Fuselexpress Condenser 92% Alc.....

[Reflux_King]

I have a new toy, the Fuselexpress
These notes are from my experimentation with the Fuselexpress Condenser. I hope the forum finds this useful
Wash volume: 25 litres @ 20%, samuel willards 48 hour yeast, turbo klar.
10:30 Set up the Urn and batch to be distilled.
11:02 Temp 54C, switch on cooling water, close off flow to ½ way, allowing further heating.
11:12 Urn reached rolling boil, opened cooling water flow at 74 C. placed collection hose into bottle, discarded the first 50 mls. Returned the “product out” hose to my 5 litre demijohn. Allowed temperature to rise to a constant temperature of 76.3c
11:22 Yield of 500 mls @ 93% ( approx.7 minutes )
11:36 Yield of 500 mls @ 93% (approx.14 minutes )
12:15 Yield of 2.5 litres @ 92% (approx.60 minutes)
Final yield was 4.5 litres in just under 100 minutes form commencement of the rolling boil at 76 c. Smell clean.



Cooling water flow at 500 mls /15 seconds (120 Litres per hour) water direct from mains, temp approx.24~26 C.

I was happy with the result an having use a couple of other condensers/ Urn setups, I am assuming the speed came from the 2750 watt element. I also found the digital thermometer an advantage, the fractional readout helps to balance the temperature, being able to see an increase or decrease of 1/10th of a degree helps a lot. Overall I’m satisfied
with my new toy!

[Hawke]

placed collection hose into bottle, discarded the first 50 mls. Returned the “product out” hose to my 5 litre demijohn.

If it's not a copper line I wouldn't want to drink it. No plastic should ever touch your high proof distilled spirits. I've got a racking cane that has deteriorated from contact with less than 12% washes.

[Freedave]

sounds good king.
is the fuselexpress something you made or purchased? if bought, where from?

[brewmaker1]

Wait for it. The hook's been set

[Reflux_King]

I didn't make it myself, I bought it from a store in Australia.

[junkyard dawg]

well, its been 3 days... I'll bite

Reflux king, tell us a little about your still and your process. And you too... I would have guessed that first post was a troll, but if you are straight then fill us in. Those are some pretty spectacular numbers you posted... how did you do it?

[draco]

Yes that is impressive. I am skeptical since googling Fuselexpress only turns up this thread. Please give us the details.

[Reflux_King]

Ok I'm not a troll, I’ve been reading with interest the posting regarding making or running of condensers..... So much hyper complexity. I am involved in several aspects of alcohol production, and filtration/ storage equipment. Not in retail, but manufacturing. All of which is used in the market for home alcohol production. I'm in this forum as an interested party, I can learn from here like other members. I’m certainly not here as a sales guy. I'm working on two fronts for this "industry/community of like minded people. I manufacture essences, kegs, alcohol meters, hydrometers, (and I'm not going to try selling them to anyone here. so relax). I really posted my results from the Fuselex condenser to see feedback and if anyone was enjoying the same yields. I have seen a lot of 160 proof results from reflux stills but i have to assume the wash originated from some less fermentable material or the temperature was fluctuating..... I can say that recently the abolition of urea as the nutrient (AU) has had a negative effect on yeast performance. So, in conclusion, I hope I’m not a thorn in anyone’s side here in this forum. The condenser mentioned in the trial I did is a commercially available one, sold in Australia, if anyone want to see it i can post a photo, but i don't want to be "booted from form the group forum for doing so.... I will post two other comparative trials in a week or so showing yields from identical washes, run simultaneously. For the record all stills used in these trials are copper.

Food for thought: Distilling is NOT illegal, it's 100% Legal and allowed worldwide, its only if you don’t have the correct paperwork or give the correct kickback/tax to the government, that you may end up in trouble… sometimes in home brewing people get things in the wrong order, thats all.. In Australia, if you pay $30 for a 700 ml bottle of bourbon, $18 goes to the government, leaving just $12 to manufacture, bottle, cap or seal, label, box, store, resell, transport to store after being sold a second time for profit, to the end user. Think about it…..

[Reflux_King]

no Google results is probable, the product is new and advertising stills is.......... problematic.

[junkyard dawg]

I think that there are many of us who would like to hear and see more of what you are involved with... I would love to see some pics of your stuff.

[minime]

Ok I'm not a troll, I’ve been reading with interest the posting regarding making or running of condensers..... So much hyper complexity. I am involved in several aspects of alcohol production, and filtration/ storage equipment. Not in retail, but manufacturing. All of which is used in the market for home alcohol production. I'm in this forum as an interested party, I can learn from here like other members. I’m certainly not here as a sales guy. I'm working on two fronts for this "industry/community of like minded people. I manufacture essences, kegs, alcohol meters, hydrometers, (and I'm not going to try selling them to anyone here. so relax). I really posted my results from the Fuselex condenser to see feedback and if anyone was enjoying the same yields. I have seen a lot of 160 proof results from reflux stills but i have to assume the wash originated from some less fermentable material or the temperature was fluctuating..... I can say that recently the abolition of urea as the nutrient (AU) has had a negative effect on yeast performance. So, in conclusion, I hope I’m not a thorn in anyone’s side here in this forum. The condenser mentioned in the trial I did is a commercially available one, sold in Australia, if anyone want to see it i can post a photo, but i don't want to be "booted from form the group forum for doing so.... I will post two other comparative trials in a week or so showing yields from identical washes, run simultaneously. For the record all stills used in these trials are copper.

Food for thought: Distilling is NOT illegal, it's 100% Legal and allowed worldwide, its only if you don’t have the correct paperwork or give the correct kickback/tax to the government, that you may end up in trouble… sometimes in home brewing people get things in the wrong order, thats all.. In Australia, if you pay $30 for a 700 ml bottle of bourbon, $18 goes to the government, leaving just $12 to manufacture, bottle, cap or seal, label, box, store, resell, transport to store after being sold a second time for profit, to the end user. Think about it…..

That's a lot of words that don't say a damn thing.

FYI there are lots of folks here that routinely distill at 95.6%ABV

[junkyard dawg]

I manufacture essences, kegs, alcohol meters, hydrometers,

expert woodworker, chef, glass blower... and salesman...

fukin awesome.... welcome to the forum...

[HookLine]

Food for thought: Distilling is NOT illegal, it's 100% Legal and allowed worldwide, its only if you don’t have the correct paperwork or give the correct kickback/tax to the government, that you may end up in trouble… sometimes in home brewing people get things in the wrong order, thats all..

That is misrepresenting the situation. It is strictly true to say that all we need is the correct paperwork and licences. But distilling alcohol is default illegal, in the same way that driving a car on the public roads is illegal without a licence (and rego, etc).

Hobby level distilling is NEVER going to be given approval under the current Australian laws, which clearly are designed for large scale commercial operations only (or very specific research situations, like medical and university laboratories, etc).

If you think otherwise, try applying for a licence to distil (in your own home) say 100 litres per year for personal consumption, and see how far you get. I will be the first to eat my hat if you get a licence for that (and only that, not piggybacked on a 'research' licence, or similar).

[Reflux_King]

That's a lot of words that don't say a damn thing.

FYI there are lots of folks here that routinely distill at 95.6%ABV

This seems like a few words that say nothing ! thanks for your donation of information also, glad to hear 95.6 % is being achieved, nice work.

[rad14701]

This seems like a few words that say nothing ! thanks for your donation of information also, glad to hear 95.6 % is being achieved, nice work.

Reflux_King, you're a living legend in your own mind... Doesn't sound like you can learn much here so you might as well move on... Now, if you can get over your own arrogance and realize that simply proclaiming yourself as being the "Reflux_King" you might just learn something here... I highly doubt that you've got any of us waiting with baited breath for your results... You still haven't enlightened us as to what your secret Fuselexpress Condenser is... I highly doubt that you've surpassed the thousands of years of practical experience this membership possesses... Prove us to be the idiots you mock us as being - or chill out...

[draco]

I really posted my results from the Fuselex condenser to see feedback and if anyone was enjoying the same yields.

I get 94% with by bok without even trying very hard. What impressed me with what you claim is:

Final yield was 4.5 litres in just under 100 minutes form commencement of the rolling boil at 76 c. Smell clean.

The quickness of the run is faster than I do stripping runs let alone a finishing run.

So how about posting a drawing of how this still works?

[Reflux_King]

RE: rad14701 comment,
First they do make decaffinatted you know. Second, were you reading my postings ? I’m uncertain where you’re coming from. Feel free to send me any further aggressive posts direct to my email, save the negative tone polluting the forum !. PS, also forward me a randon name you find acceptable, avoid anything sensitive, such as terms relative to distilling, some people find words like "reflux" and "king" to be very sensitive.

[SuperDavid]

the guys just want you to back up your claims! show the still, tell us whats it's made of and how it works.

[Ayay]

I may be reading you wrong, we all get excited with our first efforts so congratulations! If you are looking for a commercial quick fix this forum will soon sort out your priorities and have you brewing and stillin top quality likker.

92% Is not all that good when 95%+ is the normal goal for clean spirits. So you get a 20% wash in 48 hours but at what cost...turbo-klar? You can be doing other stuff in the extra days of fermentin, and a few more litres of water in the mix is not going to make much difference. Turbos are a mixed blessing at best and quite dubious when distilled to 92%.

Many people including myself start off going for 95% and achieve it easily, then realize that it is actually the lesser goal and advance to the more complex art of brewing and using the more simple equipment in pot stillin.

[theholymackerel]

OK.

I see alot of bitchin' and little info on both fronts right now.

Guys, leave him alone and just maybe if he has somethin' to share, he will.

Reflux King, like my G'pa used to say "It's time to put-up, or shut-up." You've been asked a few times to elaborate, please do so.

[trthskr4]

4.5 L per hour, that's either a big ass still or I'd say the name is correct as it's gonna have heads and tails all through the run. I could probably mesh my pot still column and run slow enough to get 90% out of a hybrid pot still. The Charles 803 is a fuel still and built out of 3" and about 5' high and it'll only do about that in an hour.

[rad14701]

OK.

I see alot of bitchin' and little info on both fronts right now.

Guys, leave him alone and just maybe if he has somethin' to share, he will.

Reflux King, like my G'pa used to say "It's time to put-up, or shut-up." You've been asked a few times to elaborate, please do so.

I think that's all anyone has been asking all along... I just re-read the initial post here and there are just too many things that don't add up...

Not really sure how you can collect 4.5L from 25L @ 20% in about 100 minutes and then be at the verge of a rolling boil at a mere 76c or 168f degrees... If the ethanol is gone then the boiling point should be much higher... At that temperature you aren't even into the ethanol yet and will never be seeing anything close to a rolling boil... Using 120L per hour to cool 2750W doesn't sound stellar either... The statements, as provided, just don't prove worthy...

I think we've, more or less, been saying "put up or shut up", in a more cordial way, all along... I guess we're all at the point of not caring how "sensitive" Reflux_King is at this point...

I'm at the point of "prove me wrong"... Reflux_King...???

[draco]

I think we've, more or less, been saying "put up or shut up", in a more cordial way, all along... I guess we're all at the point of not caring how "sensitive" Reflux_King is at this point...

+1

[trthskr4]

Not really sure how you can collect 4.5L from 25L @ 20% in about 100 minutes and then be at the verge of a rolling boil at a mere 76c or 168f degrees...

If you're thermometer is in the wrong place you can.

Gotta agree with the water though.

We call, show your cards dude.

.

[Ugly]

vacuum induced

[grogrum]

I'm with rad14071.
Things don't add-up. Sounds like manufacturers 'half-knowledge' techno-babble. I ask "4.5L of what at what, from what?"
Wiser heads here may be able to offer more knowledgable opinions, but....my two bob's worth...
I note the head was discarded, but what's coming off at the tail? How much tail was taken? High speed turbos such as the Willards (Alcotec) are liable to produce Propanol, and possibly Butanol (fusels), and most likely a lot of glycerol.
I haven't been able to try the Fuselexpress (and I do think that name is most unfortunate), but I have seen a picture, and it looks remarkably like a knock-off of the essencia express home-brew condenser http://www.essencia.co.nz/expressstill.htm.
A commercial homebrew condenser is built to be idiotproof - to a price. No way will it be able to perform to the level of one of the handcrafted beauties featuring in these forums.
Also, how do you power such a large element from the Aussie national grid without going to specialised industrial power points? Domestic outlets are 240V 10Amp max. - that's 2400w max. (else tune for smoke!)
I say, let Reflux_King continue with his endeavours. Enjoy your hobby, Kingo

[draco]

Thanks for the link for this thing. Googleing for me turned up nothing.

Is that a plastic column? A little Bisphenol A with your ethanol?

[grogrum]

Is that a plastic column? A little Bisphenol A with your ethanol?

It's all copper, with randomised copper packing. I use one, and it's great for a commercial head.

Plastic? - I read the rules, so I'll avoid the topic (except.... plastic is a generic term that covers many thousands of diverse products. Fit for purpose is the rule for me)

[draco]

Why is it blue? Is that just a insulating cover or something?

[grogrum]

Why is it blue? Is that just a insulating cover or something?

It's a commercially finished product, so its been powder coated.
I just asked the question, and was told that as it is sold in countries where alcohol distillation is illegal it is specifically built (short column) and finished (no obvious copper) so that it is not obviously and only for that use - hence the ability to sell them as water purifiers. I tried using mine for water purification, and it actually does work - but I didn't like the taste of the water - presumably because its de-oxygenated.
It was also pointed out to me that getting short columns to work so well is extremely difficult, hence the amount of R&D invested in it.