Simple Bain Marie for infusions

[Jack C]

Well this is a simple build that really did not require much construction but wanted to post it. It is mostly assembled from components that I had. It is a 10 little Sanke keg clamped into one of my beer boil kettles. I plan to use vegetable oil as a heat transfer fluid. The boile kettle has a 5500 watt Boil Coil that will be controlled by PID. I made a simple bracket that hangs on the clamp frame to hold the pt-100 temp probe in the oil. This did not require any modifications to the keg or boil kettle and uses my existing boil controller with the PID I use for all grain beer mashing. I plan to use this to make infused neutrals for gin, flavored Vodka or absinthe. This will feed a 1.5 littler offset gin basket or a 700ml sohxlet extractor.

Boil kettle and keg clamp

Clamp with keg visible

Temp probe and bracket

Gin basket assembled

Tempprobe in assembled unit

I have no experience with making gin but I believe that this equipment should give me the best chance. Please comment on any items of concern and I will be posting in the gin thread with requests for some info on finding the botanicals in the north east.
Also a pic of the extractor that I am working to remove all the silicone tubing and replacing them with metal.

Extractor

Thanks.

[Jack C]

Just finished running it and it is really different than direct heat. Sluggish acting as expected. Still figuring out what the right temp for heating the oil and finding that I may need to put a small agitator to more the oil around to stop stratification. Just had 2 liters of 49% with citrus peels in the basket. Made a very nice citron.

[NZChris]

It's the most complicated simple gin still I've ever seen. I've run gin, Absinthe, fruit geist, essence, etc., on hotplates, wood fires and gas and the only time I've ever burned anything was when I ran dry doing a charge of cocoa powder making chocolate essence and miscalculated how much liquid I had put in the pot.

I'm sure it will be useful for many projects and I'll follow your journey with interest to see where it takes you.

[Jack C]

Thanks Chris.
I don’t have the option of using gas where I live and have to run everything from the basement. My direct immersion heated boilers are 15 gallon so a little large for one off tests. Most all the parts where on hand so that’s they way I went. It will take a lot of learning to understand and feel comfortable with running a indirect heated boiler. Really am looking forward to the botanicals arriving to start my gin journey.

[Chauncey]

Beautiful work. Gin makes me fight so ill leave that as it be.

[Jack C]

I guess the best part of it is that I already had almost all the parts and I can use them on the larger boiler if I worked out the perfect recipe. I look forward to learning some new things about flavor infusion.

[NZChris]

Check out the 20 years in 6 days thread.
viewtopic.php?f=44&t=55301

[Durhommer]

Beautiful work. Gin makes me fight so ill leave that as it be.

Ain't that true....

[Jack C]

Thanks Chris I have been reading that and your experience with heating the low wines to increase esterification in rums. I would think that would change the taste of many things. I am sure that Maseration of gin botanical at a slightly raised temp would shorten the time needed as well.

[NZChris]

Limoncello in a day I reckon. I usually give the zest one nuke, let it cool and make it up on the same day.

I seldom steep gin botanicals more than overnight. If I was removing the botanicals before distilling, holding at about 150F for a while should do the trick, but I don't know how long for.

If I'm running without steeping, I keep the temperature just below distilling for about an hour before I let anything come over.
For my Bombay's, everything goes into a large Carter Head without steeping, the same as they do at the distillery.

[Jack C]

Good to know. I did one batch of citrus by soaking a couple hrs then throwing the zest in the basket. Turned out great.

[Jack C]

While I was home two days I did get a chance to run the little gin still. It was a simple run based on Odin’s easy gin but with a little Oris and Angelica. My only complaint is my juniper was not the most fresh and it was weak in the final product. The Bain Marie worked great.

Gin still during run

It worked as expected now to work out the recipe.
Also while home I was able to get rid of all the silicone hoses from my extractor head so I can now start working on concentrating some things to be used in infusions.

Extractor head

Really all that was needed was a couple tig welds and some silver solder. I did make new compression ferrule gaskets for the two fittings out of some ptfe rod stock.

[Chauncey]

Gorgeous work

[Jack C]

I am hoping to concentrate some juniper flavor to add to gins that are lacking. I hope this will work for several things that can be used for liqueurs. I think that I will try it with sage and basil and other herbs for cooking as well.

[Jack C]

Can anyone tell me the temp that you normally run your heat transfer fluid in your Bain Marie? Trying figure out what’s hot enough without over heating it so as to not overheat the botanicals.

[Chauncey]

If ya swing thru new Orleans and weld me up such a nice kit ill gladly find out...

[Jack C]

Thanks for the offer. Ha. I am stuck in Charlotte working for now so not sure I would hold my breath. I run the oil temp about 250 for now.

[NZChris]

I doubt there will be an ideal temperature to target. It should run like a pot still, BTUs in to get the drip rate you want. The fluid temperature will rise during the run at about the same rate as the temperature in the boiler. The temperature difference between the fluid and the charge would be interesting, will be specific to your build, and might remain about the same for most of the run.

[Jack C]

Thanks Chris. I have run it with the transfer fluid temp around 250-255 for two runs. Seems about like the output speed I like. I was not sure of others experience with it.

[Dewstiller]

Expensive Hobby

[Jack C]

Yes it is. But still cheaper than many others.