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Apologies all the plastic rule must have slipped my mind
Thanks for the suggestions will toss this lot out and start again.

Had a quick Google and it's very inconclusive as to whether plastic will leach into the first run - especially at low Concentrations and a short time space like 6 hours?

IMG_20211024_144810__01.jpg First 10L or so came out of my 50L stripping run v blue see pic. Tossed that and now it's mostly clear but still a little blue I'm using a blue 220L blue bucket. Gave it a really proper clean before with percarbonate. It's been sitting for a while but it's foodgrade so s...

I don't see why it shouldn't be safe, within limits. It was used for years as a leavening while baking quick breads, and as an additive in beverages – like wine. But I don't understand why you would choose to use it, when it's expensive and probably less effective than lime (calcium hydroxide / whi...

Hey all, Normally i buy small batches of potassium carbonate off ebay labelled food grade. I've recently moved towards a bigger fermenter (200L) and so the small amounts i can buy off ebay aren't really enough. I've found an online chemical supplier selling what they call "Potassium Carbonate A...

The flour paste does seem to have sealed it.. will it leave a nasty flavour when i'm doing my acutal run?

Okay thanks

Hi all, The compression fitting on my proofing parrot drain is leaking... there isn't enough space to remove the nut and replace the plumbing washer thing (i know v stupid of me). This also means there isn't enough space to move the nut far enough away from the compression washer to wrap it in PTFE....

And lets face it, running neutral is nowhere near as intresting as brown spirits. It really depends if your trying to fill out a extensive cocktail mixing list or cant be bothered running more than once or twice a year. If the copper is cheap, make a nice 30G boiler while you are at it. Haha i thin...

How long is a piece of string......what spirit do you wish to make? The answer to your question is more complex than you might think. "I think looking for as clear a neutral as possible - although if we could make it modular with parts for whiskey too that would be ideal" edits above too....

Hi All, A buddy of mine is an industrial welder - with access to lots of cheap/free copper pipe. He's got the next month or so off and wanted to build a crazy still for me. If price of copper and level of welding/soldering skill was not an issue what is the best design to go for? I think looking for...

Sounds like your well into the tails. ABV will rapidly drop, temp rise, and product not drinkable. Your run is done. You harvested most of the alcohol on day one. But your yield calculations are off. Either a specific gravity reading was wrong, or you lost alcohol vapor through the top of the still...

Big L, have you confirmed whether or not you are losing vapor out the top of your still? If your running your reflux coil too hot then vapor will pass right past the coil. Also I'd stuff copper mesh in and around the coil and that will help. On this page there is a good guide to running a VM still....

Thanks for the wise words everyone - I think i need to sort out a electronic temperature sensor and a valve i have more controll over - its 42mm ball valve at the moment.

All the best

L

[*] Off a 40% charge like yours I would have expected quite a bit more. In my VM the tails can come suddenly, but always preceeded by a rise of ~0.2 deg. C. I can hit tails while still above 91-92%. [*] If I take too much product too quickly, I'll smear tails. I can take 2.5L / hr wide open, but mo...

Hi All, Its a standard VM - 2" copper with 1m of 6mm raschig rings, then a coil reflux condenser on top of that after a T with a product valve coming off that. Unfortunately i don't have an electronic temp sensor - have a big dial one so find it difficult to guage exact temperature - i will get...

Its mainly going fine and was getting a fairly consistent 94% - a few times it would drop off and then all I would do is shut off the valve and let it re-equilibrate. I am making small adjustments to the cooling water to keep the coil condenser outlet at between 40-50 DegC I have also been gradually...

Thanks all! Very helpful comments

Don't know where the idea that running it at 1500w will do the trick with a water run.. once you get into doing a scarifical run, then you will start to get some idea of what it is capable of doing and how much power to use.. the condenser in it's present form will be the weak link.. This is water,...

How much power and what type of power are you using.. Mars Two low density 3000W electric heating elements - with controllers. Only had one running at 3000W when having this problem trying to get product to come off. Some product did come off when had both honking but when operating as a VM reflux ...

Hi thanks for the prompt response Where did you get the design from for the built.. from the picture you have put together a VM design.. Yes running a VM still, basically this design https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=41381. What type of valve is in the vapor outlet path.. plus...

Hi All, I cant seem to figure out what the problem is: When running my still if the coil condenser has any water through put at all then nothing comes off the lieblig condenser. I am running a water vinegar mix at the moment to clean it after some soldering but cant imagine this should work differen...

Thanks all! New washes on the way!

Yeah sorry for not being clear: I will load the boiler with 35-40% - what i am asking if loading them separately is worth it. One which was over 10% and one under 10% at the fermented wash stage (but have now both been stripped). Annoyingly Shadylane I don't think i'll have quite enough of the under...

Hi All, If running a VM reflux still how important is it to keep the wash ABV below 10%? I understand why it would be important with a pot stills but if you're going for a neutral with all that reflux would it still make a difference? Am asking because i've got two lots of 50% ready to run through t...

Hi All! In the very final stages of still building! Need to add one final 2" ferrule so i can attach my snazzy reflux copper coil condenser in its very cool sight glass - i have one of these which i ordered ages ago.. Wondering if its okay to use this even though its brass? - its from a still s...

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Fri Jun 05, 2020 3:54 am Does it smell like gin ? if not you can probably give it a steam clean by boiling water in it. If it stinks of gin then harsher methods might be needed.

Yeah definitely has gin smells coming off it. Would prefer to give it a proper clean too as its first time i'll be using it after getting it

Hi I remember reading about it being important to clean your alembic after a gin run. It said the oils in the botanicals leave behind a residue which will leave a nasty taste in whatever you run next. Are there any guides to cleaning? I have a 30L copper alembic Bain marie still - used to be used fo...

For the Sanke outlet common to your T/C ferrule, just sand the bead off of the teflon gasket. I put 120 grit sandpaper on a flat surface and hold the gasket with the ferrule, slowly sliding it back and forth. The bead will sand off and you’ll have a flat surface on the gasket to match the keg fitti...

I suggest using the keg spear and flush welding it to the bottom and route it through the skirt and putting a 1” T/C ferrule outside the skirt. Thanks for the answers! Do you have any pictures or further elaborations on this? Is this picture what you mean? i cant really see it working and the keg s...