Hello All!

New to distillation, or simply new to the HD forums.
** Your first post MUST go here. Introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your interest in distilling. Any posts asking distilling questions will be deleted. **

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
ImAllCorn
Novice
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2023 1:27 pm

Hello All!

Post by ImAllCorn »

Thank you for allowing me to join your group.

I'm finding out there's more I can do with the corn we harvest than just sell it for cheap.

I'm here to learn and hopefully impart some knowledge-even if it's by accident.

:thumbup:
User avatar
sadie33
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1493
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2023 2:45 pm

Re: Hello All!

Post by sadie33 »

hello and welcome
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10337
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: Hello All!

Post by still_stirrin »

ImAllCorn wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 2:14 pm Thank you for allowing me to join your group.

I'm finding out there's more I can do with the corn we harvest than just sell it for cheap.

I'm here to learn and hopefully impart some knowledge-even if it's by accident.
I too get corn and wheat (and milo/sorghum) from our combine bin at harvest time. Wheat is easy to malt, ie - germinate and sprout, then dry. Corn is a little more challenging, but still can be malted at home. Home malting activates the enzymes that start the carbohydrate reduction into fermentable sugars. And “growing your own” certainly keeps costs contained.

I store my grains in a spare deep freezer until I can use it for brewing. The freezer locks in the moisture until thawed. And it kills any insect larvae (weevils) that may be in the grains.

Indeed, making your own spirits with grains grown on your farm does make you proud when your friends compliment you on the homemade spirits. I make “Special K”, a bourbon made with cereal grains produced on our family farm (recipe in my signature).

So, welcome on board to the best hobby distilling website in the world. Settle in and read a while. All of your questions have been asked and answered already (many times before). And a big hint —> learn to use the search function … it’s a powerful tool for you.

Be safe. Be responsible. And be discrete.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
Bradster68
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2196
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:57 am
Location: Canada

Re: Hello All!

Post by Bradster68 »

Welcome to the club IAC 🍻.
I drink so much now,on the back of my license it's a list of organs I need.
ImAllCorn
Novice
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2023 1:27 pm

Re: Hello All!

Post by ImAllCorn »

So, I just decided to upgrade and purchased a 6" column. It has 6 bubble plates with site glasses and a dephlegmator. I'm currently running it on my 13 gallon boiler just to see how it works. And it's not working too well because as most of you know, my boiler is way too small. So, my question to all you is; what size boiler should I purchase to match this 6" column?
User avatar
subbrew
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1275
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:40 pm
Location: West of the Mississippi

Re: Hello All!

Post by subbrew »

as you probably know there is a 30 gal limit to stay in the good graces of this forum. It is not so much the size of the boiler as the amount of power needed to drive a 6 inch column. And the corresponding amount of cooling water to remove that heat. 3 or at most 4 inches are probably better for hobby sized production.

Because area goes up at the square of the radius and area is proportional to power requirements, your 6 inch column will require 4 times the power of a 3 inch. Although my column is not complete, i have read here of needing 3000 to 3500 W to drive a 3 inch column so you are looking at a minimum of 12000 W.
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Hello All!

Post by Saltbush Bill »

I agree with Subbrew, from experience I know that a 5 Plate- 6 inch column will work on a 13 Gal boiler .......it will be a short and fast run.....but it will work, its more about power input and how much alcohol is in the boiler.
13gal of 8% wash and 13 gal of mixed wash and low wines are two very different kettles of fish.
Aside from that , this isnt the place for Q & A .......move it to an appropriate area of the forum.
Post Reply