First I'd like to thank the many members who have contributed so much information to this site, without your knowledge it would have been a much slower course to taking up this hobby. I've been reading nonstop for the last 3 months and it feels like I've only scratched the surface. (My bleeding eyes disagree, but they'll heal
)As my name implies I'm keenly interested in making vodka and neutrals. I aim to create the purest neutral I possibly can. I want to put it on the rocks and not taste anything. Some of my current drinking vodkas are Imperia and Silver Tree (for goal purposes) Having never had a true neutral I understand that many people find them...lacking...in mouth feel. I figure once I can create a blank slate, so to speak, I can work on getting some feel to it. (Initial washes will be birdwatchers followed by an allbran....then I may dive into some all grains)
Having spent so much time reading I felt I was ready to start sourcing parts for a 3" lm/vm combo on top of an electric keg. I got the 3" pipe for free so that's the size I'm going with. The plan was 48" of packed column. Lava rock initially to be followed by SPP once I can afford it or spend the time to make some (Thanks DAD and BigSwede for the great fabrication threads).
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Unfortunately I ran into an issue. I'd heard valves were expensive, but then i saw the actual prices!
This led me to seriously consider a CC VM which brings me to my questions. I was going to do a combo because I continually hear that LM is better at compressing heads and VM's for tails compression. With the goal of making the cleanest neutral possible would I be hurting myself by not using a combo rig?.
In other words...is LM the best at heads compression because it's an LM? Or is it the best because you're not contaminating your VM takeoff with heads? If it's simply a matter of product takeoff contamination on a VM rig I'd be willing to put the still into full reflux, remove the takeoff arm mid run and clean it after heads are done, then put it back on for the hearts portion.
If heads compression is really just because LM is that much better....has there been an CC LM/VM combo designed? I know there are CC LM's and CC VM's but haven't found a discussion about a combo. The closest I've seen has a boka head below the CC VM and seemed to have some performance issues.
Anyway, long first post, thank you again and I hope to be seeing you all around. Happy stilling!
