Fruit or botanicals on top of copper mesh in a column

[Bsjapost]

Hello, after search for 1/2 hour, I could not find anything on this.
I am thinking of tightly packing my column with one roll of copper mesh (Brewhaus 8 gallon with 2" column) and then placing diced apples on top. The total would be a foot of apples. I am just curious if this has been tried, and if so, what are the results.

I am thinking it may not be enough fruit. Well, just curious.

[NJen]

Just barely over a half a quart of apples (theoretically, assuming you could fill the entire space (.65quarts)) on top of (I assume) about 5 or 6 gallons of wash? Might not be enough, but then again it might. I'm sure it could be worth a try, provided you can get it in there and not jam up your column too bad. I probably wouldn't do it, seems like it'd be a mess to clean. But as long as vapor can get through it, it should work. How well... that's another question.

[cayars]

I would be careful to make sure you don't plug up the column as the fruit starts to break down from the vapor/heat and settles on top of the mash. Could be a problem waiting to happen.

I've done similar in a thumper and had issues when packed tight and it DID block the vapor. I'd be much more "scared" to do that in a column. I'd certainly make sure to do this in pot still mode and keep a careful eye out to make sure you have distillate coming out.

You would likely be better off doing a stripping run and then macerating the apples in the low wines before running the spirit run. It would surely be safer!

I would always double think (for safety) adding anything that can change form to a column as it will have the potential to block the vapor and that's a very bad thing to happen!

[Bsjapost]

Thanks for the replies, I just always thought the copper mesh could act like a gin basket. Maybe use items that don't break down when heated, like coconut. Seems like a little more thinking to be done on this.

[Bsjapost]

Or maybe, just try my thumper or put in the boiler as suggested.

[seamusm53]

Botanicals should work but cooking fruit into mush is likely to turn your still into a bomb.

[Bsjapost]

If anyone is intrested, I ran some with herbal apple tea bags set atop the copper mesh. It imparted a good bit of flavor, and I am assuming not alot of tannins in this particular herbal tea. All in all, I may use try some other herbal teas in the future.

[cayars]

Mind sharing what tea you used and what type of spirit you were making?

[Avo]

Thanks for the replies, I just always thought the copper mesh could act like a gin basket. Maybe use items that don't break down when heated, like coconut. Seems like a little more thinking to be done on this.

For smaller amounts of botanicals you can get s/s baskets that will fit inside the silicone gasket of the tri-clamp flange of the column or a sight glass.

If your botanicals or ingredients should mash which would block the column, the basket allows a by-pass of vapour between the basket and inside of the column.

As you are using larger amounts of fruit, it would be better to put the apples in a muslin bag and suspend the bag under the column in the boiler, this would vapour infuse and would also reflux back into the boiler which would possibly add extra flavour to the product.

[Bsjapost]

It was "teekane" brand magic apple. Two bags on top of one roll of copper packing. Just a faint taste and aroma. The wash was corn syrup apple juice and water. Just messing around so I didnt write the exact measurements. Didnt take a gravity reading. Only got 2 pints of hearts out of 5 gallons. Really just wanted to see if tea bags would work. Heard that black teas have loads of bitter tannins so went with a box of apple flavored tea.

[NZChris]

Some apple flavor comes over early and late, so when you cut for heads and tails, you get rid of some of the flavors that you want.

You might get a better result by going past the heads, then shutting down and putting the tea bags in.

[Bsjapost]

Yeah, that is why I did this throw away run. Just doing science. But it was intresting.