Basic Distillation 101
Moderator: Site Moderator
-
- Novice
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:46 am
Re: Basic Distillation 101
First post here and figured that I'd say thanks. This post confirms what I'd found out by hook or by crook, the learning curve is as steep at the kit I'm building.
What would be a really great addition is a bunch of how toos, stuff that may be obvious to more experienced. Such as what is packing and where to get it, what connectors are commonly used and what they are used for and ultimately where to get them. Some detailed pics of some built stills too. - Maybe I'm not looking hard enough on here LOL
Anyway, Hi chaps nice to be on board.
What would be a really great addition is a bunch of how toos, stuff that may be obvious to more experienced. Such as what is packing and where to get it, what connectors are commonly used and what they are used for and ultimately where to get them. Some detailed pics of some built stills too. - Maybe I'm not looking hard enough on here LOL
Anyway, Hi chaps nice to be on board.
-
- Novice
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 4:44 pm
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Great, thanks heaps for that. Gonna keep these posts and reread a few times as they have cleared up a few things for me. cheers
-
- Novice
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:51 am
Re: Basic Distillation 101
isnt that the way your sopose to run a pot still anyway????? low and slow, is what iv heard.DestructoMutt wrote:you can also minimize the amount of heads you get from a pot still by turning down the heat during warm-up. bringing the pot up to boil slowly, will give the foreshots more time to be the first ones liberated from the wash, so to speak.
Re: Basic Distillation 101
hello all, so I just ran my pot still with a sugar wash for the first time. I have read on here about fast or slow runs but mine seemed to run past 175 and settle at 190-195 using propane. Being my first time I didn't know that the heads were bad either and I wound up with a rather big bite in my product that probably could have been avoided. Thanks to you all for putting your knowledge on here for everyone to read.I guess the next step is to start playing with making a grain mash.
-
- Site Donor
- Posts: 514
- Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 5:15 pm
- Location: somewhere not near Detroit
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Can someone thoroughly explain this EQUILIBRIUM concept including head temperature comment.?When making nuetral product you can limit the amount of heads through better separation of foreshots and body/hearts by letting your system (if you are running a reflux head still) run in equilibrium until the head temperature drops.
-Just need something else to build. -
Re: Basic Distillation 101
The parent site covers it in detail so there is no need retyping that entire section here... And you just might stumble across a whole nuther wealth of information you don't even know you need to know yet... In fact I know you will...varocketry wrote:Can someone thoroughly explain this EQUILIBRIUM concept including head temperature comment.?When making nuetral product you can limit the amount of heads through better separation of foreshots and body/hearts by letting your system (if you are running a reflux head still) run in equilibrium until the head temperature drops.
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Not sure where you heard that but, no, you run a pot still with a stream as output, not drips... But you can run drips for the foreshots if you want... If you want drips then run a reflux column for neutral spirits... With a pot still you need to run fast enough for flavor to carry over because that's what their intended use is...claytonhaske wrote:isnt that the way your sopose to run a pot still anyway????? low and slow, is what iv heard.DestructoMutt wrote:you can also minimize the amount of heads you get from a pot still by turning down the heat during warm-up. bringing the pot up to boil slowly, will give the foreshots more time to be the first ones liberated from the wash, so to speak.
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Just joines and going through most of the stuff (again).
Really informative. Thanks for the time and effort.
Really informative. Thanks for the time and effort.
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Anyone have info on water type to use for mash? I live in Calgary Alberta and we have hard water, i can distill it...
Whats good to use? Tap, Spring, Distilled, Mineral. What are this differences and the best choices?
Thanks
Evan
Calgary Alberta
Whats good to use? Tap, Spring, Distilled, Mineral. What are this differences and the best choices?
Thanks
Evan
Calgary Alberta
Re: Basic Distillation 101
any thing but heavy mineral or chlorinated .
-
- Novice
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 2:00 pm
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Very interesting. I run a pot still and just let it stream when stripping. For my spirit runs I go slow and cold. I get plenty of flavor. I have noticed that with my small (5 gal) still that streaming means higher heat and thus I get less separation at the various levels of heat and my product isn't as refined.Not sure where you heard that but, no, you run a pot still with a stream as output, not drips... But you can run drips for the foreshots if you want... If you want drips then run a reflux column for neutral spirits... With a pot still you need to run fast enough for flavor to carry over because that's what their intended use is...
-
- Novice
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 2:00 pm
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Hey Rad, gotta hand it to ya . . . good advice to run pot in a stream. In the midst of a spirit run as I write and things are going beautifully. No problem with too hot. And, it's cutting my distillation time considerably. I'm not spewing the distillate out. I adjusted heat so the drops just coalesced into a bumpy continuum. It's great, so I'm glad I happened on the post.
Re: Basic Distillation 101
I am just now running my 1st potstill run, its only a turbo wash, but I racked it into 5 litre jars to settle out for 4 days to clear it.
My still is only a 5 litre pressure cooker but I heated it so I'm getting a steady stream. On my 1st 5 litres I got 1.3 litres of spirit at 45%. It started out at 65% alcohol/vol and I stopped it when it was coming out at 20%.
Should I stop at higher than 20%... ?
My still is only a 5 litre pressure cooker but I heated it so I'm getting a steady stream. On my 1st 5 litres I got 1.3 litres of spirit at 45%. It started out at 65% alcohol/vol and I stopped it when it was coming out at 20%.
Should I stop at higher than 20%... ?
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Depends on what you are trying to make. I usually stop around 20-15%. It's only a stripping run, not a spirit run when you are making your finished product, so it's pretty hard to stuff it up.
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Thx mate... I ended up with just on 5 litres of 55% spirit from 21 litres of wash, which I'll dilute and run thru my reflux tomorrow... I should end up with about 3 litres vodka over 90% I expect
-
- Novice
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:49 pm
- Location: Taranaki New Zealand
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Im more than happy to run a video demo on a run , as long as i can host it from a dedicated server for the homedistiller.org ,dont really want it on face book or youtube, only for memebers of this forum.
I would need some imput from members on layout of show, what they want to see etc.
Gary
I would need some imput from members on layout of show, what they want to see etc.
Gary
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Im new here and had a question. We made our first batch off of a reflux and after a couple days the product started smelling bad kind of like burnt popcorn. The mash consisted of sweet feed sugar and ground barley malt. What could it be? We kept the temp on the pot at or just below 200F.
Re: Basic Distillation 101
I noticed that you mentioned the different temperatures for making shine. I am in the process of making it but it's so watered down so I must not be running low enough. What would be a proper temperature for corn shine? Thanks!
Re: Basic Distillation 101
im new at this im in a pole barn using a gas burner I have a column type still how safe is this
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Hard water is good for distilling, as long as it isn't TOO hard (I used 10gpg well water and it worked great). Minerals in the water seem to make the yeast grow better. Distilled water... nothing for the yeast to get nutrients from. Softened water... a lot of salt ions. Chlorinated... can slow or kill the yeast; leave it out overnight to let chlorine dissipate. Chloramine requires chemical removal.evanwiley wrote:Anyone have info on water type to use for mash? I live in Calgary Alberta and we have hard water, i can distill it...
Whats good to use? Tap, Spring, Distilled, Mineral. What are this differences and the best choices?
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Sounds to me like you ran to hot. You didn't mention what type of rig you are running, if you have a pot still, and don't have a thumper keg, add one and put in some of your wash, then make a run watching the temp. Whisky comes off at 178f running at any higher temp., with out a thumper and you will get more water coming over than you want.alexd1 wrote:I noticed that you mentioned the different temperatures for making shine. I am in the process of making it but it's so watered down so I must not be running low enough. What would be a proper temperature for corn shine? Thanks!
Just a Cooper and Whisky Maker.
"We like visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin way out in the wilderness"
"We like visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin way out in the wilderness"
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Just watch out for any leaks of vapor and pressure build up.tony184k wrote:im new at this im in a pole barn using a gas burner I have a column type still how safe is this
Just a Cooper and Whisky Maker.
"We like visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin way out in the wilderness"
"We like visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin way out in the wilderness"
Re: Basic Distillation 101
If you are in doubt, get a good filter for your water line. Traditionally, spring water that tastes sweet is what we old timers look for out in the woods. For in town, and for keeping the low profile, just get a good filter system that you can hook up fairly easily. An other way to do it would be to build a sand column with some washed charcoal at the bottom to run your water through. This can be made from CPVC pipe and an end cap, set on a five gal or larger container, just put a hose to the top and run slowly so you don't overflow, the end cap need small holes for the water to exit the column into your collection container.F6Hawk wrote:Hard water is good for distilling, as long as it isn't TOO hard (I used 10gpg well water and it worked great). Minerals in the water seem to make the yeast grow better. Distilled water... nothing for the yeast to get nutrients from. Softened water... a lot of salt ions. Chlorinated... can slow or kill the yeast; leave it out overnight to let chlorine dissipate. Chloramine requires chemical removal.evanwiley wrote:Anyone have info on water type to use for mash? I live in Calgary Alberta and we have hard water, i can distill it...
Whats good to use? Tap, Spring, Distilled, Mineral. What are this differences and the best choices?
Just a Cooper and Whisky Maker.
"We like visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin way out in the wilderness"
"We like visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin way out in the wilderness"
-
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 3002
- Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:45 pm
- Location: Hounds Hollow, VA
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Alex, please do not listen to rubbish about the temperature. It is complete BS. There is no way on Gods green earth to control the temperature of a boiling wash in a pot still. You cannot control the temp of a boil only the rate of a boil. Just like boiling plain water over your propane burner, a raging boil bubbling out of the pot is 212 degrees and turn it down to a slight boil, it is still 212 degrees because that is what water boils at and you cant change it. The boiling point of your wash varies depending on the percentage of alcohol on the mixture you are distilling because it is a combination of water alcohol and a few other things. Just get it boiling, get the distillate running out your condenser at a small stream and adjust the flame to keep the stream small. The heat will gradually rise as you boil the alcohol out of the wash. There is nothing at all you can do to stop this as it is physics.scout wrote:Sounds to me like you ran to hot. You didn't mention what type of rig you are running, if you have a pot still, and don't have a thumper keg, add one and put in some of your wash, then make a run watching the temp. Whisky comes off at 178f running at any higher temp., with out a thumper and you will get more water coming over than you want.alexd1 wrote:I noticed that you mentioned the different temperatures for making shine. I am in the process of making it but it's so watered down so I must not be running low enough. What would be a proper temperature for corn shine? Thanks!
Go to the New Distiller Reading Lounge and read up. You will find lots of info there.
LM Still Operating Instructions
Cranky's New Distiller's Advice
Using Google Search
Drinking Rum before noon makes you a Pirate not an alcoholic.
Cranky's New Distiller's Advice
Using Google Search
Drinking Rum before noon makes you a Pirate not an alcoholic.
-
- retired
- Posts: 16571
- Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:42 am
- Location: Somewhere in the Ozarks
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Activated carbon or activated charcoal. Not just plain charcoal. There is a difference.scout wrote:If you are in doubt, get a good filter for your water line. Traditionally, spring water that tastes sweet is what we old timers look for out in the woods. For in town, and for keeping the low profile, just get a good filter system that you can hook up fairly easily. An other way to do it would be to build a sand column with some washed charcoal at the bottom to run your water through. This can be made from CPVC pipe and an end cap, set on a five gal or larger container, just put a hose to the top and run slowly so you don't overflow, the end cap need small holes for the water to exit the column into your collection container.F6Hawk wrote:Hard water is good for distilling, as long as it isn't TOO hard (I used 10gpg well water and it worked great). Minerals in the water seem to make the yeast grow better. Distilled water... nothing for the yeast to get nutrients from. Softened water... a lot of salt ions. Chlorinated... can slow or kill the yeast; leave it out overnight to let chlorine dissipate. Chloramine requires chemical removal.evanwiley wrote:Anyone have info on water type to use for mash? I live in Calgary Alberta and we have hard water, i can distill it...
Whats good to use? Tap, Spring, Distilled, Mineral. What are this differences and the best choices?
And there are plenty of good threads about water around here. You just need to use one of the search functions above to find it. The HD Google search would probably work the best for this.
It'snotsocoldnow.
Advice For newbies by a newbie.
CM Still Mods
My Stuffs
Fu Man
Mr. Piss
That's Princess Piss to the haters.
Advice For newbies by a newbie.
CM Still Mods
My Stuffs
Fu Man
Mr. Piss
That's Princess Piss to the haters.
-
- retired
- Posts: 16571
- Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:42 am
- Location: Somewhere in the Ozarks
Re: Basic Distillation 101
+1 You can't control temps. And you can't use them to make cuts with either. There are threads in the new distiller reading lounge that explain that.Hound Dog wrote:Alex, please do not listen to rubbish about the temperature. It is complete BS. There is no way on Gods green earth to control the temperature of a boiling wash in a pot still. You cannot control the temp of a boil only the rate of a boil. Just like boiling plain water over your propane burner, a raging boil bubbling out of the pot is 212 degrees and turn it down to a slight boil, it is still 212 degrees because that is what water boils at and you cant change it. The boiling point of your wash varies depending on the percentage of alcohol on the mixture you are distilling because it is a combination of water alcohol and a few other things. Just get it boiling, get the distillate running out your condenser at a small stream and adjust the flame to keep the stream small. The heat will gradually rise as you boil the alcohol out of the wash. There is nothing at all you can do to stop this as it is physics.scout wrote:Sounds to me like you ran to hot. You didn't mention what type of rig you are running, if you have a pot still, and don't have a thumper keg, add one and put in some of your wash, then make a run watching the temp. Whisky comes off at 178f running at any higher temp., with out a thumper and you will get more water coming over than you want.alexd1 wrote:I noticed that you mentioned the different temperatures for making shine. I am in the process of making it but it's so watered down so I must not be running low enough. What would be a proper temperature for corn shine? Thanks!
Go to the New Distiller Reading Lounge and read up. You will find lots of info there.
It'snotsocoldnow.
Advice For newbies by a newbie.
CM Still Mods
My Stuffs
Fu Man
Mr. Piss
That's Princess Piss to the haters.
Advice For newbies by a newbie.
CM Still Mods
My Stuffs
Fu Man
Mr. Piss
That's Princess Piss to the haters.
Re: Basic Distillation 101
I have run vinegar and then a steam run.is the first run using mash just wasted?
-
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 3002
- Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:45 pm
- Location: Hounds Hollow, VA
Re: Basic Distillation 101
Yep. You are using the solvent powers of alcohol vapors to clean what the water did not get. You still have to make sure it is clean after that.
LM Still Operating Instructions
Cranky's New Distiller's Advice
Using Google Search
Drinking Rum before noon makes you a Pirate not an alcoholic.
Cranky's New Distiller's Advice
Using Google Search
Drinking Rum before noon makes you a Pirate not an alcoholic.
-
- retired
- Posts: 16571
- Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:42 am
- Location: Somewhere in the Ozarks
Re: Basic Distillation 101
It's what we refer to as a sacrificial alcohol run. Meaning you need to toss it out.
It'snotsocoldnow.
Advice For newbies by a newbie.
CM Still Mods
My Stuffs
Fu Man
Mr. Piss
That's Princess Piss to the haters.
Advice For newbies by a newbie.
CM Still Mods
My Stuffs
Fu Man
Mr. Piss
That's Princess Piss to the haters.
Re: Basic Distillation 101
thats what i thought.thanks.i guess thats the shit they dont show ya on t.v.