I did not list pipe and fittings.
Also I build boilers for a living so these are parts I always have in stock. You may find different but equal parts that are more affordable but these are what I use.
Another tip for those running jacketed boilers.
Never turn your mixer off while distilling.
The mixer helps greatly with heat transfer.
If I shut my mixer off I will see my pressure start climbing and as soon as I turn it on the pressure will drop.
normal operating pressure is 1 to 2 psi with it climbing near the very end to 4-1/2 psi
Windy City wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 9:10 am
Sorry I did not see this sooner.
You will have a faster heat up time and most importantly you have much more fine and more importantly faster control.
I fill my jacket so my elements are submerged two inches
I did not list pipe and fittings.
Also I build boilers for a living so these are parts I always have in stock. You may find different but equal parts that are more affordable but these are what I use.
You sure do know your boilers, Windy City! So I have two questions for you.
1. What's the purpose of the pig tail? I got the purpose of those other things but the curly one?
2. In Sweden, you don't find many hardware shops and places that sell copper, boilers, pipes, the way you have it "over there", maybe out in the country, in the smaller towns, but in the cities, no. Where do you find bain maries that could be rebuilt to a boiler for a still? I've only seen small ones for pressure cooking in the kitchen. What use do these boilers have otherwise?
PalCabral wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:46 am
1. What's the purpose of the pig tail? I got the purpose of those other things but the curly one?
2. In Sweden, you don't find many hardware shops and places that sell copper, boilers, pipes, the way you have it "over there", maybe out in the country, in the smaller towns, but in the cities, no. Where do you find bain maries that could be rebuilt to a boiler for a still? I've only seen small ones for pressure cooking in the kitchen. What use do these boilers have otherwise?
1) A pig tail will collect with condensate and protect the gauge from live steam.
2) It was my understanding that almost all of Europe uses boiler heat. They have to have supply houses for heating contractors.
3) That bain marie is designed and built for distilling.
Hi Windy , I’m pleased PalCabral asked about the pigtail. I am curious what is the purpose of the auto steam vent ? How does it differ from the pressure relief valve ?
Yummyrum wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 1:07 pm
Hi Windy , I’m pleased PalCabral asked about the pigtail. I am curious what is the purpose of the auto steam vent ? How does it differ from the pressure relief valve ?
An auto steam vent lets air out and then shuts off when it sees steam. So as the boiler is heating up, and the water starts to boil and create steam, the air on top is holding it down with the auto steam vent. The steam gets to displace the air. the air moves up and out the auto vent, but then that is also why you need the vacuum relief because otherwise once you’ve cooled it down, it would create a vacuum and could implode your tank
If you were ever in a home or a building that has steam heat steam radiators, you always see that little bullet on the side of the radiator that’s the vent without that the steam would never make it to the radiator
KegStand wrote: ↑Mon Jan 19, 2026 5:16 pm
I ran a full ~24-gallon charge on Saturday and another one today (this one included about 2 gallons of feints from the previous run plus some leftovers). I’ve made my final cuts from today’s run and I’m estimating around 3.5 gallons of hearts at roughly 65% between the 2 runs.
I love this thing!
That's great, Kegstand. Are you using your agitator when distilling yet? Curious if using it during heat up speeds up the heating or slows it. I would probably use it all the time, when running washes without any solids. It's a wet dream to have one.
KegStand wrote: ↑Mon Jan 19, 2026 5:16 pm
I ran a full ~24-gallon charge on Saturday and another one today (this one included about 2 gallons of feints from the previous run plus some leftovers). I’ve made my final cuts from today’s run and I’m estimating around 3.5 gallons of hearts at roughly 65% between the 2 runs.
I love this thing!
That's great, Kegstand. Are you using your agitator when distilling yet? Curious if using it during heat up speeds up the heating or slows it. I would probably use it all the time, when running washes without any solids. It's a wet dream to have one.
You will get much better heat transfer with the mixer on.
It doesn't matter whether am disting a wash or a mash, my mixer is on from when I start until I am done
Thanks for your expertise! I was only speaking from my experience and what I was told. I have this same boiler and it really does work great. So much more efficiency when stripping on the grain!
I can see how adding the air vent would greatly increase efficiency for the steam jacket setup.
13.5g/50L keg
modular 3" pot/VM copper&stainless w/offset gin head
26g jacketed 4" stripping still
12,000watts of fury
Yummyrum wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 1:07 pm
Hi Windy , I’m pleased PalCabral asked about the pigtail. I am curious what is the purpose of the auto steam vent ? How does it differ from the pressure relief valve ?
An auto steam vent lets air out and then shuts off when it sees steam. So as the boiler is heating up, and the water starts to boil and create steam, the air on top is holding it down with the auto steam vent. The steam gets to displace the air. the air moves up and out the auto vent, but then that is also why you need the vacuum relief because otherwise once you’ve cooled it down, it would create a vacuum and could implode your tank
If you were ever in a home or a building that has steam heat steam radiators, you always see that little bullet on the side of the radiator that’s the vent without that the steam would never make it to the radiator
I have not had a problem with vacuum on cool-down. Even when I have manually vented the air from the system. Like I said, I was told the PRV I have doubles as a vacuum break. It is the 1 bar unit from Oak Stills.
13.5g/50L keg
modular 3" pot/VM copper&stainless w/offset gin head
26g jacketed 4" stripping still
12,000watts of fury
I would have to think that the vacuum relief is much less than 1 bar.
1 bar = 29.53 inches of mercury. I would hope it opens much easier than that.
The ones I use are adjustable of which I can draw air through with my mouth/lungs
I'm curious about the PRV that comes with this setup. Someone mentioned it also doubles as a vacuum relief valve, is that true, and does it work well?
Windy's replies make me skeptical about having just the one safety valve. I wonder if another triclamp port could be used to attach a tee with a proper steam auto vent and vacuum breaker like Windy suggests. Also curious why it's a bad idea to use the PRV to vent off the air.
Does using oil not build significant pressure? I know it won't make steam, but does the expansion of the oil with heat create any meaningful pressure increase? And if not, does that mean that oil is a bit safer in a off-the-shelf oak stills setup like this?
HeyBroChuckNorris wrote: ↑Wed Feb 25, 2026 10:52 pm
I'm curious about the PRV that comes with this setup. Someone mentioned it also doubles as a vacuum relief valve, is that true, and does it work well?
Windy's replies make me skeptical about having just the one safety valve. I wonder if another triclamp port could be used to attach a tee with a proper steam auto vent and vacuum breaker like Windy suggests. Also curious why it's a bad idea to use the PRV to vent off the air.
Does using oil not build significant pressure? I know it won't make steam, but does the expansion of the oil with heat create any meaningful pressure increase? And if not, does that mean that oil is a bit safer in a off-the-shelf oak stills setup like this?
All of the Oak Stills components I received are definitely quality. I'm not a steam expert, and am only going off of what I was told by Oak Stills, that the 1 bar PRV I have also acts as a vacuum breaker upon cooldown.
Like it or not, the Chinese have become excellent manufactures of quality goods. And they have been distilling for millennia.
I believe using oil in this setup would be in a bain marie style. It's common to use water because it's cheaper, and response is faster to power control. so im tole
13.5g/50L keg
modular 3" pot/VM copper&stainless w/offset gin head
26g jacketed 4" stripping still
12,000watts of fury
N00b wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 9:31 am
I have the fully stainless version of the boiler also USING it with steam. I just open the extra triclamp when it cools. No skin off my back.
I just have the whisky helmet version instead of a flute.
Super happy with it so far.
I do the same thing as part of my shutdown procedure. Open the triclamp port for the jacketed portion and let it vent naturally.
Yeah. I have the stainless version of this boiler, and I use it with water/steam. Have the 4 plate column, deph, and product condenser. Part of my shutdown procedure is to remove the triclamp and pressure gauge after I've vented. Definitely need to look into these mods.
