Hello Distillers,
Is a 10 gallon pure copper boiler better than a stainless steel boiler for distilling,
I have been looking at 10 gallon Georgia Ridge Copper Boiler , from Colonel Wilson's Copper Moonshine Stills,
Do anyone from the forum own one, what are they like in the flesh, they do look gorgeous i recon.
what do you think?
copper boilers
Moderator: Site Moderator
their stills may be nice, but their prices are far from it.
for a boiler it doesn't realy matter if it's copper or SS, it's the column and condenser that are important.
only positive thing is that it looks better.
go for a keg or copper boiler from your scrap dealer.
but if you want to spend the money, no problem, go for it, I think they are good stuf
for a boiler it doesn't realy matter if it's copper or SS, it's the column and condenser that are important.
only positive thing is that it looks better.
go for a keg or copper boiler from your scrap dealer.
but if you want to spend the money, no problem, go for it, I think they are good stuf
-I have too much blood in my alcohol system-
Copper is an ideal material for a boiler. It conducts heat well and most distilleries use copper for their boilers.
There is a benificial chemical reaction between the mash and copper during boiling, which is why I have a bunch of copper scraps in the bottom of my boiler.
If you can afford the price, go for it.
There is a benificial chemical reaction between the mash and copper during boiling, which is why I have a bunch of copper scraps in the bottom of my boiler.
If you can afford the price, go for it.
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stillvodka
- Swill Maker
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I know they are expensive, but where i come from you cant get a proper copper boiler for love nor money, and you know what they say, you only get what you pay for, i have always found that to be true.
What Swag said, it is true nearly all commercial distilleries been using them for donkeys years, there must be some reason for that.
I could not resist it, i have now put my deposit down, and it seems like alot of other people buy these, the waiting list is at 13-14 weeks.
What Swag said, it is true nearly all commercial distilleries been using them for donkeys years, there must be some reason for that.
I could not resist it, i have now put my deposit down, and it seems like alot of other people buy these, the waiting list is at 13-14 weeks.
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stillvodka
- Swill Maker
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Big J,
I am only buying the boiler with a few mods done to it, the still head is from the Amphora society and that is 99% copper also, so it should make for a really top quality still, that should out last me and maybe i can pass it on to one of my kids, so i think it should make for a good investment, i have asked him to put his name on the boiler, he said that he would.
When i get it, i will post some pictures of it all set up, you can see what you think of it.
I am only buying the boiler with a few mods done to it, the still head is from the Amphora society and that is 99% copper also, so it should make for a really top quality still, that should out last me and maybe i can pass it on to one of my kids, so i think it should make for a good investment, i have asked him to put his name on the boiler, he said that he would.
When i get it, i will post some pictures of it all set up, you can see what you think of it.
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copperhead
- Swill Maker
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is this the one?
http://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Image:Still.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Image:Still.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
-I have too much blood in my alcohol system-
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stillvodka
- Swill Maker
- Posts: 432
- Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:13 am
Copper Moonshine Stills
I have one, it's supposed to be the 20 gal but it holds 24 gal. I use the 32 in reflux tower with copper mesh as "packin". It's the cats meow. I use the mashback method of making corn whiskey. after taking off the heads, I can put a 5 gal carboy down to collect in, set the output at a steady little stream, temp will usually be around 188* and go to bed. I usually wake up once or twice during the night and check to make sure everything is ok. Temp will rise by itself, sometimes an adjustment is needed but not often. I quit taking off at 200*, useing the mashback method I'll get it next time around anyway.
I used to have a stainless steel pot with a copper reflux tower, used copper mesh as packin. The whiskey from the copper pot taste better. I don't have to filter, polish, or do any or the things I see people on here talking about. I just water it down to 130 proof and put it in an oak barrel.
I used to have a stainless steel pot with a copper reflux tower, used copper mesh as packin. The whiskey from the copper pot taste better. I don't have to filter, polish, or do any or the things I see people on here talking about. I just water it down to 130 proof and put it in an oak barrel.
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DixieBanjo
- Novice
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- Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 2:35 pm
- Location: Dixie
Look,copper is very pretty,conducts heat very well,and has superior distilling abillities -BUT,SS will do you just fine.You wont notice a difference in the quality of the finished product just as long as you have a lot of copper elsewhere.And believe me,stainless boliers are easier to clean,and with many of the "Colonel's" stills and any still for that matter that has a small opening at the top,you will hate cleaning out the inside.I speak from experience,and Ive built many copper stills from scratch out of copper sheet with nothing but a hammer,a pair of tin snips ,and a torch.So I know what Im talking about.Dont get me wrong,its not that I dont like them-Ive built and used them!But they dont run any better than a ss still.Just make sure you have copper everywhere else.Dont let anybody fool you.There are better and more practical stills that the traditional all copper pot stills.And plus......the Colonels stills are over priced.He does very good work,but if your not interested in using your still as a decoration,get a 10 dollar 5 gallon steel pail,or a 50 dollar 10 gallon drum.
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possum
- Distiller
- Posts: 1159
- Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2005 9:33 am
- Location: small copper potstill with limestone water
The col.'s work is pretty, but I couldn't buy at his prices. I built mine, but I couldn't have done it if I hadn't found that big sheet of copper. It sure is pretty, and it does transfer heat faster than stainless. I don't think it is hard to clean. Mine has a very big opening, but the big opening means a more difficult time attaching the head.
For the money, stainless is good stuff. With a copper vapor psth, and a ss keg boiler, I bet you would be happy.
Of course a handmade copper alembic looks nice on the bookshelf.
For the money, stainless is good stuff. With a copper vapor psth, and a ss keg boiler, I bet you would be happy.
Of course a handmade copper alembic looks nice on the bookshelf.
Hey guys!!! Watch this.... OUCH!
Re: Copper Moonshine Stills
Damn.DBM SAID: after taking off the heads, I can put a 5 gal carboy down to collect in, set the output at a steady little stream, temp will usually be around 188* and go to bed. I usually wake up once or twice during the night and check to make sure everything is ok.
I would NEVER EVER leave a running still unattended like that.
I'd not reccommend it either.
I hope for your sake that your luck continues to hold.
"a woman who drives you to drink is hard to find, most of them will make you drive yourself."
anon--
anon--
Copper stills
possum;
When the col made my last still I had him add two 7/16 copper lines right at the full mark. Also had him add a 1 inch copper drain at the bottom.
To fill the still I have a 3 ft.piece of 7/16 copper with a filter(screen wire) on the end , I connect that to a bilge pump with ,7/16 flexible tubing, on the out side of the pump I just run a piece of 7/16 tubing to the still. The other piece of copper tubing attached to the still is to tell when it's full. put a piece of the tubing on that and when it starts runing out that tube it's full. These pieces of copper tubing have brass valves to seal them when the still is rinning. After making the run I can set a five gallon bucket under the drain tube and use the same pump and plastic tubing to pump the backset right back into the mash barrel. add cracked corn, and about 6 or seven days later you are ready to run again.
After empting backset from the still I usually run a few gallons of clean water through it to make sure the inside is clean. Then run some more clean water through it just before filling it again.
My mash barrel is about 40 ft from my still. My cooling water barrels are 20 ft away, so is my propane tank. The still is in a cement block building and the take off tube goes through a block wall into another room. The Col. located the thermometer right at the top of the collum where it's easy to read. So once you get it set all you have to do for the next eight hours is check th output stream and make sure it's coming out in a steady flow. The Col's still are worth the money, I have never made a bad batch, or off tasting whiskey using his still.
When the col made my last still I had him add two 7/16 copper lines right at the full mark. Also had him add a 1 inch copper drain at the bottom.
To fill the still I have a 3 ft.piece of 7/16 copper with a filter(screen wire) on the end , I connect that to a bilge pump with ,7/16 flexible tubing, on the out side of the pump I just run a piece of 7/16 tubing to the still. The other piece of copper tubing attached to the still is to tell when it's full. put a piece of the tubing on that and when it starts runing out that tube it's full. These pieces of copper tubing have brass valves to seal them when the still is rinning. After making the run I can set a five gallon bucket under the drain tube and use the same pump and plastic tubing to pump the backset right back into the mash barrel. add cracked corn, and about 6 or seven days later you are ready to run again.
After empting backset from the still I usually run a few gallons of clean water through it to make sure the inside is clean. Then run some more clean water through it just before filling it again.
My mash barrel is about 40 ft from my still. My cooling water barrels are 20 ft away, so is my propane tank. The still is in a cement block building and the take off tube goes through a block wall into another room. The Col. located the thermometer right at the top of the collum where it's easy to read. So once you get it set all you have to do for the next eight hours is check th output stream and make sure it's coming out in a steady flow. The Col's still are worth the money, I have never made a bad batch, or off tasting whiskey using his still.
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stillvodka
- Swill Maker
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possum
- Distiller
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- Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2005 9:33 am
- Location: small copper potstill with limestone water
Yea, copper is better.
HOWEVER, the best effects come in the vapor path.
The issue is cost effect ratio.
The cost per gallon of building a 10 gallon copper vessel is much higher than the cost per gallon of building a 100 or 1000 gallon vessel.
There is a higher ratio of surface to enclosed volume in a small container than a mega container.
Yes copper is better , and my rig is all copper. However, copper is quite pricey. I could not afford to build a 15.5 gallon copper boiler, but I can afford a 15.5 gallon ss used keg. If you have the money to blow, by all means do it. Cu makes great whiskey, and looks very pretty, but as with all engineering it is a matter of trade offs, and it is doubtfull that any system will have all of the atributes that you want (cost, flexibillity, repeatabillity,effeciency, portabillity, large batch size, small batch capabillity, etc.)
I love my homade copper 5+gallon rig, but I get fustrated at times at the small batch size for running beer in it, and then waiting for 3 or more runs to get enough spirit for a spirit run.
I would like a keg for beer (15gal) and then use my 5 gal copper for the spirit run. The coppper in the vapor path can be got from copper vapor lines, and if you want copper in the liquid, then some clean copper scrap can go in the boiler.
It is hard to get everything that you desire.
If you can spare the cash, then get the all Cu big rig.
I hope this helps explain stillvodka.
happy cookin'
possum
HOWEVER, the best effects come in the vapor path.
The issue is cost effect ratio.
The cost per gallon of building a 10 gallon copper vessel is much higher than the cost per gallon of building a 100 or 1000 gallon vessel.
There is a higher ratio of surface to enclosed volume in a small container than a mega container.
Yes copper is better , and my rig is all copper. However, copper is quite pricey. I could not afford to build a 15.5 gallon copper boiler, but I can afford a 15.5 gallon ss used keg. If you have the money to blow, by all means do it. Cu makes great whiskey, and looks very pretty, but as with all engineering it is a matter of trade offs, and it is doubtfull that any system will have all of the atributes that you want (cost, flexibillity, repeatabillity,effeciency, portabillity, large batch size, small batch capabillity, etc.)
I love my homade copper 5+gallon rig, but I get fustrated at times at the small batch size for running beer in it, and then waiting for 3 or more runs to get enough spirit for a spirit run.
I would like a keg for beer (15gal) and then use my 5 gal copper for the spirit run. The coppper in the vapor path can be got from copper vapor lines, and if you want copper in the liquid, then some clean copper scrap can go in the boiler.
It is hard to get everything that you desire.
If you can spare the cash, then get the all Cu big rig.
I hope this helps explain stillvodka.
happy cookin'
possum
Hey guys!!! Watch this.... OUCH!
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stillvodka
- Swill Maker
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- Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:13 am
Hello possum,
I am not made of money, honestly, but like all of us, sometimes i just get fed up with having second best, i have managed to scrape together enough money to buy one of the Colonels Copper boilers, which after doing a lot of research into what the commercial distilleries are using, copper is the distillers choice, so my mind will be at ease of knowing that my still is as good as it gets.
DixieBanjo
Look,copper is very pretty,conducts heat very well,and has superior distilling abillities -BUT,SS will do you just fine
That's the problem, will DO is Always making DO, i get abit fed up with that.
I am not made of money, honestly, but like all of us, sometimes i just get fed up with having second best, i have managed to scrape together enough money to buy one of the Colonels Copper boilers, which after doing a lot of research into what the commercial distilleries are using, copper is the distillers choice, so my mind will be at ease of knowing that my still is as good as it gets.
DixieBanjo
Look,copper is very pretty,conducts heat very well,and has superior distilling abillities -BUT,SS will do you just fine
That's the problem, will DO is Always making DO, i get abit fed up with that.
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DixieBanjo
- Novice
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 2:35 pm
- Location: Dixie
A ss boiler is not second best.A lot of a boiler is covered with mash anyway and the vapor never touches it.A ss boiler is just as good if not better than copper,and your spirits will be just as good as long as you have copper for the steam to touch everywhere else.My advise is to get a ss boiler and build the head,arm,and condensor out of copper.You will then have a still as good as any copper still,and it will be easier to clean and less expensive.And thats the truth! But you seem to be pretty fixed on copper.Go ahead and get one of the colonels stills.You wont be dissapointed with it.But just remember that there are people that use ss boilers that make much better spirits than many people that use copper stills.You cant go wrong with a ss or copper boiler,but dont get too stuck on the copper boilers.Unless you chemically analyze the spirits you will not notice the difference blindfolded.Just as long as theirs plenty of copper elswhere.......thats the important thing.Good luck!
Scrounging
possum;
Get one of those cheep copper pipe cutters 2.99 and pay a visit to any old mobil homes you can find. I've probably got a 100 extra feet of copper water line I got this way. Its good for making cooling systems. the 7/16 copper line can be connected using about 6 in of 7/16 plastic tubing which cost about $.07 a foot. not much preasure involved so you don't even need clamps. Lots of those old mobile homes will have a 20 ft piece of tubing from an old propane tank to the inside of the mobil home. It's out there, found one last week that had a 1/2 piece of copper line the whole lingth of the mobil home.
Get one of those cheep copper pipe cutters 2.99 and pay a visit to any old mobil homes you can find. I've probably got a 100 extra feet of copper water line I got this way. Its good for making cooling systems. the 7/16 copper line can be connected using about 6 in of 7/16 plastic tubing which cost about $.07 a foot. not much preasure involved so you don't even need clamps. Lots of those old mobile homes will have a 20 ft piece of tubing from an old propane tank to the inside of the mobil home. It's out there, found one last week that had a 1/2 piece of copper line the whole lingth of the mobil home.
Re: Copper Moonshine Stills
Fourway wrote:Damn.DBM SAID: after taking off the heads, I can put a 5 gal carboy down to collect in, set the output at a steady little stream, temp will usually be around 188* and go to bed. I usually wake up once or twice during the night and check to make sure everything is ok. DBM also says he don't give a rats a$$ what Fourway reccommens.
I would NEVER EVER leave a running still unattended like that.
I'd not reccommend it either.
I hope for your sake that your luck continues to hold.
Re: Copper Moonshine Stills
Well... naturally DBM you are entitled to do whatever it is you do any way you see fit.DBM SAID:DBM also says he don't give a rats a$$ what Fourway reccommens.
But as a warning to newbies and the less experienced out there I'm waving a red flag.
Leaving a still unattended is widely considered a bad idea... not just by me but by most of this community.
"a woman who drives you to drink is hard to find, most of them will make you drive yourself."
anon--
anon--
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theholymackerel
- retired
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- Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Stove top(still)... no, never.theholymackerel wrote:Yeah. Leavin' a still to run unattended is like leavin' a car or a stove to run unattended. Would ya leave yer stove runnin' and go to sleep?
Oven... Yes, any day. Ill be danmed if that Thanksgiving turkey is going to get my butt sat in front of it to watch it cook.
Salus populi suprema est lex. [L.] The safety of the people is the highest law.
I dont know if you all burn off fields where you are but Ive lived a few places (including here) where it is a common practice...
I think of it more like that, letting the field burn off while you sleep.
Virtually all genuine bad news stilling mishaps happen while folks are looking the other way or have wandered off somewhere leaving the rig to fend for itself.
I think of it more like that, letting the field burn off while you sleep.
Virtually all genuine bad news stilling mishaps happen while folks are looking the other way or have wandered off somewhere leaving the rig to fend for itself.
"a woman who drives you to drink is hard to find, most of them will make you drive yourself."
anon--
anon--