Modular pot still from off-the-shelf parts

[axg20202]

Hi all.
I want to assemble a novice-sized compact pot still for making whisky from only off-the-shelf parts, using parts from China or available in the UK. After dismissing the ubiquitous 'T500 boiler + alembic' setup as just not good enough and overpriced for what it is, i'm considering 2 different options and could do with some advice. I want to keep costs down, but I also don't want to buy junk, so basically I'd like the moon on a stick!

I think a boiler size of about 8g /30L or so would be good, and it must be electrically powered. I am considering a Digiboiler 35L and the AlcoEngine Copper Pot condenser - both are readily available in the UK. The Alcoengine condenser is the most reasonably priced simple copper condensor I could find for a starter kit. The reason I think this setup might suit me is that I can use the Digiboiler as a mash tun, which saves space, using a BIAB bag or the Digiboiler Mash kit to make my mash. I guess I would still need an SCR controller to get enough control of flow rate with the Digiboiler.

The downside is that if the electrics of the Digiboiler $h1t the bed, it is probably junk, which leads me to option 2....

The alternative is to get an imported boiler, like this one (yes, I know it's possible to make one), and add my own element (3kW?) and SCR, and stick the AlcoEngine pot condenser on top to get me started. I'm thinking this style of boiler could maybe still be used as a mash tun like my first option??? I could maybe get a blanking port to remove the element when using it to make the mash.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006175940090.html

I considered a milk can boiler, but it would be impossible to use as a mash tun, so maybe not such a good choice. I have also dismissed using a keg as it's bulky, heavy and also can't do double duty as a mash tun.

Any thoughts on these boiler and condenser combinations?

[MooseMan]

I have a couple of questions.

Why do you think 30l is a good size for a boiler?
Do you know how much volume you can run in that boiler for a strip run?
Why do you need your boiler to also be your mash tun? Have you considered, or do you know how much fermentable fluid you'll get out of a vessel that size?
Why have you dismissed a keg as "Bulky" and heavy?
How much money approx are you willing to spend?
Do you have any DIY skills, soldering, basic metal working, basic electrical wiring etc?

[Twisted Brick]

That boiler will work fine as a mash tun and a fermenter as well as boiler. But, like Moose points out, your challenge then becomes the prohibitively small mash/ferment volumes. Most milk cans come with a port for an element. Many members have kicked themselves for buying an 8gal milk can to save $40 and had to upgrade sooner to a 12 -16gal. Because of the time commitment of practicing this hobby the mantra "Buy once, cry once" is in full effect from the very start. If you want to keep costs down get a HDPE barrel to ferment in.

If you plan to take this hobby seriously you won't be a novice forever.

For some of us, continuous improvement is an endless rabbit hole of bigger, better, faster, fancier, etc.

My $.01 worth.

[Salt Must Flow]

If I had to buy all parts online to assemble a basic pot still, I'd assemble something like this.

2" Tri-Clamp Spool. More spools to make the riser as tall as you want. Spools come in different lengths from different vendors.
Two 2" Tri-Clamp Elbows
2" Shotgun Condenser and one of these.
Tri-Clamp PTFE Gaskets for each joint.
2" Clamps for each joint.
Copper mesh to insert a few rolls at the base of the riser. This provides some copper in the vapor path.
Boiler
240V heating element
Controller

[Stilljoy McFlavour]

I started with almost the exact same parts that smf listed above and it still serves me well a few year into the craft. Only difference; my 2” riser is made of boro glass because I wanted to see what was going on in the column.

Also +1 for the links to oakstills; I have ordered there a few times and the service was excellent. Some sight glasses arrived broken and were replaced free of charge, some flanges arrived scratched due to the package being thrown around and damaged at customs, and a friendly discount was offered which I used to have them machined as new.

For the boiler I contacted a local welder to weld two 2” tri clamp ports on a 30 liter ex-beer keg (one for the column and one for a 3k5 Watt heating element.

Bottom line; approximately 200-250 EUR. The diy guys get more bang for their bucks, but I have always been more into Lego then meccano

[Salt Must Flow]

When I first started planning out my still/stills, I sourced a 15.5 gal keg as well as a 7.5 gal keg. I figured I would use the smaller keg for small batches. I built them both out with a 6" welded ferrule on top, a 2" welded ferrule for a heating element, I installed/soldered my own bottom drain and soldered a thermowell in each boiler. What I didn't realize at the time was that BOTH boilers required around 3 gallons to submerge the element (I forget the exact measurement). That made my 7.5 gal keg boiler virtually useless in comparison to the 15.5 gal boiler. I can honestly say that I have never used that 7.5 gal boiler even once for distilling. I did find a good use for it though. After I do all my cuts, I dump it all into that 7.5 gal boiler and use the bottom drain to dispense product into glass jugs. Other than that, I really have no use for it at all.

Like Twisted Brick said, you won't be a novice forever. You can do EVERYTHING you want in a 15.5 gal keg that you can in a 7.5 gal keg. The only difference is that you can do MORE in a 15.5 gal keg than you can with a 7.5 gal keg. I installed swiveling casters on my boilers so they can roll around very easily. I never have to pick them up because I can easily rise them out, send the water down a drain, out a door or even connect a hose to the bottom drain.

Even if we're NOT talking about kegs, a larger boiler will always be more useful than a boiler half its size.

[axg20202]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Just to clarify, I was not suggesting I would ferment in the boiler, just use it to prepare the mash. I would pitch it into a larger fermenting vessel after that. Thinking more about volumes, I agree I should probably go for at least a 40l boiler. My thinking is that I'll work to a recipe that gives me a 60l ferment (in a single 80l plastic barrel) from a mash that is prepared in the boiler as a mash tun, made up to 60l ferment volume. In a 40L boiler I'm taking a guess that I could maybe get that done in 2 stripping runs of 30l each, but maybe 3 batches of 20l. Please put me straight on this if I'm talking total crap.maybe I do need a 50L boiler size after all to get 60l of wash done in 2 strips?

I could get a keg boiler, but Id rather just get something off the shelf that has all the ports ready to go without welding etc, and I'm still hoping to avoid having a separate mash tun. Just boiler and fermenting vessel. As for the power side of things, I'm completely comfortable with electrics having built tube amplifiers and also recently a 2kw CNC machine (I am a woodworker but also machine aluminium etc, hobby not career). I am very DIY capable, I'm sure I could do the brazing of copper tubes etc myself, but I'm not sure I really want to for this.

@saltmustflow. Great suggestions. I was looking at shotgun condensers earlier today. Could be a good option - more knock down power in less space, and this setup means everything can be based on 2" pipes and connections.

[Dancing4dan]

I am a fan of beer keg boilers. They accept 2" tri clamps. You can install 2" tirclamps in the sides of kegs to accept a hot water heater elements. 2" copper columns and risers are easy to fabricate using 2" tri claps. Silver solder is readily available and can be used to build everything and isn't difficult to learn. Liebig condensers are efficient and easy to build. Build your own controller.

I came close to buying an off the shelf set up. Glad I didn't. For the price of that one off the shelf still I have built several stills and bought all of the extras needed to make distilling easier.

Build it all modular based upon a given tri clamp size. Obviously I am biased toward 2" tri clamps, columns and element mount systems.

[jonnys_spirit]

I use a 50g hdpe barrel and the large batch mashing method with a 16g boiler. Three strip runs and one spirit run makes about 2.5-3g of -120pf after cuts. That’s with AG bourbon mashes fermented on-grain, squeezed, stripped, and spirit run.

If you’re making whisky, you might consider lautering and fermenting off-grain to be traditional but i’ve done 100% wheat malt on-grain and enjoyed it

Cheers,
jonny

[rubberduck71]

Speaking from N. American-centric basis here:

+1 to the DIY comments above. If you have the skills, or are buddies/mates with someone who does, def go that route.

If you go the Digiboil route, I will not shame you. GREAT bang for buck vs other off-the-shelf options, IMO. I did also, and got the 35L/8 gal 120v version & it served me well for many years. I also make beer (but was distilling first -- backwards progression, I know, but beer's getting expensive too!). If you can mash beer, you can mash grains for spirits too. They have mashing barrel options that come with "meshed" barrels on both bottom & sides that allow fluids to flow, but keep grains in place.

I believe they offer a 65L/17 gal 220v version also. However I'm unsure of the Kegland distillation conversion kits available for that size?

Any-hoo, here are some inexpensive upgrade suggestions that should be available on Amazon, or your version of it in UK:

1. Weldless tri-clamp bulkhead -- fits into distillation lid & allows you to modularize you rig. Switching out from pot to reflux head, or better yet:
2. Adding extension SS spools stuffed with copper mesh
3. Voltage controller so you can adjust offtake speeds during spirit runs
4. Copper alembic dome, which I find more stable than the SS lids
5. Quick connect water line kits

That's all I can think of now, but more may come to me later...

Good luck & choose well!

[Bolverk]

I'd buy a keg off FB marketplace or Craigslist and get the triclamp ferrules welded on locally.

If youre looking for cheap check out oakstills

if you want reasonably priced, with quality control and someone that's actively involved in the community, check out StillDragon... yes they have an EU presence.

[FL Brewer]

Johnnys_spirits,

You are using an HDPE barrel for mashing? Have you been happy with the results? I was looking at doing the same, using an HDPE 55 gallon barrel for mashing and fermenting, but the info I found on safe temperature limits for food grade HDPE gave a 160F upper limit. While that might be OK but cutting it close for my single malt batches (mash at 150F), I would exceed that with my corn gelatinization and mashing process. I also found info that said the polypropylene (PP) food grade plastic was safe up to at least 212F, which would cover my mashing and gelatinization processes for any grains. However, I have not found a source for a 55 gallon PP barrel. If anyone has a source, can they share it?

Has anyone else used HDPE for mashing? Any other thoughts? HDPE is readily available and relatively cheap, but I don't want to compromise safety, or make whiskey that smells of plastic.

FB