sixtel boiler

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actionjxn
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sixtel boiler

Post by actionjxn »

Hey folks!

I was gifted a sixtel keg (~5.16 gallons) with the sankey removed. Perfect for my first still (I think)!

Has anyone here had luck turning a sixel into a boiler? My plan is to drill a hole and install a 2000w heating element controlled by either an SCR or a variac. I may also drill another hole for a cleanout.

Is this sane? How full can I fill a 5.16 gallon boiler?

Thanks!
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subbrew
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by subbrew »

you can fill to about 3/4 full so a little less than 4 gal. A little variable depending on what you are doing. Stripping runs with something foamy and you better be on the low side. Spirit runs with low wines and you can be a bit higher as there will be little to no foam.
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by still_stirrin »

A sixth (1/6) barrel would work for a “petite” boiler.

The Sanke opening is perfect for mounting a riser or column using a 2” T/C ferrule and clamp. Add a 1-1/2 or 2” T/C ferrule as low as you can on the side and get a T/C to 1” straight thread adapter for your heat element. A 2kW 120VAC element will easily fit inside.

I also suggest adding a bottom drain outlet that you can put a valve on. That way you can drain hot backset between strip runs without disconnecting all the top-of-boiler stuff. The drain will be a godsend when doing multiple runs in a day.

Finally, when you’ve got the keg complete, wrap it in a couple layers of Reflectex thermal insulation. That will help hold heat inside the boiler and stabilize the boiling process. Make sure to cover the top “head” of the boiler too, as heat rises and the dome will get quite hot.
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Ben
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by Ben »

I considered using a sixtel for mine, eventually while I was planning it I realized I could use a half barrel for the exact same amount of work... in my case that led to a much bigger still overall but if you are going to do all the work you may as well get a boiler big enough to do a decent size run.
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IAmPistolPete
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by IAmPistolPete »

The tight radius of a six-barrel can make it a little difficult to get fittings to mate correctly. I went with weldless bulkhead fittings from minibrew.com which were high-quality but had to flatten the side of the keg to keep it from leaking or moving. I imagine similar issues if it's welded. My keg was free but not really worth it in the end. I could barely fit 4gal to have room for vapor headspace and was very top-heavy. It's now a fermentor.
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actionjxn
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by actionjxn »

so do you all think I should just use a standard keg? Is ~5 gallons (brew bucket size) in a standard keg too little?

Also, for a standard keg boiler is 2kw still enough wattage? Am I already over thinking this and should just save up for a t500?
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by IAmPistolPete »

If this is your first rig a 5gal kettle is a good size to learn & cut your teeth on. From your 5gal mash you can do 2 strips + spirit or a 1 1/2run. Are looking to have a pot still or add a column? The good thing about keg boilers is you can easily move back & forth from a 1/6BB to a 1/2BB with the same top-end.
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Ben
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by Ben »

Its easy to run 2 washes to fill a half barrel, or just run 6 and a half gallon ferments (you can get ~8 gallon buckets at most brew shops, or 12 or 20 gallon feed containers at whatever feed store). 3-1/2 - 4 gallon washes seems like a strange limitation. I guess it would allow you to use the common 5 gallon buckets as fermenters, but it isn't a lot more work to make a 12 gallon wash than it is a 3 1/2.
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actionjxn
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by actionjxn »

IAmPistolPete wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 8:18 am Are looking to have a pot still or add a column?
I was thinking about a combination still as I'm interested in making both whiskeys and gins.
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by Twisted Brick »

actionjxn wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 8:01 am so do you all think I should just use a standard keg?
Learning to make excellent spirits doesn't take that long. Consider: a standard whiskey strip run yields low wines of ~25% of your boiler charge. From those low wines a spirit run yields ~60% spirit depending on cuts. After the time invested, a squeezed 5gal batch doesn't leave much to drink and/or age (in the case of whiskey).

IMHO, the economies of scale of running a 1/2bbl keg quickly outweighs the convenience of learning how to still on a smaller rig, or the recurring time costs in conducting smaller distillations. The improvements like s_s recommends are equally valuable in 1/2bbl kegs. Also, a 1/2bbl keg scales better to a packed column for refluxing neutrals.
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Ben
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Re: sixtel boiler

Post by Ben »

I agree with the above. I usually end up with 3 quarts around 82% after cuts, 12 gallon charge with feints added. So 3 4 gallon charges, stripped then feints added, possibly triple distilled might net the same 3 quarts? And if you figure for time the time spent would be pretty close to having 9 quarts off the larger boiler. When you are first starting out being able to build a stock is critical to being able to age (otherwise you just drink it all white!) Usually I pull around a quart off of my final cut for nuke aging or drinking white and the rest goes into the barrel charge pile, that way I know in a few months I will be able to fill a 5 gallon barrel, which can then sit for a year and I won't be teetotalling in the meantime.

I also feel like its easier to make conservative cuts when you are looking at a larger volume. You don't feel so inclined to keep stuff you might not ought to.
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