Hello from Wisconsin!!! Simple question?

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Northwoods Brewer
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Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2011 4:53 pm

Hello from Wisconsin!!! Simple question?

Post by Northwoods Brewer »

So after many years of Brewing Beer, Making Wine, Pickling, Homemade Cheese, sausage, etc... i need to graduate to the big boys club and make some holiday booze! My Polish parents have been fermenting everything under the sun for years always prepared for crash economy or if the russians return :D

This site has been fascinating and used it as my base of research as well as other books. I now understand the learning is more important than just building. After reviewing many designs I have found that my interests in distillation will be as important to make neutral spirit’s as well as flavored one's... so as design's often mention I can pull packing out of a reflux design to act like a Pot still my opinion the purist in me wants both... Seems like even without packing reflux stills distill more efficiently.

So if I am using a 15.5 gal Keg as a boiler with a 2" copper column flange and clamp from hillbillystills.com could I make a reflux tower and a seperate pot still tower and use which ever I like without soldering it to the flange. Not sure if it would leak as couplings are usually pretty tight and with heat the copper should expand. Basically I'd like to save the $30 on another copper coupling?

I have 4’ of 2” copper and 15” of 3”, & 1 T coupling salvaged from a Pluming friend. Originally was planning on building a Boka but with the free 3” I thought and offset Kennedy type system may be prudent. Understand it’s a more dated design but with my building skills I’m concerned that the offset plate alignment and fabrication looks like more chance for error for me. Seems like responses on this site with the offset Condenser is works fine but Boka is cheaper and better. For me the Offset will be cheaper and winding a double helix to fit a 2” pipe makes my stomach hurt, Like the 3” margin for room… Seems like everyone is polite but need hard answer if I go with this design what will i regret?

So any help or advice would be appreciated. Glad to have found this group!

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