It's it ironic..

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

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Wildcats
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It's it ironic..

Post by Wildcats »

Thought maybe a few members could relate. So I decided to remodel my lil vevor still. I cut off the 1/2 in riser and replaced it with a stainless steel bulkhead. Then come on up with 1in copper with two 90s and then reduce down to 1/2 in with a union. Then 3/4 over 1/2 for my condenser. The water jacket is 37 in from inlet to outlet. So it ended up a lot better then the POS I had. Then yesterday I was at work telling my coworker about it and mentioned that my boiler looks small now and I probably need at some point to upgrade to a bigger pot. So he tells me that he has a 15.5 gal keg that I can have. Welp now I'm back to ordering parts. Or as the guys across the pond say.... Bits and bobs... Lol. So now I get to do a real build. Probably should have started with a keg. I will be documenting the build. With a lot of pictures. Looks like I'm gonna end up with two stills... The rabbit hole is getting deeper. Ironic...
Wildcats
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Wildcats »

On my lunch break at work... Taking the sakey valve out of my new to me keg.... πŸ˜†
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Chauncey
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Chauncey »

Not sure if I'd call it irony. With a keg and triclover parts you End up with any number of still configurations though.

Save the keg spear, it can be repurposed.
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sadie33
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by sadie33 »

that's great! I am really loving my vevor now that I got all the kinks worked out and pieces replaced. I'm hoping to build an 8 gal this summer, but now I'm starting to think I need a 10 gal... :lolno:
MooseMan
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by MooseMan »

Wildcats wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:43 am Thought maybe a few members could relate. So I decided to remodel my lil vevor still. I cut off the 1/2 in riser and replaced it with a stainless steel bulkhead. Then come on up with 1in copper with two 90s and then reduce down to 1/2 in with a union. Then 3/4 over 1/2 for my condenser. The water jacket is 37 in from inlet to outlet. So it ended up a lot better then the POS I had. Then yesterday I was at work telling my coworker about it and mentioned that my boiler looks small now and I probably need at some point to upgrade to a bigger pot. So he tells me that he has a 15.5 gal keg that I can have. Welp now I'm back to ordering parts. Or as the guys across the pond say.... Bits and bobs... Lol. So now I get to do a real build. Probably should have started with a keg. I will be documenting the build. With a lot of pictures. Looks like I'm gonna end up with two stills... The rabbit hole is getting deeper. Ironic...
You have so many options now you have a keg!

Have a long hard read around before you decide for sure, but with tri clamp parts you really can't go wrong because you can swap and change so easily..

I settled on a modular CCVM that flips easily into pot mode for stripping, and I've not looked back.
(Well, apart from the little gin still I've now also made, to use all of the neutral I've suddenly got! :D )

I chose to go 2.5" simply because that's what copper I had for a column, but 2" on top of a keg seems to be the most common.

Looking forward to your build blog, plenty of detail and plenty of pics please?!
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Wildcats
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Wildcats »

MooseMan wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 8:13 am
Wildcats wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:43 am Thought maybe a few members could relate. So I decided to remodel my lil vevor still. I cut off the 1/2 in riser and replaced it with a stainless steel bulkhead. Then come on up with 1in copper with two 90s and then reduce down to 1/2 in with a union. Then 3/4 over 1/2 for my condenser. The water jacket is 37 in from inlet to outlet. So it ended up a lot better then the POS I had. Then yesterday I was at work telling my coworker about it and mentioned that my boiler looks small now and I probably need at some point to upgrade to a bigger pot. So he tells me that he has a 15.5 gal keg that I can have. Welp now I'm back to ordering parts. Or as the guys across the pond say.... Bits and bobs... Lol. So now I get to do a real build. Probably should have started with a keg. I will be documenting the build. With a lot of pictures. Looks like I'm gonna end up with two stills... The rabbit hole is getting deeper. Ironic...
You have so many options now you have a keg!

Have a long hard read around before you decide for sure, but with tri clamp parts you really can't go wrong because you can swap and change so easily..

I settled on a modular CCVM that flips easily into pot mode for stripping, and I've not looked back.
(Well, apart from the little gin still I've now also made, to use all of the neutral I've suddenly got! :D )

I chose to go 2.5" simply because that's what copper I had for a column, but 2" on top of a keg seems to be the most common.

Looking forward to your build blog, plenty of detail and plenty of pics please?!
Yep can't wait to get started. Will be ordering parts for my still head and everything to go electric.
Wildcats
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Wildcats »

Chauncey wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:49 am Not sure if I'd call it irony. With a keg and triclover parts you End up with any number of still configurations though.

Save the keg spear, it can be repurposed.
Yeah have seen where Dad300 used a keg spear for a condenser.
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subbrew
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by subbrew »

If you are going all out I would recommend a 6 inch or at least a 4 inch hole in the keg that allows access for cleaning. You can easily find reducers to bring that down to 2, 2.5, 3 or whatever size you want for a column.

I love that big hole for filling, cleaning, inspecting, etc.
Wildcats
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Wildcats »

subbrew wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 8:39 am If you are going all out I would recommend a 6 inch or at least a 4 inch hole in the keg that allows access for cleaning. You can easily find reducers to bring that down to 2, 2.5, 3 or whatever size you want for a column.

I love that big hole for filling, cleaning, inspecting, etc.
Yeah I was looking at the 6 in flanges last night. That's the way I'm heading.
Wildcats
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Wildcats »

This site is amazing. A lot of great people here that have so much combined knowledge.
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by JAMAWG »

sadie33 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 8:02 am that's great! I am really loving my vevor now that I got all the kinks worked out and pieces replaced. I'm hoping to build an 8 gal this summer, but now I'm starting to think I need a 10 gal... :lolno:
I upgraded to the 8 and now I want to get a 15! Lol it never stops.
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Twisted Brick
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Twisted Brick »

subbrew wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 8:39 am If you are going all out I would recommend a 6 inch or at least a 4 inch hole in the keg that allows access for cleaning. You can easily find reducers to bring that down to 2, 2.5, 3 or whatever size you want for a column.

I love that big hole for filling, cleaning, inspecting, etc.
I went with a 6" ferrule and once you do that you'd never go back. Lately, I've been cleaning new copper pieces by dropping them into my boiler right after finishing a strip run (and draining out a couple gallons of backset for future runs).
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Bradster68
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Bradster68 »

Twisted Brick wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 3:58 pm
subbrew wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 8:39 am If you are going all out I would recommend a 6 inch or at least a 4 inch hole in the keg that allows access for cleaning. You can easily find reducers to bring that down to 2, 2.5, 3 or whatever size you want for a column.

I love that big hole for filling, cleaning, inspecting, etc.
I went with a 6" ferrule and once you do that you'd never go back. Lately, I've been cleaning new copper pieces by dropping them into my boiler right after finishing a strip run (and draining out a couple gallons of backset for future runs).
Absolutely. I love my 6 inch.πŸ˜‰. So easy to clean out.
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Stonecutter
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Stonecutter »

Twisted Brick wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 3:58 pm I went with a 6" ferrule and once you do that you'd never go back. Lately, I've been cleaning new copper pieces by dropping them into my boiler right after finishing a strip run (and draining out a couple gallons of backset for future runs).
That’s a hell of an idea there Twisted Brick. Thanks man
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shadylane
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by shadylane »

Wildcats wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:43 am
Thought maybe a few members could relate..... Looks like I'm gonna end up with two stills... The rabbit hole is getting deeper. Ironic...

"Looks like I'm gonna end up with two stills"

Yeah right, only 2 stills Ya say. :lol:
Wildcats
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Re: It's it ironic..

Post by Wildcats »

shadylane wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:36 pm
Wildcats wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:43 am
Thought maybe a few members could relate..... Looks like I'm gonna end up with two stills... The rabbit hole is getting deeper. Ironic...

"Looks like I'm gonna end up with two stills"

Yeah right, only 2 stills Ya say. :lol:
Rite. Probably be a lot more then two.
So when I brought my keg in the house yesterday after work. The wife say... Where are you going to keep that big old thing. And where are you going to run it. I say... Well when I go electric I can use the dryer plunge in the bathroom or I can use the oven plug... Needless to say.... She was not very happy with either plan... πŸ˜†
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