Tougher than it looks.

[Nemo]

I have been studying this site for a few months and it has kept me really busy trying to absorb all the info here. I have built an internal reflux (Don’t build this one!) still from a milk can and 42 inches of 2 inch copper pipe stuffed with 32 inches of stainless scrubbers. It is insulated and has two reflux tubes going through the top. Each tube has a 1 inch section of 1 1/2 copper pipe drilled cross ways and soldered onto the half inch cooling tube to try to increase the reflux capacity. The first batch of sugar wash through it was terrific. It produced two liters of great vodka that were gone in two weeks. Boy! This is gonna be easy! I increased the next wash to 10 gallons, added the feints from the first run and now have 2 liters of almost drinkable alcohol and 7 liters of “redistill”.
It is not quite good enough to drink and certainly not good enough to give away. I caught everything in 750 ml bottles, numbered them and put the temperature on them. I just ran a second taste test on every bottle and compared everything to a bottle of Jack Daniels.
I am about to pour the whole batch back in the can and redistill it. There is just enough of an off taste to make you think “not quite right”, even faintly, on the middle sections.

Now for the good stuff, Whiskey. I am about to finish the third and last batch of a sour mash bourbon blend from Smileys book. It is bubbling and boiling away in the kitchen now. I should have about 4 gallons of 40% low wines to work with this weekend. I was going to run it through the packed column fairly fast, like it says in the Smiley’s, Pure Corn Whiskey book.
Since it has gone through the still once for stripping, I think I should just run it through the open column again. I don't want to mess this one up!

I am planning to convert to a slant plate style column. In fact, I made the coiled condenser for it last night. It took me two tries to get 12 feet of 1/4 inch tubing soldered to an 8 inch cold finger and wound properly. That should give me more reflux control. Then again, I might look at the pot stills again. I have a 30 gallon stainless steel pot that would look great with a funnel shaped lid on it.

Forgive this rambling post, I can’t talk to anyone else about distilling. My wife is trying to get me to move everything to my brother’s barn and my brother is saying, “You’re actually gonna drink that stuff?”. I think he will come around when I can get some decent hooch turned out. He did’nt get any of the first batch.

[Nightforce]

Welcome Nemo.

If you're looking for flavored spirits like corn whiskey, bourbon, rum, etc, then you'll want a pot still something like you probably have but with more reflux. If it's a neutral you're looking for, it's hard to beat the bokakob slant plate design for simple build and running.

You'll also, if you're like me, find that the more you run the still and get better at cuts and noticing off smells and flavors, be more discriminating of the end product. I thought the first stuff I made "wasn't bad at all" but after making improvements and paying attention to cuts I would spit the first stuff out.

[rubber duck]

Welcom Nemo,

Your wife is right, move to the barn and do yourself a favor stay the hell out of the kitchen. I've been there not good.

Lots info hear, this stuff just takes a little time to get it right but its a fun a rewarding hobby.

[Nemo]

Thanks Rubber Duck
I think I will take that advise. The barn has got to be more peaceful.
REWARDING! I'll have to agree with that. I just finished my first sour mash brew and now have 2 and a half gallons of corn whisky freshly bottled with JD Wood Chips in the garage. I have never been that far ahead on liquor in my life. I saved out the extra quart for the occasional taste to tide me over until the rest comes of age. It's pretty good even at 2 hours old.
Now for a really smooth batch of vodka. then mabey some rum. First things first though, convert to a better still...
So much to do, so little time.