First time distilling help

[brewmaster]

Hello, I finally got my reflux still today in the post and after putting it all together I put in some vinegar and water in it to clean it. I filled the 25 litre still about 2/3 full of water and put a cup of vinegar in and turned it on. I ran the cooling water to keep the reflux column temp down once the temp reached 50 degrees. The temperature went up to 90 degrees celcius and I started to get a few drops of water every second. I kept this going for about an hour and I got about a litre of water and vinegar and then stopped the distillation.

What I wanted to know is if the following leaks will cause problems or not? The still has 2 places that were leaking drops of water very slowly (about one drops every few minutes). I tried to see if I could feel any gas coming from any of the leaks and I couldn't feel any.


Also after using the still should you just turn off the still and wait for it to cool down before washing it or should you start disassembling the still immediately after turning it off (was reading a book on distillation and it said the still could implode if you leave it after using it)?.

[dixiedrifter]

I hate to break it to you, but damn that thing is a piece of crap if I ever seen one in my life.

Looks like whoever built it knows absolutely nothing about building stills.

The pipe and joints look like standard triclover, but instead of using the proper clamps, ferrules, and seals they were welded together with god knows what and now they are leaking rust everywhere. That should NOT be happening.

Futhermore, one does not run any reflux coolant lines thru the column, that is a no-no. The proper method is to run any reflux coolant lines in the top of the column, so as the condensate has the entire length of the column to reflux. If you put reflux tubes in the column, that pretty much defeats the purpose and does nothing but work to slow the still down.

The condensor is way to small... should be at least 2x longer, IMO.

Not for sure but the boiler looks to be made out of galvanized steel, with perhaps a bowl on top to connect to the condensor, which also by the looks of things could fall off any second.

[Rudi]

All is not lost Brewmaster. I dont think having the reflux cooling at the bottom of the column is the best Idea.The boiler is ok though it looks like a 25l still spirits boiler a bigger version of my little 5l job (which I might add will leak exactly like that if I try to run it without a gasket)

more importantly you need to get rid of that plastic product out tube I know it came with the still and its chemical resistant but it will put chemmicals you dont want to drink in your hooch. The rubber bung in the top with the thermo in it will need to be replaced with somthing safer cork oak....

When you shut down the still if the liebig condensor is open to the atmosphere you wont get any vacume from things cooling down you could also just pull the bung out


It is important to make sure your still has no leaks.
There are quite a few posts here about leak testing stills.

If that little liebig can handle all the water vapour your element can throw at it (condense all the steam to liquid) then it will handle alc vapour
it does look very small.

if you describe how the coolant travels between the column inlet and outlet or maybe post a photo I am sure someone here will be able to tell you how to bypass the lower one.

enjoy Rudi

[big worm]

from what a seen..... put the still on a pad to keep it off the floor or you might melt a ring in lino floor and give a little space off the wall...wish i would have seen a dry chemical fire thingie...i love seeing pix of stills that show safty devices in them..lets me know we have a smart one on the other end leaks...leaks of any kind are bad..very bad on a real run etho vapor would escape and hot etho vapors are not easy to see ,but are explosive in a big way..safety up.. fix every leak ,and you will find out just what you toy can do...and it will only do what it will do...run it as slow or as fast as IT will go no more no less.....personal note....its not a bad looking set up. i've seen ugly ol pots make good stuff. just use your common sense and don't hurry

[brewmaster]

All is not lost Brewmaster. I dont think having the reflux cooling at the bottom of the column is the best Idea.The boiler is ok though it looks like a 25l still spirits boiler a bigger version of my little 5l job (which I might add will leak exactly like that if I try to run it without a gasket)

Yes you are right its a 25 litre Still Spirits stainless steel 3 in 1 fermenter with a 1380W element.

more importantly you need to get rid of that plastic product out tube I know it came with the still and its chemical resistant but it will put chemmicals you dont want to drink in your hooch.

Thanks for the tip. What would you recommend I replace it with? And I only have to replace the tube that the alcohol goes through don't I?

The rubber bung in the top with the thermo in it will need to be replaced with somthing safer cork oak....

Thanks I didn't even think of that. Does the rubber start to melt after awhile or something?

If that little liebig can handle all the water vapour your element can throw at it (condense all the steam to liquid) then it will handle alc vapour
it does look very small.

With the water run I did the water that I collected was still very hot. Should have the condeser cooled the water down more before it went in the tube or is it o.k for it to stay so hot? There was even a bit of steam coming from the container I was collecting it in.

if you describe how the coolant travels between the column inlet and outlet or maybe post a photo I am sure someone here will be able to tell you how to bypass the lower one.

Thanks I will see if I can find out how it works.

from what a seen..... put the still on a pad to keep it off the floor or you might melt a ring in lino floor

The still is not on lino its on tiles. Can the still get too hot for tiles to handle or are they safe? Cheers

[Rudi]

Thanks for the tip. What would you recommend I replace it with? And I only have to replace the tube that the alcohol goes through don't I?

Yep only replace the section hot alcohol goes through you could use copper pipe

Thanks I didn't even think of that. Does the rubber start to melt after awhile or something?

probably wont melt but same as plastic will put off taste and other stuff you dont want to drink

With the water run I did the water that I collected was still very hot. Should have the condeser cooled the water down more before it went in the tube or is it o.k for it to stay so hot? There was even a bit of steam coming from the container I was collecting it in.

sounds to me like it wasn't condensing all the vapour, very easy to build a decent size copper liebig. or get a smaller element or controller

The still is not on lino its on tiles. Can the still get
too hot for tiles to handle or are they safe? Cheers.

I'd move it away from the wall and maybe sit it on a sheet of fibre cement or the like.

[Macster]

more importantly you need to get rid of that plastic product out tube I know it came with the still and its chemical resistant but it will put chemmicals you dont want to drink in your hooch. The rubber bung in the top with the thermo in it will need to be replaced with somthing safer cork oak....

Rudi: So what I am gathering is the plastic tubing is a problem only if you are running hot alcohol out of it? Once the product goes through the condenser on my still it is cool, probably 60 or 70 degrees f.

[brewmaster]

Well I managed to fix all the leaks on my still so I am very happy. I used some teflon tape and tested it with another water run and it worked great. I plan on distilling my first batch today so we will see how it goes with alcohol.

more importantly you need to get rid of that plastic product out tube I know it came with the still and its chemical resistant but it will put chemmicals you dont want to drink in your hooch.

I went to 2 local homebrew shops yesterday and explained about the plastic hose but both of the shop owners said that the plastic would be fine.

One of the owners said he had been using a similar still to mine for over 20 years and he has had no problems with the plastic hose. They did not have any other type of hose so for now I don't think I will worry about changing the plastic hose for now.

[theholymackerel]

How nice that the brew shop owner told ya that the plastic hose lasted 20 years in periodic contact with alcohol.

Go to any homebrew forum and they'll give ya an ear-full about what sort of lousy bastards run brew shops on the average. (There are a few good ones and they are hard to find.)

The problem isn't what the alcohol does to the plastic, and if the plastic will last. The central concern of any homedistiller that dares to use plastic is what does the plastic do to the alcohol?

A poster here that is a chemist in the alcohol industry has stated that every sample of alcohol sent to him in plastic had detectable levels of plasticiser in it. How much plasticiser is ok for you in yer diet? None for me, thankyou.


There are half a dozen "stickies" here on these boards, statin' clearly not to use plastic in this hobby, and to please not suggest it's OK here.


You have obviously not read the stickies and figured out the few rules here. Please go do so.

[brewmaster]

There are half a dozen "stickies" here on these boards, statin' clearly not to use plastic in this hobby, and to please not suggest it's OK here.


You have obviously not read the stickies and figured out the few rules here. Please go do so.

Actually I have read many of the threads concerning plastic and most of them seem to have just as many people disagreeing with the use of plastic than agreeing with it, so I don't see how there can be a "rule" that says people cannot give their opinion on this matter. But I know that I will not be able to convince you or anyone else on this matter so I think we should just drop it (I don't want this thread to turn into a plastic flame war).

In fact I plan to change the plastic hose some time in the future but as long as it doesn't kill me in the near future or change the taste of my alcohol dramatically, I think I will be using the plastic for now.

[theholymackerel]

Uncle jessy runs a pretty relaxed place here.

There are only a few things not allowed, and the Big 3 are Plastic, Politics, and Religion.

I'm sick of the recent trend of many new folks to argue this.

Please don't. I don't want to have to "moderate". Feel free to use whatever materials ya want in yer still, just don't suggest it's ok to use plastic here please.

[goose eye]

brewmaster how would you no what likker taste like.

[belialNZ]

I can't work out how that still head works, can someone explain? EDIT[ worked it out now. silly blind old me missed the teeny leibig... although it seems obvious AS now.]

I recognise the boiler tho Still Spirits 25L.

I got the same thing from the local brewshops, insisting there was nothing wrong with the plastic, you have to run anything you make through carbon, and that its impossible to make a good whiskey without using their flavourings, etc..

I ran my still with the plastic bit on the outlet for a while, but when I realised that the shop owners where wrong about everything else, I figured they where wrong about the plastic as well.

[brewmaster]

brewmaster how would you no what likker taste like.

How do you know what plastik tastes like?

[theholymackerel]

*THM attempts to keep a straight face*

Don't take this as encouragement whippersnapper. Heh.

[mikeac]

How nice that the brew shop owner told ya that the plastic hose lasted 20 years in periodic contact with alcohol.

Go to any homebrew forum and they'll give ya an ear-full about what sort of lousy bastards run brew shops on the average. (There are a few good ones and they are hard to find.)

My home brew shop owner saw me discreetly eying up one of the distilling books he carries, told me not to bother with it, all the real good info is on http://homedistiller.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow . I'd already found the site though, but liked his honesty, been going there ever since even though I moved and it's now on the other side of town.

[junkyard dawg]

In fact I plan to change the plastic hose some time in the future but as long as it doesn't kill me in the near future or change the taste of my alcohol dramatically, I think I will be using the plastic for now.

uh, yeah, uh....

quit being a douche and step up. If you know that you should 'eventually' remove the plastics then why not just remove it now? half steps take more than twice the effort. There are some folks..old hands here that you ought to listen to... A lot of old hands don't wade into these kind of threads anymore, but you can hear that advice if you listen anyway..............

brewmaster... that's a hoot.

[brewmaster]

quit being a douche and step up. If you know that you should 'eventually' remove the plastics then why not just remove it now

Because I don't "know" I "should" eventually remove the plastics, but I might anyway just to be on the safe side.

half steps take more than twice the effort

How exactly could this "half step" take more than twice the effort in this situation?

A lot of old hands don't wade into these kind of threads anymore, but you can hear that advice if you listen anyway..............

Are you sure your not hearing other voices?

brewmaster... that's a hoot.

Hehe anyway I'm just joking, no offence intended.

[goose eye]

brewmaster it gotta be coffee an automatic at that.

[theholymackerel]

Because I don't "know" I "should" eventually remove the plastics.

Gawd Damnit.

You haven't read the rules, or you refuse to follow them. There are just 3 BIG RULES here: No Plastic, Politics , or Religion.

Why can't you adhere to these rules?

I'm done with bein' friendly about this. In the future anyone that breaks this simple rule will have their posts severly edited, cencored, locked, or deleted.

Please notice that I haven't edited or deleted any of these recent plastic posts. Any posts that anyone made recently about plastics have not been messed with. This will change in the future. In the future folks that willfully break the rules will be censored! Comin' here into Uncle Jesse's house and breakin' his rules when he has opened it up to yall free for everyone is idiotic and childish. Future posts that break the rules will be dealt with in a manner deservin' of somethin' idiotic and childish.


This subject is now closed.

[mikeac]

Here is the official list of forum rules.

1. Nobody who is under age is welcome here. These forums are not for people who are under legal drinking age in their particular location. Please don't sully our reputation through your actions.

2. Be polite and courteous. Remember that nobody is perfect and nobody knows everything. We've all got our strengths and limitations which is why we share information with each other in the first place. Remember that we're all different and nothing is going to change that fact.

3. Please use the "search" feature before asking novice questions. We're willing to help, but we're more willing to help if you take the time to familiarize yourself first.

4. No porn. Don't post it.

5. Do not discuss politics or religion. These forums are a friendly place for a community which shares a common interest: creating high quality spirits. These discussions only divide people and quickly lead to flaming and hard feelings.

6. No discussions of illicit drugs, their extraction, manufacture or improvement. These forums are for discussing the creation and enjoyment of high quality spirits, not the promotion of mind altering substances.

7. No racism. I don't care what your views are on people who aren't the same color or ethnic heritage as you, keep them to yourself. Remember that I'm a minority as are many others of our members.

8. Enjoy the information offered here and share your knowledge with us.



Please point out the no plastic rule,. I can't appear to find it. I did find one about being polite and courteous though.

[Old_Blue]

Old radiators ain't listed either but I ain't going to use one.

[Tater]

dont remember if it was carried over from last fourm or not i had figured this covered it anyway. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... ht=plastic

[Rudi]

Ok pull the tube from the end of you liebig, turn your still so the condensor points away from the sink put a secure table under the liebig put a stainless funnel inside a thickwalled narrow necked glass bottle under it or even position it so you dont need a funnel.

Get a champagne bottle cork drill a hole in it so your thermo is a tight fit in it shape it with sandpapper so it fits in the top of your still.

Got some pics up the bottom of your column yet?

Rudi

[brewmaster]

Well I ended up using the still for the first time and it turned out pretty good. I managed to get 3.5 litres of 70% alcohol but it tastes great with some bourbon essence after carbon filtering.

Had a few friends taste test and they said it was very nice and comparable to commercial stuff and it was only aged a day.

I was hoping for a bit higher than 70% alcohol, when I was using the still it was very hard to get the temperature to stay at a constant temperature for more than a few minutes. I would think that I had got the temperature right but then the temperature would suddenly increase and alot of liquid would come out of the condensor, I would then increase the water flow and then the temperature would go down too much and I would get nothing out of the condensor so I would have to increase the temperature again. I think this is because of what dixiedrifter said?-

Futhermore, one does not run any reflux coolant lines thru the column, that is a no-no. The proper method is to run any reflux coolant lines in the top of the column, so as the condensate has the entire length of the column to reflux. If you put reflux tubes in the column, that pretty much defeats the purpose and does nothing but work to slow the still down.

This is a 2 in 1 pot/reflux still apparently (you can take out the reflux coloumn so you just have a pot still). Like the following photos-


Would I be better off just running water through the pot head and condensor

and put no water in the reflux column?

(the reflux column is filled with ceramic beads)?

Ok pull the tube from the end of you liebig, turn your still so the condensor points away from the sink put a secure table under the liebig put a stainless funnel inside a thickwalled narrow necked glass bottle under it or even position it so you dont need a funnel.

Get a champagne bottle cork drill a hole in it so your thermo is a tight fit in it shape it with sandpapper so it fits in the top of your still.

Got some pics up the bottom of your column yet?

Rudi

Thanks for trying to help Rudi. Not sure if that information I put above will help you help me, let me know if you still need to me do what you asked. Cheers

[paps]

Thanks Big worm for the kind words, this is a fun hobby, and you are in luck, they are rear. LOL. The only thing that would make it better is ‘A shrimp or two on the BarBee’, right guys down under?

[Dnderhead]

I'm thanking if you had another plain section to go under that one
for some reflux before condenser it would work better .

[HookLine]

Thanks Big worm for the kind words, this is a fun hobby, and you are in luck, they are rear. LOL. The only thing that would make it better is ‘A shrimp or two on the BarBee’, right guys down under?

Let you non-Aussies in on a little secret. The phrase 'throw another shrimp or two on the barbie' did not exist in our lingo until some advertising guru invented it, and we still don't use it, except as a joke on tourists.

[big worm]

ya ya and fosters is horse piss...lol the advertizing folks paint you aussys into something that sell their products....i'm sure your flatterd

[brewmaster]

I'm thanking if you had another plain section to go under that one
for some reflux before condenser it would work better .

What sort of a section would you think is best? I just tried doing a test water run with only the 2 coolant tubes connected to the condenser and it didn't make any difference how fast I ran the water, the thermometer didn't change temp (it only cooled down the condenser). So I am guessing that I should put a small section to cool inbetween the still head/condenser and the reflux column?