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I just stumbled across a 10L steel keg with two Sanke ports designed for cleaning beer lines. I’m thinking I could make a thumper out of it by putting a tri-clamp plate on each port. Inlet would have a pipe going to the bottom, outlet would not. Thoughts? This would be hooked up to my 12 gal pot sti...

I also really like the lids. I ended up just using a couple of turnbuckles. With the gasket wrapped in a couple rolls of ptfe tape and the turnbuckles cranked tight, it is solid and leak free.

Got my electric conversion done this weekend. Used two 1375W elements and enclosures from Brew Hardware. Controller has two inputs from two different GFI circuits in my kitchen. Lower element (the “boil” element) is on an Auber 40A SSVR with their volt and ammeter. It takes 2 gal to cover that eleme...

Just ran this. It was down to 1.022. Probably could have gone longer. Hearts are super yummy straight out of the still (cut with water of course!). I haven’t had a chance to air or blend it but it’s pretty clear this is going to be fantastic. As soon as I can get corn flakes again, I’ll be making a ...

When you say 1.5 run, is that “slower than a stripping run but faster than a spirit run”? Or do you mean something else?

I just put in my first batch of cornflakes. My protocol was: 3 x 12 oz boxes Kellogg’s Corn Flakes (36 oz = ~1kg) 2 gal water Crush and boil for 20 min Put 2 more gal water in fermenter with 8 lbs white sugar pour cooked mixture into fermenter and then top off to 6 gal total Add 2 tbs Fermmax yeast ...

I don’t really consider a pure sugar wash to be for drinking 😜. I mostly was running it to have a cheap thing to practice with that I could actually at least taste (vs the sac run). I wasn’t trying to get a one-and-done drinkable product. Starting at the last jar and sniffing backwards until I could...

Thank you all for the various points. I’ll make some adjustments and see how the next run goes and then toss the two together for a final low and slow spirit run.

-Elf

Background: I just ran a sugar wash (first non-sac run). OG 1.070, FG 1.032 = 5%. Not sure why ferment stuck. It was 10lbs white sugar boiled for 30 minutes, cooled, and then 2 packs bakers yeast and 1 tbs Fermax yeast nutrient. Ran it in my pot still, dual ring propane turned up until just before s...

Sac run results! 5 gal sugar wash + 1.75L ($10) vodka Time. Volume. %ABV 15:30. - heat begins 16:00 1.5L @70% 16:30 1.2L @60% 16:45 0.6L @50% 17:00 0.7L @40% 17:05 0.6L @30% 17:11 0.26L @20% 4.86L @65% combined I’m pretty happy- I’m sure people have much better results, but I’ll take it for a first ...

Ahhh... I would very much like for there to be no gasoline in my distillate, so I guess that’s probably not going to work. Thanks for the info!

Has anyone considered or tried making an in-line electronic parrot from an automobile flex-fuel sensor? Somehow, they are able to determine the % ethanol in real time as fuel flows through them and output a varying frequency that you can then convert to a number. They are not terribly expensive and ...

Ahh, I didn’t mention that. I have a 1/2” union that I need to put on that collector which will go to a 10’ piece of 1/2” copper tube to get well away from the heat. I really wanted the elbows to be copper as well, but stainless was half the price, so it won out for now, at least until the mis-match...

You are correct. My thought was to eventually replace the collector on the end of the condenser with one that would have a needle valve back to that 1’ section for some reflux. I’m not terribly interested in neutrals, and I figure a basic pot still should keep me occupied for the next year or so bef...

Just finished my first play still, to the extent that any such project is ever finished. It will be a couple weeks before I can do cleaning and sacrificial runs due to travel, but I was excited enough to see it all together that I wanted to share. It’s a 50L boiler, 2” column into a 2’ shotgun with ...

Right, but on these particular cans, the rim is a smaller diameter than the mile hi lid, so the clamp won’t grab the lip. It tightens onto the lid but the lid still wobbles because the lip isn’t captured in the clamp the whole way around. I was hoping when I ordered the lid that it would work as you...

Problem solved. Hook-and-hook turnbuckles. 5 for $9. One on each side seems to work perfectly. You have to spread the hook that goes over the lid lip a bit, but no big deal. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B078ZVN35T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 18DE492C-7DBB-4F34-9F4B-81...

Having used milk cans for a long time now I would only buy the cans+lids as a package deal, and only the same source as there is no standard like there is for sanitary pipes and fittings (and even that gets sketchy). I noticed. :roll: I knew it was a gamble when I ordered the lid and can. That’s wh...

Big Friendly Hammer

Sure! The milk can I got was the 50L version of this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-Steel-Milk-Can-With-Lid-Silicone-Seal-Food-Beverages-6-Size/123889466169?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=424637164761&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648 Which says it has a 7.87” inch neck. The Mile Hi lid: ...

As an FYI for anybody else that may be thinking of trying an eBay milk can, they do not work out of the box with the mile hi lids. There is a ridge on the inside of the lid that does not fit into the throat of the can. See pictures below - if you press one side down tightly, the other side rises. I’...

Ok, so if I understand what you are saying, there is a minimum temperature gradient along the length of the condenser, which implies that there is some minimum length that will work without the shock cooling taking place. That explains why nobody has built a 2” long condenser cooled with liquid nitr...

I have searched and did not see this question, but if it is out there and I missed it, I apologize in advance :D I am currently building a 50L pot still powered by 55K propane for now, probably converting to 2600W electric in the spring when it starts getting too hot outside to spend hours watching ...

Hi all! I’ve been reading for quite a while and now that I am starting a build I figured I ought to introduce myself. I’m from the U.S. mid-Atlantic region, and am just getting into distilling. I’ve been an all-grain beer brewer for 15 yrs or so, but hard spirits are new to me. I’m mostly interested...