to pack, or not to pack. That is the question

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

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absinthe
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to pack, or not to pack. That is the question

Post by absinthe »

do you pack your pot still column?

is it necessary?

why do you pack it?

I'm sick of using my reflux tower as a pot still and having to much inherent reflux so am going to build a short pot still but do i need to pack it????
Whiskey, the most popular of the cold cures that don't work (Leonard Rossiter)
stoker
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Post by stoker »

no, and certainly not if it's a copper still
-I have too much blood in my alcohol system-
Monster Mash
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Post by Monster Mash »

What type of spirits are you making?
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wineo
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Post by wineo »

absinthe,I did the same thing.I have a nixon/stone reflux,and didnt like running it unpacked.So i built a pot still column,made with an 8 inch tall piece of 2in copper.it connects to my keg the same way my reflux does.
I built a 30in leibeg condencer for it.It works as a pot still,and gives me the option of running with some scrubbers if I want.I use it way more than my reflux,and I can strip a 28Ltr wash in 2 hours flat.It makes good whiskey,and speeds up the process of making neutral.I just strip my sugar washes,and save them up,till i get 5 or 6 gallons,then set up the reflux,and do a 95% spirit run.
wineo
BW Redneck
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Post by BW Redneck »

Have you tried insulating the column to see if that reduces reflux?
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20lt small pot still, working on keg
msrorysdad
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Post by msrorysdad »

I've got a ss keg, with a 2" x 18" column. I ran it packed once or twice, it made a bit of a difference. I think it would help "clean up" the spirit a wee bit and bump the purity, maybe. However, I run my still slow, probably too slow for some (10 gal wash, 8 to 12 hrs. 3 or 4 good drinkin quarts) I seem to get the quality where I like it without the packin. try both ways and tell me? I have some really killer ss woven mesh super fine wire if you could find it, it'll run ya $360 for a roll 4"x4". If you use a copper collumn you could try it. It's just takin up space here. If ya need some 2" I 'll pack a 16" stick and send it to ya for shippin and what ya think it's worth.
mtnwalker2
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Post by mtnwalker2 »

The more I hear about a doubler, the more intriqued I become. Make one potstill run as the equivelant of 2.

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absinthe
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Post by absinthe »

I'm thinking i wont pack my new column but i have seen allot for sale with packing...

i didn't see the point myself...

maybe if you weren't stripping and need a lil reflux....

and yup Redneck my column in insulated..

wineo, i still use my reflux to strip and can have 25 litres done in about an hour :P
Whiskey, the most popular of the cold cures that don't work (Leonard Rossiter)
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Tater
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Post by Tater »

I like using the copper packing cause it gives better taste to product.
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
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Husker
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Post by Husker »

tater wrote:I like using the copper packing cause it gives better taste to product.
I do likewise. If you insulate WELL, then the difference between packing and not packing will be less than if you run a thumper. However, a good mesh will clean the off flavors up quite a bit, while letting the better flavors flow through. However, only use packing if you are sure that you can remove 100% of the vapor, and not reflux ANY of it. If there is any reflux at all (internal reflux, or a valve that is not large enough to remove all, or issues with the still that do not allow 100% to be removed), then putting packing in will get you reflux, and probably more than what you want (in pot still "mode").

However, to each his own. My N/S was built with a head that had 16" between the coupler and the return line, and I also have a 41" column which can be put under that head. All of that can be packed.

One nice thing about packing, is that you can equalize at first, and then drip off the fore-shots, and again "drip" off the heads, and once the heads are pretty much gone (to the point you may want a little for flavor), then you can really crack open the valve, and not care about equalibrim any more, and crank up the heat a little. Doing this, you can cut down on the volume of heads quite a bit, and make SURE all forshots get properly removed. Using a still like this is sort of a hybrid method. It is a fractional reflux to get you past the crap, and then a "pot still" to pull body out.

I have a 25L copper alembic on the way, so I may not be using my offset valved N/S like this much longer.

H.
hornedrhodent
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Post by hornedrhodent »

Copper removes sulphur so IMO for either type of still it cant hurt.


Packing will also stop your wash frothing over into your condenser.
absinthe
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Post by absinthe »

well my new pot still will be all copper...

I'll do a run packed and then unpacked and see how she tastes

thanks for all the responses guys
Whiskey, the most popular of the cold cures that don't work (Leonard Rossiter)
Uncle Remus
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Post by Uncle Remus »

I've done it both ways...I don't find a big difference. Most times I dont bother packing it.
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partonken
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hey uncle remus

Post by partonken »

Hey uncle remus! when you dont use packing, does this speed up the process of distillation or is the same?
wineo
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Post by wineo »

I know,it depends on your setup but I run 1 small scrubber in my potstill.
It seem to help the vapor.Mine runs a little better this way,and it seems to clean up the booze a little more.It doesnt effect the proof,so im not getting any reflux from the scrubber.Mine seems to put out a little better with one.
wineo
MikeyT
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Re: to pack, or not to pack. That is the question

Post by MikeyT »

absinthe wrote:do you pack your pot still column?

is it necessary?

why do you pack it?

I'm sick of using my reflux tower as a pot still and having to much inherent reflux so am going to build a short pot still but do i need to pack it????
Have you seen pic's of my 4 column monstrosity posted here? When I stuff copper scrubbers up each of the 4 columns it will start out at around 76%-78%. It will stay above 65%-70% for the first 1/2 - 2/3rds of the run then it starts dying quickly.

Without the scrubbers, it starts out at 65% and goes down fairly evenly until I quit taking hearts at 45%.

I've got an oak barrel that now has 4 gallons of 60% in it. I'm going to collect enough above 70% to fill the rest of the barrel and try to get it to at least 62% - 63%.

One thing I have observed with mine is that without the scrubbers the head temp goes up fairly evenly over the course of 30 minutes until the first drips start. With the scrubbers in, the transition of the head temp from cold to the first drips took like 5 minutes. I thought something was wrong the first time I tried scrubbers. Was looking for leaks but found none. After a bit longer all was well.
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