Home Distiller

Hello. I have found many answers in this forum, and I will keep looking, but if anyone has time to help me with these, I'd sure appreciate it. I have read the "Rules We Live By", and FAQs, and will keep on reading. These questions are regarding a pot still of 3-4 gallons, 1" copper tube riser and condenser. Now to my questions. 1: In making a Liebig type condenser, would it work to coil a small diameter (out of 1/8" or 1/4") 18" 24" long coil to fit inside a 1" vapor tube? and is the "cold finger" I have read about just a long single piece of 3/8" in the 1" vapor tube? 2: Is food-grade silicone safe to use as a gasket material for a stock-pot boiler? What are any of the better materials used? 3: I read that charcoal filtering will filter out most or all of the flavor in whikey; how then is JD "charcoal mellowed drop by drop" while still tasting like the nectar of the gods? 4: Is there any advantage to using 1 or 2 copper pot scrubbers as packing in a pot still with a column of 12-18", to raise the proof on a stripping run, or on the spirit run, when making rum or whiskey? Thank you for all the help so far, this is all fascinating to me! I will keep on looking for answer, too.

1)a lie big condenser is just straight threw ,like 1/2 in (12mm) inside a 3/4 (18mm)
2)charcoal is not as efficient as activated carbon ,therefor does not remove as much flavor
3)pot scrubbers are usually not used in pot stills .yes they can introduce some reflux but they also tend to remove flavor.
if used id say on the spirits run. most times you do not want high Abv with a pot still as this can remove flavor.
and no no synthetics are used in any still . a good fit,flour past.cork, if designed right water.

+1 on dunder < big +1

how then is JD "charcoal mellowed drop by drop" while still tasting like the nectar of the gods?

Lets see how long you keep thinking this

There is a JD video someplace on site showing the JD charcoal process which is drip lined thru maple charcoal prior to charred oak barreling

how then is JD "charcoal mellowed drop by drop" while still tasting like the nectar of the gods?

WHATEVER you are on...I want some!

ScottishBoy, are you implying that the product of Lynchburg is not that great, or that carefully crafted homebrew can be even better? (JD is my comparison standard; if there is something better out there, then I want some!)

Ah Scottish
Isn't it nice when they are such tender virgins.
I think we should send him for a sure line and a bucket of steam.

still crazy wrote:Ah Scottish
Isn't it nice when they are such tender virgins.
I think we should send him for a sure line and a bucket of steam.

Oooh, your a devil SC...

Thanks, Dndrhead, and the rest. I don't know for sure what the joke is, but like she said on prom night, "I reckon I'm about to find out". I will send youse a bucket o' steam when you mail me a metric, left-handed pipe wrench to help with the still build. Oh, I found the triple-wall condenser somewhere in the forum, which was what I had in mind. I don't recall who posted this, but thank you much.

G'Day madmonk

There just having a little dig, I to are new to this wonder full craft, I to thought JD and Turkey where the bench mark.
My still is a basic pot still, After making UJSSM and making my cuts correctly i now realize how bad store brought grog is and you to will soon. Enjoy your new hobby and stay safe

CHEERS: DOLIKEADRINK

madmonk wrote:Oh, I found the triple-wall condenser somewhere in the forum, which was what I had in mind. I don't recall who posted this, but thank you much.

I think you will find that RumBull started that off. I have built two variations of this condenser, with for example 1/2" inside 3/4" inside 1".

1. the coolant is inside the 1/2" and between the 1" and the 3/4" so that there 1 vapour path between 2 cold surfaces.

2. the coolant is between the 1/2" and the 3/4" so there are 2 vapour paths. Inside the 1/2" and between the 3/4" and the 1".

I prefer option 2, but you will find that the 1" tube gets hot. Bloody obvious really. I wrapped an outer coil around it to fix this issue and to stop me burning myself - again. This version gives you 2 vapour paths and 3 cold surfaces in the same length.

Has this been tried before? Pardon my ignorance if this is some well known design... See the drawing... What I'm thinking is 1/4" copper tube wrapped around a 3/4" pipe... This would be surrounded by a 1.5" pipe... Water would go inside the inner pipe, and then swirl around the 1/4" tube, and out the bottom...

The only trick would how to get the inner coil inside the 1.5" pipe! I'm sure there would be a way to do it...

what the heck are you going to run? why make it more com placated.unless your going to run 50gal.(200l)still with 200,000BTUs it is not necessary.

I was just trying to think of a way to cool the output to the max... The largest pot I have is a 15 gallon keg... but when I do stripping runs the likker comes out quite hot when I run balls to the wall...

I really dont think it would be very hard to build a condenser like this... Basically you would wind a coil around the 3/4" mandrel (center pipe)... Then the outer pipe could be inserted over the inner coil and mandrel... the ends of the coil would then be bent so they were perpindicular to the outer pipe... finally, the end caps to outer pipe could be installed... I would cut a slot in each of the end caps that was 1/4" wide where the inner coil tube would slide into... I dont think it would be any more difficult to build than a standard liebig, and I think it would be much more efficient.

I like the idea of a cold product out of the condenser because it would make it easier to get more accurate ABV readings without having to temperature correct...

I like the idea of the product coming off a bit warm,this gives the lower alcohols a chance to evaporate.
then just watch for changes in abv.I do not need the exact figures until I'm finishing.then I go by the average of "take"

madmonk wrote:Thanks, Dndrhead, and the rest. I don't know for sure what the joke is, but like she said on prom night, "I reckon I'm about to find out". I will send youse a bucket o' steam when you mail me a metric, left-handed pipe wrench to help with the still build. Oh, I found the triple-wall condenser somewhere in the forum, which was what I had in mind. I don't recall who posted this, but thank you much.

Sorry Monk, no offence man... Sometimes mother goes a little mad...

Never tried a triple wall condenser, but attempted to do the math for it...
Way better in surface area but I'm with dunder, I like the output a little on the warm side for the same reasons stated...

No offense taken. Ever since my first snipe hunt, I've been a little leery...lol. I appreciate the condenser plans, bgrizzle and myles. I did some more reading and I see the point about keeping the distillate warm for further evaporation of the funky stuff, but I guess I was more concerned about loss of product thru lack of sufficient cooling, and also making a more compact, efficient condenser. I reckon a small valve on the coolant exit would provide adjustment for the coolant temp, and thus the distillate temp.
How's this for condensing-- run the lyne arm down into a flask of liquid nitrogen, adjust the flow so the vapor exits and turns into liquid just as it enters the liquid nitrogen, whereupon it instantly freezes solid and can be scooped off the bottom of the flask at the end of the run.
Am looking forward to my first run. I reckon I'll do an apple cider wash for my first try, since I have a lot of that right now, and I know by experience that it ferments well. Definitely going to do UJSM next, if it looks like I can handle it. One reason I am starting with a smaller (3-4 Gal.) boiler is so I can run small batches of sour mash and backslop 4 or more generations without being overwhelmed with product.

Your gonna love an UJSSM, just don't do the nitro trick with it...

Keep us posted man...

You put Sam and Kentucky shiner in a room with liquid nitrogen and they will be sticking there tongues to their condensers.

Lol. And the nitro was just taking an idea to it's extreme limit, just for fun.

still crazy wrote:You put Sam and Kentucky shiner in a room with liquid nitrogen and they will be sticking there tongues to their condensers.