Just a few questions...

Distillation methods and improvements.

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Just a few questions...

Post by Guest »

Right, Ive decided to make my own still. Im going to be making whiskeys and stuff like that so itll be a pot still. I was just wondering if anyone has tried putting scrubbers in the pipe going downwards? If they have did they still need a condenser and if they did would a bulge below it be good enough? And finally does anybody know where I could get an old keg or stainless steel drum in new zealand :lol: im in the lower north island.
Cheers
Yttrium
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Post by Yttrium »

By pipe going downwards I'm guessing you mean the condenser. Adding scrubbers to your condenser would increase the amount of copper in contact with vapor which may be beneficial. Also, if you have a high vapor flow through your still, increasing the surface area inside the condenser may help make sure everything is condensed.

Vapor condensing down to a liquid releases a fair amount of heat which needs to be gotten rid of. It is possible to have an air cooled condenser, but using cooling water is just a lot easier.
The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. --John Conner
The Chemist
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Post by The Chemist »

Yttrium wrote: It is possible to have an air cooled condenser, but using cooling water is just a lot easier.
Air-cooling is usually used for much higher-boiling compounds. I don't think it would work very well for spirits.
Purposeful motion, for one so insane...
nzbourbonhead
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Re: Just a few questions...

Post by nzbourbonhead »

[quote="? And finally does anybody know where I could get an old keg or stainless steel drum in new zealand :lol: im in the lower north island.
Cheers[/quote]
I got two kegs from a scrap metal dealer in palmy. He even cut hole in top with plasma cutter
Hic hic Now where did I put my glass
The Chemist
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Re: Just a few questions...

Post by The Chemist »

[/quote]I got two kegs from a scrap metal dealer in palmy. He even cut hole in top with plasma cutter[/quote]

:lol: :lol: I just hate you guys! :lol: :lol:

Think it would do any good for YOU to write OUR legislators?
Purposeful motion, for one so insane...
nzbourbonhead
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Re: Just a few questions...

Post by nzbourbonhead »

The Chemist wrote:
:lol: :lol: I just hate you guys! :lol: :lol: [/quote]



y's that m8?
Hic hic Now where did I put my glass
The Chemist
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Post by The Chemist »

Sorry NZ, didn't really mean it! (perhaps a bit too much sarcasm). I wish we didn't have to sneak around to get a hole cut in a keg. Oh! To be able to tell someone what you want, and why!! Just jealous.
Purposeful motion, for one so insane...
Arnie_sla
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Scubbers in Condenser

Post by Arnie_sla »

Up until last month I have always just had SS scubbers in my tower and that seemed to be working fine, my tower is copper and my pipes leading off to and inside my condenser are 12mm copper.

But as I am always reading little bits about this fantasic hobby and tinkering to see if I can make my Still or product even better. I thought I would give the idea of copper scubbers inside my condeser pipes a go, they were easy to find at Woolies and nearly as cheaps as SS scubbers. and I think it did make a differences, it increased the surface area for the vapours to condense on to and also added extra copper in the vapour path. The final product seemed to be even better and smoother than before. I think the next step is to replace all my SS scubbers with Copper ones. Copper what a wonderful metal. :D

I suppose you can never have too much Copper or Can you ???? :?: :roll:
An Ozzie Drinker. OOPs drank too much again!!! better lay down and rest for a while.
Pieterpost
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Post by Pieterpost »

Arnie, I have actually tested this the last 2 days.

I have an offset reflux still which I used to fill with SS scrubbers. Now I have replaced that with Amphora (copper) structured mesh. Now I don't think it increased my surface area but it did clean up my ethanol better than SS scrubbers. (My still is now 100% copper)

My ethanol came out much cleaner then I have seen it come out up till now. This batch made me the smoothest vodka I have tasted yet ! I would absolutely recommend it ! Now my vodka has absolutely no taste and I am thinking of slightly flavouring it, how is that for a different approach ! :D
Bum Chops
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Post by Bum Chops »

cheers guys, thanks for your input on this, and yes i posted this! I thought id better register seeing as this site's so great
Arnie_sla
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Thanks

Post by Arnie_sla »

Hey thanks Pieterpost, That has made up my mind, I will get some copper scubbers tonight at Woolworths and replace the lot in my tower then I will have copper all the way through my vapour path. :lol:

In my previous post I said I had increased the surface area by using copper scrubbers. Just to explain that a bit. My condenser was just a straight through 12mm copper pipe which passes through the centre of my poly pipe water jacket, it had not packing in it at all before. So when I put the copper scrubbers inside the copper pipe it gave more surface area inside my condenser for the vapour to hit and also put more copper into the vapour path.

Anyway, thank again for your reply. I have a wash ready to distill this weekend so the timing is perfect.
An Ozzie Drinker. OOPs drank too much again!!! better lay down and rest for a while.
Pieterpost
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Post by Pieterpost »

no problem Arnie, just let us know how things turn out !
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