Filling the still

[Uncle Jesse]

from the old message boards:


Anonymous
(Unregistered)
03/28/02 11:59 PM
subject: Filling the still

How full should one fill a still? All the way to the top or just half way, or what? I know this is basic, but for someone who has never done this before, it would help to know before I blow myself up trying! Also, do you put the complete mash into the Pot or just the liquid? I have seen several confusing statements regarding mash, some say to place the raw materials directly into the Still and allow the ferment to proceed, finally heating the whole mess to distill your beverage. In other cases, they say simply to place the mash into the still. At what point is mash, mash, and what part do you actually distill? Again, I haven't seen this detail addressed anyplace before.


FizzyNick
(stranger)
03/29/02 02:11 PM
Re: Filling the still [re: Anonymous]

Hi Anon,

I can only speak about reflux, as it's all that I have

I always fermet in a beer fermenter (a regular plastic 30 litres drum with airlock), decant a couple of times after the yeast has dropped then run it in to the reflux.
I tend to leave all the dead yeast in the fermenter as I understand that the yeast cells explode on contact with high temperatures and release a load of garbage into the wash which then comes through into the final product.

Leaving a few inches clear at the top of the pot will usually avoid the wash from bubbling up into the column when you start boiling up.

Hope this helps

Regards, Fizz
Commercial Still : Commercial Profit
Domestic Still : Domestic Prophet !


Anonymous
(Unregistered)
04/03/02 10:58 PM
Re: Filling the still [re: Anonymous]

dont fill it all the way to the column. give it say, 6" and do some testing. keep your heat low after reaching 180F or so, otherwise you might get a fouled still which will result in spillover. if that happens, turn off the heat and maximize cooling to the column. oh, and grab some towels!

if you get it boiling too heavily, it will often foul the still. start slowly and find the happy medium between too much and not enough heat. it's too subjective for me to describe accurately.


Fenrisulv
(stranger)
04/04/02 12:27 AM
Re: Filling the still [re: Anonymous]

An antifoaming agent like abit of butter might a good idea to and not topping the still