Home Distiller

First of all, thanks for the replies

Danespirit, I definitely can add the third leg and verify the voltage before running the system.

Edwin Croissant, I will also check to be absolutely sure the potentiometer is as specified.

earthbound

Hello Friends, I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted, but it's been a busy year for me. In reference to my last post from Nov 8, 2014, Building a new 15.5 gal Keg electric still: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=52033 In this post I mentioned cranky's controller ...

Thanks KYChemist. Since nothing has been purchased yet. Making changes now is much simpler.
earthbound

You all are just great! Thank you for all the wonderful responses. This has really helped me to make up my mind. Here's what I'm going to do. 1. Leave lid intact on keg. 2. Use cranky's controller model to power a 5500 watt heating element mounted on weldless 1" NPT flange 3. Probably install a...

Hello friends. Since my last post and the excellent thoughts presented here, I have been reconsidering my tools and equipment. Since the suggestion was made that my 5 gal 3" boka is underpowered with a 1500 watt inductive hot plate, and that the 3" could really do more with a larger reserv...

Ok, you all. Thank you for the new info and suggestions.
Chalk this up to experience, and time to start over. By the time I jacked with this, I could have already had a new batch fermenting properly.
Will do my run as is and get whatever I can out of it. No sense wasting good ETOH.

Thanks,
earthbound

Hello rad14701 and shadylane, I appreciate your responses and candor, although I have learned more now through this process and these answers. Unfortunately, the historical information I posted in detail in the initial post has not not been addressed to answer my last question. My current SG is now ...

Thank you both jedneck and S-Cackalacky.

So, would adjusting pH and continuing on with my current wash be suitable using the new yeast and nutrient?

Thanks,
earthbound

Hello all, earthbound here. Interesting situation I ran into with current sugar wash. Has not happened before. Details: 4 gallon total volume, Initial SG was 1.14 (highest I've ever used), using Red Star Dady Yeast 2 grams per gallon and Distiller's Nutrients from Brewhaus; finished off with Sparkol...

Hello all. Been very busy lately and not able to spend the time to be able to post. Thank you BigSwede and bearriver for the last post. I am stuck with what I have for now in the equipment department so I have to make due. Your insight s are important for future changes and upgrades. I finished anot...

Hello all. Been awhile since I've posted. Life can be busy. In the interim I have built a 3" copper pipe based Boka reflux column 48" high with a double wound 1/4" copper condenser fitted through a 3" copper cap that takes up approx. 10 inches of the top length of the reflux colu...

Hello Prairiepiss and thank you for your reply. If your spirits were cloudy. You didn't make good cuts. Kept a little to much tails. Yes, this was during my first run. Hasn't happened since and I knew it shouldn't be thrown away just for the slight cloudiness. I think my collecting methods have impr...

Hello all, earthbound here. Been very busy for awhile. I have had a chance to age some 75% ABV for a couple of months with baked oak strips inside and it tastes good. The short aging also cleared up some cloudiness that was present before the aging process started. I don't know the chemical process ...

hello Hound Dog, i don't have the option to change heat sources ATM, but it is an interesting future thought/design incorporation. cycles the burner on and off quite frequently this is definitely true. i'll just have to work with the limitations i have in my equipment and learn to maximize results a...

thanks bearriver and frunobulax for the encouragement and extra links. i will follow up on these.

earthbound

hello all, earthbound here. i am prepping for my third run. i am using a simple sugar wash with a starting SG of 1.072-- distillers yeast and nutrients from brewhaus mods to my equipment: 1. added a 12" length of 2" copper pipe to my 24" reflux column and packed it with copper mesh. t...

firewater69, i did not do 100% reflux after heating up the wash. i will have to try that next time.
TY-
earthbound

My packing is copper bought from Brewhaus. I made 3 rolls and placed them inside-not super tight. Room for 1 more. Still very "breathable" at this point. I did read about more surface area being better for the refluxing for higher proofs. I could certainly try that on my next run. TY firew...

Hello friends, I have worked thru my 2nd run and used a simple white sugar ferment this time that tested at ~9% prior to the run thanks to S-Cackalacky's suggestions on my last post. Allow me to give you most all the data. 4 gallons of wash in my boka reflux using a 24" column topped off with s...

It's the general consensus here that 3/8" is the absolute minimum and most members wouldn't use less than 1/2". easy enough to do for me since my parts haven't arrived yet. i definitely don't want to create a situation with a puking still plugging its tube. :-) Also, S-Cackalacky, I forgo...

Hello again S-Cackalacky. Thank you for the suggestions and the question about the boka. Have you detuned the boka to run in pot still mode? From what I've read concerning rum washes, using the pot still is the best way to preserve the original essence in the rum wash. I have parts coming in the mai...

Hello everyone. earthbound here. Looking for advice-suggestions to assist a newbie. Here's what I'm doing. I am working on my first run today through my boka reflux with a top mounted, single-wound condenser, using my low ABV rum wash, approx 4-5%. My cold water is recirculated with a small submersi...

Thanks superdaveva. I was a little apprehensive at first while researching the types of homemade stills. I saw lots of YouTube vids for the various still types and how to implement the various parts. I was able to get all the parts and had to leave them lying around until I had the time to put every...

thank you S-Cackalacky. good to hear from a seasoned member. thank you for the advice. i will definitely do more reading. to answer your question. i am most interested in rums, but special beers and wines are not out of the question for me. it is all virgin territory for me. i have been busy prior t...

hello all,

i am new to home based distilling and have read many articles here and am glad for the wealth of knowledge accumlating on this site.
i am glad to be here and look forward to my journey.
thanks,
earthbound