Thermometer/Calculate Length Condenser Coil

[Afshin_sam89]

Hi Guys
Excuse me for get your time.
I have some question about how calculate length condenser coil for flask(still pot)? my mean is "What should be the length and diameter of our condenser coil that we get best drain results?"
do we have such calculation for that?
another my question is about about thermometers, as we know temperature is one the most important factors for distillers, so where we need to put our thermometer in distill apparatus? in the boil wash or in the condenser?
which temperature should be read? the boil or vapor?

Thank you for your time,
Best,
Sam.

[NZChris]

There are some handy calculators here, including a condenser size calculator. https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Calculators

Temperature isn't important in the beginning and watching temperatures may cause you to make poor decisions during your early runs, but temperature records can be used to your advantage in the future when making repeat products, so keep good records of your runs.

Most of my stills don't have thermometers, but the ones that do, have them in the charge not in the vapor, as the temperature of the charge can be used to calculate the abv remaining in the charge.

[Afshin_sam89]

Hi
First thank you for your comments but as I read in the book with name Craft of Whiskey Distilling by Owens B, he write SG determined our Potential Alcohol in mash and wash then this Number(Potential Alcohol) is distinguish our Ethanol Temperature so this is so important that we know it also I attached this table under below.

anyway thank you for your website but I have question about "Heat Input" Icons in this website.
we have natural gas not electronic heat in my country so what am I put in "Heat Input" Icons?
and can you please define "Charge", what is that? is this a our wash in our pot? if our vapor is not important, why that website you recommended have icon for "Vapor Temperature"!!!!!???

Thank you.

[LWTCS]

When pot stilling temperatures will not remain constant.
As you draw alcohol out of the system temperature must increase. You as the distiller have no control over temperature if you are drawing product when pot stilling.


The chart in no way implies that temps for pot stilling is critical information.

You are far better off adjusting heat input until your distillate stream is about the same diameter as a toothpick or pencil lead and using smell and feel to evaluate your resulting distillate.

[Afshin_sam89]

Sorry for mention but this chart mention to Kettle% you can see this in upper right this chart and if you want to confidence, you can read this book.
I can send this book to you.

[NZChris]

You can use that chart to work out the abv of the remaining liquid, (charge), in the still, providing the thermometer is in the charge, (liquid), and not somewhere in the vapour.

When doing your first stripping runs, that temperature is only of interest in the future if you are making the same product again so record it, but in the beginning you shouldn't make decisions based on it, even if someone on a forum or Youtube tells you a temperature they say works.

The same applies to your first spirit runs. Record the temperatures, but don't make decisions using them because some 'helpful' person quoted temperatures that worked for them.

[NZChris]

Get yourself a good alcometer and a measuring cylinder. They are my best tools for making decisions when distilling.

[LWTCS]

Sorry for mention but this chart mention to Kettle% you can see this in upper right this chart and if you want to confidence, you can read this book.
I can send this book to you.

Yes thank you.
Please send at your soonest convenience.

[Corsaire]

When you use a coil the size of the barrel and the volume of water is more important.
It's the water that cools the vapors.
I suggest at least the same volume of water as the wash in the boiler. Or find a way to pump fresh cold water.

My coil is 22mm tube, 1,5m long. I usually use 60l of cooling water for my 30l boiler. That way I can push pretty hard on stripping runs.

I know it sounds strange but temperature is not important on a pot still. I run on gas too. Adjust flame to get a slow but steady flow. No thermometer needed.

[Yummyrum]

Agree with corsaire.

[Afshin_sam89]

Get yourself a good alcometer and a measuring cylinder. They are my best tools for making decisions when distilling.

Thank You so so much for your help but thermometer is important because my vision is methanol have lower temperature than ethanol so after we receive in right side temperature we continue gain our spirit run and disposal before it.
I know we have 4 steps for gain spirit: foreshots(5%),heads(20%-30%),hearts(30%-40%),tails(20%-30%).
https://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/ ... mies-guide

but my question is how calculate the amount of spirit run compare to the wash in the our pot? I read, this have some standards, do you have any idea?

[Afshin_sam89]

Sorry for mention but this chart mention to Kettle% you can see this in upper right this chart and if you want to confidence, you can read this book.
I can send this book to you.

Yes thank you.
Please send at your soonest convenience.

I dont know this is right or no but I attach this pdf Book right here.

Craft of Whiskey Distilling by Owens.pdf

(2.99 MiB) Downloaded 150 times

[Afshin_sam89]

When you use a coil the size of the barrel and the volume of water is more important.
It's the water that cools the vapors.
I suggest at least the same volume of water as the wash in the boiler. Or find a way to pump fresh cold water.

My coil is 22mm tube, 1,5m long. I usually use 60l of cooling water for my 30l boiler. That way I can push pretty hard on stripping runs.

I know it sounds strange but temperature is not important on a pot still. I run on gas too. Adjust flame to get a slow but steady flow. No thermometer needed.

ouh thank you so much for your time.
do you have any idea for how calculate the amount of spirit run compare to the wash in the our pot? I read, this have some standard.

[Afshin_sam89]

Agree with corsaire.

[Corsaire]

You are trying to make whisky.
There's practically no methanol made in an all grain, or sugar ferment.
And you cannot distill out methanol on a simple still anyway.
Sure, pure methanol boils at a lower temp than pure ethanol, but when mixed they form a strong bond. Lab results confirm this.

Make clean ferments. Don't worry about methanol.

Make enough ferment to fill your boiler 3 times.
First distillation run, run until you have collected 1/3 of your starting volume.
Example you have 30l ferment, collect 10l distillate. This is called low wines.

Do this 3 times, so you have 30l total low wines.
Do a slow distillation of this. Collect in lots of small jars.

Look up kiwistiller's guide to cuts here.
viewtopic.php?f=63&t=13261

There are 4 fractions, fores, heads, hearts, tails. Don't use volumes or abv. Use your nose and taste.

Good luck!

[NZChris]

Get yourself a good alcometer and a measuring cylinder. They are my best tools for making decisions when distilling.

Thank You so so much for your help but thermometer is important because my vision is methanol have lower temperature than ethanol so after we receive in right side temperature we continue gain our spirit run and disposal before it.
I know we have 4 steps for gain spirit: foreshots(5%),heads(20%-30%),hearts(30%-40%),tails(20%-30%).
https://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/ ... mies-guide

but my question is how calculate the amount of spirit run compare to the wash in the our pot? I read, this have some standards, do you have any idea?

That was written by someone who knew very little about distilling and didn't understand how methanol behaves when mixed with ethanol and water. You need to know more than he did when he wrote that.
viewtopic.php?t=40606

[Corsaire]

The same thing was found in lab tests of home distiller's product:

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=77481

[Afshin_sam89]

The same thing was found in lab tests of home distiller's product:

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=77481

Thank you so much, is this verity for raisins distill? my means methanol that you mention in your quote.
you said, I have to spirit out 10l(low wine) of 30l(ferment) and do it 3times, isn't it?
as I understand I distill 30l and collect 10l and again I distill this 10l for collect 3.33...l, and again I distill 3.33l for collect 1.1l, am I right?

[Afshin_sam89]

Get yourself a good alcometer and a measuring cylinder. They are my best tools for making decisions when distilling.

Thank You so so much for your help but thermometer is important because my vision is methanol have lower temperature than ethanol so after we receive in right side temperature we continue gain our spirit run and disposal before it.
I know we have 4 steps for gain spirit: foreshots(5%),heads(20%-30%),hearts(30%-40%),tails(20%-30%).
https://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/ ... mies-guide

but my question is how calculate the amount of spirit run compare to the wash in the our pot? I read, this have some standards, do you have any idea?

That was written by someone who knew very little about distilling and didn't understand how methanol behaves when mixed with ethanol and water. You need to know more than he did when he wrote that.
viewtopic.php?t=40606

ha ha ha yeah I distill just raisin not grain so I have question and confuse.
distill of Raisin names "aragh"
"aragh" have suffix with name "sagi" that come with "aragh" so this complete name is "aragh sagi"
sagi is persian names and its dog in english language. the reason of this name is that before f..king revolution of Iran, we have moonshine company that they printed picture's dog in their bottle so this is famous to "Aragh Sagi".
this is long story.
I hope you got it with my poor english writing .

[NZChris]

It depends on what you are making.

When stripping with a pot still I don't use volumes, or temperatures, or ABV at the spout. I have target ABVs for the total Low Wines collections for each type of product I make and run until the Low Wines reach the target.

For neutrals, I take off 150ml of foreshot per 23l of wash, then run until the collection vessel is about 40%. Some distillers stop earlier and add water to get down below 40%.

Rums, Whiskeys and brandies I run down to around 25-30% because I want to capture more flavor.

[Afshin_sam89]

It depends on what you are making.

When stripping with a pot still I don't use volumes, or temperatures, or ABV at the spout. I have target ABVs for the total Low Wines collections for each type of product I make and run until the Low Wines reach the target.

For neutrals, I take off 150ml of foreshot per 23l of wash, then run until the collection vessel is about 40%. Some distillers stop earlier and add water to get down below 40%.

Rums, Whiskeys and brandies I run down to around 25-30% because I want to capture more flavor.

okey, you said "Whiskeys and brandies I run down to around 25-30%" my question exact it. 25-30% of what? how can calculate this is 25% or it...
can you explain it with one example please?

[NZChris]

okey, you said "Whiskeys and brandies I run down to around 25-30%" my question exact it. 25-30% of what? how can calculate this is 25% or it...
can you explain it with one example please?

Alcohol by volume, measured using an alcometer/alcoholometer.

[Afshin_sam89]

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=13261
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=11913
Hi guys again I read this post accurately but I am so distract.

but with mention this picture I have a question how appropriate capacity this jar in this picture for my 25 still pot?
is there relation with jar and pot?
I think any jar for 25l still pot should be 1 liter.
thank you again and sorry again if my question is ridiculous.

[Corsaire]

If you put 20l in your 25l pot you shouldn't aim for 20l out. That defeats the whole purpose.
Get 40 250ml containers. That way you'll be able to collect 10l of distillate, which is more than enough. Fill them to 200ml and you still get 8l worth.
Do some runs, smell and taste, take notes. You'll need less jars next time

[Afshin_sam89]

If you put 20l in your 25l pot you shouldn't aim for 20l out. That defeats the whole purpose.
Get 40 250ml containers. That way you'll be able to collect 10l of distillate, which is more than enough. Fill them to 200ml and you still get 8l worth.
Do some runs, smell and taste, take notes. You'll need less jars next time

Hi my dear friend
thank you for your information.
I found this post --> viewtopic.php?f=15&t=71675
Lets come thinks you have 20L wash with 9% abv as you said, then we have:
(28 * 0.09 * 100)/40 = 6.3L
I learn for amount of spirit run with help this post that I mentioned and your and others helpful information.
but now my question is how can separate this 6.3L( or any amount) to fores, heads, heart and tails?
I want to follow any mathematical method as I wrote for amount spirit run.
I want to know this jars are tails or this jars is head, you know,I want to know how can I understand that our heads is finish and then hearts is start.
I am so confuse and going to mad

[NZChris]

The first jars out of the still that taste so bad that you don't include them in your heart cut, are the heads.

The late jars out of the still that taste so bad that you don't include them in your heart cut, are the tails.

The only way you can do it by numbers, is by making the same wash every time and keeping distilling notes to refer back to.

[Corsaire]

There are no numbers for you to follow.
You'll need to use your senses.

The only certainty you have is there will be a portion that smells and tastes bad, a good portion, and then more nastiness. Deciding where those portions lie is completely up to you.

Don't worry, you won't poison yourself. Do a proper ferment, you'll be safe.

Stop driving yourself mad, just do a run. You'll figure it out in no time.