Distilling vinegar to clean new still

[Denizh]

My new still came with instructions to run a batch of vinegar to clean it before using it. Given that vinegar has no alcohol, what is the point of this amd should I wash/rinse afterwards? Also do I need to hook up the water aupy to the condenser or can I just let it put out the vapor?

[BoisBlancBoy]

Vinegar is a very good cleaner and your still should be cleaned with it. Make a solution of vinegar and water for the first run. Also no need for the condenser water supply. For the second run you need to run some alcohol through it, the sacrificial run, for the final cleaning run.

But I’d also suggest looking through some of the beginners threads to make sure you have a grasp on the basics.

Good luck and enjoy.

[NZChris]

Vinegar doesn't remove toxins like flux and machine oils, so don't think you're done cleaning unless you were able to manually clean it for them. A sacrificial alcohol rum will clean them out. Sacrificial means sacrificial, like, get rid of it, dump it, burn it, not keep it in case it might come in handy for something.

[Longhairedcountryboy]

Here is a good step by step guide for the proper cleaning procedures that must be done to every new still before producing consumable alcohol...

viewtopic.php?t=15489

[Yummyrum]

How ever you do it , immediately follow it up with either a full rinse of fresh water from one end to the other ... or ...drain the boiler and refill with water and do a steam run to clean all the remaining vinegar out .

Otherwise all the vinegar will attack the copper and pretty blue Copper Acetate will quickly form all over the insides of your nice new still .

You can probably see I’m not a big fan on the Vinegar clean . Sure it has its place if done properly and followed up with immediate rinsing measures . A physical clean is just as effective if it can be done . If not , you got no choice . And don’t forget the alcohol sacrificial run if you can’t get in there and physically clean every spot back pinky base copper.