Search found 1487 matches

by bluefish_dist
Sat Sep 30, 2023 8:15 am
Forum: My First .....
Topic: First reflux run - advice / thoughts needed
Replies: 16
Views: 1119

Re: First reflux run - advice / thoughts needed

Realize that temperature will change from day to day as the atmospheric pressure changes. It can even change during a run if a front comes through. Ask me how I know this, almost had to rerun a batch due to low abv.
by bluefish_dist
Sat Sep 30, 2023 8:08 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: How many theoretical plates per cm and different packings
Replies: 14
Views: 944

Re: How many theoretical plates per cm and different packings

I'm sorry. You're right, I meant scrubby! My englisch is not so good! But I'm trying to make an effort. So is it true that scrubby does most of the theoretical plating? And in what is the packing ratio indicated? (% or what?) What do I have to specify in the packing ratio line Thank you very much f...
by bluefish_dist
Fri Sep 01, 2023 6:35 pm
Forum: Yeasts, Enzymes, Fungi, Nutrients
Topic: Red star base/ production increase
Replies: 0
Views: 2059

Red star base/ production increase

Turns out Red Star yeast is produced in a city close to me (Cedar Rapids, ia). Was an article in the paper this week that ADM is increasing the production facility size. I also found it interesting that they use corn syrup and not molasses as base sugar for growing the yeast. Makes sense as that’s o...
by bluefish_dist
Sun Jun 25, 2023 1:56 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit
Replies: 55
Views: 2453

Re: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit

Nah, at first bluefish says it's the molecular weight, then he says it's the boiling point. And now you say it's smearing what causes to evaporate some substances earlier and other substances later? First, I am not a chemist, I am a mechanical engineer, so I never looked up molecular weights, but d...
by bluefish_dist
Sun Jun 25, 2023 9:28 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit
Replies: 55
Views: 2453

Re: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit

But the lightest molecules are the ones of water. And water clearly doesn't accumulate at the top of a column. And otherwise it doesn't make sense too: If the heavy ones are at the top, acetic acid would come before the hearts. But it is clearly a tails substance. Ok, maybe the better way to descri...
by bluefish_dist
Sun Jun 25, 2023 4:32 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit
Replies: 55
Views: 2453

Re: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit

... a batch (pot or column) still separates the components by molecular weight and time. :?: So at first come the heavy molecules and then the light ones? Or otherwise? Lightest first, then heavier. The way I see it, the lightest components go to the top of the still, once removed the next lightest...
by bluefish_dist
Sat Jun 24, 2023 8:51 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit
Replies: 55
Views: 2453

Re: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit

My working theory is that flavor is impurities. Want more flavor, you need more impurities or lower proof. I don't think of the VOCs as impurities. Like salt and pepper, too much and too little are both mistakes. Too little and your whiskey is vodka, too much and you are cursing yourself for taking...
by bluefish_dist
Sat Jun 24, 2023 8:33 pm
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit
Replies: 55
Views: 2453

Re: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit

In matching the desired final ABV to the column's sweet spot, were you able to dial this in by manipulating the ABV of the boiler charge? I never tried to manipulate the abv of the boiler charge. Since I was one and done for most, there was not much to vary. I tried to be around 5-6% for whiskeys, ...
by bluefish_dist
Fri Jun 23, 2023 3:15 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit
Replies: 55
Views: 2453

Re: Plates One and Done vs. Pot Strip Spirit

My working theory is that flavor is impurities. Want more flavor, you need more impurities or lower proof. I found that the fewest plates required to get the abv you want the better the flavor of you have time for it to age. If you want a clean spirit to drink right away then higher abv with more pl...
by bluefish_dist
Thu May 18, 2023 5:41 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: 26 plate stack (equalivitent)
Replies: 8
Views: 751

Re: 26 plate stack (equalivitent)

If you have the right plates they can run as fast as packing. Still dragon pro caps or sieve will both run pretty fast.
by bluefish_dist
Mon Apr 24, 2023 7:50 pm
Forum: Rum
Topic: "establishing the buffer"
Replies: 17
Views: 961

Re: "establishing the buffer"

My take on buffering is that a normal ph up like calcium carbonate is a low solubility in water. Much higher in acid. By adding both acid and CC you dissolve more calcium, this makes the ph drop slower. Not a chemist, so I don’t know the exact reaction, but I can say it works. Similar to an acidic s...
by bluefish_dist
Tue Apr 18, 2023 6:05 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Adding a 4” section to a 3” bubble plate column
Replies: 6
Views: 586

Re: Adding a 4” section to a 3” bubble plate column

Works fine. My vodka still was setup to run 6” plates under a 4” column.
by bluefish_dist
Sun Apr 09, 2023 6:05 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Distillation at stable temperature?
Replies: 23
Views: 1182

Re: Distillation at stable temperature?

Power input is what you need to control on a boiler. You can NOT control distillation by boiler temperature. This seems to be a common misunderstanding. It’s been beaten to death. All temperature tells you is the abv of either the liquid or the vapor.
by bluefish_dist
Fri Apr 07, 2023 4:08 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Distillation at stable temperature?
Replies: 23
Views: 1182

Re: Distillation at stable temperature?

oh thanks for the replies, links and advices :) it seems like induction stove with stable temperature wont do any better than a normal stove. A reflux still seems legit, now I have to do some research for purchase. Because as far as I know, reflux still is not just a vertical copper pipe above the ...
by bluefish_dist
Thu Apr 06, 2023 6:56 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: How you pack your column
Replies: 28
Views: 1772

Re: How you pack your column

2” is easy, just keep pushing in scrubbies until full. I found you had to push the first ones all the way to the bottom, the add the next one. If you try and push all at once the friction won’t let them move. For 4”, I used 4 per layer and rotated layers so the next layer aligned with the gap betwee...
by bluefish_dist
Thu Apr 06, 2023 7:56 am
Forum: Flavoring and Aging
Topic: RO water
Replies: 30
Views: 1401

Re: RO water

Ro or distilled water for blending. We tried a few spring waters, didn’t like the flavors it imparted. I believe the don’t drink ro water is a mistake. It’s don’t drink DI water. In DI water ions are stripped and it will cause issues if consumed. Ro water is just water that is run through a Teflon f...
by bluefish_dist
Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:00 pm
Forum: Forum Rules, Notifications and Helpful Hints
Topic: A thread for approved studies and known facts
Replies: 27
Views: 1742

Re: A thread for approved studies and known facts

As others have said, food required for the yeast is variable. I worked up to what my recipe needed based on manufactures technical data sheets. I used pre mixed yeast nutrient and they gave a range of how much to use. Pure sugar needs more, all grain a lot less. The only shortcut is to use a tried a...
by bluefish_dist
Fri Mar 17, 2023 11:33 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Problems running VM
Replies: 104
Views: 5073

Re: Problems running VM

Coolant will have to remove all the power being put into the boiler minus environmental losses. It will be split between product condenser and reflux condenser. To calculate heat removed, you need to know volume of water and the temperature change. Imho not something worth calculating. Input power w...
by bluefish_dist
Wed Mar 15, 2023 7:01 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Problems running VM
Replies: 104
Views: 5073

Re: Problems running VM

Being that cold and no insulation, you could have had so much passive reflux that there was no output. That’s really extreme case as most here don’t run anywhere near that cold. Still make sure it’s not plugged as you don’t want to be making a pressure vessel.
by bluefish_dist
Tue Mar 14, 2023 11:24 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Problems running VM
Replies: 104
Views: 5073

Re: Problems running VM

A 2” should do 1l/hr easily. A 3” has double the area of a 2”, so it should do 2l/hr as the save velocity. Your 2.5” should probably run around 1.6l/hr vs the 1l/hr you are getting. If you can’t run that fast, it is probably a function of how many plates or the length of the packed section. Packed ...
by bluefish_dist
Tue Mar 14, 2023 6:34 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Problems running VM
Replies: 104
Views: 5073

Re: Problems running VM

Not such a daft idea! I was thinking that I could even bolt on a second column running parallel to the first. That should double output. Add two more to treble it etc.. My numbers seem out though. I was getting 1 l/h from my 2.5" column and yet you are getting 2l/h from a column just 1/2"...
by bluefish_dist
Fri Mar 10, 2023 11:22 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: LM take off plates?
Replies: 20
Views: 667

Re: LM take off plates?

Still dragon? Copper sheet can be found at metal supermarkets. They have stores all over.
by bluefish_dist
Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:47 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Chasing the last 2-3%
Replies: 48
Views: 4790

Re: Chasing the last 2-3%

As suggested above, more reflux, correct vapor speed can get you optimal abv from your column. I found that there is a limit as well based on your number of plates. At some point you may need to go larger diameter or taller to up the abv and output. With less than the required number of plates to ma...
by bluefish_dist
Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:38 am
Forum: Resources and Reviews
Topic: Temperature & ABV charts, product ABV calculator (pot/plates)
Replies: 7
Views: 982

Re: Temperature & ABV charts, product ABV calculator (pot/plates)

Nice work. As Higgins suggested any way to do it by absolute pressure? That would also take into account changes due to weather as well as elevation.
by bluefish_dist
Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:18 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Problems running VM
Replies: 104
Views: 5073

Re: Problems running VM

My 6” on half that volume (120l) was a full day of running. If you are running 250l of low wines, you really need 8” or bigger. Pretty sure at 8” you will need to be plates or structured packing. For structured packing to work you will need a tall column, probably a minimum of 3 M. I found the hetp ...
by bluefish_dist
Tue Mar 07, 2023 11:33 am
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Problems running VM
Replies: 104
Views: 5073

Re: Problems running VM

My 2.5" column currently sits on top of an alembic still with a 2.5" dia fitting on top of the pot. If I go larger (4" or 6" column) I am probably going to have to sit the column to one side of the pot as I am not sure that the copper would take the weight of a 6" packed co...
by bluefish_dist
Sat Mar 04, 2023 2:15 pm
Forum: Column Builds
Topic: Problems running VM
Replies: 104
Views: 5073

Re: Problems running VM

I would guess your 1.25m is not enough height. It doesn’t take more than 2 kw for a 2” column. Less power should give a higher abv within reason. Also takeoff rate will drop as well. A true azeo or 190+ neutral is hard to get imho. You need a super efficient column. From what I have read by people w...
by bluefish_dist
Sat Mar 04, 2023 6:43 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quest for high ABV. What am I doing wrong.
Replies: 22
Views: 922

Re: Quest for high ABV. What am I doing wrong.

Thanks, that is what I have done lately. However when starting out, before I learned that the boiling point of the wash will raise gradually as the alcohol is leaving it, I tried to use the temperature setting to keep the temperature at the boiling point of ethanol. Of course that did not work very...
by bluefish_dist
Fri Mar 03, 2023 8:26 am
Forum: Novice Distillers
Topic: Quest for high ABV. What am I doing wrong.
Replies: 22
Views: 922

Re: Quest for high ABV. What am I doing wrong.

I disagree that temp in unimportant. It tells you the abv at the point at which you measure the temp in the column. If you want 96%, you will have to run at the boiling point of alcohol at your elevation and air pressure at the top of the column. For me at 6200 ft it was around 164f. If your column ...
by bluefish_dist
Tue Feb 28, 2023 2:18 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Discussion
Topic: Jack Daniel's barrel houses causing black mold backlash
Replies: 20
Views: 1308

Re: Jack Daniel's barrel houses causing black mold backlash

Not a new issue. It’s been know for years that there are molds that thrive on alcohol and they are common in the south around barrel houses.