Hi everyone,
Long time brewer of beer and cider but now a newbie on distilling world. I have a vevor 30L with their “column” to try it out and make something of it. I am yet to do the first distill. If I really enjoy it them I definitely will upgrade to a T500.
But I am already brewing some pear wine (1.072 specific gravity for a nice brandy)
Any how nice to meet you all!!
From brewing to distilling
Moderator: Site Moderator
Re: From brewing to distilling
Welcome jp
This journey is pretty consuming...
This journey is pretty consuming...
“Awards are merely the badges of mediocrity.”
― Charles Ives
― Charles Ives
-
- Site Donor
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2021 4:11 am
- Location: On the limit of an endless ocean.
Re: From brewing to distilling
Welcome jp, this is a great place to learn.
Any chance your “column” is this one?
If so, you bought the same thing I did. The bad news is that it isn’t a column, and can’t do reflux, well not without a lot more equipment anyhow. Properly described, it’s a Riser for a pot still, with a Graham Condenser attached. It’s designed to do flavoured spirts, which with enough attention to detail, care and patience, it can do ok…ish. That’s a completely different job to a T500, which is designed to do neutral.
One bit of safety advice, the ID of the condenser coil is pretty small, and I reckon has the potential to block up if any foreign material/contamination managed to get up the riser. I put a copper scrubby in the base of riser to stop anything getting up there. Also helps clean up the distillate.
Cheers, have fun, and be safe. This is an awesome hobby
Any chance your “column” is this one?
If so, you bought the same thing I did. The bad news is that it isn’t a column, and can’t do reflux, well not without a lot more equipment anyhow. Properly described, it’s a Riser for a pot still, with a Graham Condenser attached. It’s designed to do flavoured spirts, which with enough attention to detail, care and patience, it can do ok…ish. That’s a completely different job to a T500, which is designed to do neutral.
One bit of safety advice, the ID of the condenser coil is pretty small, and I reckon has the potential to block up if any foreign material/contamination managed to get up the riser. I put a copper scrubby in the base of riser to stop anything getting up there. Also helps clean up the distillate.
Cheers, have fun, and be safe. This is an awesome hobby
Re: From brewing to distilling
Hi,
I have this "column" but like you said this is a pot still and not a column still (can't expect much from a cheap one). I want to do brandy and whiskey with upbringing flavour from the mash so I guess this will do for the beginning of the journey. I filled this "column" with a lot of copper mesh and bought a ceramic electric heater of 2200w, I could go 3500w because I have 16Amp/220v on my kitchen but the cost of such a heater, I prefer to put it at the end on a better distill equipment.
I am actually about to mash 2pale row grain have a 20kg bag layering around. I started a low carb diet - meaning no beer but all good with rum, brandy etc in moderation
Nice to meet you all!
I have this "column" but like you said this is a pot still and not a column still (can't expect much from a cheap one). I want to do brandy and whiskey with upbringing flavour from the mash so I guess this will do for the beginning of the journey. I filled this "column" with a lot of copper mesh and bought a ceramic electric heater of 2200w, I could go 3500w because I have 16Amp/220v on my kitchen but the cost of such a heater, I prefer to put it at the end on a better distill equipment.
I am actually about to mash 2pale row grain have a 20kg bag layering around. I started a low carb diet - meaning no beer but all good with rum, brandy etc in moderation
Nice to meet you all!
Re: From brewing to distilling
Sounds like you have a decent, inexpensive setup for you to explore the hobby. Some people bash the Chinese stills, but they work just fine as a basic pot still. Your Vevor “football” will pump out whisky and brandy all day long. You can even make an okay imitation of a “vodka” if you start with a clean, neutral ferment.
No doubt this will be your gateway still, and it’s only a matter of time before you want more capacity and more power!
No doubt this will be your gateway still, and it’s only a matter of time before you want more capacity and more power!
- Saltbush Bill
- Site Mod
- Posts: 9741
- Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
- Location: Northern NSW Australia
Re: From brewing to distilling
I helped a person , new to this hobby set up one of those Vevor stills once.......then I tried to show them how to use it..............to put it bluntly it was a pile of shit......they should NOT be allowed to be sold.
Its easy to say they " work just fine" if you have no experience with better quality stills that work as they should.
Cheap poorly built stills like the one I experienced can/ will give bad results and can be dangerous........none of those things enhance the reputation of this hobby.
Re: From brewing to distilling
Hi,
I understand. Actually I saw a youtuber, George, maybe some of you know: - “trying the Chinese distill “ and this particular model worked ok. But I do get security wise I will triple check the connections and hoses for leaks. Like I said if I get the taste of it , i will transition to something else in a future.
Thanks!
I understand. Actually I saw a youtuber, George, maybe some of you know: - “trying the Chinese distill “ and this particular model worked ok. But I do get security wise I will triple check the connections and hoses for leaks. Like I said if I get the taste of it , i will transition to something else in a future.
Thanks!
-
- Site Donor
- Posts: 1804
- Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:17 pm
- Location: Northwest France
Re: From brewing to distilling
Duck. Run from the room. And go an re-read the "rules we live by" before posting again!
"I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway" - Jimbo
A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
A little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers