Search found 748 matches

by minime
Tue Jul 09, 2019 1:47 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: New concentric-coolant direction ???
Replies: 13
Views: 2954

Re: New concentric-coolant direction ???

I run a concentric 2" setup.. my reflux condenser is a 2" x 12" outside shell with the inner tube being 1.5" x 13" in length with 1/4" copper tube inside.. the reason for the inner tube being a bit longer is it provide extra space for the packaging of the scrubby, plus...
by minime
Sat May 30, 2009 2:45 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Cheapest wort - new guy question
Replies: 20
Views: 2239

Re: Cheapest wort - new guy question

That works very well if you haven't stressed the yeast with high gravity washes. Even turbo yeasts start to get uncomfortable over 10% ABV in my experience.
by minime
Fri May 29, 2009 4:44 pm
Forum: Recipe Development
Topic: sweet corn and apples
Replies: 1
Views: 846

Re: sweet corn and apples

I'm a newbie and hooked on the hobbie and had a thought. Was reading about running spirit runs with some mash from ferment to carry flavor. Well I've got two 20gal fermenters going of UJSM and just did my first gen run. Ran fast and dirty and striped 6gal. UJSM calls to put this back in the next ru...
by minime
Wed May 27, 2009 2:05 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: MY new Valved Reflux Still, photos too.
Replies: 17
Views: 8400

Re: MY new Valved Reflux Still, photos too.

Any help would be great, Do yourself a favor Eugene and get yourself a temperature probe that measures in 1/10C increments. Your entire hearts collection will occur in 2 or 3 tenths. Until you find one you will struggle. When doing the smell test for the heads cut always put two or three drops in a...
by minime
Tue May 26, 2009 2:30 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Sugar / Turbo wash, strange results?
Replies: 9
Views: 1805

Re: Sugar / Turbo wash, strange results?

Hi all, On day three about 72 hours after pitch, I check, no or very little bubbles, heater has turned on, smell is much less but still there, so I check the SG, (i have only checked it once before) it is 0.095 or as good as I can read it inside the fermentor it is deffinatly under 1.000, so I chec...
by minime
Sun May 24, 2009 4:04 am
Forum: Pot Distillation/Thumper and Design
Topic: flavor characteristics of stills.....
Replies: 14
Views: 2418

Re: flavor characteristics of stills.....

Store bought rums are blended and aged products. Distilling is just the first part of the journey so sit back and enjoy the ride :)
by minime
Sun May 24, 2009 3:56 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: molasses assistance
Replies: 15
Views: 2465

Re: molasses assistance

justlikethis wrote:I forgot to say I'll be making vodka from this, not rum.
Takes a lot of refluxing to make neutral from molasses :shock:
by minime
Sat May 23, 2009 2:38 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: "Reverse LM" idea
Replies: 89
Views: 23395

Re: "Reverse LM" idea

does it hold any advantages over a VM still, which looks a lot less fiddly to build? One distinct advantage is it's possible to collect all the condensate as in pot still mode. That's the main drawback of a VM column. It is also possible to get away with just one condenser although the product woul...
by minime
Thu May 21, 2009 6:36 pm
Forum: Tried and True Recipes
Topic: Pintoshine's Fast Fermenting Molasses Wash
Replies: 96
Views: 73104

Re: Pintoshine's Fast Fermenting Molasses Wash

Can I run this mash through reflux still or should I remove and copper pads from my column and run it as a pot still? Julwit Molasses carries flavor quite nicely on a column, scrubbers or not. If you run it @95% from this recipe it will be highly flavored and an excellent base for blended rum or to...
by minime
Thu May 21, 2009 1:50 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: "Reverse LM" idea
Replies: 89
Views: 23395

Re: "Reverse LM" idea

To get ARC power management must be automatic but manual is also possible - user is resposible for analise data and set the level. In RLM systems: lower power - higher RR. It is quite opposite in "clasic" LM where to get higher RR power must be increased (there is often power limit) what ...
by minime
Tue May 19, 2009 6:42 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: "Reverse LM" idea
Replies: 89
Views: 23395

Re: "Reverse LM" idea

The auto shutdown at heads kept acting like more ethyl acetate was forming in the column. I didn't test the pH, so it might have been doing that. I'm pretty certain that's exactly what's happening. Even though the bulk is gone there's always a bit more forming. Riku and Manu like long risers above ...
by minime
Tue May 19, 2009 6:14 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Coiling the coil..
Replies: 13
Views: 2267

Re: Coiling the coil..

My success came with a simple jig and a good amount of pull on the loose end.
by minime
Mon May 18, 2009 7:25 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: "Reverse LM" idea
Replies: 89
Views: 23395

Re: "Reverse LM" idea

All those people who built Nixon stone offset head LM units with a valve for output and a valve for the reflux return tube and people were always saying they dont need the valve on the reflux return. They could actually run in reverse LM by simply running the outlet fully opened then setting the fl...
by minime
Mon May 18, 2009 4:37 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: in search of the cleanest neutral
Replies: 33
Views: 4718

Re: in search of the cleanest neutral

In my opinion, the real key to good neutral is surely the stil and nothing else. I have a little over 1.5 meters of packing in a VM stil and I am able to turn the nastiest tasting low wines from corn whiskey into virtually top shelf vodka. I’d recommend taking another look at your stil design if yo...
by minime
Mon May 18, 2009 8:10 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: "Reverse LM" idea
Replies: 89
Views: 23395

Re: "Reverse LM" idea

HookLine wrote:Yup, you're right, I didn't get that.

Take 2
Reverse LM Nixon Stone Head - 2.jpg
:D :D :D
by minime
Sat May 16, 2009 2:27 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: "Reverse LM" idea
Replies: 89
Views: 23395

Re: "Reverse LM" idea

This is quite known design in my country. Your plan is brilliant IMO and I really like the idea of the condenser using horizontal space. Anything to save on height and get more packing in there. It works allright. You just add a vaporlock to the line that allows product to flow out above the needle...
by minime
Sat May 16, 2009 1:52 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: in search of the cleanest neutral
Replies: 33
Views: 4718

Re: in search of the cleanest neutral

Well said, eternal. XXXX. Go to Harry's excellent site , and read the article called 'Diluting the Still Charge'. Plenty of other great stuff there too. Harry's excellent site for sure! Harry has recently undertaken a complete rebuild of The Alcohol Library with more links to publications, and tons...
by minime
Sun May 10, 2009 12:12 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: VM problems
Replies: 16
Views: 2548

Re: VM problems

thanks for the tips everyone. Couple things to point out here EF. 700 watts is OK (see below) for removing heads but it's not near enough power for hearts collection. (That's why you weren't getting enough reflux). how would more power input increase reflux? I know that is the case for a LM, but wi...
by minime
Sat May 09, 2009 9:13 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Opinons on Extreme Column Length
Replies: 22
Views: 3609

Re: Opinons on Extreme Column Length

As far as data for still design is concerned, there's not much to be gained by making a taller column and then lowering the HETP by using inefficient packing. +1, that'd be pointless. Stainless scrubbers wouldn't get compressed in my opinion. Don't know about copper packing. Here's something to thi...
by minime
Sat May 09, 2009 3:42 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: VM problems
Replies: 16
Views: 2548

Re: VM problems

things were heated up with 5500W 240V till the column head got hot. then switched to 120V and a controller at about 700W and left with the valve closed for about an hour to equalize. the valve was then cracked and a rush of fluid came out, this is because of the poor insulation of the branch sectio...
by minime
Thu May 07, 2009 5:50 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: And Here We Go
Replies: 23
Views: 3217

Re: And Here We Go

things are very happy on my end no more paying 25$ for a 750ml bottle now they cost me 2.50-3.00$ a bottle that MAD DOLLLARS SAVING, and i get to screw around with different recipes. Bigger the ferment the cheaper the booze. Find yourself one of those 205 liter plastic drums and be patient. You can...
by minime
Thu May 07, 2009 5:40 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Crack Myself Up
Replies: 23
Views: 2644

Re: Crack Myself Up

Dnderhead wrote:most times don't use one ,just throw the cover on loose.
nuff Co2 coming off that it sure don't need an air lock. Most of my ferments are done in a couple/three days. Loose cover works for me.
by minime
Fri May 01, 2009 6:00 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: I Did it I Did it.
Replies: 7
Views: 1279

Re: I Did it I Did it.

Bulldog wrote:I sniffed a Stanky Tail. I was stripping a wash and was taking everything up to 96 degrees. I ran long and had to change a bottle it ended up with the last Liter in it. It Stank, that is all. :mrgreen:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
by minime
Fri May 01, 2009 5:24 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Confused
Replies: 10
Views: 1327

Re: Confused

browndog wrote:minime

how much carbon do you run your spirits through, just an honest question.
I don't use carbon. I do age some spirits with toasted wood sticks which is somewhat similar.
by minime
Fri May 01, 2009 5:07 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Confused
Replies: 10
Views: 1327

Re: Confused

Wow Minime that was a Gem of knowledge. Does that also apply to tails. tails from a reflux still do have good alcohol but I rarely spend the time and energy to collect tails ok i haven't been on this site for long. but i have been distilling for a fair bit ( once a week for about 4 years ) i have d...
by minime
Fri May 01, 2009 3:22 am
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: Confused
Replies: 10
Views: 1327

Re: Confused

Something rarely pointed out on this forum. If you are refluxing your spirit run your entire foreshots and heads collection should go to the fuel jug. There is little merit in re-running or adding refluxed heads back to future generations as there is very little if any quality alcohol in there. Last...
by minime
Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:51 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: 3" VM build recommendations
Replies: 12
Views: 2599

Re: 3" VM build recommendations

I might just have to play around with the 1800 and 3600 to see which one will give me fairly quick run times as well as fairly good neutral. the main reason i upgraded to the 3" was to speed up run times so using the 1800 doesnt seem like much of an improvement on the 1000 i was usng in the 2&...
by minime
Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:36 pm
Forum: Novice Forum Graveyard
Topic: safe indore area for LP???
Replies: 13
Views: 1851

Re: safe indore area for LP???

I have a propane stove with four burners and a propane oven and dryer, the answer lies in how efficient the burner is- to how much CO2 is released yea, id say your right, after all, on a slow spirit run, burner is bairley runnin. on a windy day that might of mattered but theyll be no wind no more, ...
by minime
Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:54 pm
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: Great Apple brandy: Toasted or charred barrel?
Replies: 104
Views: 22403

Re: Great Apple brandy: Toasted or charred barrel?

The Chemist wrote:Ethyl acetate is one of the most important compounds (especially in regard to aroma) in Bourbon and most other spirits, and increases during aging. I routinely test for it and can assure you that it increases "in the bottle"...
Does that apply to neutral in the 95+ range also?
by minime
Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:42 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Newbee question Foreshot, Heads, Body or heart and tails
Replies: 53
Views: 13003

Re: Newbee question Foreshot, Heads, Body or heart and tails

According to the sketch it's just an Offset Head VM column... He can't regulate the reflux so it's VM all the way... Even regulating coolant to the reflux condenser wouldn't make a difference as far as LM is concerned because it has to knock 100% back down the column anyway... A simple drain in the...