8 or 13 gallon still
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8 or 13 gallon still
Guys, little question or two on size...nothing personal
I will be buying a still shortly and am unsure whether to go for the 8 or 13 gallon...am looking at VM with 2 or 3" column, electric heating, controller and PID to help manage temps.
Now initial thought was to go for the 8 as will be easier to use, lower volume and quicker turnaround from start to finish of run...giving that it will take longer to heat up and run the larger volumes. However, now in two minds whether to go for the 13 gallon as it will give me the option to increase production without the need to spend again but, my main aim at this point was just to make smaller batches and different spirits.
Question are... have any of you been thinking similarly and, if so, what was your decision and why?
Would I be wasting money, energy and time in buying the 13 and only running it with 5 or 6 gallons each time?
The price difference is only $60.
Would welcome any thoughts or feedback folks and appreciate all given,
cheers,
thebhoy
I will be buying a still shortly and am unsure whether to go for the 8 or 13 gallon...am looking at VM with 2 or 3" column, electric heating, controller and PID to help manage temps.
Now initial thought was to go for the 8 as will be easier to use, lower volume and quicker turnaround from start to finish of run...giving that it will take longer to heat up and run the larger volumes. However, now in two minds whether to go for the 13 gallon as it will give me the option to increase production without the need to spend again but, my main aim at this point was just to make smaller batches and different spirits.
Question are... have any of you been thinking similarly and, if so, what was your decision and why?
Would I be wasting money, energy and time in buying the 13 and only running it with 5 or 6 gallons each time?
The price difference is only $60.
Would welcome any thoughts or feedback folks and appreciate all given,
cheers,
thebhoy
- Skipper1953
- Site Donor
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Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
Go with the 13 gallon and you won't have to upgrade nearly as soon.
Be sure to read as much as you can on this site. Then you will know why you are likely to get scolded for using "PID" and "manage temps" in the same sentence.
Boiler size is not nearly as important as what you put on top of the boiler. Do some reading here and you will be able to make a more informed decision about what type of still you want. I use an 11 gallon stock pot for my boiler and I have a few different stills I can use with it. I have sometimes wished I had a larger boiler but I have never wanted a smaller one.
Be sure to read as much as you can on this site. Then you will know why you are likely to get scolded for using "PID" and "manage temps" in the same sentence.
Boiler size is not nearly as important as what you put on top of the boiler. Do some reading here and you will be able to make a more informed decision about what type of still you want. I use an 11 gallon stock pot for my boiler and I have a few different stills I can use with it. I have sometimes wished I had a larger boiler but I have never wanted a smaller one.
Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
I owned a one gallon still and then moved up to a 3-gallon still and then moved up to an 8 gallon still until I finally settled on my keg still about 15 gallons. The 8 gallon still was nice and I'd still like to have one again but I'd never trade anything for my 15 gallon boiler. You can always just fill your 15 gallon boiler with a little bit less.
Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
I owned a one gallon still and then moved up to a 3-gallon still and then moved up to an 8 gallon still until I finally settled on my keg still about 15 gallons. The 8 gallon still was nice and I'd still like to have one again but I'd never trade anything for my 15 gallon boiler. You can always just fill your 15 gallon boiler with a little bit less.
Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
Go for a 13 you won't regret it
- jonnys_spirit
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Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
Hi, If you go with the idea that you're going to stick with this and end up with at least a couple different boilers and columns then I think the 13g is a good starter.
I started with a 13g and am considering how to upgrade the boiler size for stripping runs and how best to incorporate a thumper to also strip on-grain and maximize my stripping volume or rather "optimize" my stripping volume.
On the other end of the size scale I'm also looking into a smaller dedicated still for making gin and similar spirits that I would use already cut neutral to macerate, proof down, and charge the smaller still with - probably 10liter for me will work well and I can do up to 2gallon batches which is quite a lot of gin or sambuca.
Columns - You might end up with a simple pot-still column for whiskies,rums, brandies, and similar flavored spirits and a reflux column for neutrals. You'll probably eventually have a desire to run with a plated column...
220V elements allow faster heat-up so I'd go ahead and get that too.
Cheers and good luck!
-j
I started with a 13g and am considering how to upgrade the boiler size for stripping runs and how best to incorporate a thumper to also strip on-grain and maximize my stripping volume or rather "optimize" my stripping volume.
On the other end of the size scale I'm also looking into a smaller dedicated still for making gin and similar spirits that I would use already cut neutral to macerate, proof down, and charge the smaller still with - probably 10liter for me will work well and I can do up to 2gallon batches which is quite a lot of gin or sambuca.
Columns - You might end up with a simple pot-still column for whiskies,rums, brandies, and similar flavored spirits and a reflux column for neutrals. You'll probably eventually have a desire to run with a plated column...
220V elements allow faster heat-up so I'd go ahead and get that too.
Cheers and good luck!
-j
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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- Master of Distillation
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Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
It's not so much the run time as the number of times you need to do the changeover; turn it off, cool a bit, empty it out and wash it, fill it and re-seal it, and heat up again....
Go for the biggest one.
And think about a pre-heater (a la Charentais still; it's simple) and a thumper (pot still).
Geoff
Go for the biggest one.
And think about a pre-heater (a la Charentais still; it's simple) and a thumper (pot still).
Geoff
The Baker
Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
For the 13-gallon, consider a drain port. It's considerably heavier than an 8 to lug to the slop sink for emptying.
Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
+1...its heavy and worse when it's hotfizzix wrote:For the 13-gallon, consider a drain port. It's considerably heavier than an 8 to lug to the slop sink for emptying.
Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
Many thanks for the feedback folks, very much appreciated.
Looks like a 13 is the better bet for the long haul and just use lower volumes of 5 to 10 gallons.
The VM / reflux column was giving me the option to run in reflux mode for clean spirits or, by not using the VM option to run as a pot still for more flavoured product.
Hopefully ordering up this month to get started.
Thanks again everybody
thebhoy
Looks like a 13 is the better bet for the long haul and just use lower volumes of 5 to 10 gallons.
The VM / reflux column was giving me the option to run in reflux mode for clean spirits or, by not using the VM option to run as a pot still for more flavoured product.
Hopefully ordering up this month to get started.
Thanks again everybody
thebhoy
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Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
Post up a link of the still that you plan to buy so the experts here can critique it and possibly keep you from
making a poor decision.
making a poor decision.
Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
Relative newb chiming in. The 13 gallon will be more useful overall. Anyone I could see getting into the hobby with enthusiasm would outgrow a smaller boiler very quickly. I use a 15.5 gallon keg and would only consider smaller (much smaller) for experimental batches.
----------
Zed
When the Student is ready, the Master will appear.
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
Zed
When the Student is ready, the Master will appear.
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
- bluefish_dist
- Distiller
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Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
+1 on the 13 gallon and then put a 3" column on it. Much faster than a 2".
Last edited by bluefish_dist on Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Formerly
Dsp-CO-20051
Dsp-CO-20051
Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
Yes and 1.5 times the diameter is 2.25 times the surface !bluefish_dist wrote:+1 on the 13 gallon and then out a 3" column on it. Much faster than a 2".
- frunobulax
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Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
+1bluefish_dist wrote:+1 on the 13 gallon and then put a 3" column on it. Much faster than a 2".
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- Swill Maker
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Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
I have a 15 gallon boiler and everyday wish it was 30. I couldn't imagine anything smaller.
Also if you're crabbing about the weight of a 15er after distilling.... just hit the gym more... it ain't no thing.
Also if you're crabbing about the weight of a 15er after distilling.... just hit the gym more... it ain't no thing.
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- Swill Maker
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Re: 8 or 13 gallon still
For sure go for the 13 (or bigger!) with the 3 inch column! You can always run smaller volumes, but once you get a bit of experience under you, you'll want the extra size.
I started with a one litre stove top still, worked my way up and now use a 13.5 gallon keg still. this hobby is a rabbit hole... you might try a micro stove-top stilling set-up (it helped me learn the principals of pot distillation,) and simultaneously set up the 13 gal.
I started with a one litre stove top still, worked my way up and now use a 13.5 gallon keg still. this hobby is a rabbit hole... you might try a micro stove-top stilling set-up (it helped me learn the principals of pot distillation,) and simultaneously set up the 13 gal.
13.5g/50L keg
modular 3" pot/VM copper&stainless w/offset gin head
26g 4" stripping still
5500watts of fury
modular 3" pot/VM copper&stainless w/offset gin head
26g 4" stripping still
5500watts of fury