Two problems during Pot Distillation

[artooks]

Hi,

Today when I finished my distillation, I faced two small problems, that I need to understand, first I was making Raki and because I was going to use herbs in the boiler I used a hot plate and filled the boiler bottom with marbles and put two SS filter basket over it and filled it with aniseed, after the distillation, I realised there were small dot like shaped in the bottom of my boiler, first of all why it has caused ? does the filter basket created a hammer effect for the marbles ther were below it and scratch the bottom and created dot like shapes I tried vinegar and alcohol to clean but they are there.

My second problem is I filled the column with copper scrubbers, I am sure that my scrubbers are %100 copper, but after the distillation I saw that the first scrubber that was at the low end of the column looked liked it lost its copper color and turned white at some parts, also some sand like things drop of it, but when I wash it with water and put it in vinegar it come back to its original color, I am sure that there is some kind of reaction there so what can I do about it ?


Thanks

[artooks]

Boiler Bottom and Marbles

[still_stirrin]

Q1) Boiling liquid will cause nucleation of the of the vapor molecules at the sight where the glass marble contacts the boiler. It will vibrate as the vapor forms and energy is transferred. That certainly could cause a "scuff" in your stainless boiler where the marbles sat. It is common. Boiling chips would do the same thing.

Q2) Don't you suppose that the solvents in your alcohol have dissolved alkaloids in the anis seeds? Those alkaloids, when the alcohol evaporates will deposit on the scrubbies and reveal itself as a white powder (like sand, as you've said). Again, acid wash will clean it off well.

So, relax...don't worry so much. You're doing fine.
ss

[artooks]

Q1) Boiling liquid will cause nucleation of the of the vapor molecules at the sight where the glass marble contacts the boiler. It will vibrate as the vapor forms and energy is transferred. That certainly could cause a "scuff" in your stainless boiler where the marbles sat. It is common. Boiling chips would do the same thing.

Q2) Don't you suppose that the solvents in your alcohol have dissolved alkaloids in the anis seeds? Those alkaloids, when the alcohol evaporates will deposit on the scrubbies and reveal itself as a white powder (like sand, as you've said). Again, acid wash will clean it off well.

So, relax...don't worry so much. You're doing fine.
ss

Thanks SS, I did not know about the alkaloids in the anis seeds, because I was wondering what is the reason that this is happening each time I distill with anise, thanks alot.