Simple Beer Keg Pot Still?

[deanodeano]

Hey Moose:

I can't visualize what you did to the gaskets on your sight glass. Can you please elaborate and/or post a pic?

[MooseMan]

I didn't take a pic sorry, but exactly the same as wrapping an "Everlasting gasket" if you know what that is?
If not do a search here for it.
Once you see the pics of that you'll get it mate.

[deanodeano]

Thanks Moose I wasn't very clear with my question. You said, " I took mine apart and wrapped them in gas fitters (Thicker) PTFE tape."

It sounds like you took the sight glass apart and wrapped the existing silicone seal with a layer of PTFE tape?

[BlueJ]

I want to thank everyone on this thread, and the many other keg build threads on this site. I have been using a modified (but still crap) Chinese pot/still for a few years. To help it be at least usable, I added an electric element, some copper piping, a drain, a Liebig condenser and a 7.5g thumper. The lid was terrible. I think since it was thin it warped over time and became increasingly harder to seal, no matter how good of an everlasting gasket or how much flour paste I could throw at it.

But I recently lucked into two 15.5g kegs, so the Chinese pot is now a simple boil kettle and with the help of you guys I have upgraded to a 15.5 keg still, with a 5500kw element, a new 2” column, and a sight glass for fun. I am able to use either the second 15.5 keg or my existing 7.5g keg as the thumper since the 2” hardware fits the same on both.

I already ran my cleaning and sac runs and already see this is a game changer. No more freaking flour paste. Running a batch of all corn tomorrow so we will see how it handles compared to the old pot. Anyway, thanks for all the ideas, photos and advice given on the forum. The knowledge and creativity here is appreciated!!

[Deplorable]

I have found that the best stuff for removing gummy labels like those is Liquid Wrench and a terry cloth rag. Then a wipe down with a jar of heads and a rag.

[MooseMan]

Thanks Moose I wasn't very clear with my question. You said, " I took mine apart and wrapped them in gas fitters (Thicker) PTFE tape."

It sounds like you took the sight glass apart and wrapped the existing silicone seal with a layer of PTFE tape?

Yes that's it Deano, I took the silicone seals out and wrapped them in PTFE.
I actually tried to leave them out and wrap the edges of the glass with PTFE but I couldn't get a seal I was happy with so I just wrapped the seals and put them back.

[Saltbush Bill]

Nice work on the upgrade BlueJ

[MooseMan]

I want to thank everyone on this thread, and the many other keg build threads on this site. I have been using a modified (but still crap) Chinese pot/still for a few years. To help it be at least usable, I added an electric element, some copper piping, a drain, a Liebig condenser and a 7.5g thumper. The lid was terrible. I think since it was thin it warped over time and became increasingly harder to seal, no matter how good of an everlasting gasket or how much flour paste I could throw at it.

But I recently lucked into two 15.5g kegs, so the Chinese pot is now a simple boil kettle and with the help of you guys I have upgraded to a 15.5 keg still, with a 5500kw element, a new 2” column, and a sight glass for fun. I am able to use either the second 15.5 keg or my existing 7.5g keg as the thumper since the 2” hardware fits the same on both.

I already ran my cleaning and sac runs and already see this is a game changer. No more freaking flour paste. Running a batch of all corn tomorrow so we will see how it handles compared to the old pot. Anyway, thanks for all the ideas, photos and advice given on the forum. The knowledge and creativity here is appreciated!!

Yeah that's a great job you've done there BlueJ, looks real solid and well put together. Nice.

Good luck on the first real run, I'm sure you'll see the benefit of your new setup really quickly.

Let us know how it goes in your own thread maybe.

[deanodeano]

Hey Stillers:

Did the vodka cleaning run on my still this weekend. 4 handles of cheap vodka diluted to 10 proof and blasted through the system. The resulting run burned clear when lit. Here is photo and a very quick video.



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Getting ready to make my basic corn whiskey mash (75% corn and 25% malted barley) and ferment it. I am very comfortable with this given my beer making experience.

I am reading everything I can regarding making cuts for the distillation runs.

[deanodeano]

Slightly Off Topic Question

I want to keep a "library" that will include a sample of every run I put through my still. Do any of you have any advice on small jars with lids that will stand up for the long term. I am checking out buying brand new baby food jars - not sure about the viability of the lids.

[MooseMan]

We drink quite a bit of tonic water in my house, and get it in 500ml glass bottles.
They are screw top but like most all modern bottles they will take a cork. I tend to give my friends samples in these.
If you can find a suitable sized bottle that you happen to be buying anyway with another product in, that's one way to go?

[NorthWoodsAb]

Nice set up Deano.

[Steve Broady]

Do any of you have any advice on small jars with lids that will stand up for the long term.

I buy 5 oz and 10 oz woozy bottles from Fillmore containers, and small corks from Widgetco. I use the bottles mostly for my homemade hot sauces, but they’re perfect for keeping and sharing small volumes of spirits as well.

10oz woozy bottle with cork

When you buy them by the case, they’re remarkably cheap. And I can happily recommend the customer service at both companies.

[deanodeano]

OK, work has interfered with my newbie distilling, but I have finally cooked my first mash, a simple corn whiskey yesterday. For better or worse, this string is turning into a start to finish on theory and practice for pot still building on through to to production.

Recipe:
19.2 lbs flaked corn
4.8 lbs barley malt
8 gallons spring water
1tsp amylase enzyme
5 tsp yeast nutrient
5 tsp DADY

After correcting for temperature my readings are:

pH of 5.4

Using the hydrometer, I get readings of 1.090 OG which I understand to be a potential ABV of 11.8.

Using the refractometer, I get a 20% brix and a potential ABV of 11.5.

I am interested to hear any thoughts, questions, comments or criticism.

[Twisted Brick]

Congrats on your first all-grain mash. Higher starting gravities like yours can stress yeast health and performance.

[deanodeano]

@Twisted

Is there anything I should do to correct for the high OG?

Add water? Half a gallon?

What OG should I shoot for 1.065?

[NormandieStill]

@Twisted

Is there anything I should do to correct for the high OG?

Add a little water. You can dilute it down to a lower sugar concentration which will make the yeast suffer less.

[deanodeano]

I added 1/2 a gallon of water and may have overshot the correction. Now the OG is 1.0400

It has a nice grain cap and is making snap, crackle and pops

[deanodeano]

Interesting. My levels are back up today. The hydrometer show a gravity of 1.0700. Using the refractometer it is 19% brix, or 1.0785.

Quite possibly, the readings reflect the level of my inexperience.

[deanodeano]

Specific Gravity readings continue to come down nicely. This morning's was 1.0200

[deanodeano]

Hey Distillers and Distellettes, could use some help.

My very first basic corn whiskey mash, (80% corn & 20% barley malt) after progressing over the last week from a 1.0900 gravity to 1.0200 as read by my hydrometer and 1.0400 as read by my refractometer and has been that way for 2 days. Is my fermentation stuck or should I just be patient?

[acfixer69]

This thread has gone far off topic from still build to AG mash. Time for a new thread in the right forum.