How do I know when to turn off the still?

Post by **MisterSteve124** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:19 pm

How do I know when to turn off the still? How do I know when it's all done, just when it stops comming out?

SloppyJoe · Post by **SloppyJoe** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:41 pm

I'm gonna tell you what they're gonna tell you...

Read Read Read...
It's covered on the host site (homedistiller.org) under Distilling -> Distilling the Wash -> When To Finish

Post by **MisterSteve124** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:07 pm

Ok I read it and I have a question. So would a suitable spot to measure the temperature be at the very top of the column or should it be more in the condenser? And this is a little off topic but is it better to place my thermometer for the actual still in the boiler or the top of the column. Thanks

Post by **bronzdragon** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:19 pm

Usually the best place to take the temp is right above the outlet tube to your condenser.

~r~

tracker0945 · Post by **tracker0945** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:22 pm

It depends on what type of still you have.
Pot - at the highest point where the pipe starts to bend down towards your condenser.
Reflux - depending on design but usually just before the vapour starts to condense but not that close to the condenser that the cold water running through it will affect the reading.

Ricky · Post by **Ricky** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:27 pm

top of column. also collect in about tenths of what you expect the total product to be. a 10 gal wash at 10% means 1gal of 100%. collecting at 50% means 2gal of product. 256 ounces. divide by 10 equals 25.6 ounces. put in 10 qt jars and smell each one. it takes time and experiance. heads smell sweet and solventy. hearts will be some what neatral. tails smell of wet newspaper. an alcometer is a must to begin with. your taste will be the deciding factor in what to keep and what to run again. most people go to about 20% just to collect most of the tails for a second run. as far as % i have learned that after the foreshots check the % and watch for it to drop 10. after this i switch to tails to put in the next run. i make stingy heart cuts but it makes good whiskey. hope this helps.

Post by **MisterSteve124** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:55 pm

The only thing is wouldn't it be at the top of the column not give it an accurate temperature like being lower than it is in the boiler, which means I could be boiling water? I guess I'm wrong because otherwise people wouldn't put it there. Ok thanks for all the advice guys, my still should be done tomorrow.

Ricky · Post by **Ricky** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 6:15 pm

you dont want to know what is boiling in the boiler. you want to know what is fixing to come out of the still. as a secondary you could put one in the boiler but near the takeoff should be primary. when you get some time do some reading and it will help you understand. dont overload though. easy to do.

Post by **Usge** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 9:10 pm

I believe you want to measure the vapor temp at the hottest/highest point for the most accuracy. That would be straight up the column, or head until it reaches the lynearm.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:56 am

You're concerned with the temp of the vapor just before the condensor. I don't really use a thermometer anymore and wouldn't worry about it if I were building a new still... if you want a temp, put it just before the condensor and you can tell where you are in a run with that. after a few runs, you can tell on your own...

Post by **shadylane** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:51 am

I'm a pot stiller, so I use many jars to catch the shine in. When it starts to taste like tails, quit saving drinking shine and start saving the tails for re-distillation. I have two thermometers, one in the boiler to let me know how fast it is warming up and the second one is in the thumper, it lets me know what is happening. What ever you do just remember that the "vapor temperature" is the most important, no matter what type of still.

Post by **Husker** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 5:00 am

I also do not use a therm when doing pot still runs, but do have a therm in there to do reflux runs. In my offset, I put the therm above the packing (at the highest point).

However, if redesigning the still, I would probably follow Bokabobs recommendation, and put it at about 2/3 the height of the packing (yes IN the packing). This is done, so that you can detect when a temperature rise is COMING, but before that temp reaches the top of the packing. That gives you time to increase the reflux rate, and thus allows you to keep pulling off product at the highest proof possible.

This is similar to how the ARC works. It uses the rising heat of the column to reboil the liquid in the side tube, thus increasing reflux rate, as the temp tries to rise. In the end, no matter what you do, the temp will rise (i.e. the ethanol is GONE). With a lower thermometer (or the ARC), you can pull out (almost) all of the ethanol from a wash, without every getting any fusel oils ever reaching the top of the packing material.

H.