Newbie Hear

one4stevo · Post by **one4stevo** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:56 am

This is my first post. I am so glad i found this forum i been talking about doing something like this for a while now but i never found any Info.

OK i'm not all that new to this me and my father have made grappa many times now. we had what i found is called a pot Stills. 2 years ago we lent it to someone and never seen it again.

I been reading up on the reflux mini- still there is a detail plan somewhere on this site my dads in disbelefe as to how the thing works.
but im very interested into building one of them i only have a few questions

1. can we use a old stainless pressure cooker we have aprox 15-20 liters
2. is a reflux still ok for grappa
3. the packing material is it just the stuff you use to clean the pots and pans or is it a proper mesh...??
4. is a temp dial really requierd
5. is a gas burner ok for the job.
6. would you change anything on the plan or keep it the same.

Thats basicly all i have to ask for now i hope someone out there can give me some advice
Thank you very much.

CoopsOz · Post by **CoopsOz** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:01 am

If you want to continue making grappa you will need a pot still. The reflux strips all the flavour (if used properly, which is harder than it sounds) from the wash. A reflux essentially produces around 95% ethanol, once diluted it's called vodka.

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:25 am

you tellin me you lend out your ole family outfit an they aint bring it back an you aint got a problem with that. you a stronger man than the ole boys i no.

befor you even get anary one you need ta make list of nevers an hold true to em.

BW Redneck · Post by **BW Redneck** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:55 pm

goose eye wrote:you tellin me you lend out your ole family outfit an they aint bring it back an you aint got a problem with that. you a stronger man than the ole boys i no.

befor you even get anary one you need ta make list of nevers an hold true to em.

Ya, I'll agree with that!

I feel nice today so I'll let this spoonfeed slide...

1) 15-20L is about the minimum size for a boiler. Any less and it's a waste of time to do so many small batches
2) Like Coops said, a pot still is much better for flavored drinks like grappa.

3) You can buy some proper mesh, but, if you find pure copper scrubbers, then its probably going to be marginally cheaper to use those than to order mesh. Your choice.

4) A thermometer really isn't all that required, but it helps to know when to shut the thing down and call it a day. Cuts are best done by smelling, tasting, and feeling the spirit. Temp listings are really just a guideline.

5) Gas or electric is your choice. Gas can be easier to control, but is only safely used in a ventilated area and fire risk is much greater.

By the way, welcome to these forums.

(It's almost a formality here to greet a newbie on their first or second posts)

We like to see new faces (figuratively speaking

) and like to know that the art isn't being forgotten.

one4stevo · Post by **one4stevo** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:59 pm

Wow gee thanks for the reply guys.

Yer well my old boy not exsacly happy about not getting his old still back. we try and do something good for someone and it always bites us in the ass one way or the other.

So a pot still is much better then a reflux still bugger. i liked the idea of the reflux, how it dose not take up much room.

O well one way or the other we still would like to get back into it again. we miss coffee with GRAPPA

Are there any plans out there for a pot still? is a reflux totaly out of the questin or will it still do the job and tast something like grappa.?

Thanks again

By the way i really love this stie its in favorites now

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:09 pm

A reflux still with no reflux is the same as a pot still.

one4stevo · Post by **one4stevo** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:55 pm

i dont understand sorry Grayson Stewart i am kinda new to this could you please explane it all too me Sorry for that.

bushido · Post by **bushido** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:02 pm

If you change the column of your reflux still, or take out the scrubbers, thus minimizing reflux in the column, you will still have in essence, a pot still.

one4stevo · Post by **one4stevo** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 12:34 am

Thanks bushido its all too clear now when you say "change the column of your reflux still" what is it best to change it too should it then be larger and wider, so as to reduce the heat? Am i on the right track now? Once i get an idea i was hoping to draw it up and show you guys and then get some ideas on the doz and donts
Thanks everyone.

goose eye · Post by **goose eye** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 5:35 am

that outfit that got took how big was it. just scale it down.

all that readin is free. opertunity is there but do you got desire enough

one4stevo · Post by **one4stevo** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 4:37 pm

Sorry guys im not trying to take you for a ride hear i have been doing alot of reading eveynight bit to be quiet honnest its starting to turn into gibberish, there no clear idecation of what/how/why, in making grappa. I been looking up infomation on the scrubbers and what they do and i still cant find information on taking them out.

like bushido said change the column of your reflux still yer ok but im not sure how much to change it too, and how that affects eveything. the plan i was looking at had the column 24 ich by 1 1/2 inch.

Hopefully someone can give me some advice or a site that might stear me in the right direction.

Thanks

Ricky · Post by **Ricky** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 4:49 pm

search for detuned. i didnt try it but thats what they call taking the scrubbers out of a reflux. a 24" by1.5" should give you plenty of flavor.it wont be long enough for a reflux though. at least not one for high proof.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 4:56 pm

I'll try to help...

moonshine-still.com/

The valved reflux plans are what you want. IF you can visualize how it works... vapor from the boiler goes up the column and gets turned back into liquid. The valve that leads back to the column controls the 'reflux'
By running the reflux back into the column it redistills many times before it gets drawn off. Having the column packed gives that reflux a place to land and spread out and revaporize...

To run this still like a potstill, just take out the packing and turn off the reflux valve. Its really pretty simple, but hard to 'see' till you have a little experience. I have a similar design still and it exceeds my expectations when run as a potstill getting highly flavored product, or when run in reflux mode, gaining high purity and less flavor.

There are many other great plans out there... bokabob has some good designs that you can find on the forum or homedistiller.org

hope that helps...

one4stevo · Post by **one4stevo** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 6:15 pm

you guys sumed it up dam fine... valved reflux plans are very straight forward. im going to build it as soon as posible Now we can finally enjoy grappa in our coffee