Copper?

[beefbandit]

Hey all.
Iv been over the interweb and have had many answers, do or do you not need copper somewhere in your still, some say it reacts in a certain way with the hooch an makes it better, others just say it doesn't matter.
Im asking because im borrowing a mates old mans still (he has passed away, and his son doesn't use it so haven't tried anything from it). Its all made from stainless, IE a lack of copper. It is a reflux still with liebeg condenser. The column is packed with what looks like tumbled glass pieces.

if I do need copper somewhere could I just add a bit of pipe after the condenser?

any info from distillers here that have helped me a lot would be awesome.

cheers MK

[pounsfos]

Hello again
(greetings from dunedin)

my still is all stainless, and I have used it that way to produce an amazing product

but having copper in there makes a difference, I have been looking for copper scrubbers lately to make the transition but to no avail

apparently go talk to people that lay traps etc, they use copper mesh or something, so that will work fine

I wouldn't stress to much about, just make tighter cuts
air it out for 2 days, then blend

[Odin]

I like the way my chief of production puts it: "copper is a medicine for a badly fermented wash."

I personally feel that if your wash is treated righ, if you put a lot of energy into your ferment, copper is not that much needed. Fruit brandies are the exception, since they tend to be higher on sulfuric compounds.

But where to put your copper? Research of the Edinburough University from Scotland shows, that if you want to use copper to reduce sulfur amounts, copper only contributes like this: if there is copper in the vapour path while stripping (a copper boiler actually raises the level of copper!), and - during the spirit run - if there's a copper boiler to start with. SS or copper column, etc. does not have any influence in the spirit run anymore.

For a one distillation approach or distilling 1.5, this would mean: some copper in the lower part of the column will help clean things up.

Hope this info helps.

Odin.

[beefbandit]

cheers odin ill get some in the packing then..

[Odin]

If you put it in at the lowest part you will be fine. That way, you can also take it out after a run and put it under 50% strong alcohol. To prevent copper corrosion.

Odin.

[beefbandit]

would striped down wire work?

[Odin]

Maybe. I'd go for copper scrubbers. Put one or two under your packing ...

Odin.

[beefbandit]

where would I find those?

[pounsfos]

where would I find those?

I have been looking myself in NZ, sometimnes they pop up at pak'n'save, you can order them online (expect to pay though)

otherwise, like i said, go to a business that does trapping and killing, thjey have mesh I believe, I'm trying to find other places for NZ'ers to get resources from and will add it up

so we can help each other

[beefbandit]

Awesome,
Im going to try stripd down wire tomorrow, got it ready today. Striped it down then boiled the hell out of it to get ride of anything that might have been on it.
its sitting in alcohol at the moment, will wash it off tomorrow then see how it works. Ill have a ask around trappers here see what I can find also.

cheers everyone MK

[steve2md]

I have a buddy that ran 100% stainless with ceramic saddles. I cut up some 1/4" tube while babysitting one of my runs and added the copper rings (around 80 or 90 of them) under his saddles before his next run. There was a noticeable difference (though he is a turbo guy....ugh) in his product. I'm training him bit by bit to do things right though!


Anyhoo, you might try copper rings made from your scrap to suppliment until you can locate some mesh or scrubbies

[pounsfos]

Thats a good idea

I might locate some, I am going searching tomorrow, for some places in dunners then will expand from there through finding what businesses carrry what we want, saw some in countdown the otherday, but they were only copper coated (so close)

the hunt continues, although I can't compain, beautifull days here now, so driving around enjoying the sun, it's a tough life

[Brendan]

You can buy rolls of copper mesh from the Amphora Society (google it). That way you can cut it to size and use it wherever you need to...

This is great stuff, and lots have used this as their copper packing

[Hound Dog]

You can buy rolls of copper mesh from the Amphora Society (google it). That way you can cut it to size and use it wherever you need to...

This is great stuff, and lots have used this as their copper packing

+1 on this mesh.