introduction and a few questions

[Moonshine_Mike]

Hello all,
First off id like to say you guys have a real nice forum set up here. This is my first post but ive been here researching too many times to count. I am a small time farmer that enjoys sipping good whiskey out on the front porch after a long days work. An old moonshiner got me interested and has been giving me tips and helping me along the way. I purchased a reflux column and started out practicing with sugar washes for about 10 batches. I feel i have a good enough understanding to move to an all grain mash.

I attempted my first all-grain cooked mash with some success. I beer stripped 42L of wash which yielded 4.5L of 60%ABV. I then placed the low wines back into the still and ended up with 1L 90%ABV heads, 3/4L 85%ABV hearts, and 3/4L 70%ABV tails. I had the column sparsely packed, and ran the cooling lines backwards. I know, not the greatest results.

Like i stated earlier, i have been reading almost constantly, to the point where my girlfriend complains that i read more than pay attention to her. But i do still have a few questions that i cant find the answer to.

Questions:
pictured here is my reflux still:



1. in all my readings i read about running a reflux still at equilibrium when making vodka by closing a "needle valve". I don't have a valve, so is it impossible for my still to run at equilibrium?

2. Is there anything i am doing wrong or should tweak on the above all grain run?

well my mind drew a blank on my other question, hopefully it will come to me soon. Thanks in advance for your answers and advise.

-Moonshine Mike

[CoopsOz]

Hi Mike,
First up, welcome, secondly, nice still!

I've noticed that there have been quite a few reads of your post, but you've had no reply. Don't think people are being rude, if somebody doesn't know the answer than they won't respond.The good thing about this forum (unlike many others) is people don't feel the need to get there post count up!

Now your questions, you can get equilibrium on your still (although I'm not 100% sure it's required) by corking your output. This however will result in a lot of waste as you will have EtOH the whole length of your output tube.

EDIT: So I'm not peddling incorrect info, do not cork your output unless the column is open (by the looks, I don't think it is). Thanks level Joe for highlighting that fact.

If you want the flavour of the grains to come through, I think your still will be way to efficient. You stated you got 90%ABV from your strippings, that is to high. You may want to build a pot still.

Hope this helps.....when the experts get on line, they'll be able to elaborate.

[goose eye]

thank you for usein the liquid 7 instead of the powder
you are savein bees

[possum]

Looks like a vapour management still without a control output valve. Assuming that the top cap is removable, you could collect the product, and pour it back in the collumn.

You might be better off if you installed a valve in the prouduct out line...that would make stabilization easier.

[wineo]

Get 2ft of 2in copper and build you a potstill column.make it with a leibig condencer{about 20in} and angle it down 45 degrees.you should be able to hook it up to the base of your other column.I made me one,and it works great for stripping runs,and for flavor.My other column is a 2in by 38in nixon/stone offset head,and it will run 30ltrs of wash to190 proof in 5 or 6 hrs. The other one will strip 30ltrs of wash in 1.5-2hrs at 130-140proof.Its a time saver,and makes good whiskey.
wineo

[CoopsOz]

You can do this quite cheaply;



It is built so it can be transfered to my keg boiler in seconds.

[level Joe]

I dont run a still like that but from what I know of the way it works, putting a cork or a valve on the output side could cause a dangerous build up of pressure. A still should never be pressurized, it could explode.

If I understand what possum is saying, having the cap off the top of your still would vent any pressure. At the same time the cap is off, youll be venting uncondensed etho vapors. Not a good thing either, the gasses could collect and cause a flash fire or a nasty burn.

The type of still you have is not a very good design. I dont think you can equilize that still. You can learn allot with it if your carefull and with practice make some very drinkable stuff.

That still is designed for neutral spirits so no need for grain unless you run it with no packing and no water running in the tubes that run through the top of the still (it sounds like you already know that). You also will not get a strong flavored whiskey with the output proof that high. If you run it faster the proof will drop durring the run but the quality will really suffer.

Anyway...

WELCOME

Lots of good people here with more information than you probably want to know.

Oh and dont be put off if your told to read read read.

[rangaz]

60% is most definitely not low wines, it should be more like 30% for a stripping run. The problem is that you left packing in the column, allowing way too much reflux, stripping a lot of flavor from the wash. Either build a pot still like coops or try removing the packing if you're making whiskey. Welcome to the forums

[possum]

Without seeing the inside of the top of that head, I begin to feel a bit nervious. The vapor takoff from collumn to the leibeg should be under the "vapor supression coil". I belive that the small horizontal piece between the leibig and the collumn is a cooling pipe...warm water return from the leibig.

You might want to re-arrange your vapor flow out, I get the impression that the top of your collumn is vapor filled.
I belive that you will have a hard time adjusting the reflux ratio of this design. You can't really change the flow of coolant water below a certian point, because your final condenser, and vapor supression are on the same loop.

That said, the still will run at a basically preset reflux rate determined by the power/heat level in, and the cooling water temperature and flow rate, and the constituants of the wash and vapor.
It should select strongly for the most volitile vapors to come off first in a run (and better than a potstill) but id dosen't really look adjustable in this configuration.

[Moonshine_Mike]

Thanks for all the responses guys. Ive thought it over and i am going to go ahead and build a pot still column for my boiler. I realize that if i want to make really good whiskey and brandy in the future i will need a pot still. I went to home depot and priced 2" copper, wow, $90 for 10ft. For now though i am gonna try to turn the reflux up a little bit and do just a single run through it. This should put me within the normal range of 80-65% hearts.

My father planted about 100 Korean pear trees, about 60% fruit bearing age now. They taste like an apple and a pear combined,very juicy and sweet. I am gonna try my hand at some pear brandy this spring assuming i get my pot still up and working. Has anyone ever heard of Korean pears being used in alcohol making?

-Moonshine Mike

[mtnwalker2]

My father planted about 100 Korean pear trees, about 60% fruit bearing age now. They taste like an apple and a pear combined,very juicy and sweet. I am gonna try my hand at some pear brandy this spring assuming i get my pot still up and working. Has anyone ever heard of Korean pears being used in alcohol making?

-Moonshine Mike

I am actually placeing a fairly large ordet tommorrow, which will contain one Korean pear, and quite a few other pears. I am doing a sampling order here of fruit trees, berry trees, like mullberries,etc. and grape vines. all for the purpose of wines and brandies. Will test for a few years, and then then plant those I have success with. You will need an a grinder, and apple press with those Koreans, as they are like an apple when ripe.

Pot still column will be perfect.

[goose eye]

i aint much on perry but these boys have done moonglow an pineapple. mostly folks round here will squeeze some pear to top off a barel of cider if they aint got enough apples other always add 20 percent pear.


you got much fire blight in that kind

[marquee moon]

The finest clavados (french apple brandy) should be made from 70-80% cider (hard cider) and 20-30 % perry.
I’ve tasted both- pure apple and apple/pear mix. Its definitely an improvement with perry (pear).
Of course there’s always “Williams” pear shnapps (but that’s made from a spcific pear I believe).

[Marionette]

No doubt William's pears!