Flute Still

[beginners _luck0920]

I apologize for my ignorance, but I have have stared at at dozens of pictures of these flute stills and I can't figure out how they work. I can't find a thread explaining how a flute still works either. Can anyone explain how these things work?

[Horse_Shoe]

Hey beginner,

Let me recommend some good outhouse reading material for you. "The Compleat Distiller." by Nixon. Most brewshops that cater to distilling will carry it. I believe that Alternative Beverage of Charlotte, NC carries it. It should be clear after reading this.

Horse_Shoe

[Prairiepiss]

Have you read though the Flute talk thread? Yes all of it?
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=17952

[hackware]

i know he asked...

but give him a break...

that thread is a whopper...

suggest you start off with simple material first...

learn the basics, and you will have a lot less frustration when you attack the advanced stuff...

most here expect you to do your homework (research) before asking questions (at least the number you will ask without understanding the basics)...

[Prairiepiss]

i know he asked...

but give him a break...

that thread is a whopper...

What? He asked for it? I know its a whopper. I've set down and read it from start to finish 4 times now. If you truly want to learn about a flute. That is the thread you want to read.

Now just so you know. A flute is plated column CM still. CM = Cooling Management. So if you learn how a CM still works. It will make learning the flute a lot easier.

[mash rookie]

I apologize for my ignorance, but I have have stared at at dozens of pictures of these flute stills and I can't figure out how they work. I can't find a thread explaining how a flute still works either. Can anyone explain how these things work?

It took me awhile to wrap my head around it before I built my flute. Like PP, I probably read the entire Flute talk thread three or four times. Here is a simple explanation.

When alcohol vapor reaches the top it is condensed by the interior cooler in to liquid. The liquid flows down and fills each plate until it reaches the level established by the downcommer tube. It then overflows down to the next plate.
When the plates are flooded, the vapor has to pass through the liquid on its way to the top where it is condensed again.
When this reflux cycle has been established the alcohol has been distilled and re distilled many times before being drawn off. Very high ABV is achieved this way.
The effect of the raw vapor passing through the alcohol has a wonderful affect of carrying the wash flavor through at a high ABV.
I have found that my four plate flute makes great whiskey. Not so good for neutral.

I hope this helps.
MR

[beginners _luck0920]

Thanks mash rookie, I actually read the first 10 pages or so of that thread before I even asked for the explanation. It was hard to make sense of what they were saying without any knowledge of the process. From what I read on that thread they were discussing design not the process, which is why I opened this discussion. I'm sure there are others out there that are interested in the process.

[wildrover]

I remember the hardest part for me to grasp was that there was enough vapor and pressure moving up through the plates (talking about the kind that have holes drilled in them vs. the caps) that it kept liquid on each plate. It wasn't immediate obvious how they filled up with liquid. Then I figured out that the higher order alcohols, or evaporates, tended to the top plates, and lower plates would have lower alcohols, at least relatively so. Not necessarily all at one stacking. It allows the flute to compress the heads and tails by running with all the vapor returning down the plates until they plates are "stacked" with liquid enough, and draw off the higher plates first, effectively separating the good from the bad more efficiently.

[Kentucky shinner]

check this and see if it will give you some insight.
http://youtu.be/WbO7Z83uCKk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
I am not trying to push or sell anything I promise, I just thought that maybe it would give you a little better understanding of how it operates.
KS

[beginners _luck0920]

Thanks guys, I got a pretty good understanding of it now, but one last question. On that youtube video I noticed that he did not insulate his column. Is there a reason for that?

[johnhopper1957]

Love the video, it's good to actually "watch" how something works, better than a page of text.

[Prairiepiss]

Thanks guys, I got a pretty good understanding of it now, but one last question. On that youtube video I noticed that he did not insulate his column. Is there a reason for that?

It's just not needed with this type of still.

[Tim37]

i would like to say big thanks to Mash Rookie i was trying to figure out how it worked too and trudging through the flute talk was very hard theres so much info on there.

It would be nice to have a Wiki entry on the flute.

[mash rookie]

You are welcome. I do what I can.
I have learned so much from the guys here myself. Like I said, it took me awhile to wrap my head around it too.
I love theory but sometimes it is difficult to put to words.
Good luck
MR

[lampshade]

... A flute is plated column CM still. CM = Cooling Management.

Why would one use a flute instead of a conventional packed-column CM still?

I'm guessing that the flute allows the use of a larger diameter column, which then produces more ethanol per hour than a packed-column CM still. Is that correct?

[bentstick]

"flutes" or plated columns are for flavor at a fast pace with a higher abv then a pot still
Packed columns near tasteless, high abv ,slow output.
This is a generic explantion!

[lampshade]

The effect of the raw vapor passing through the alcohol has a wonderful affect of carrying the wash flavor through at a high ABV.
I have found that my four plate flute makes great whiskey. Not so good for neutral.

So, a flute does not replace a conventional CM. Whereas a conventional CM is used to produce neutral spirits, a flute is used, instead of a pot still, to produce flavored spirits. *** This sorta runs contrary to the pitch of many commercial outfits that sell flutes, where the flute is advertised as a device to make ethanol fuel.

And I'm guessing that a flute is preferred over a conventional pot still because a flute is faster than a pot still.

[Vulpes]

Have you read though the Flute talk thread? Yes all of it?
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=17952

Zombie thread resurrection: anyone know why I cannot access the quoted thread?

Thanks!

[Saltbush Bill]

The link works perfectly for me.....can only suggest you try again

[Boozewaves]

try viewtopic.php?f=17&t=59216 Vulpes

[CoogeeBoy]

i would like to say big thanks to Mash Rookie i was trying to figure out how it worked too and trudging through the flute talk was very hard theres so much info on there.

It would be nice to have a Wiki entry on the flute.

Mate, you will meet a lot of friends on this site, not all of them will be yours!