choosing a head

[Shovelhead89]

So I'm about to pull the trigger on my new stainless steel boiler but before I do I want to figure out what type and size of head I want to use. I'm not too familiar with plate columns, what are their pros and cons in regards to making whisky? Or should a pot head only be considered? And for size, is there a formula of sorts that I can use to figure out what size would be best. I'm worried that a 3" would take too long or is stilling time mostly dependant on the amount of BTU your burner is running at?

[pfshine]

Read through the flute thread. Plated columns are in my opinion the best way to make whiskey or anything else for that matter, one run and done. On a keg its 2.5 hours from start up to shut down. But then again nothing wrong with a pot still either, cheap as dirt to make just takes more time.

[drmiller100]

btus determine how fast product COULD potentially come out.

Match column diameter to btus. A pot still with no packing can run a LOT higher btus than a reflux still with teh column partly "plugged" with stuff.

If your column is "too big" (either diameter or height) nothing bad happens. if your column is too small diameter, you have to regulate heat or your overflow your column. If it is too short, on a pot still nothing bad happens. Too short on a reflux still and you are shooting for azeo you can't get there.

I'm not good enough to make a plate column work compared to marbles or even scrubbies, rocks, etc.

3 inch pot still is a gazillion btus if you can build a big enough condenser.

3 inch x 36 inch reflux marble still will handle 4800 watts. Barely.

same setup with scrubbies and you are less watts depending on how you pack the scrubbies.

[heartcut]

Yep, modular bubble plates, best of all worlds.

[Shovelhead89]

If your aim was to make a sour mash whiskey, which would you prefer to use and why:

http://www.hillbillystills.com/product/ ... condenser/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

http://www.hillbillystills.com/product/ ... on-column/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

http://stilldragon.com/index.php/4-dash.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[NZChris]

With a pot still head, the cuts are done on a boiler charged with low wines instead of mash/wash, so the volume you have to work with to choose your final blend is three or four times larger.

Looking at it another way, the pot stiller has to use his blending skills one time, compared to the column distiller's three or four times, for the same amount of finished product.

[bearriver]

If your aim was to make a sour mash whiskey, which would you prefer to use and why:

http://www.hillbillystills.com/product/ ... condenser/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

http://www.hillbillystills.com/product/ ... on-column/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

http://stilldragon.com/index.php/4-dash.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

None of those tickle my fancy. If I was looking for a prefab unit and had money, then I would send a PM to emptyglass and buy from him... He might still have a link in the classified section.

Odin is also rolling out a hobby iStill.

I don't have anything against SD or Hillbill. I just don't like those products. However, I am sure that they would distill a beautiful sour mash whiskey all the same...

[skow69]

I notice that Hillbilly plumbs the feed into his parrots half way up, instead of at the bottom. It might be a minor point, but I would consider that a flaw. It seems to me the only hope for getting accurate readings and avoiding smearing is to maintain a continuous flow from bottom to top.

[raketemensch]

I'd go with the second option of those 3, but I'd goi with an iStill over any of them.

[skow69]

My first choice would be a panhead, but I'm old school.

[jedneck]

My first choice would be a panhead, but I'm old school.

I would go with a steam injected stripper and a pot for spirit.