In Search of the Philosophers’ Stone…

[Vulpes]

Hi all,

I’m an aspiring hobbyist in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. I say aspiring hobbyist to mean that I’m aspiring to have a hobby. I’ve spent the last 10-15 years focused mostly on career and family and am now looking for something to add a little creativity and balance to my life. Home distilling is something that’s been on my mind for a few years now.

I have an advanced degree in synthetic chemistry and have a solid understanding of the physical chemistry underpinning distillation as a means of separation and purification. I have carried out countless extractions and distillations of all different types over the years, but always on a laboratory scale (10mL - 5000 mL) and never spirits for consumption.

My mind is full of ideas of what I want to try, but I’m still in the reading phase. Right now? I’m m definitely feeling option overload. I’m hoping to assemble a modular still that can operate in both pot and reflux configurations. If I can get thing going this spring/summer, I’m thinking right now if starting out with a sugar wash for practice and to produce a neutral spirit to be used for a infused/macerated aquavit. I got my hands on a decent cider press, so maybe some apple brandy this fall… lots of ideas beyond this.

Hopefully I will harness my enthusiasm to push this beyond idle interest and into productive pursuit. This feels right up my alley.

[Corn Cracker]

Welcome, with your career, you have one of the biggest hurdles(the still operation) mostly figured out. I'd suggest starting off with a modular type pot still that you can upgrade when your ready.

[Vulpes]

Thanks, CC.

I don’t want to overstate any experience I come to the table with. Bench top distillation with lab glassware is one thing, but operating a still for producing potables is a whole other beast. I probably have enough background knowledge to trick myself into thinking I know what’s what, only to find myself suddenly in over my head. I’m still approaching things as a novice.

[Yummyrum]

Thanks, CC.

I don’t want to overstate any experience I come to the table with. Bench top distillation with lab glassware is one thing, but operating a still for producing potables is a whole other beast. I probably have enough background knowledge to trick myself into thinking I know what’s what, only to find myself suddenly in over my head. I’m still approaching things as a novice.

Welcome Vulpes
Actually sounds like you have the wisdom that will see you do well . Cheers to your new hobby .

[jonnys_spirit]

Welcome to HD! I'd shoot for a 15 gallon boiler - either a keg which you would then need to modify with the various riser/column/element/drain/fill ports or maybe a similar sized milkcan boiler with the ports already there... Potstill riser and liebig then you can add a reflux column at some point.. Should get you going producing some spirit. If you go with a 4" TC fitting for your riser you can reduce it down to 3" or 2" as needed and also still use plated column native without additional reducers..

Cheers!
-j

[HDNB]

sounds like you got the mad scientist part sorted, now you can work out the master chef details. welcome in

[BlueSasquatch]

Looking forward to your development / take on things. From what I've gathered, there are plenty of suitable boilers out there that one can buy, but the condensers are almost always lacking. If you opt the home-made route, expect it to take longer and cost more than you plan, but result in probably a better understanding than the quick purchase route.

[Vulpes]

Welcome to HD! I'd shoot for a 15 gallon boiler - either a keg which you would then need to modify with the various riser/column/element/drain/fill ports or maybe a similar sized milkcan boiler with the ports already there... Potstill riser and liebig then you can add a reflux column at some point.. Should get you going producing some spirit. If you go with a 4" TC fitting for your riser you can reduce it down to 3" or 2" as needed and also still use plated column native without additional reducers..

Thanks for the advice, JS. Yeah, I'm leaning towards purchasing a 15gal milk can with ports so I can perhaps upgrade to resistive electric heaters at some point, though I'll probably start with propane. Just started thinking last night about building mu own condensers and other parts. Main thing I think I want is a modular setup, which in my mind means TC fittings between all parts rather that a Liebig mated permanently to a potstill riser. Realistically, I think this pushes me towards copper pipe soldered or brazed to stainless steel TC fittings. MORE RESEARCH TO DO!

[can3443]

Hey welcome to the club!

One thing to throw a wrench in your information overload stage is to look into the Brewzilla 35/65L boiler/brewing system. I recommend this because I went down a different route first and took me a long time to bite on this. Now I have the Brewzilla and can mash an all grain or heat water/sugar/cereal for a sugarhead, then use the thing as a boiler to distill after. It is great and will make mashing easier (temp control and recirculation) when you decide to go there and no propane or anything to mess around with. Kits are readily available to convert it to a still (lid and triclamps). You will spend more on a milk can and the necessary elements and controllers to get it going and end up with les... imho

I wouldn't recommend one of the stills they sell online though... Build your own and have fun, and like someone mentioned above it will cost more than you think to build it especially once you start modifying.. but that's the fun of it.

Good luck from another novice distiller.

[can3443]

Also re: tri-clamps, copper exists:

Just google them and you'll find some, especially if you're in the US. Also looks for the PFTE gaskets (silicone is like, forbidden on this site).

[Vulpes]

One thing to throw a wrench in your information overload stage...

Thanks for the suggestion, can.

[OtisT]

Welcome to HD, from a fellow PNWer.

While your contemplating you build I have a small suggestion for you. If you plan on aging in jars you should get yourself a few board feet of heart wood American white oak now, to stack outside for seasoning. Do it now and in two to three years you should have some decent wood to age with. Finding seasoned wood is not easy, and it makes a lot of difference in your final product.

Best of luck to you. Otis

[Deplorable]

Welcome from another PNW stiller who's walked in your shoes. I started with an off-the-shelf milk can "dual purpose" kit and within 6 months had built a 2" modular kit.
You're correct, the condenser performance is the weak link.
Don't try to convince yourself that you can get by with it. Just build it right from the start.

[JMill]

Welcome, i also hail from the PNW and am only about a month or two ahead of you in my journey. I built my still from scratch, not too difficult but it was the most daunting and expensive hurdle. I've now got 3 fermenters on rotation and one for clearing and all I can think about is what mash I want to try next. I'd say jump in and go for it, worst case you can scrap your still or sell it for parts. Best case you find a hobby that consumes you. I literally dream about distilling now.

Good Luck!

[Sulaiman]

One of my main hobbies is chemstry,
I'm in this forum to learn some of the finer arts of distilling.
I'm not a drinker so sugar to near azeotropic has been my only practical experience.
I used to brew wines from various berries in my youth
(elderberries or gooseberries were my favourites)
so I am a novice here..
others have true experience which is always better than theory.
OK, disclaimer done, some thoughts;
1 like most hobbies, initial costs are a concern,
Before starting, consider your TOTAL startup costs.
Workspace, more space, then some more space, ventilation, cooling/heating, safety, electrical power capacity, water, drainage, entertainment, food/drink, toilet
(you have to go sometimes, and you will probably leave your still running completely un-attended for periods)
2 decide what you are most likely to consume + donate.
3 check availability and cost of 'ingredients' in your area
4 if not 100% legal at your location, consider potential career risk if 'busted'

Other than costs and human errors, distillation should be easy for you,
but even with sugar washes the fermentation is more complex,
Aiming for high ABV or short fermentation periods is not good.
I believe that the real art is fermentation,
distillation is relatively easy,
making the right cuts may not be so easy.

Collecting wild berries can be a nice day-out with family, or away from them.

If I have not disuaded you from this forum then
WELCOME

[Saltbush Bill]

and you will probably leave your still running completely un-attended for periods)

Your looking for trouble there, Breaking the number 1 safety Rule.
You NEVER leave a still unattended, and nobody on this forum will advocate doing so.
Find other ways......go to the toilet first.
Have someone else who knows what to do watch the still while you go.
Turn the still off, start again when you return.
I and plenty of others know from experience that if something goes wrong it goes wrong very quickly and usually without warning.
Murphys Law also states that it will happen the moment your back is turned.
Plain and simple , DONT DO IT!

[Oldvine Zin]

Your looking for trouble there, Breaking the number 1 safety Rule.
You NEVER leave a still unattended, and nobody on this forum will advocate doing so.
Find other ways......go to the toilet first.
Have someone else who knows what to do watch the still while you go.
Turn the still off, start again when you return.
I and plenty of others know from experience that if something goes wrong it goes wrong very quickly and usually without warning.
Murphys Law also states that it will happen the moment your back is turned.
Plain and simple , DONT DO IT!

Words to remember!
Welcome in from another PNW stiller
Stay safe
OVZ

[squigglefunk]

there is a thread right now where a still imploded because it was left unattended. So the least you could lose your still, or much more.

[squigglefunk]

I'm leaning towards purchasing a 15gal milk can with ports so I can perhaps upgrade to resistive electric heaters at some point, though I'll probably start with propane. Just started thinking last night about building mu own condensers and other parts. Main thing I think I want is a modular setup, which in my mind means TC fittings between all parts rather that a Liebig mated permanently to a potstill riser. Realistically, I think this pushes me towards copper pipe soldered or brazed to stainless steel TC fittings. MORE RESEARCH TO DO!

welcome, I was able to press fit my stainless steel ferrules into the copper pipe with no brazing or soldering. They took a fair bit of persuasion to go but they do not leak or come loose at all. The stainless dimensions are usually OD and the copper ID. SO a 2" stainless ferrule will fit inside a 2" copper pipe.

I think the milk can is the way to go unless you are a good welder or know someone who can do stainless steel tig welding with the proper argon gas purge.

Building a riser and liebig condenser is super easy and relatively cheap, the shotgun condensers are popular but quite a bit more complicated to build and for the hobby scale probably overkill.

[Vulpes]

Thanks for all the friendly greetings everyone. Sorry If I don't reply to all of them.

I've talked myself down to starting with a pot still to get the hang of things, work on some sugar washes and then maybe try something on the easier side like a rum or something. I found out that I have an unused 240V 50A 3-phase circuit at home, so electric heating is looking ore attractive, especially as it would allow me to do the still work in the basement with no flames (open windows and cross-ventilation, of course). I've still got a lot of reading and planning to do, but I'm trying to pick up useful parts when they become available. I found someone giving away a used half-barrel keg, so I'm going to pick that up for eventual modification into a boiler (need to find someone who welds!). I also found a plumbing shop that is closing down their operation and selling off some copper pipe for fairly cheap (e.g. 2" K or L hard pipe for $8/ft, smaller sizes too; hopefully they have some 3"), so I will be stopping by to see what they have in a little bit. Just looking to pick up useful things along the way as I figure out exactly how how I will move forward.

[Skál]

Welcome Vulpes , loads of great advice already above. A half barrel is an awesome place to start (seem kinda rare nowadays), if you decide to go bigger you could make it into a gin still perhaps or a thumper maybe. Also your 2" column/head will fit immediately to your new boiler. You might want to look into adding fittings to your boiler yourself? A mapp gas torch,silver solder and flux and you can do it yourself as well as build your own columns, condensers etc. Read some build threads here and you'll soon see it isn't nearly as daunting as it sounds plus the satisfaction of your own hand built 'custom' still. As mentioned before on wood for aging, start collecting large jars and bottles plus visits to your local scrappy for copper is worth it for bargains. Copper can nearly always be cleaned up! If you don't mind buying overseas AliExpress is a site worth visiting for cheap sanitary fittings, worth looking now as postage from China will probably be a month or so. Good luck and happy stilling.

Skál

P.s. As a scientist you might want to read up on SPP (spiral prismatic packing)