Flute Still

Vapor, Liquid or Cooling Management. Flutes, plates, etc.

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beginners _luck0920
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Flute Still

Post by beginners _luck0920 »

I apologize for my ignorance, but I have have stared at at dozens of pictures of these flute stills and I can't figure out how they work. I can't find a thread explaining how a flute still works either. Can anyone explain how these things work?
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Re: Flute Still

Post by Horse_Shoe »

Hey beginner,

Let me recommend some good outhouse reading material for you. "The Compleat Distiller." by Nixon. Most brewshops that cater to distilling will carry it. I believe that Alternative Beverage of Charlotte, NC carries it. It should be clear after reading this.

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Re: Flute Still

Post by Prairiepiss »

Have you read though the Flute talk thread? Yes all of it?
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=17952
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Re: Flute Still

Post by hackware »

i know he asked...

but give him a break...

that thread is a whopper... :sarcasm:

suggest you start off with simple material first...

learn the basics, and you will have a lot less frustration when you attack the advanced stuff...

most here expect you to do your homework (research) before asking questions (at least the number you will ask without understanding the basics)...
tell me how hard it is to do... tell me how expensive it will be... just don't tell me what i can not do...

lead, follow, or get out of the way... ankle biters will be kicked...

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Re: Flute Still

Post by Prairiepiss »

hackware wrote:i know he asked...

but give him a break...

that thread is a whopper... :sarcasm:

What? He asked for it? I know its a whopper. I've set down and read it from start to finish 4 times now. If you truly want to learn about a flute. That is the thread you want to read.

Now just so you know. A flute is plated column CM still. CM = Cooling Management. So if you learn how a CM still works. It will make learning the flute a lot easier.
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Re: Flute Still

Post by mash rookie »

beginners _luck0920 wrote:I apologize for my ignorance, but I have have stared at at dozens of pictures of these flute stills and I can't figure out how they work. I can't find a thread explaining how a flute still works either. Can anyone explain how these things work?

It took me awhile to wrap my head around it before I built my flute. Like PP, I probably read the entire Flute talk thread three or four times. Here is a simple explanation.

When alcohol vapor reaches the top it is condensed by the interior cooler in to liquid. The liquid flows down and fills each plate until it reaches the level established by the downcommer tube. It then overflows down to the next plate.
When the plates are flooded, the vapor has to pass through the liquid on its way to the top where it is condensed again.
When this reflux cycle has been established the alcohol has been distilled and re distilled many times before being drawn off. Very high ABV is achieved this way.
The effect of the raw vapor passing through the alcohol has a wonderful affect of carrying the wash flavor through at a high ABV.
I have found that my four plate flute makes great whiskey. Not so good for neutral.

I hope this helps.
MR
beginners _luck0920
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Re: Flute Still

Post by beginners _luck0920 »

Thanks mash rookie, I actually read the first 10 pages or so of that thread before I even asked for the explanation. It was hard to make sense of what they were saying without any knowledge of the process. From what I read on that thread they were discussing design not the process, which is why I opened this discussion. I'm sure there are others out there that are interested in the process.
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Re: Flute Still

Post by wildrover »

I remember the hardest part for me to grasp was that there was enough vapor and pressure moving up through the plates (talking about the kind that have holes drilled in them vs. the caps) that it kept liquid on each plate. It wasn't immediate obvious how they filled up with liquid. Then I figured out that the higher order alcohols, or evaporates, tended to the top plates, and lower plates would have lower alcohols, at least relatively so. Not necessarily all at one stacking. It allows the flute to compress the heads and tails by running with all the vapor returning down the plates until they plates are "stacked" with liquid enough, and draw off the higher plates first, effectively separating the good from the bad more efficiently.
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Re: Flute Still

Post by Kentucky shinner »

check this and see if it will give you some insight.
http://youtu.be/WbO7Z83uCKk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
I am not trying to push or sell anything I promise, I just thought that maybe it would give you a little better understanding of how it operates.
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beginners _luck0920
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Re: Flute Still

Post by beginners _luck0920 »

Thanks guys, I got a pretty good understanding of it now, but one last question. On that youtube video I noticed that he did not insulate his column. Is there a reason for that?
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Re: Flute Still

Post by johnhopper1957 »

Love the video, it's good to actually "watch" how something works, better than a page of text.
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Re: Flute Still

Post by Prairiepiss »

beginners _luck0920 wrote:Thanks guys, I got a pretty good understanding of it now, but one last question. On that youtube video I noticed that he did not insulate his column. Is there a reason for that?
It's just not needed with this type of still.
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Re: Flute Still

Post by Tim37 »

i would like to say big thanks to Mash Rookie i was trying to figure out how it worked too and trudging through the flute talk was very hard theres so much info on there.

It would be nice to have a Wiki entry on the flute.
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Re: Flute Still

Post by mash rookie »

You are welcome. I do what I can.
I have learned so much from the guys here myself. Like I said, it took me awhile to wrap my head around it too.
I love theory but sometimes it is difficult to put to words.
Good luck
MR
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Re: Flute Still

Post by lampshade »

Prairiepiss wrote: ... A flute is plated column CM still. CM = Cooling Management.
Why would one use a flute instead of a conventional packed-column CM still?

I'm guessing that the flute allows the use of a larger diameter column, which then produces more ethanol per hour than a packed-column CM still. Is that correct?
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Re: Flute Still

Post by bentstick »

"flutes" or plated columns are for flavor at a fast pace with a higher abv then a pot still
Packed columns near tasteless, high abv ,slow output.
This is a generic explantion! :thumbup:
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Re: Flute Still

Post by lampshade »

mash rookie wrote: The effect of the raw vapor passing through the alcohol has a wonderful affect of carrying the wash flavor through at a high ABV.
I have found that my four plate flute makes great whiskey. Not so good for neutral.
So, a flute does not replace a conventional CM. Whereas a conventional CM is used to produce neutral spirits, a flute is used, instead of a pot still, to produce flavored spirits. *** This sorta runs contrary to the pitch of many commercial outfits that sell flutes, where the flute is advertised as a device to make ethanol fuel. :ebiggrin:

And I'm guessing that a flute is preferred over a conventional pot still because a flute is faster than a pot still.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow * Between the crosses, row on row, * We are the Dead. Short days ago * We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, * Loved and were loved, and now we lie * In Flanders fields. -- from a WWI poem
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Re: Flute Still

Post by Vulpes »

Prairiepiss wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2011 10:12 pm Have you read though the Flute talk thread? Yes all of it?
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=17952
Zombie thread resurrection: anyone know why I cannot access the quoted thread?

Thanks!
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Re: Flute Still

Post by Saltbush Bill »

The link works perfectly for me.....can only suggest you try again
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Re: Flute Still

Post by Boozewaves »

Become a distiller : start here viewtopic.php?t=52975
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Re: Flute Still

Post by CoogeeBoy »

Tim37 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2011 6:56 pm i would like to say big thanks to Mash Rookie i was trying to figure out how it worked too and trudging through the flute talk was very hard theres so much info on there.

It would be nice to have a Wiki entry on the flute.
Mate, you will meet a lot of friends on this site, not all of them will be yours!
Taking a break while I get a new still completed....
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