I am having a hard time finding copper wool as packing material at my location. Please suggest me some alternate material for column packing which can be easy available in general.Here is spec of my system:
# 2" SS modular hybrid column about 1.5 meter height.
#25 lite bliler.
Reason to have packing: In Pot still mode Even I am running very slow but still ABV is not going above 60-70 range And I noticed there is tails(bad smell product) carry over in each run.
Do you have a reflux condenser? It's not a hybrid if it's a tall pot still with packing but no condenser. Running a pot still slowly with packing won't raise the abv much if at all. If it's cold and you run it slow, you might be able to bump the abv up a bit, I was able to get 85% in the winter with my old tall pot still and a few copper scrubbers, but it will not improve your product. And having packing and a tall column will absolutely not help you compress tails.
What are you trying to make? Don't worry about increasing abv unless you are making neutral and aiming for azeo. If you are making whiskey, increasing abv will not help your product. The best whiskeys I have made were stripped hard and fast and a not that slow spirit run through a short basic pot still.
seabass wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:56 pm
Do you have a reflux condenser? It's not a hybrid if it's a tall pot still with packing but no condenser. Running a pot still slowly with packing won't raise the abv much if at all. If it's cold and you run it slow, you might be able to bump the abv up a bit, I was able to get 85% in the winter with my old tall pot still and a few copper scrubbers, but it will not improve your product. And having packing and a tall column will absolutely not help you compress tails.
What are you trying to make? Don't worry about increasing abv unless you are making neutral and aiming for azeo. If you are making whiskey, increasing abv will not help your product. The best whiskeys I have made were stripped hard and fast and a not that slow spirit run through a short basic pot still.
Yes, I do have a reflux condenser sitting on the top. But, I do not running water thro it because I was making banana brandy(it was my second run) and I heard in pot still mode I can have maximum flavour But, its bad small like wet cardboard during the all run . Just for more inform,I distilled twice and collected in multiple jars and also its very clear looking alcohol. one wired thing I did was, my fermentation was going slow so in panic I put some aliexpress bought moonshine yeast in the mid way . That yeast says its for rice liquor yeast. May be that bad flavour is because of that?
Pls give me more info to improve. I again started same recipe but this time only EC118 yeast. So far fermentation is going normal. hopefully after two week it will be ready to distill.
NZChris wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 8:06 pm
Strip electrical cables for their wire.
Thanks For Idea!
I was thinking about this lately but as per my info some cable inner core is not pure copper. some time its not copper at all or a mixture of few more metals and also expensive too!!
CM Reflux Still -- Copper mesh 16" ,column 31" tall, dia. 2",temp at boiler,top of column, power - PAC w5500w Element
Pot Still -- Copper mesh 16",column, 23" tall dia. 2", temp at boiler, power - PAC w5500w Element
My research told me not to expect to make fine product from a single run through a pot still, so I've never experienced your problems myself. I've also never run without copper in the boiler and still head, but I have been present when another distiller tried it and I wasn't impressed with the results, even in the middle of the run.
With most fruit, I aim to strip to give me low wines below 30% for the spirit run.
NZChris wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 10:52 pm
With most fruit, I aim to strip to give me low wines below 30% for the spirit run.
NZ are running the still fast enough that it stays below 30% or are you diluting it down after the stripping run?
CM Reflux Still -- Copper mesh 16" ,column 31" tall, dia. 2",temp at boiler,top of column, power - PAC w5500w Element
Pot Still -- Copper mesh 16",column, 23" tall dia. 2", temp at boiler, power - PAC w5500w Element
NZChris wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 10:52 pm
With most fruit, I aim to strip to give me low wines below 30% for the spirit run.
NZ are running the still fast enough that it stays below 30% or are you diluting it down after the stripping run?
Can't do that. You run long enough that your low wines get down to 30%. Abv will drop throughout the run, but you can't just run it hard enough for output to stay at 30%.
I keep stripping until the low wines in the collection vessel get down to my target abv for that particular product. I never watch for an abv at the spout and never dilute with water.
NZChris wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 11:36 pm
I keep stripping until the low wines in the collection vessel get down to my target abv for that particular product. I never watch for an abv at the spout and never dilute with water.
Chris ,I’ve seen you say this over and over again . You’ve been doing this longer than almost anyone here ,so I’m wondering if you had considered posting a topic with all your target AVBs for all the various spirits you have made over the years . I figure if you have a target AVB , then you have a fairly comprehensive list by now . Can you share .
I don't have a list. Everything is a moving target. When I put a wash down, I look at my records from past washes and decide what to do this time. When I distill, I look at records of my past runs. When I make something new, I research the protocol used by the commercial manufacturer/home distiller/whatever and try to emulate it to the best of my abilities, then massage the protocol for next time.
I've probably posted most of it here on various threads, but I don't have whatever it takes to compile it all into a spoon feeding book for publication or posting ... and if I did, I'd probably find a better way of doing something just after I hit the 'Enter' key.
Well
Thats a shame . was hoping you could at least give some ball park starting point to help those of us with less than 30 years + experience a bit of a heads up
I get that its always going to be a moving target , but you have more experience than many here ... it’s disappointing you can’t at least post where you are at .
Think about it for a few days . You got a lot to offer .
NZChris wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 3:01 am
I've probably posted most of it here on various threads, but I don't have whatever it takes to compile it all into a spoon feeding book for publication or posting
You don't need to Chris.. you have communicated it here quite well and in other threads already.. it just that newbies want everything done for them and they read without comprehension or note taking..
NZChris wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 10:52 pm
My research told me not to expect to make fine product from a single run through a pot still
With most fruit, I aim to strip to give me low wines below 30% for the spirit run.
NZChris wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 11:36 pm
I keep stripping until the low wines in the collection vessel get down to my target abv for that particular product. I never watch for an abv at the spout and never dilute with water.
Here's where newbies and not so new fail to get is to research before doing whatever it is they want to do.. but Chris may have all those years under his belt, but one thing for sure, he still does the research..
NZChris wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 3:01 am
I look at my records from past washes and decide what to do this time. When I distill, I look at records of my past runs. When I make something new, I research the protocol used by the commercial manufacturer/home distiller/whatever and try to emulate it to the best of my abilities, then massage the protocol for next time.
You can't teach what he's stated above.. it has to be done by each individual..
Thanks Chris
Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "
Guys,
Did not got my Ans clearly.
If I pack my column with some packing material like copper rings, marble etc. Do it helps me to increase ABV at same boiler/column Temperature parameters?????
My assumption: In pack column we can have better separation and finally little bit more refined tasting product.
That depends on what configuration you are running and what you are making.
I start by deciding what I'm going to make, then research what still configuration I should use to make it, how it should be run, etc. and on back through to what ingredients I need.
ravi wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:38 pm
Reason to have packing: In Pot still mode Even I am running very slow but still ABV is not going above 60-70 range
Simple answer.. in pot still mode.. no.. packing will not be of any use, especially if you are wanting to improve on the abv..
To improve on the final abv, stripped first, then redistill at 40% abv boiler load..
The smell could be associated with many things and they mainly come from the process and method use in the fermentation..
If your unit is totally ss, then it will require some copper in the boiler and / or the vapor path..
Mars
Last edited by StillerBoy on Wed Aug 19, 2020 5:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "
ravi wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 3:06 pm
My assumption: In pack column we can have better separation and finally little bit more refined tasting product.
What is you definition of a pack column.. a column refer to a pot still, and putting packing in the column will not have an effect on separation..
For separation to occur, a reflux column is required.. and to "bit more refined tasting product", do a better or a different wash with proper fermentation process..
Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "
ravi wrote: ↑Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:38 pm
Reason to have packing: In Pot still mode Even I am running very slow but still ABV is not going above 60-70 range
Simple answer.. in pot still mode.. no.. packing will not be of any use, especially if you are wanting to improve on the abv..
To improve on the final abv, stripped first, then redistill at 40% abv boiler load..
The smell could be associated with many things and they mainly come from the process and method use in the fermentation..
If your unit is totally ss, then it will require some copper in the boiler and / or the vapor path..
Mars
Mars thank you much for reply..
take home points are:
#) I did stripping last time also but i diluted it too much I think, next time I will keep it under 30-40% low wine capacity.
##) Last time I added some unknown Chinese yeast(because got cheap). This time I used tried and tested one. I do sanitize all my equipment very well normally.
###) I got some pure copper tubing. Can i put directly to boiler while stilling?
ravi wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 3:06 pm
My assumption: In pack column we can have better separation and finally little bit more refined tasting product.
What is you definition of a pack column.. a column refer to a pot still, and putting packing in the column will not have an effect on separation..
For separation to occur, a reflux column is required.. and to "bit more refined tasting product", do a better or a different wash with proper fermentation process..
NZChris wrote: ↑Wed Aug 19, 2020 3:47 pm
That depends on what configuration you are running and what you are making.
I start by deciding what I'm going to make, then research what still configuration I should use to make it, how it should be run, etc. and on back through to what ingredients I need.
Dont just use them as shown above . You will het significant improvement if you tease them out ... IE stretch the crap out of them so all those little coils are stretched ... then ram it all back in as hard as you can . I have never been able to pack a stretched out scrubber hard enough that its a problem . Will raise your ABV from around 93% to over 95%
finding copper wool as packing material at my location. Please suggest me some alternate material for column packing which can be easy available in general.Here is spec of my system:
. Just for more inform,I distilled twice and collected in multiple jars and also its very clear looking alcohol. one wired thing I did was, my fermentation was going slow so in panic I put some aliexpress bought moonshine yeast in the mid way 
. That yeast says its for rice liquor yeast. May be that bad flavour is because of that? 
was hoping you could at least give some ball park starting point to help those of us with less than 30 years + experience a bit of a heads up 
