My new keg still

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robe
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My new keg still

Post by robe »

Here is my new still. Just finished the multi-stage cleaning process and am ready to run a batch of barley rye and flaked corn with some sugar. Started that two weeks ago so it has cleared nicely.
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robe
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Re: My new keg still

Post by robe »

I didn't add that the lower picture is 42 inches of twisted copper All-Round that slides inside the vapor tube to add turbulence.
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Chauncey
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Re: My new keg still

Post by Chauncey »

You will definitely need a much larger reservoir for cooling water if you're doing full size strip and spirit runs.
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witch
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Re: My new keg still

Post by witch »

looking good . How are you heating this gas/electric don't see any cable
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Yummyrum
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Re: My new keg still

Post by Yummyrum »

May I suggest you rotate the condenser so the coolant lines are hanging down . When they come out horizontal like you have , the hose will soften , particularly the top one where the hit water exits . Then they bend and can stop coolant flow .

I’m guessing you have that riser full if packing ? Judging from the small section at the bottom , which I’m guessing is a sieve module .
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Dancing4dan
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Re: My new keg still

Post by Dancing4dan »

robe wrote: Fri Jul 01, 2022 5:26 pm Here is my new still. Just finished the multi-stage cleaning process and am ready to run a batch of barley rye and flaked corn with some sugar. Started that two weeks ago so it has cleared nicely.
rig.jpgrig details.jpg
Looking good! :clap:

If you reconfigure your condenser so you can adjust the slope or angle of departure from the top of the riser you can keep the condenser near level to slow down product flow. This will make for cooler product. It also makes it way easier to set up the PC output height in relation to the pot. A couple 90 degree elbows and re use the Union.

When reconfiguring a condenser give it a scrub with a brass bore brush to clean solder flux. Vinegar and salt mix works great then scrub with some left over heads. No need to do cleaning and sacrificial run again if done that way.
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Salt Must Flow
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Re: My new keg still

Post by Salt Must Flow »

That's probably the cleanest looking keg I've ever seen. Is it brand new or did you media blast it?
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Expat
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Re: My new keg still

Post by Expat »

Some good advice given so far and overall a good looking build!

A couple of suggestions though for your boiler. Suggest you add both drain and fill ports, this will make your life significantly better. These can done with triclamp fittings which makes for a very low maintenance setup. Links in my sign if you're interested in what I did.
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robe
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Re: My new keg still

Post by robe »

Thanks for all the comments, I really appreciate it.
Quite the upgrade from my original Vevor still.
On the cooling water. I put two 2 liter jugs of ice in the 5 gal bucket and change it to the same again about half way through. I don't know if this will be enough for this new setup. I was thinking to run the garden hose to it and the outboard end to a soaker hose on the lawn.
Condenser angle; I'll give it a try as is and change it if need be. On my cleaning run of only a couple liters it worked really well. Always room for improvement.
That is a brand new 50 liter keg without the spear and ball valve. Delivered cost 200 CDN. I looked into used ones, they were pretty beat, dirty and looked like they fell off a truck with the property of stamping still on them. Just didn't want one especially after reading here of how to clean the beer stone out of them.
So far I'm running on propane. I took the side burner off an old BBQ and wrapped three sides with heavy sheet metal super strong. Works great, I only run it in the garden shed with the door and windows open. Electric looks like the way to go but that is another can of worms to make that happen.
The three inch pipe is what I had kicking around so the whole show is built around that, yes I could pack the column, that was the idea, there is a three inch sieve for that idea.
Yes point the inlet and outlet pipes down.I did have some kinking, talk about obvious.
Finally, more ports would be the cats butt, all in the fullness of time.
Thanks again for all the generous help.
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Chauncey
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Re: My new keg still

Post by Chauncey »

robe wrote: Sun Jul 03, 2022 8:28 am I don't know if this will be enough for this new setup. I was thinking to run the garden hose to it and the outboard end to a soaker hose on the lawn.
Dude you should save yourself a little trouble off top and start with the hose. It'll give you a better idea of the amount of water required for a recirculation system, and that 5 gal bucket and ice is gonna be real annoying.

Ya prolly don't need to ask how I knowww...lol
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Re: My new keg still

Post by robe »

Advice appreciated.
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Re: My new keg still

Post by StillerBoy »

robe wrote: Fri Jul 01, 2022 5:29 pm lower picture is 42 inches of twisted copper All-Round that slides inside the vapor tube to add turbulence.
There is no vapor turbulence in a liebig..

The first few inch of a liebig is the section that works the hardest, by condensing the vapors, after that it just serve as a distillate cooler..

And you will quickly get annoyed with the 5 gal bucket and ice.. the very least is a 35 gal and even that will not be enough for a full run on stripping but should somewhat ok for spirit run, as less water is used.. if the plan is to operate from a reservoir, then a double 45 gal barrel is a better setup..

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Re: My new keg still

Post by Deplorable »

Robe,
If I may suggest. Put your cooling water inlet on a gate valve, and hook that to a garden hose from the tap. Then during a stripping run regulate the water flow to maintain a temperature gradient in the condenser, with your outlet hose in a bucket. You'll get an idea just how much cooling water you're going to use, and how hot the discharge water is.
I run to waste from the tap, and really don't use that much water, but the discharge is too hot to run out on the lawn. It cooks the roots and kills the patch of grass. Rather, I run it straight to the storm drain. In two years doing this there has been no significant increase in my water bill.
You could take it a step further, and put a flow meter between the gate valve and the condenser to watch the flow rate, and track the volume of water you're using over the course of a run.
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Chauncey
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Re: My new keg still

Post by Chauncey »

I used to live in a place where I had to cool my condensers with a water hose from outside that went in to my kitchen window. Wonder what the neighbor lady thought about that....haha.

Sorry for derailing.

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Re: My new keg still

Post by robe »

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.
I used my bucket setup as I am kind of stubborn and I wanted to justify my nice high lift aquarium pump. Two buckets of water with 2 x 2 liter jugs of ice wasn't quite enough as I had to put a third bucket in at the end. I find it easy to change them over, put the outflow in the new bucket, grab the pump and quickly put it in the new bucket. I have my pump turned down as low as it goes so I will need a valve to slow it a bit more.
I am happy to report that this setup worked really well, nice smooth product, fast and easy but since I am still green only having done about nine batches so far I have nothing to compare to.
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Re: My new keg still

Post by Dancing4dan »

robe wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:15 pm Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.
I used my bucket setup as I am kind of stubborn and I wanted to justify my nice high lift aquarium pump. Two buckets of water with 2 x 2 liter jugs of ice wasn't quite enough as I had to put a third bucket in at the end. I find it easy to change them over, put the outflow in the new bucket, grab the pump and quickly put it in the new bucket. I have my pump turned down as low as it goes so I will need a valve to slow it a bit more.
I am happy to report that this setup worked really well, nice smooth product, fast and easy but since I am still green only having done about nine batches so far I have nothing to compare to.
Did the water with ice for a while. Was freezing 4L milk jugs. A 45 gallon barrel reservoir with ice. Was unable to do two stripping runs on same day before water reservoir got to hot.

Looking for more efficiency Built a Liebig condenser that was large enough to knock down vapour and just hook it up city water. Uses very little water. Water stream is about twice the product stream and hot. I could use a little more condenser on my stripping runs. Might add a flat copper twist inside to increase efficiency a little more.

Started to use hot water output to do next mash on occasion.
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