Small batch in large still?

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Dreamer
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Small batch in large still?

Post by Dreamer »

Are there any caveats in distilling 3 gals of wash or mash in an 8 gallon pot still?

I wonder whether the vapors will condense on the upper part of the kettle, above the wash and below the column, and add a bit of reflux.

Steve
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by River Rat »

No problem if you're heating with gas. If running electric you need to make sure the elements stay submerged. It shouldn't be any different than running a big batch except won't take as long.
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by Deplorable »

Propane fired? No problem.
Internal element? Just make sure the element won't become exposed as the level drops in the boiler.
Posted at the same time as RR
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stillanoob
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by stillanoob »

I've run 1.5 gallons in my 12 gallon gas fired still, no problem.
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by Tummydoc »

And your reflux will be transient and negligible.
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by Yummyrum »

If you run the 3 gals as hard you would run your 8 gal then you will smear it . So you must run it slower ..... just less than half as fast.
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by ThouShaltStill »

I was just about to ask this same question. I'm worried with all the extra head space my cuts will run together. I'm thinking I can proof down to four gals at 20% in a 15.5 boiler with propane heating. This doesn't seem like a problem to anyone? Clean cuts are important because I'm trying to remove all bite and taste for a nice neutral. Of course I'll run low and slow with just a few drops per second but idk I guess I'm just nervous. I hate losing product I seldom have time to make. I will be getting a smaller boiler for spirit runs in the future.
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by ThouShaltStill »

Dreamer wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 9:14 am Are there any caveats in distilling 3 gals of wash or mash in an 8 gallon pot still?

I wonder whether the vapors will condense on the upper part of the kettle, above the wash and below the column, and add a bit of reflux.

Steve
Did you run it? How'd it go?
ThouShaltStill
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by ThouShaltStill »

stillanoob wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 12:37 pm I've run 1.5 gallons in my 12 gallon gas fired still, no problem.
You didn't have any issues making clean cuts? Reflux or pot?
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by Dreamer »

Yummyrum wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 1:02 pm If you run the 3 gals as hard you would run your 8 gal then you will smear it . So you must run it slower ..... just less than half as fast.
What does "smear it" mean?
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by stillanoob »

ThouShaltStill wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:08 pm
stillanoob wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 12:37 pm I've run 1.5 gallons in my 12 gallon gas fired still, no problem.
You didn't have any issues making clean cuts? Reflux or pot?
I'm still a new guy, so take it with a grain of salt. It was a pear/apple brandy. I like heads in brandies. Especially after it ages. I hate tails, no matter what type of wash. I think, and others that had some thought it came out well. Sadly, it didn't last long. And a pot still smears like what, a freshly hit coon on the road or something?
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by ThouShaltStill »

I was deciding if I wanted to rerun my sugar wash. I ended up with 7 galls at 30% which was enough to run again. No problem making cuts but did end up with a ridiculous amount of heads. (terrible recipe). You're a better man then I, I despise heads. I'll find a use for them though, might age them and see if they taper down. Might nuke them. Might strip paint with it lol. I feel you on the Tails no mater the recipe I just don't care for them.
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by Corn Cracker »

I'm not a master distiller but I'll throw this out there, i put a 5g pot with a lid on it, weighted down with a 10#weight inside and i have ¾ copper fittings keeping it off the bottom of the pot still. This dramatically helped my cuts with 5 gallons of wash in a 20g pot.
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stillanoob
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by stillanoob »

ThouShaltStill wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:49 pm I was deciding if I wanted to rerun my sugar wash. I ended up with 7 galls at 30% which was enough to run again. No problem making cuts but did end up with a ridiculous amount of heads. (terrible recipe). You're a better man then I, I despise heads. I'll find a use for them though, might age them and see if they taper down. Might nuke them. Might strip paint with it lol. I feel you on the Tails no mater the recipe I just don't care for them.
Well, sugar and whisky heads are nasty. Early brandy heads are too. But the later brandy heads are where the fruit flavor hides. Give it some time and oak and it sorts itself out.
stillanoob
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by stillanoob »

Corn Cracker wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 2:58 am I'm not a master distiller but I'll throw this out there, i put a 5g pot with a lid on it, weighted down with a 10#weight inside and i have ¾ copper fittings keeping it off the bottom of the pot still. This dramatically helped my cuts with 5 gallons of wash in a 20g pot.
Hmm, that is an interesting idea. What was the weight made of?
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Re: Small batch in large still?

Post by Corn Cracker »

One of my wife's work out weights,(sshhh) it is coated steel, i put in the pot with the lid on it. In my set up it leaves about 3 inches around the sides.
"To ease the pressures of this world here's the way i got it figured, the thing to do for me and you is to drink lots of good corn liquor"
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