Destructive Distilling for liquid smoke

[Bardstown Road]

I would like to create a simple liquid smoke destructive distillery, so to speak. I am thinking if I run a chimney off of an iron wood burning stove that has a condenser inside the chimney I should be able to make liquid smoke. I cannot seem to find anything on the internet that clearly shows how smoke is destructively distilled into liquid. I made a quick drawing on my phone of what i think might work. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

[bellybuster]

I've often thought about trying this. I have several ideas rolling around in my noggin, your drawing was one of them. The issue I have with that is the cooling of the chimney pipe so soon. Might it lose its draft?
The most thought about idea was a giant boka, having the coil at or near the end of the pipe would allow the smoke to already be cooled some and won't lose the draft of the chimney. The upper plate could be slanted up as well and have 2 collection points
The entire head would have to be stainless steel and removeable for cleaning.

[Bardstown Road]

You make a good point about the early cooling. I do know the length of the chimney is crucial to its functionality. The length causes a pulling affect. I am not sure however how cooling would effect the natural chimney affect. I am gonna have to dig deeper into some research, by that I mean further than Wikipedia...

[bellybuster]

I often though splitting the stack would be the way to go so you maintain draft. Only half the smoke would go to the still. Or possibly the still itself would be inside the chimney??

Wouldn't be surprised to find something about it on Mother Earth news. Haven't looked.

[bellybuster]

I pretty much gave up on it after thinking... What the hell am I gonna do with all that liquid smoke?

[bonehead]

alton brown made liquid smoke on an episode of good eats.

[Bardstown Road]

Thanks for the alton brown episode, seeing that gave me another idea. I want to collect white oak liquid smoke so that I can add it to my wash post ferment. If that doesnt produce any flavoring results I may add some after distilling. I want to produce a smoked bourbon.

[Bardstown Road]

The quickest hassle free solution I found on the internet was the fish tank aerator method. Put the aerator at the top of chimney and let it collect smoke and pump it to the bottom of a jar or bucket of water. When I get around to completeing this task I will let everyone know my results. The idea of smoked bourbon excites me. Applewood smoked whiskey already exist and they use liquid smoke. Hell, I guess I could just directly aerate a jar of bourbon and periodically taste it as I smoke it. Hmmmmm

[junkyard dawg]

Why don't you just smoke some grain?

[bellybuster]

Why don't you just smoke some grain?

+1 on this, didn't realize you wanted to add it to your likker. You can smoke near anything. I would imagine you could even smoke cracked corn for a UJ

[bearriver]

Most Scotts smoke the malt in a peat smoker

Peatiness hmmm.......

There are other methods than just peat of coarse.

[Bardstown Road]

I may try all the above and do a taste test.

[Bardstown Road]

I would also like to collect smoke for cooking purposes.

[Jkhippie]

Would you be filtering this liquid smoke? Maybe, at the least, a coffee filter? I have to think there'd be a lot of funk in whatever you collect.

[Black Eye]

Interesting. I was thinking of trying to make a smoke injector into my still for smoked stout whiskey. I saw Derek Bell doing something with this, from Corsair distillery. Right now it's just another project I don't have time for. Interesting thoughts though.

[bearriver]

Forgive me, but isnt liquid smoke already availaible from many different sources?
Are you hoping to make a different/better product or is there something wrong with what is already available to you?

[Bardstown Road]

Forgive me, but isnt liquid smoke already availaible from many different sources?
Are you hoping to make a different/better product or is there something wrong with what is already available to you?

As far as smoking bourbon I was thinking only using the smoke of oak, which I haven't seen available for purchase. It may turn out mesquite or Applewood liquid smoke may be best for flavoring but I wont know until I try. I can go to store and buy premade liquor and liquid smoke but choose to make it harder on myself.

[whiskeyD]

Most store bought liquid smokes have sugar added, which most distillers do NOT want in their whiskey. Store bought liquid smoke when added to whiskey, makes it taste gross, nothing like a smoked scotch in my humble opinion.

Forgive me, but isnt liquid smoke already availaible from many different sources?
Are you hoping to make a different/better product or is there something wrong with what is already available to you?

[Bardstown Road]

WhiskeyD,

Is the method I outlined above a reasonable method for smoking bourbon? Any trade trade secrets youd care to share?