New boka still

[Shooter2377]

So I'm just finishing up my new boka still. I've really enjoyed building it, and now I can't wait to run it to actually produce spirits! I got home from work early today, and although there are still a few details left to take care of, I decided to run it anyway. I didn't have any vinegar for a cleaning run, so just ended up using straight water. I ran it for a couple hours on the stove top (the girlfriend wasn't home, and haven't figured out an alternative way to heat yet, I'm thinking water heater element though). I plan on running a wash made with turbo yeast (the LBS insisted this was the best to use, despite what everyone around here says), and for a cleaning wash I figure this will work.

The still has a 7.5 gal boiler, two inch column with a double helix condenser. The packed height for now is only about 18 inches. I had to buy 10 feet of 2" copper (pricey!), so I have plenty left to make it longer! I have a liebig condenser that still needs to be attached, and streamline my cooling system a little bit and she should be ready to go! Looks like my soldering came out pretty good, as I didn't have any leaks that I could see!

My one question that I came up with was I had steam coming out the top of the condenser, and if I turn the stove down to a point it stops, then the temp in the column drops way low, to the point it stops producing any output. Will this change when I'm actually distilling alcohol? I'll try adding som copper scrubbers when they get here to see if that helps. Any other suggestions?

Also, not having any luck uploading pictures. I've tried resizing, cropping, changing file size. Any ideas?

[Shooter2377]

I think I finally got it!

[cranky]

I plan on running a wash made with turbo yeast (the LBS insisted this was the best to use, despite what everyone around here says), and for a cleaning wash I figure this will work.

The LBS is WRONG! In fact they couldn't be more wrong! There is a reason everybody on here is against turbo yeasts and it's a damn good one! Some people say it is OK to use turbo for the sac run but I disagree because of all the numerous problems people have had with blue distillate as a result of turbo washes. Just do the HD google search for blue distillate and you will see. If this does happen you will have to do all the cleaning runs all over again. Do yourself a favor and believe all the experienced people on here and do a simple birdwatchers wash or rads All-Bran from the tried and true section.

My one question that I came up with was I had steam coming out the top of the condenser, and if I turn the stove down to a point it stops, then the temp in the column drops way low, to the point it stops producing any output. Will this change when I'm actually distilling alcohol? I'll try adding som copper scrubbers when they get here to see if that helps. Any other suggestions?

Edit, Because I got in a hurry and read this wrong.
Your condenser should be able to knock down whatever you throw at it when the alcohol hits it. if not you have to turn the heat down until it can. You have to do this anyway to prevent flooding. It should be OK but you need to watch that when you run.
One more thing
Nice job

[Aquafish]

Shooter I have a Boka also and did a Rads all bran wash for a cleaning run, don't forget the vinegar run first, and it worked out fine. Don't get into the turbo yeast thing on this site; you have quickly seen the result. Just poke around this site and you will find a few comments + and - about the subject. There should be NO vapors coming out the top of the condensor in an alcohol run. See Huskers instructions. When doing a vinegar run to clean you want some to escape to clean the condensor. The smell and fumes are a killler. Other than that use the column temperature and water flow to control the run. Again HUSKER has a great instruction on using a BOKA, reflex mode. I did my first stripping runs with an unpacked column and valve wide open. Again HUSKER. Keep up the good work and let us know how your efforts turn out

[BigSwede]

Your slant Bok looks really well made. Nice job! Just curious, since you already have 10 feet of copper, why did you make the column so short? Nothing wrong with that in that you won't get the purity with such a short column, but it will work for stripping or as a pot still, and like you said, you can always add to it.

The vapor escaping isn't optimum. How big is your condenser, what is the water flow?

[HDNB]

don't miss the vinegar. check some of my first posts...i forgot and it cost me many quarts of rum and a second gen wash due to flux contamination. flux tastes bad.

[Shooter2377]

Hello there! I know it is short. As you can see my cieling isn't very high, hence the short piece. I cut it to 18 inches just to have something to play with. I intend to make a regular pot still out of that piece, cause I want one of those too!!! I ordered some parts to add an electric heater to the pot, and will add a longer column once I'm able to start workin in the garage (some a.c. Out there would be nice too, as it gets downright sweltering out there!)

I have also bought some regular distillers yeast and plan on using that for my sac run now instead. The recipes look like they make about 6-7 gallons if wash. Do i need to distill the whole thing, or could I run half as sacrificial and use the other half for "sampling"

My coil is about 8 inches long, dual coil condenser. The column temp was about 204f degrees. I seem to recall reading that the temp will of the wash will stay about 175 or so while there is still alcohol in it, but can't seem to find anything about that now, so I could be mistaken on that one!

[SoMo]

Absolutely you can split it and do the second run as a keeper, as long as the Sac run got it all out if there's still flux floating on your last jar collected you will need to run another sac run. Make sure it's clean and degreased before your sac run to help get it all cleaned up. Good luck stay safe.

[cranky]

I don't mean to come across as an a-hole, I'm really a very nice guy but brew shops have become notorious for recommending turbo yeast because they make more money by selling you a $6 or $7 yeast over a 75cent one plus they then try to sell essence to flavor it. You built a very nice Boka and it would be a shame to go the turbo rout after all the work you put into the still. I'm thinking with an 8 inch double coil you should have no problem knocking down all the alcohol you can throw at it.