2" reducer

I might get a price on 3" and compare prices.

Klein wrote:
.......Yes and I'm sure I would be happy with 3".......

Possibly - but would the girlfriend ?

Lol not a chance, but apparently that's the deference between me and her ex
*edit to fix emoji

Pikey wrote:

Klein wrote:
.......Yes and I'm sure I would be happy with 3".......

Possibly - but would the girlfriend ?

length or....

Geoff

The Baker wrote:

Pikey wrote:

Klein wrote:
.......Yes and I'm sure I would be happy with 3".......

Possibly - but would the girlfriend ?

length or....

Geoff

diameter I would have though

Swedish Pride wrote:

The Baker wrote:

Pikey wrote:

Klein wrote:
.......Yes and I'm sure I would be happy with 3".......

Possibly - but would the girlfriend ?

length or....

Geoff

diameter I would have though

Lol

I have been doing a lot of research on all grain, learning about mashing and all that fun stuff, been thinking about doing all grain because I have access to an abundance of corn. still trying to figure out what size mashing setup id use, id like to be able to fill my keg still twice per batch for stripping runs. (58L keg)

I also ordered the 4" stainless fittings I need for the new column and also ordered the marbles I will need to fill it. I hope to have that up and running in 5 weeks. in the meantime I will be getting these low wines ready for the new column.

I have done a lot more research today, I got a notebook and was taking notes as I was reading, I now have a much better understanding

I think I have found a decent cooler for a mash tun

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Xtre ... n/21947771" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I think it should be a perfect size for my 32 gallon brute but i could be wrong
would love to know what someone that has experience doing all-grain thinks .

well iv been busy lately, but i now have my 4" DWV
i also just found a 150qt cooler locally for a cheaper price, and might be picking that up this after noon. i am still not sure on the size

currently getting low wines ready for when my new column is ready, just waiting for the 4" triclamp/ferrule set to arrive, also should be getting the marbles early next week.

not sure how its going to go over when i come home with this huge cooler

Well it’s been a while, but here is what I’ve been up to.

I got my 4" column cut (61") and the ferrules soldered.

I had some stripping runs to do and had my 2" column set up and turned my water on early as (i wanted to finish eating) and right away I see water dripping. I knew I was a long time from my product running to I shut it all off and found my shotgun now had a leek. It took a lot of work and on the third night I finally got it to seal

This point I decided that I might as well just finish my new setup so I could just clean everything at the same time.

I was also waiting on a 1/4" stainless steel nipple for my new parrot. after it was not showing up (and I could not run anything till I cleaned my shotgun) I decided I was not waiting to finish and replaced the 1/4" ball valve I had planned to use and replaced it with the 1/2" full port valve that I already had. my old one could not handle the flow of my boiler (old was 1800w and new was 5500w but pushes about 6kw) and a couple of times the liquid came flying out of the vent hole I made sure this new parrot will never have this problem

Last Tuesday I was doing a sacrificial run, and I found a leek on my 4" ferrule fixed it and did my sacrificial run.
I found my column was dirty inside so I gave it a good hand washing till I could pass a paper towel inside and still come out clean. It was a new pipe so I never thought of hand washing the length of the pipe.
At the moment I’ve got a second sacrificial run to do and then I am good to go........ on to the next project

so its about time that i post some photos

here is my new inline parrot.
It is 1/2" with a 1/2" vent, and the vent has a drain so that when liquid runs into the vent it will reduce the chance of it being blown out the vent. yes I know, I know its not necessary but after my last parrot and the problems it has given me it makes me happy
It has a 1/2" full port valve, its over kill but that's what I had. I am happy with this valve because it can handle any flow rate ill ever throw at it and wont ever get backed up.
the tube is 3/8" OD shaped to fit in the 1/4" gap

the coil is double wound 1/4" od 10" long if i remember corectly. it is solderd to the cap and there is a copper pipe that cant be seen that the copper cap sits on and the pipe is sitting on the coupling. it is held in place by friction alone. works great

well iv been very busy and been slowly poking around with new builds. I am changing things over to cam locks and plan to use the hot water.

thinking about making a 2" boka head to put on my 4" packed column. was looking to see if others have done this, but could not find anything so i am not sure if this would work. it would be nice if it could handle 5500w. (coil is 1/4" od double wound 10" long with great water flow) it will be simple to build as i plan on using my copper coil from my ccvm for this project.