Howdy from Appalachia

[Old Janx Spirit]

Hi all,

Just dropping by to make a welcome. I'm a long-time lurker here. I've been stilling on and off for years now. Ten years ago I was reading an article on absinthe and decided, what the heck I'll give it a shot ... I gathered up a 500ml Erlenmeyer flask, a cork, some 3/8" flex. copper tubing, clear vinyl tube for a cooling jacket, some modeling clay and Tinker Toys to use as a support rig (yes, really), and lo and behold it worked. Once or twice.

I just recently completed my 4th rig, with 2" tri-clamp fittings brazed to copper, combo liquid/vapor management head, Friedrichs reflux condenser, etc. Keg boiler, electric heat, power controller. It's also configurable as a pot still or a stripper. I'll do a build post once I can get the pictures off my SD card. I did a lot of research and reading before I did my build and found I never needed to ask a question, so, I have to thank everyone for their contributions to making this a great resource. I'm having a ton of fun with it but already looking at building a 4" plated column for vodka.

My actual background is in STEM (all over the place), entrepreneurship, and research, so of course I overcomplicate everything. I'm already looking to see if I can put together a PID controller for the keg out of spare parts.

[Braz]

Welcome.

'Tis true, there is enough info on this site to eliminate the need for most questions if you are willing to put in the time.

[Bayou-Ruler]

Welcome to the forums

[sterlingchap]

Great to see a like-minded technocrat newbie on my own first day here!
Do keep thinking and posting "outside the box" and some of us forum newbies should be able to bring some useful advances to the Craft. I like your mention of PID controller. Can't be very long before (consumer-cheap) USB adaptors become available to give us digital and analog I/O so that we can use all of that out-of-date-but-still-working PC hardware for something useful again (still, get it?!) Those available continue to be very pricey for what they are.

I'm particularly interested in making the most of the energy put into a still before effectively trashing it (typically with the output condenser). I just feel that, like heat-pump designs, we should be able to re-use all that latent heat of vapourisation more effectively as progress is made. That's one reason (see my intro) why I'm focussing on a continuous still..... and I can use the Spirit derived to promote the more "artistic" side (blending good-tasting liquor) in parallel. After a clean-up with a pot-still on the raw stuff I produce, maybe. The Spirit can also, of course, be used as a transesterification feedstock alcohol for producing bio-diesel from recycled/recovered vegetable oil!
Best wishes for your continued enjoyment herein,
Chap

[Rum Bum]

Welcome fellow Appalachian.

RB