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So, how's the project going?

People still use thumpers?

Personally, I'd go with an 'inline vertical thumper' A.K.A. a column. a 3-4 inch diameter by 36" long column stuffed with copper or stainless scrubbers should perform at least as well as a thumper, if not, better.

I stored up some heads/tails in empty 4 liter / Gal. HDPE molasses jugs. After a few months I ran the 4 gallons through the still and got some of the best likker I ever made. I guess the HDPE must be permeable to the lighter fractions and some of it escapes during storage.

Well, if you study the seal, it is designed to seal under pressure, exactly what you don't want when stilling.
and that's all I got to say about that.
Except, when there's no pressure, they don't seal worth a S*it.
Get some rest, bud.

We won't discuss why my seal is leaking while stillin' but I'll show you how to fix a leaky Presto seal... Disclaimer. NEVER operate your pressure canner or cooker in any manner not approved by the manufacturer! Ok, pics first. IMG_20210128_205142766.jpg Pretty obvious, lift the safety plug thingy w...

jake_jimmylegs wrote: ↑Tue Jan 05, 2021 11:38 am Not sure if this pic will make it, copied from another post. I used to call the bottom section an "inline thumper" It's 6.5" D x 12" H packed with SS scrubbers.

To add to my previous post... Aren't bubble plates basically just little inline thumpers?

Always a new way to skin a cat but a tried and true 3 meter 4" column probably the best option. Not sure if this pic will make it, copied from another post. I used to call the bottom section an "inline thumper" It's 6.5" D x 12" H packed with SS scrubbers. https://homedistil...

Looks like you've got a start to the makings of a liebig with a 1/4" turbulator , just need a jacket that will fit nice and snug around it... 1" or for sure 1 1/4", I would think would work. Thanks. I was thinking i could wrap the 1/4 tighter but i think since its only 1/2 inch its ha...

Hah, good one! Completely missed that one.

She'll be riverdancing soon...

Let me introduce you to Michaela, my RC. Named after Canadian Irish dance champion Michaela Hinds...

The liebig needs a smaller inner tube, 1 1/2 is about 3/4 to 1" too big - the vapour will just blow through the centre, if you need/want to keep it short, consider a multi tube shotgun or even a twin barrelled liebig - there was one posted in recent times, user reports no issues. You could als...

Taking the plunge... Going to the LM side Muahahahahaha. Going to go medieval on water usage for closed loop cooling.

Probably right. I thought about it after I posted and thought it's not much different than us using charred bits of barrel staves. That said, I poured the remainder of that batch onto once-used charred barrel stave bits (used on apple brandy) around a week ago and it actually seems to be tasting and...

Demy wrote: ↑Sat Dec 19, 2020 6:09 am Washing corn is always a good idea (less important for a distillate) but we must exclude the presence of tails because they are really horrible. A minimum of the first lines on some drinks are required but not too much.

Maybe that's why JD drips their product through vats of (maple?) charcoal

jake, I think you’re tasting “tails”, not dirt. The tails from a unmashed grain would be very “husky” tasting, like dirt. It is from the oils and tannins common in the tails. The alcohol should taste slightly sweet. And if you had corn, it’ll taste a little like sweet corn, perhaps slightly buttery...

Thanks for the ideas, guys. The problem is that the 'dirt' flavor is coming through in the product. I think I'll try rinsing it and cleaning the junk out of it a little better and then not 'cooking' it like porridge before I add enzymes next time. I don't care if I get absolutely neutral product, I ...

A question or two about the flavor of cracked feed corn... I've used human food corn meal and corn flour before but just started using cracked corn from the feed store, it kind of tastes like there's dirt or maybe an excess amount of green plant matter in it. I've been cooking it but not using enzym...

Makes sense, maybe I just misread.. I guess I was under the impression that a dephlegmator was a jacketed condenser and water just goes in the bottom and out the top... I still don't get the importance of "if one were to loose water flow, the condenser will not go dry"?? If one loses cooli...

From: https://atsinnovawatertreatment.com/blog/avoid-copper-sulfate-water-treatment/ 9: It is highly corrosive. Another issue with copper sulfate is that it is highly corrosive to steel, iron, and galvanized pipes. It cannot be stored in metal containers and must only come in contact with stainless ...

~10 feet of rain gutter, fixed at a gradual slope would probably do the trick as well, assuming there is room for it. or if your garage gutters are clean, just pump the output into it and collect it off the down spout. LOL

Just curious if those using a fixed res for cooling water considered an evaporation tray to cool the water a bit before letting it spill back into the res. Have the output for the tray like an inch up the tray wall to let it get some dwell time...

It doesn't matter which side the valve is position.. what matter is that the water flow rate can be regulated, especially in a reflux column condenser.. What is important is to always load the condenser with a fast water flow prior to it being used.. that will discharge any air space within the con...

I had my reservations about the rise but went with this for the time being anyway, mostly because I didn't want to modify my liebig in any way. I'll likely bend it over and make the finned part spiral down around the upper part of the column. I ran it with some water in the boiler but without any co...

Those are spiral fins on that copper tube, If I was going to make a liebig with it I would put it inside the tightest fitting pipe possible and run the water in from the end cap and out the other end cap. When I wire-wind my vapor tube (1/4") I space the spiral about half inch on center or less...

Anybody remember the old Welch's Grape Jelly commercials... Went to homedepot and risked it, weren't many people there after all. So I cut 16 pieces of 1/2" pipe, 1 7/8" long because they're roughly that length when cut and opened up. Annealed the pieces and used an old flathead hex bit, s...

Another trick, if/when you make the holes for welding in triclamp ferrules, make the hole 1/16" proud of the ferrule on the inside radius and simply melt in the extra material instead of using filler rod.

I was half expecting to see a bicycle tire inner-tube wire-tied to a vapor tube...

I've pondered a lot on the theory behind the design and about as simple as I can put it is this: it's a passive CM/VM design. If you see the, as pointed out by Yummyrum, the small exit orifice compared to the total surface area = "fairly high ratio" or FHR for short. As well, both column s...

Just wondering if anyone has done this?? Weld triclamp ports top and bottom, probably 2-4" to keep velocity up at the entry port, connect however many you need for your intended height... a bit of welding to plug the quick connect holes and BOOM instant 8" column that's almost ready made.

Does that rolled rim on the handle grab ring have holes drilled in it? That keg that blew up was an um, same brand keg.

I don't think your takeoff size is that unreasonable, I use a keg with 1/4" takeoff port on top of passive reflux column, but your liebig is definitely too short and the vapor tube should be wire-wound. Smearing is likely either too much power or not enough reflux. Low and slow just like bbq br...