Bought my first still!
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Bought my first still!
I have been doing a lot of reading over the years and figured it was time to pull the trigger. I am waiting for it to be delivered, but I wanted to get some feedback from the vets. What are your thoughts on this one? Any pros or cons that you can see? Thank you for any feedback.
- still_stirrin
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Re: Bought my first still!
$$$
It should be capable to make some good flavored spirits...provided you know how to run it. Since this is your 1st still, I’d suggest setting it up as a potstill until you have the hang of it. Learn on a potstill before you try to “do the dance” with balancing the reflux condenser and loading the plates.
And of course, I hope you know how to brew...’cuz that thing will drink a lot of wash/mash.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
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My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
Re: Bought my first still!
Thank you for your feedback. You know I was thinking that too. I've been reading for the last week if it were possible to set it up as a pot still. So far I've gathered to remove the plates & don't run water to the deph. Any other suggestions for conversion?still_stirrin wrote: ↑Fri Jan 08, 2021 12:19 pm$$$
It should be capable to make some good flavored spirits...provided you know how to run it. Since this is your 1st still, I’d suggest setting it up as a potstill until you have the hang of it. Learn on a potstill before you try to “do the dance” with balancing the reflux condenser and loading the plates.
And of course, I hope you know how to brew...’cuz that thing will drink a lot of wash/mash.
ss
Re: Bought my first still!
Welcome aboard nice still sounds like a plan on your conversion
You have two ears and one mouth for a reason....
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Re: Bought my first still!
To run in pot mode, you just don't use the reflux condenser (dephlegmator), so you don't have to disassemble the column plates.. as it will be a touchy task to put it together again.. at least until you gain some experience with it..
In pot mode you can ether remove the RC or leave it on don't run water to it.. also you will not need to have the parot attached..
Mars
" I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent. Curiosity, Obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my knowledge and understanding "
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Re: Bought my first still!
Thanks a lot for that extra info! As far as the shotgun condenser is there anything that you think I need to be mindful of or good to go running it as long as the RC is not getting water? Thank you again.StillerBoy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 08, 2021 4:11 pmTo run in pot mode, you just don't use the reflux condenser (dephlegmator), so you don't have to disassemble the column plates.. as it will be a touchy task to put it together again.. at least until you gain some experience with it..
In pot mode you can ether remove the RC or leave it on don't run water to it.. also you will not need to have the parot attached..
Mars
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Re: Bought my first still!
If you are running it with the delphlegamaterthingy on and no water running to it. You need to make sure the water ports aren’t hooked up. Any water left in it will boil off and create steam and pressure. If you have them sealed off it might be a bad day when that happens. I personally wouldn’t run it like that. You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.
And just to be sure that you know. While running that thing. Need to make sure that no cool water will ever get dripped splashed or any other way of getting on that glass. So make sure all your water connections To the condensers are tight and sealed.
And just to be sure that you know. While running that thing. Need to make sure that no cool water will ever get dripped splashed or any other way of getting on that glass. So make sure all your water connections To the condensers are tight and sealed.
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Re: Bought my first still!
+, you bought a flute run your flute. you can make crap in a pot still as well. i bet you will make good product in the flute, maybe a bit of a learning curve but same goes for a potstill. nice rig, enjoyPrairiepiss wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:47 am If you are running it with the delphlegamaterthingy on and no water running to it. You need to make sure the water ports aren’t hooked up. Any water left in it will boil off and create steam and pressure. If you have them sealed off it might be a bad day when that happens. I personally wouldn’t run it like that. You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.
And just to be sure that you know. While running that thing. Need to make sure that no cool water will ever get dripped splashed or any other way of getting on that glass. So make sure all your water connections To the condensers are tight and sealed.
My first flute
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My press
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- Saltbush Bill
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Re: Bought my first still!
Thats my take on it too.......its really not that hard.Prairiepiss wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:47 am You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.
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Re: Bought my first still!
That’s a good lookin still!
Re: Bought my first still!
Solid safety advice, brother! I'd way rather learn from reading your post than from personal experience. Thank you!Prairiepiss wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:47 am If you are running it with the delphlegamaterthingy on and no water running to it. You need to make sure the water ports aren’t hooked up. Any water left in it will boil off and create steam and pressure. If you have them sealed off it might be a bad day when that happens. I personally wouldn’t run it like that. You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.
And just to be sure that you know. While running that thing. Need to make sure that no cool water will ever get dripped splashed or any other way of getting on that glass. So make sure all your water connections To the condensers are tight and sealed.
In regards to driving it like a flute, man i'm so torn 50/50. Glad to hear your feedback on it.
Re: Bought my first still!
I've been doing a lot of research running the flute. It looks like in reality i'm juggling the flow with heat and water input. Thank you for the vote of confidence.Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 1:03 pmThats my take on it too.......its really not that hard.Prairiepiss wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:47 am You bought a flute. Learn how to drive it like a flute.
- Saltbush Bill
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Re: Bought my first still!
Thats about the size of it.
I ran a four plate with bubble caps just last weekend, was showing another first time owner the ropes.
I'm not usually a bubblecap user....always had perf plates......not that there is a lot of difference.
His was an electric boiler.....the one uncontrolled 2400 w element seemed about right for it.
It was just a matter of getting the plates loaded by putting the dephlegmator into full reflux.
Once that is done drive the still by adjusting water flow rate to the dephleg.
Slow drip to remove fores, bit faster for heads, then about 2L an hour or a bit faster for hearts.
If your boiler is gas its pretty much the same thing ....you need enough heat to keep the plates loaded.....but not too much. Then drive the still using the dephleg.
- Yummyrum
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Re: Bought my first still!
This is an important point. If you push too much power , tails will smear through the whole run .Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:33 pm .you need enough heat to keep the plates loaded.....but not too much.
My recommended goto .
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
- Saltbush Bill
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Re: Bought my first still!
That still is definitely worth more than my truck lmao no but it's super nice and it's going to be a kick to see what's going on. How much was that bad boy?
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Re: Bought my first still!
Yummy mentioned smearing, and I am trying to decipher the U bend apparatus coming off
the condenser, it doesn't look like any parrot I've seen yet. do's any one know how it works?
edit; or if it will work without smearing?
LuckyB13; that is a nice looking still. shiny copper gets them every time.
the condenser, it doesn't look like any parrot I've seen yet. do's any one know how it works?
edit; or if it will work without smearing?
LuckyB13; that is a nice looking still. shiny copper gets them every time.
be water my friend
- still_stirrin
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Re: Bought my first still!
It’s a parrot. And yes, it smears.cob wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:09 pm Yummy mentioned smearing, and I am trying to decipher the U bend apparatus coming off
the condenser, it doesn't look like any parrot I've seen yet. do's any one know how it works?
edit; or if it will work without smearing?
LuckyB13; that is a nice looking still. shiny copper gets them every time.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
- Yummyrum
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Re: Bought my first still!
Yes , a parrot would cause smearing , but what I was referring to I should have said was entrainment . It’s when the vapour is blasting through the still so hard that it doesn’t have time to do a proper phase change on each plate .
As Salty mentioned , a happy place is when all plates are just loaded and running happy . It’s always a newby curiosity to push power harder and see what happens . Just saying that there comes a point not to much higher in power , where the flavour turns nasty really quickly .
I know I‘m always bangIng on about tasting what comes off the spout , but there is method to my madness and
especially when experimenting with a new setup .
Never taste it straight , dip your spoon in some water and then under the spout so you taste @ about 35-40%abvb .
As Salty mentioned , a happy place is when all plates are just loaded and running happy . It’s always a newby curiosity to push power harder and see what happens . Just saying that there comes a point not to much higher in power , where the flavour turns nasty really quickly .
I know I‘m always bangIng on about tasting what comes off the spout , but there is method to my madness and
especially when experimenting with a new setup .
Never taste it straight , dip your spoon in some water and then under the spout so you taste @ about 35-40%abvb .
My recommended goto .
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.ph ... ion_Theory
- Saltbush Bill
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Re: Bought my first still!
I don't look at it as banging on Yummy....its the right way to learn........if your not tasting often and all through the run your learning nothing.
Less or no time staring at thermometers and lots of time tasting, smelling and feeling is what wins the race in the end.
Re: Bought my first still!
I have 2x 1600w on a controller. I was wondering if it would be about right for the 20. Always figured if not I can run a smaller batch. Thanks for the insight on that.Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:33 pmThats about the size of it.
I ran a four plate with bubble caps just last weekend, was showing another first time owner the ropes.
I'm not usually a bubblecap user....always had perf plates......not that there is a lot of difference.
His was an electric boiler.....the one uncontrolled 2400 w element seemed about right for it.
It was just a matter of getting the plates loaded by putting the dephlegmator into full reflux.
Once that is done drive the still by adjusting water flow rate to the dephleg.
Slow drip to remove fores, bit faster for heads, then about 2L an hour or a bit faster for hearts.
If your boiler is gas its pretty much the same thing ....you need enough heat to keep the plates loaded.....but not too much. Then drive the still using the dephleg.
You mentioned showing someone the ropes which raises a question. Would you mind sharing the recipe you started him on being his first time and running a bubbler?
Re: Bought my first still!
So I've hunting these stills and light studying over the years creeping in forums for two years or so. My most recent trip to the Smokys this holiday season really cemented the idea that I was going to pick up this hobby. I wanted a system that can grow with me so I did drop a little more cash than normal, but I don't feel like it was crazy overpriced. New years day I got home from KY and won $2k at the daytona poker room so I figured it a sign and treated myself. I think I paid a little under $1100 for the package of 20g boiler, 4" flute, controller, elements etcSeanjohn19 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:39 pm That still is definitely worth more than my truck lmao no but it's super nice and it's going to be a kick to see what's going on. How much was that bad boy?
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Re: Bought my first still!
Looks awesome and that sounds like a good deal aswell
- Saltbush Bill
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Re: Bought my first still!
20 us gal = 75L Just so I know where we are.
No matter if your running 75L , 100L or 50L the power that the still is happy running at is the same or changes very little.
Both elements running flat out (3200" will be handy for heat up, but I suspect it make be a little much once up to operating temp. As stated before Ive not run perf plates often , I just know that the ones I ran last week seemed to do well at 2400w .....I also know that my 4 inch 4 perforated plate still runs well at 2400w or a little more.
Better to ask some one more familiar with bubble caps than I am.
An old friend bought his first still, I gave him backset, and some of the grain and yeast bed from my UJSSM which is many years and generations old........sort of gave him a head start on flavour.
It was his first wash from that , that we ran together.
Helped him set up the modular still...hook up hoses , showed him the basics of running it , and a rough guide on cuts.
If I have any bad distilling habits Ive just passed them on....
- Windy City
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Re: Bought my first still!
You purchased a flute and should learn how to run it as a flute.
This is not a bad thing but it will be a bigger learning curve.
When I switched from a pot to a flute (perf plates) the first couple of runs I struggled with flooding the plates trying to load the column to compress fores/heads. With time you will learn the sweet spots to balance loading the plates and not flooding.
I do change up my configuration from 4 plates to 2 plates depending on what I am making.
If I am making rum or bourbon I remove 2 plates so I am only running 2 plates ( my thought process is that it replicates a pot strip/spirit run)
If I am wanting to make a neutral I run through all four plates and then take that product through a packed column to finish.
This is not a bad thing but it will be a bigger learning curve.
When I switched from a pot to a flute (perf plates) the first couple of runs I struggled with flooding the plates trying to load the column to compress fores/heads. With time you will learn the sweet spots to balance loading the plates and not flooding.
I do change up my configuration from 4 plates to 2 plates depending on what I am making.
If I am making rum or bourbon I remove 2 plates so I am only running 2 plates ( my thought process is that it replicates a pot strip/spirit run)
If I am wanting to make a neutral I run through all four plates and then take that product through a packed column to finish.
The liver is evil and must be punished
Cranky"s spoon feeding for new and novice distillers
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=52975
Cranky"s spoon feeding for new and novice distillers
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 15&t=52975
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Re: Bought my first still!
Money won is twice as sweet as money earned...
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Re: Bought my first still!
How was the flavor difference of the ujssm on the flute in comparison to your pot?Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15, 2021 5:37 pm20 us gal = 75L Just so I know where we are.
No matter if your running 75L , 100L or 50L the power that the still is happy running at is the same or changes very little.
Both elements running flat out (3200" will be handy for heat up, but I suspect it make be a little much once up to operating temp. As stated before Ive not run perf plates often , I just know that the ones I ran last week seemed to do well at 2400w .....I also know that my 4 inch 4 perforated plate still runs well at 2400w or a little more.
Better to ask some one more familiar with bubble caps than I am.An old friend bought his first still, I gave him backset, and some of the grain and yeast bed from my UJSSM which is many years and generations old........sort of gave him a head start on flavour.
It was his first wash from that , that we ran together.
Helped him set up the modular still...hook up hoses , showed him the basics of running it , and a rough guide on cuts.
If I have any bad distilling habits Ive just passed them on....
- Saltbush Bill
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Re: Bought my first still!
I don't run a pot.....not for UJ anyway ....always 4 perforated plates.