16 gallon boiler with 3 inch neck?

[Brunojack]

[super[/super]i believe this would be a good boiler volume to column ratio. Correct?
I am acquiring parts to assemble.

[Twisted Brick]

16 gallon is a good size cuz you don't have to upgrade from a previous still that proved too small for your needs. 3" is good because of its speed potential. What kind of still are planning and will it be made out of copper? Also, what kind of spirits you gonna make? These and other questions you may need to read up on will help you design your perfect still.

I have a 1/2bbl keg boiler and 3" copper. viewtopic.php?f=87&t=67972 I was able to go modular so I can run it as a pot still, or add a packed column to make neutrals. I'm only into my second dozen runs in pot mode, but I love the way the 3" performs. It cranks during strips and was easy to learn its sweet spot for spirit runs. All stillers wish their rigs ran a wee bit faster than they do, and I believe one of the limiting factors for speed on 3" pipe is the condenser. Build a condenser with enough throughput and it won't back up your production. Shotgun condensers are good for this.

[Brunojack]

I'm looking at a stainless milkjug boiler that is 16g/3" plan on going the Boka route for column. As I understand it...these can function as a potstill if unpacked, good for whisky and rums. And they would be good for neutrals as well when packed.

I haven't decided on condenser type yet. Have only seen a few variations...coiled copper tubing with water flow. I will check out the shotgun.

Thanks

[frunobulax]

If your going to make a Boka and also want to use it as a pot still, ya might want to make it modular, (put a pair of ferrules just under the slant plates) so when your pot stillin', your not
collecting from 4' over your head.

[Brunojack]

If your going to make a Boka and also want to use it as a pot still, ya might want to make it modular, (put a pair of ferrules just under the slant plates) so when your pot stillin', your not
collecting from 4' over your head.

Are you saying that the Boka should be unbolted completely for pot still mode?

[Twisted Brick]

A pot riser doesn't really need to be any more than 6". It's all about making your takeoff point from the condenser convenient so you're not collecting off the floor.

[zapata]

I often pot still with at least a 3 foot riser. If I'm being honest can't say for sure it makes a difference, but I believe it does enough that I always grab the 3' riser rather than the 8", at least for spirit runs.

[pfshine]

What are you mainly going to make? If you mainly drink whiskey or other flavored drinks, I would highly recommend you don't go boka. It's slow and inefficient for flavored spirits. If you want neutral the boka is good at that, slow but good. There is really too many variables to really give you a definitive answer, I am biased towards plated columns and others to their still of choice.

[Brunojack]

I would actually like to make whisky, gin and vodka. Realizing that Gin is a more "advanced spirit" correct?

[pfshine]

Gin has many ways to make it you can macerate it you can use a gin basket or you can have botanicals on the boiler. To give a real recommendation I need to know if you are building or buying.

[Brunojack]

Building. Thinking about the 16g/3" milkjug or 8g/2". Both have ferrules on them so i believe these could function as potstill or reflux with proper columns/condenser.