How To Slow Down A Pot Still

[ptech]

So what do I need to do in order to slow down the rate of a 24 Qt pot still in such a way that it takes a lot longer to get from the very first drop of foreshots to the last collectable drop of tails. But not so long that it ruins the whole effort. I do want to push the limit of slow though. I want to test for myself the difference between an extremely slow process and the typical process of home distillers. I don't mind if that means running the still for 14 hours.

The cast iron plate between my electric stove top and the boiler reduced the effect of cyclying from a 5 F degree spread to a 0.5 F degree spread. I have a thermometer on the lid such that the tip of it sticks about half inch into the liquid. I realize that a master distiller needs not a thermometer and etcetera....but I'm not a master, not even close. In fact, this will be my very first time operating a still (a 24 qt pot still with worm in bucket).

So the only two things I can monitor with any degree of confidence are;
1) the temperature of the liquid (thermometer is in the lid and stick about 1/2 inch into the liquid)
2) the flow rate of the liquid as it comes out of the worm?

Tasting, smelling and feeling is not going to work for me until I run enough batches to develop those 3 senses. That all said, please tell me how I can use the only two things I can monitor to achieve my goal of a very slow process...but not so slow that it's a dud.

thanks,
ptech

[Richard7]

I'll tell you up front I don't run a pot still but i will pass on what I have learned by reading on this site. If your doing a stripping run(to re distill again) just go hard and fast. Toss the foreshots and don't worry about cuts yet. When you run into tails (you can tell by the smell, kinda like wet dog or cardboard) you can collect a little more then shut it down. When doing your spirit run (make sure you charge your boiler at 40% or less, If you cant get it to light on fire you should be good) make the stream a little smaller. I have heard pencil lead size. This is why you don't need a thermometer but you can make a note of the temp if you want.
Again toss some foreshots and collect in small jars to learn where to make your cuts.

Hope this helps answer your question

[Prairiepiss]

How to slow down take off rate of a pot still.
Turn the heat down.

If you can't with your electric stove. Then you will need to get a different heat source.

[ptech]

How to slow down take off rate of a pot still.
Turn the heat down.

If you can't with your electric stove. Then you will need to get a different heat source.

I can definitely turn the heat down to the point where it won't boil.
The cast iron plate gives me that ability and it will hold steady consistent heat. How do I know if the heat is too low?

[Prairiepiss]

How to slow down take off rate of a pot still.
Turn the heat down.

If you can't with your electric stove. Then you will need to get a different heat source.

I can definitely turn the heat down to the point where it won't boil.
The cast iron plate gives me that ability and it will hold steady consistent heat. How do I know if the heat is too low?

You won't get any product out.

You are making this way harder then you need to.

Turn the heat up till you get product out. Turn it down till you get the takeoff rate you want.

I'm not really sure why you are wanting to run it so slow. It's a pot still not a reflux still. A good broken stream would ne a good rate.

[dakotasnake]

as praire said just adjust the heat till you get what you want, and bear in mind that as the alc. leaves the boiler and the water to alc.% changes in the boiler the temp. WILL rise and theres nothing you can do about it, its the laws of physics. if you want the therm. in there to look at cuzz its cool thats ok, but it does 0 good.

[ptech]

Turn it down till you get the takeoff rate you want.

Maybe that's my question, what is the takeoff rate that I should want?

1) what's the take off rate that most home stillers want from a pot still?

2) what's the take off rate that is considered very slow but not too slow?

3) how do I determine a takeoff rate?

ptech

[Ghost]

Again I think you might be overthinking this as stated before - its pretty simple but I can see where you want to get this right and I dont blame you.

I run a pot still and I have fooled around with take off speed - brought it up slow and steady - blasted it hard and fast and it really doesnt matter either way as long as your condensor can handle the load.... that being take off speed. Once you have product dripping you need to adjust the heat to the speed you want to collect. As said before but it bears repeating ... spirit runs should be slow ( think 3-4 drops per second) where as with a stripping run you can blast it pretty hard with the heat - as long as your cooling can handle it. Adjust the heat to what you are going for and remember in messing around with the heat expect a min or so delay sometimes once it get to the collection point. You wont ruin it by running slow and low - but run it too hard and you will smear all the cuts (unless you are just stripping and then it doesnt really matter)

[LWTCS]

Drips from a potstill would force me to commit sepuku.
I like a tooth pic sized stream myself.

[Prairiepiss]

Turn it down till you get the takeoff rate you want.

Maybe that's my question, what is the takeoff rate that I should want?

1) what's the take off rate that most home stillers want from a pot still?

2) what's the take off rate that is considered very slow but not too slow?

3) how do I determine a takeoff rate?

ptech

I gave my answer in the same post you quoted.

We could tell you all day long exact numbers of what works for US. But you are not us and you don't have our stills. So you have to figure out what works best for your still. There is only one way to do that. Run it and play with it. Somewhere between a fast drip and a twisted stream is where you want it.
I recommend a broken stream. LWTCS recommends a toothpick sized stream. Mainly because we have different stills. And that's what we have found works for us. Now run your still play with it and find out what it will do.

[Durace11]

Another thing, don't be afraid to throw it all back in and dilute it down with water to run it again. You can keep re-running the same batch until you get what you want and it's good practice to learn to run your still without having to wait on a new ferment between each run.

[cornsqueezer]

I personally run pencil lead sized stream to broken stream, cause that is where my still's sweet spot is according to my personal taste. Yours might be different, but you can start at that speed and taste feel smell and adjust to what you like.