Setting mills

Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Duckhunter18
Novice
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 12:11 pm

Setting mills

Post by Duckhunter18 »

Ok so i just started my cook 9 gallons of low wines all 100% and 3 gallons heads and tails!!! I set my still at 85 mills per minute...within an hour its done dropped to like 50 mills??? Can someone please explain this!!
Antler24
Trainee
Posts: 979
Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:00 pm

Re: Setting mills

Post by Antler24 »

Duckhunter18 wrote:Ok so i just started my cook 9 gallons of low wines all 100% and 3 gallons heads and tails!!! I set my still at 85 mills per minute...within an hour its done dropped to like 50 mills??? Can someone please explain this!!
You can't just set your heat and pull of liquor at the same rate for the whole run. I'm assuming your running a pot still? Proper takeoff speed is a small pencil lead sized stream. You'll need to increase the heat as the run progresses to keep this pace. As the alcohol is removed from the boiler the boiling point decreases, so naturally you'll need more heat to keep the same takeoff rate.
Swedish Pride wrote:
get a brix reading on said ball bearings and then you can find out how much fermentables are in there
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10371
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: Setting mills

Post by still_stirrin »

Antler24 wrote:
Duckhunter18 wrote:Ok so i just started my cook 9 gallons of low wines all 100% and 3 gallons heads and tails!!! I set my still at 85 mills per minute...within an hour its done dropped to like 50 mills??? Can someone please explain this!!
You can't just set your heat and pull of liquor at the same rate for the whole run. I'm assuming your running a pot still? Proper takeoff speed is a small pencil lead sized stream. You'll need to increase the heat as the run progresses to keep this pace. As the alcohol is removed from the boiler the boiling point decreases increases, so naturally you'll need more heat to keep the same takeoff rate.
There...I corrected that for you Antler.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
Antler24
Trainee
Posts: 979
Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:00 pm

Re: Setting mills

Post by Antler24 »

still_stirrin wrote:
Antler24 wrote:
Duckhunter18 wrote:Ok so i just started my cook 9 gallons of low wines all 100% and 3 gallons heads and tails!!! I set my still at 85 mills per minute...within an hour its done dropped to like 50 mills??? Can someone please explain this!!
You can't just set your heat and pull of liquor at the same rate for the whole run. I'm assuming your running a pot still? Proper takeoff speed is a small pencil lead sized stream. You'll need to increase the heat as the run progresses to keep this pace. As the alcohol is removed from the boiler the boiling point decreases increases, so naturally you'll need more heat to keep the same takeoff rate.
There...I corrected that for you Antler.
ss
Thanks, it was a long day with no whiskey please forgive me lol
Swedish Pride wrote:
get a brix reading on said ball bearings and then you can find out how much fermentables are in there
Duckhunter18
Novice
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 12:11 pm

Still

Post by Duckhunter18 »

Why when i set my mills at 80 it drops down to like 40 within an hour or two....then maybe starts dripping then picks back up
User avatar
Jimy Dee
Swill Maker
Posts: 217
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 2:20 pm
Location: The Munster Republic, Ireland

Re: Still

Post by Jimy Dee »

Duck - your post is a bit critic. Can u flesh out the post and give details, u might ever so slightly improve the chance of a reply. There are loads of good helpful people here waiting to help. J
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10371
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: Still

Post by still_stirrin »

Same question...different day. Answered here: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=70953&p=7526351#p7526352

We’ll see if it gets through this time. :sarcasm:
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
User avatar
ShineonCrazyDiamond
Global moderator
Posts: 3464
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:14 pm
Location: Look Up

Re: Setting mills

Post by ShineonCrazyDiamond »

Agreed. Merged.
"Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!
You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon.
Shine on you crazy diamond."
Post Reply