My first pot still and cleaning runs (piccys)

[aj2456]

hey guys thought i would share my first pot still build- i wouldnt have bothered/dared to make one myself but Myles convinced me it was absolutely possible and it wouldnt have happened without his supportive and v instructional emails

- will detail the build as a how to at a later date (if i haven't made a critical oversight somewhere) as i see a few noobs myself included looking for a forum approved fully supported DIY build with all the basics that seem too basic to mention

Anyway cost about £300 all in for all the tools and kit, (well £350 but got some enzyme, spare triclamp and lots of spare copper) heres the pics, sorry about the shaky work, must have been too excited the dodgy phone camera also doesnt do the copper shineyness justice







only problem i met in the cleaning runs was the a bit of huffing which was easily resolved with a bit of this stuff at the end of the tube to get the nice stream pictured above:



now to get my sugar washes cleared up and ready to go- first ones almost done bubbling

only issue is the odd leak from the tubing- need to find some extra jubilee clamps, but having tugged at them no risk of them coming off when they are properly fastened, the leibig length is probably overkill but i figured i might as well, nuthin wrong with a bit of extra length

when i get a bit more daring i might have some fun with coil condensors etc but was v easy and cheap and the water up here in scotland is free and freezing

[heartcut]

Good looking rig. Bet that condensor could handle full fire on a propane heater.

[drinkingdog]

It looks like you have two condensers on it. If so I was wondering why?

[aj2456]

yeah sure can handle some output was knocking down the vinegar run no bother,

as for the precondensor im not 100% but myles reckoned it was a excellent idea-
it certainly took some of the load of the main condensor, i had to have some copper length there anyway to let it get past the keg for the vertical drop and also the best bit it makes the main bit look kickass

[Da Yooper]

Nice lookin rig, should produce some fine likker. Your cooling lines look to be a little flimsy (pinched) could be a problem some day. I agree with haircut, I think that condenser would knock down a bonfire lol but you are right, a little more is better than not enough . Cheers

[aj2456]

right then so apart from the cooling lines (which i agree arent great, i let them heat up while it was getting up to temp- doh moment, and will be remoulding on the next run) should be good enough for a write up
think i will get on that now- in time for the influx from the moonshiners- which ive yet to watch- must be an american thing??

[googe]

Good work.mate, nice and neat . A braided hose would work well on your top coolent line, no kinking. I have them I'm mine, there great, screw on screw off. I think it's 1/2" bsp Female to npt female from memory.

[cotton mouth Samson]

The braided stainless lines is brilliant just rhe answer I've been looking for on my boka build to go from rhe lieberg to the coil and I think I have some left over from the last remodel just need to dig

[FreeMountainHermit]

I'd rotate the precondenser so your lines point down.

FMH.

[brazenheadbeer]

Does your cooling water enter at the bottom or top?

[S-Cackalacky]

Congratulations! Great lookin' rig.

S-C

[Halfbaked]

Nice! I like the braided line deal. Why not get the ones that are for your washer. Their cheap and you can get them braided.

[aj2456]

the water enters from the bottom, brazen (so not the cause of the huffing) which think its due to the ridiculously cold water we have up here atm

i will look into the braided hose if i cant get it sorted / its bugging me- would probably solder some 15mm pipe into the condensor slots and get a braid that has a compression union on it- basically this stuff:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-of-Flexi ... 1222946609" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

would like to see it leak and kink on me then

but atm a bit skint after all the copper so will wait and see

[aj2456]

Hey just an update, just did my first proper run- using my DIY belgian candi sugar wash

the wash itself tasted v nice (kinda caramel and malty), not as clear as i would have liked (but decent), or as fermented as i would have liked - at the sweet wine kinda level when it stalled out but still about 9% so i figured good enough for the cake off a wine in cold winter temps.

anyway i need the fermentor so im did the run adding some extra acid to neutralise the DAP heavy recipe and will referment the dunder in the keg with some healthy yeast

The run itself was pretty uneventful- decided to aim to strip it down and removed 50ml foreshots (v slowly) to get the rest when it will be easier in the spirit run

Also got bored and decided to sneak a cheeky jar of the run at the start of the middle third (on the DJ) along with some purely tasting samples to get an idea of the tastes as it went along- into the heads? (whiskey), hearts?(definately white tequila), tails (tastes of tails, carboardy) so overall seems sound, might have a tequila recipe sub??? but not the ideal neutral probably?

all in all collect 4.5l+ down to the 20-18% tails

[redmud]

I clicked on your link in Universities thread and am glad I did nice Looking setup