Home Distiller

The basic idea of this build hasn't changed.
I want to mash, ferment and do a strip distillation all in one.

It's easiest to mash in an open container.
Fermenting is best done in a sealed environment.
Distillation takes heat and the vapor has to go to the condenser.
Figure this game plan, is the best possible option, considering what I have at hand.
Any ideas, thought's or reality checks are welcome.

I haven't welded anything yet, since I'll probably have to do some more grinding and hammering.
The big ring on top, that seals the water jacket was a pain in the @$$

I'll probably cut 3" off the top of the outer water jacket and 4" off the inner boiler.
Some of the left over SS, will be used to make the outer lip for the water seal.
I've found a really big SS bowl on amazon that would make a perfect cap.
Or, I might hillbilly engineer a lid from my junk pile.
Using split copper tubing and the copper bottom from a BIG coffee pot.

Tack welded some of it together and started trying to figure out how to make the outside lip for the water seal.
I might do it this way

Don't forget to make the outside wall just a little taller than the inside.

Here's how I might do it.

Welded until I ran out of argon. I still have a lot more to do.
The outside lip for the water seal will be welded last.
After I've pressure tested the welds, that I can't get at after the outside is welded on.

..........

cool ideas for the water seal lid. i was thinking about your heating issues and this thread deep south posted came to mind.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 75&t=58505

as i understand it, it is open to atmosphere steam heating by injecting steam into the water jacket, allowing a condensate drain from the bottom (perhaps the element bung in your case) and using a condensate pump to return the condensed water back to the boiler. cuts down on the continuous fresh water feed to the boiler...but obviously the boiler level would have to be maintained.

alternately you could pass the steam through the bainmarie water jacket and use the condensate effluent to preheat your next mash!

Finished welding the water jacket and pressure testing it.
There's two 4500w heaters and a 2" drain.
Welding the outer lip for the water seal is next.

Hmmmm....impressed, I am!
ss

that will drain in a hurry, no more waitign around for it to drain, just open her up, blink, and you're done.
Loving the progress so far

Yak, you've got some catching up to do

Yah SP I know :p but like sex, it isn't a race to the finish line.. ah who am I kidding. Lol.

Yak

haha, sure it is.
I'm the reigning champion in my house

Swedish Pride wrote:that will drain in a hurry, no more waitign around for it to drain, just open her up, blink, and you're done.
Loving the progress so far

Yak, you've got some catching up to do

I'll probably need the 2" drain when I try emptying oats from the pot.
The last experimental steam cooker had a 1" valve and it plugged up.

oats eh?
Malted oat?
I have heard they are a pita,slimey mashing, prone to overflow in fermenter and low yeald.
but you obviously like them, so tell me what's the oat for, oat whiskey or neutral?

Using oats for a neutral
Sir, that's almost blasphemy
I use the feints from AG to make a vodka, with more flavor than the law would allow.

Shady, that pot is TITS. Im envious. Would be perfect for slimy pear brandy runs, Bourbon on the grain!, slimy oats (as you said) and so many other things! A Jacketed 24 gal still, I think you have the prize around here for coolest boiler!

Jimbo wrote:Shady, that pot is TITS. Im envious. Would be perfect for slimy pear brandy runs, Bourbon on the grain!, slimy oats (as you said) and so many other things! A Jacketed 24 gal still, I think you have the prize around here for coolest boiler!

Pretty much.

It used to be 24 gallon, it's now a little smaller.
And thanks for the compliments.
It's not only a hybrid bain marie/steam stripper.
It's also a mash cooker, wort chiller and fermenter if I want.
I can't wait to cook, mash and distill some whiskey.

Cook, mash, ferment, distill. Dump and repeat. In one stop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5i1cJIwE7M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Damit man,
I thought, I was going to see someone who had already done it.
My mind was racing at the thought of new information.
I even forgot to take a shot.

Jimbo wrote:Cook, mash, ferment, distill. Dump and repeat.

That's the game plan. And do it in 7 days
The cook, mash and ferment temps can be controlled to a knat's butt.

Put a paint mixer on for an agitator

4 x 4 x 3 tee as the still head

Good idea LWTCS
I'm working on the pot right now.
When I start on the lid, a stirrer is in the game plans.
It probably isn't needed on a hobby sized still, but it will make it easier to run.
Or automate

A bain marie is the french name for double boiler.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bain-marie" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I speak french as well and that caught my eye.

Nice equipment.

"Worlds greatest boiler" HAHA! True dat Larry.

This is the setup Windy and I are working on for our startup. I dont want to steal Windys thunder in case he ever decides to post (I been urging him to) but he's crafting up 2 beautiful 130 gal boilers from stainless tanks. Each tank has integrated mixer, 100' of 1" copper heat exchanger (internal) driven off a home built electric boiler (Windy's a plumber extraordinaire) for heating and cold water for cooling, manways, 4" columns etc. Plan is to cook, mash, ferment and distill all in one. Im writing the software to automate much of the process - Fill and preheat water with flow control, cooking the corn at 190 with the mixer going, cooling (through electronic 3 way valve) to mash temp, mash, cool, ferment bla bla all monitored and controlled with process control on a PC. A second program/process for distillation, monitoring boiler temp for heat input (more heat as the temp rises to maintain flow) and product flow/abv adjust through vapor temp and defleg water control (electronic parrot). She's gonna be slick. We'll have 2 of these for bourbon and whiskies and another similar setup with a 130gal Schnappstills boiler and 4" flute for Windy's Rum, altho that one is direct fired with 22,000 watts of internal electric elements.

Windy and I will start a post in the Craft Distillers section shortly with all the details and pictures.

Anyway, sorry for going off topic. We been keepin this all under wraps for a while and this seems as good a place any to let the cat out.

Hot damn jimbo/windy. I hope you document well for us to live vicariously through you :p congrats man. I was wondering how long it was going to take before you went legit. I'd say pro but I'm sure you've well surpassed many of the commercial "pros".

Good job guys.

Jimbo wrote:"Worlds greatest boiler" HAHA! True dat Larry.

This is the setup Windy and I are working on for our startup. I dont want to steal Windys thunder in case he ever decides to post (I been urging him to) but he's crafting up 2 beautiful 130 gal boilers from stainless tanks. Each tank has integrated mixer, 100' of 1" copper heat exchanger (internal) driven off a home built electric boiler (Windy's a plumber extraordinaire) for heating and cold water for cooling, manways, 4" columns etc. Plan is to cook, mash, ferment and distill all in one. Im writing the software to automate much of the process - Fill and preheat water with flow control, cooking the corn at 190 with the mixer going, cooling (through electronic 3 way valve) to mash temp, mash, cool, ferment bla bla all monitored and controlled with process control on a PC. A second program/process for distillation, monitoring boiler temp for heat input (more heat as the temp rises to maintain flow) and product flow/abv adjust through vapor temp and defleg water control (electronic parrot). She's gonna be slick. We'll have 2 of these for bourbon and whiskies and another similar setup with a 130gal Schnappstills boiler and 4" flute for Windy's Rum, altho that one is direct fired with 22,000 watts of internal electric elements.

Windy and I will start a post in the Craft Distillers section shortly with all the details and pictures.

Anyway, sorry for going off topic. We been keepin this all under wraps for a while and this seems as good a place any to let the cat out.

Now that sounds like a very fancy sub out fit if ive ever heard one.

Jimbo
I want to see that !