Chinese still worth it?

[RevA]

Hi,
I'm looking at getting a small still just to play around with different washes and flavors. It gets a bit expensive to make 10-20 gal washes that are not something I'd like a lot of. Does anyone know if the Chinese stills that are basically a stainless pot with a copper worm attached can make decent moonshine?

[Bushman]

Do you have a link to the still you are referring too so members can evaluate it.

[RevA]

Do you have a link to the still you are referring too so members can evaluate it.

https://www.banggood.com/2GAL-or-3GAL-o ... rehouse=CN

It is one of these basically

[NZChris]

Try doing a search.

https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... nese+still

[CopperFiend]

Yeah I've got one of those. Was my first. It is really really slow, very easy to puke and a bugger to clean. The worm is never in a fully downward position no matter what you do with it, so there are always pockets of liquid that pool. Useable, but I'd recommend building a still any day.

[Saltbush Bill]

You get what you pay for.....cheap usually means exactly that.

[Deplorable]

If you want a small still, you're better off getting a 8 gallon milk can boiler and building a pot still and a liebig or a shotgun condensor. I wouldnt dink around with a worm condesner personally.

Edit: I'll just add that after you make yur first good batch of booze, you'll be upgrading anyway. Plan accordingly...

[NZChris]

I wouldnt dink around with a worm condesner personally.

I've recently bought a European copper alembic that came with a worm condenser. I automated the worm and I'm very impressed with how well it works. Cool product out and very hot waste water to the drain.

[Deplorable]

I wouldnt dink around with a worm condesner personally.

I've recently bought a European copper alembic that came with a worm condenser. I automated the worm and I'm very impressed with how well it works. Cool product out and very hot waste water to the drain.

You, my good sir, are the master of automation. You seem to have all the cool widgits and whizbangs. I wish you were into pictures Chris, I'd love to see your collection of solenoids, valves, and other tricks.

[NZChris]

This one is too easy.

Drop the thermocouple into the flake stand to the height of the condensate outlet.

Use any cheap fleabay/whatever solenoid valve and controller to gravity feed water into the bottom of the flake stand. I use 12V DC because sometimes I run off-grid. Overflow into a bucket and use the hot water to clean up after the run.

[Alkyholik]

I just did my 1st wash with a similar still from china and worked great. Mines is a 3 pot version. I posted about it asking if they were any good, before I did my 1st wash.
From 18l I got 2.7l of fair neutral alcohol