Home Distiller

A few days ago I did my first long and slow run (approx 16 hour). I couldn't believe my eyes when looking at the reading... hour, after hour at the same high mark on the meter. Wow, much different experience than running quick at 1300W for the low wines.

Before this, I did quick stripping of multiple sugar washes to low wines and ended up with 16L at 40% (with cuts made). To the low wines, I added baking soda (bicarbonate) and let it sit for a few months.

For the slow run, I took the 16L of low wines, and added 4L of tapwater to refresh the mix and keep it under 40%, and act as a sort of buffer.

My setup:
- 2-inch diameter column Bokabob (similar to Pikluk's, with old design placement of thermometer below plates)
- one-and a half-times, 1/4 inch copper coil wrapped condenser that drops in the top of the column
- Brewhaus Stainless Kettle and fittings (kettle insulated with aluminum windshield reflector and bungee cord)
- Waring Pro Hot Plate (1300W)
- Dimmer Switch (rated for 1500W) to control hotplate temperature-cycling (butchered an extension cord- to work with hotplate and dimmer)
- Pond pump with tubing to condenser
- cooling water reservoir (bathtub)
- 2 digital thermometers (one under collection plate, one at top of column)
- Parrot w/ proof and traille hydrometer (alcoholometer)
- Stainless steel funnel
- Stainless Steel Scrubbers (column packing, and to loosely cover the top of condenser)
- various labelled glass containers

After about 110ml/210ml of of foreshot/heads removed, I collected a little over 5L at 95%. I could have collected the last bit and the tails, but at that point was getting tired, and decided I had enough and shut it down.

Next batch, I'll reflux a bit less and increase output rate, and compare the 'taste.'

I let everything air out for a day. I used freshly made distilled water (from a home appliance)...and then filtered the distilled water through a Brita filter. Never needed any carbon for the spirits though.

Then I diluted to 42% as per the calculator on the site.
End Result: Remarkable! Smooth, silky and perfect. No off-taste at all.

Perfect.

Congrats. Great feeling, huh?

And I have seen a golf dog, but never a golf parrot.

I hear ya on the slow spirit runs... my run took around 20 hours and I ended up collecting over 5 gallons of 95%.

I have GOT to find a faster rig.

HookLine wrote:Congrats. Great feeling, huh?

And I have seen a golf dog, but never a golf parrot.

Thanks HookLine! Unbelievable feeling indeed!!!
I loved the fact that I could upload pics on here to share.

dixiedrifter wrote: I hear ya on the slow spirit runs... my run took around 20 hours and I ended up collecting over 5 gallons of 95%.

I have GOT to find a faster rig.

20 hours for 5 gallons@ 95%... How did you stay up? No way I could stay awake past 16 hours. On this run near the end, as soon as I felt my eyes closing for a few seconds and want to stay that way, I shut everything down.

That is the fine line eh... finding a rig the is suitable to your required volume, environment, budget, and time limitations.

I usually set my rig up and let it get to boiling, which takes around 2 hours with a 1500W element. Then I get it running and as soon as the heads pass I start collecting in gallon jars. Then I pretty much walk away and leave it be... if I need to nap I set my 120db truck driver alarm clock in countdown mode and go to bed.

Yeah yeah I know your not supposed to leave a still unattended, but I am confident in my rig enough to leave it alone for an hour or so at a time.

With a reflux column, once you are out of the heads and into the hearts, you can stop and restart the run anytime you want, without having to re-equilibrate for an hour, jut ten minutes is usually enough. I often do my neutral runs over 2 or even 3 days. First day set up and take off the fores and heads real slow, and maybe start the hearts section. Second day continue the hearts, and if I do not have enough time, I shut down, and finish them off on the third day. Usually only takes 2 days though.