Stills from China

[Represto]

A great article on the topic - likely of interest to those reading this thread:
http://distillique.co.za/distilling_sho ... oiler.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Distillernz]

I think I read something similar. Although after reading your article I may still have too much water in mine, I have been running half full on my indicators which is definitely more than that diagram indicates. Will try with a little less.

[Twisted Brick]

Great site, Represto. Thanks for sharing.

[Represto]

Have you tried with less water? Any change in performance?

[Represto]

So, after a thorough cleaning and sacrificial run, I'm putting through 75L-ish of corn and barley. I used buckets for the primary fermentation and then strained into the boiler for the secondary fermentation. Some of the corn and what not made it into the jacketed boiler and I generally didn't concern myself with ensuring that there were no solids.

Now that I'm running it, there's a distinct off smell in the distillate. This started right at the start of heads and has carried through into the hearts. Undiluted (~90%) it smells burnt it smells like corn, a burnt smell, and sulfur. Diluted down to ~40% it smells like burnt rubber without a trace of corn. I haven't tasted it.

There was no smell at all during the sacrificial run (birdwatchers). It has a clear acetone fores, ethanol hearts. I didn't taste it but nothing stood out as off.

Could it be that the jacketed boiler has scorched the solids in the tank? I've run the agitator off and on during the run to mix the mash but haven't left it on to avoid any kind of scorching. I poured out some of the wash but don't smell anything off. Smells like corn.

The only copper on the still is the four bubble plates. My previous still was 100% copper. I'm not sure if this is playing any kind of factor in introducing the sulfur smell.

Maybe it's the gaskets. I'm pretty sure they are PTFE but silicon looks quite similar to PTFE. What does a silicon gasket smell like when heated with alcohol vapour?

Any other ideas what might be off?

[Distillernz]

Doubt it is the gaskets? I am pretty sure I would have the same and have no issues.

[gamblor77]

PTFE gaskets are generally white (or sometimes black) and harder like a plastic...whereas silicone gaskets are translucent and soft like rubber. The PTFE doesn't seem to pick up any odors and can be rinsed with water and good to go... but the silicone does stink like burnt ass and needs to be cleaned with soap and water. I can't really see the gaskets making noticeable difference to the flavor but they may by heating and stinking up the joint if you don't clean them between runs? OR maybe you have a vapour leak where your agitator connects to your boiler? I had that on mine and had to change the bearing to seal it back up. Depends if your agitator shaft/mount is fixed to the boiler, or if the agitator mounts with a tri-clamp - mine was fixed unfortunately.

I'm thinking most likely there is some scorching going on as you said. I would definitely try cold crashing in a proper secondary fermenter (not the boiler itself)...if you checked the FG and are sure it's done fermenting.
Then leaving it settle until it's clear (up to a week)...also continuously running the agitator wouldn't hurt either.
I don't have a steam jacket on mine but do run my agitator full time. From everything I've seen - even the commercial distillers with steam jacketed boilers use the agitator while running to prevent scorching.

[Represto]

After airing off the collection jars and then sealing them for a few weeks the smell and taste is completely normal. No off flavours or smells at all - actually tastes quite incredible! Not sure what happened there but I do believe that the mash wasn't quite fermented dry. Next time around I'll make sure it is and keep the agitator going.

[Represto]

Using the boiler as a secondary fermenter. Here's the airlock setup I have going at the moment. Works great!

[pothead]

Represto, have you run it again? If so, how did it go? Notice the same off smells or flavors?

[MtRainier]

I have one of these coming in in a week or so. The import process has been interesting. There are lots of unexpected expenses with the freight forwarders and logistics companies doing the government stuff, some due to the current tariff situation between the US and China, but it should be fine. Just adds an extra pile of money to the price. The pictures sent after manufacture look great. The ship just passed through the panama canal on 2/28.

Now I just have to figure out how much it will cost to get a 142kg crate containing a "water purifier" out of customs in a few days and to my house.

I'll definitely post up pics to brag if it's great. Not so much if it has all kinds of problems.

[acfixer69]

I'll definitely post up pics to brag if it's great. Not so much if it has all kinds of problems.

I'd be interested to hear why it had problems and what they are.

[MtRainier]

I'll definitely post up pics to brag if it's great. Not so much if it has all kinds of problems.

I'd be interested to hear why it had problems and what they are.

Yep. It's kind of a joke. I'll absolutely post if there are issues. It's a double-wall boiler which I'll have to be careful with to run safely.

[MtRainier]

It's killing me. It has been released from customs. Trucking company paid hansomly to deliver it to my curb. But some guy is sick today so I have to wait until Monday.

I have to add a new 50A 240V circuit anyway so now I have more time to get it in.

[Sunshineer]

I don't know where these are made but this one works well. They offer many larger sizes. https://milehidistilling.com/product/3- ... ose-tower/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Mile High makes there own right here in USA they make a great product and carry all we need

[MtRainier]

I don't know where these are made but this one works well. They offer many larger sizes. https://milehidistilling.com/product/3- ... ose-tower/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Mile High makes there own right here in USA they make a great product and carry all we need

I like Mile Hi products, the staff I've interacted with are nice too, but I don't believe it's all made in USA. I think they're pretty transparent about what they make and what they don't if you ask em.

As just a nice FYI, those small boilers Mile Hi sells are made of a type of stainless that works on an induction cooktop. At least it works on the $50 one sold at Ikea. Those cooktops allow you to vary the power applied in 200W increments which gives quite a bit of control over distilling speed and lets you do a run with solids in the boiler (like making gin with botanicals in the boiler).

I'm enjoying my big double-boiler from China identical to the one Represto started this thread about. It's great for mashing, then cooling, then fermenting on-grain, then stripping. It lets me make bourbon like a real distillery since I don't have to try to take all the solids out of the wash. I tried to use it with the plates as a flute, but just couldn't control it well. Maybe it would come with practice. I use my Mile Hi boiler and column for neutral runs and for spirit runs after stripping with the Chinese double-wall. The flute column segments and condensers I got from Mile Hi were much better quality, in my opinion. However, I like the parrot included with the China still better. It's 100ml of volume vs. 250ml of volume in the one from Mile Hi.

[KhanVict]

Distilaurus on AliExpress seems to have good quality products. I personally went with one of their competitors, ‘Homebrewing—-Distillation Store.’

I placed two separate orders for pieces to build my 3” flute w bubble plates. They shipped one via DHL & one via UPS. Both packages arrived within two weeks.

Zero issues clearing customs. Everything packed well & built well as far as I can see. And the pricing was VERY attractive.

A little trick I use on AliExpress: add things to your cart, and when you go to checkout, choose a different payment method other than the card you have on file, and CANCEL the transaction before you procede any further. Your order is now “pending payment,” and the seller can see all the items you’re trying to buy. You can now message the seller, ask for a discount or a break on shipping. 9 times out of 10, they’ll knock a few bucks off just for asking!

Another tip: (took me awhile to research & figure this out)
If you’re ordering threaded adapters, pipes, ball valves, etc. - you need to make sure you’re ordering the correct thread.
NPT = USA
BSP = UK
BSPT = UK, but is compatible w NPT.
If it doesn’t specify, just send a quick message and they usually reply within 24hrs.

Anyhow... thanks for letting me stick my nose in your thread!

Stay Classy.

- KhanVict the Texican