Home Distiller

Hey all, new here.
So, I've been homebrewing wines for many years and have quite the um...collection. So, In order to free up some space and start a different "collection" I've decided to start making some brandy.
Anyhow, here is my basic unit. I have a 8qt pressure cooker (slightly modified) with a 1/4" outlet. Stainless steel pressure fitting mated to single 1/4" tube refrigeration tubing. Coiled into the pvc tube, capped and plumbed for cooling purposes. Little surge pump to circulate the coolant. 6gal wine bucket for cooling (I reuse a sealed 1gal milk container (ice) and refreeze again). Finished product empties into a wine bottle.
I expected about a 8:1 ratio from the wine, depending on starting alcohol level.
I'm wondering if I should install a digital thermometer somewhere along the unit.

Hey Wasser,
Welcome . Mrs Hooch could prolly help you out with some of that Vino.
I can appreciate the ingenuity there, but you should really consider getting some larger diameter tubing for your rig.
3/4" min for the riser, and lyne arm (the horiz part) then you can neck it down to 3/8 if need be for the condenser .
It'll be a lot safer and faster like that .

Have fun and still safe

If your product condenser tubing is coiled and built as a graham, it should be vertical so it will drain your condensed alcohol properly. If it's not coiled, and straight through the PVC pipe, then you are good as you have it set up like that on an angle.

Nchooch,
Thanks! Since this is all new to me I'm sure I'll be making some mistakes here and there. The thoughts behind this setup was if I fail at this at least I'd still have a pressure cooker to make food with.
I'll be planning on moving up to a 1/4 keg size once I can iron out the processes.

Soggy Bottom,
Thank you also...there is a coil within the pvc tubing. After joining here last night and going through many of the pictures, you are correct on the vertical aspect of the condenser. I couldn't sleep last night, like something was wrong. Now I know. I'll have to do some reconfiguration. Thank you.

- If mistakes are never made, then we haven't learned anything.