Thinking about a double pot setup. One worm.

[mmmmmm]

I have a pretty standard pot setup, coil in a bucket and all of that. I do pretty small batches, ferment 5 gallons at a time and I only have a 3 gallon pot, so that means the first stripping run I do on every 5 gallon ferment I actually have to do two of them - 2.5 gallons at a time because of the size of my pot.

I'm pretty limited on space (and money), and I haven't been able to find a six gallon pot at a price that I can swallow (plus a six gallon pot would have to be freaking huge.. my 3 gal barely fits on my burner as it is), so I've been thinking about getting another three gallon pot and running two pots into one worm.

Pot #1 would have one hole in the lid, with a small bit of 1/2" copper line coming out of it, leading directly into the lid of pot #2, right next to it. Pot #2 would have two holes in the lid, one where the line from Pot #1 comes in, and the other, where the worm comes out of it.

Then I'd just use the lid with one hole in it for the worm for my spirit runs. I could cut out an entire setup/teardown/run out of the process.

I'm positive my condenser bucket could handle it, and I could always turn up the water as much as needed, I really don't think that would be a problem. Plus this way I wouldn't have to modify the worm and bucket that I already have.

[Prairiepiss]

You would be better off sticking with what you have. Two boilers adds complications. Different heat inputs. Different vapor speeds fractions coming off at different times Bla Bla Bla.

Maybe in a thumper configuration. And you could fill both the boiler and thumper with wash. And do one stripping run. But the thumper could and would fill up. So sizing it correctly would be a must.

Or you best bet is just find a 6 gallon pot. And be done with it.

[SoMo]

I think this is a clear example of reflux fitting the application better than a pot still can in a single run. Man look into Rads apartment builds referenced in other posts. You can upgrade to a 1/4-1/2 barrel keg and pull down a more refined and defined heart cut of wonderful whiskey or neutral using a simple column and liebig or a reflux column. Kegs have a 30$ deposit most places far more versatility.

[mmmmmm]

So after many months of thinking about it, and many more runs under my belt, I decided to try out the double pot setup.

Worked great. I used two identical sized burners on my stove, filled the pots to the same level, and mixed my wash between the two really well so that each pot contained the exact same thing.

Just as I thought, the only real difference other than the amount coming out of my worm was that I had to turn up my condenser bucket's water supply a little bit.

I just cut my time in half for this stripping run.

[sdpoage]

Nice experiment glad it worked out for you.

[Red Rim]

The hardest part would be making good cuts.

I for one, love the experimental side of this hobby. Work out the details and run it. Brag about your success or admit to failures. We all learn in the process.

Hell, I just took my pot still with a thumper and added a cold finger. Then stuffed it with marbles and pulled 175 proof, where I was only getting 140 tops. Bastardization to the max! Bring it!

[mmmmmm]

Yeah, I'm not going to try to do two pots like that for a spirit run, I'm just going to start knocking out my stripping runs with them.

I'll go back to one pot for my final run.

[LWTCS]

A well known master distiller is getting ready to run a set of conjoined kettles that are manifolded at the top and also manifolded drains in order to insure that he can maintain equal liquid levels.
The single column in the middle of the manifold insures good cuts (if you are competent).
The twin kettles allow for faster heat up of a larger volume.

Only down side I can see is the larger footprint.
You could make that system design easily work within your work space.