Home Distiller

Well, I got my still built. I took a 15-gal keg, put a teapot (instead of the stainless bowl) atop the keg. Out of the teapot spout is a 4'4" lyne arm, inclined at 35deg, that gradually reduces from 1.25" to 3/8" at top. Then 3/8" copper tubing runs 3' down and 7' is submerged in icewater inside a 5-gal bucket.

There's no scrubbers inside the arm, but I figured a long arm would have a fair amt. reflux anyway (especially because, as it narrows, the surface area to volume ratio is large). I can always cut down the arm length if I'm getting too much reflux.

I decided to run through 5 gal water, to clean it and as a trial run. Here's my results:

- Was able to max out my electric heat without producing vapor at the end. Water came out at about 110deg F (estimation).
- As it was a quick test, just snugged everything up, not soldered. Used teflon tape on the exterior to fix the subsequent leaks.
- Water didn't come out drop by drop; rather, it came out 1/2 teaspoon full at a time. I'm guessing the last cooling coil was flat as opposed to slanting downward.
- Surface tension resulted in the water traveling back along the tubing, rather than just dropping into the collection vessel. I'm guessing a 45 degree bend fitting would solve that.

Questuions:

1. If cooling capacity is sufficient for water, it'll necessarially be sufficient for ethanol, right?
2. As the teflon tape is airtight, is it acceptable for use with a potable liquid?
3. Step two is to run some cheap alcohol through as a further test. The cheapest I could find was mouthwash ($1.25 for 1L; 22% ABV). The adulterants are: Eucalyptol (boiling point 176C), Menthol (212 C), Methyl Salicylate (222C), Thymol (232C). Since all these are much higher than ethanol (78C) or water (100C), removing the adulterants shouldn't be too hard, right? Do I still need to toss out foreshots or did the mouthwash manufacturer already do that?

Thanks for your help.

bcubed wrote:Do I still need to toss out foreshots or did the mouthwash manufacturer already do that?

One would assume if you can drink it before stilling you should be able to drink it afterwards without a problem but with a higher concentration of alcohol...

Home Distiller wrote: One would assume if you can drink it before stilling you should be able to drink it afterwards without a problem but with a higher concentration of alcohol...

I've never heard of a mouthwash that you drink....you are supposed to spit it out!

Now, your questions;
1. If cooling capacity is sufficient for water, it'll necessarially be sufficient for ethanol, right?

yes, if it's knocking down water than it most definately will handle the eth.

2. As the teflon tape is airtight, is it acceptable for use with a potable liquid?

yes, teflon tape is apparently OK, bear in mind,I'm no chemist so I have no evidence to back this up. It's the general consensus around here.

3. Step two is to run some cheap alcohol through as a further test. The cheapest I could find was mouthwash ($1.25 for 1L; 22% ABV). The adulterants are: Eucalyptol (boiling point 176C), Menthol (212 C), Methyl Salicylate (222C), Thymol (232C). Since all these are much higher than ethanol (78C) or water (100C), removing the adulterants shouldn't be too hard, right? Do I still need to toss out foreshots or did the mouthwash manufacturer already do that?

yes, the idea of the fores is to remove the lwr boiling alcohols, I'd assume they will still be present. However, I wouldn't drink anything from the first run. Nothing cleans like alcohol.

Your gonna have a hard time getting the smell of mouthwash outta yer rig. I'd buy a glass jug of wine. The glass jugs are really handy too.

I agree with the dawg, but I'd use at least a couple gallons of Boone's or Rossio for a 15 gallon pot. Especially when you only start with about 13% alcohol.

As for the teflon, I'm using it right now in my set up. The only ill effects I've noticed is that it makes me want to drink more.

Or he could just try a first run with actual wash.. No need for wine/mouthwash, the the wine is just a more expensive wash.. It sounds like you're a cautious thinker.. You can always shut it off if a problem becomes evident, and problems are typically undenially evident..

Have any pictures of it. I am bidding on a couple of tea pots my self along with a couple of copper bowles. havent seen anyone else use a tea pot yet.

alot of people are using teflon to create a seal on/between pipe fitings, but seeing how many are adamit about not using plastics I would use a flour/paste if there was any significant area that was leaking, instead of piling up teflon. [not exactly sure how you are using it].

I would agree that mouthwash will probibly not be a good choice. A cheap bottle of wine might be a little expensive but those jugs do come in handy.

Well, two tries, last one successful.

First attempt (after the water trial run) was with mouthwash. Mistake. Though I imagine it was safe to drink, it wasn't anything I'd choose to consume. Mint flavor remained, and had to run 1 Gal H2O through the works to clean it afterwards.

Next (sucessful) run was with 3L cheap white wine. Tossed out the first 80ml or so, after testing with lighter--burned readily with a blue flame. Caught the next 50ml in an "airline bottle." Fluid was totally clear and flammable. Collected total of around 500ml, until sample quit tasting like liquor and started tasting like bad sherry. Also, collection rate at fixed burner setting slowed quite noticably. The only change I wish I had made was to use red wine to more easily discern how complete the distillation was.

Presently I lack an alcometer, but have a friend with a small scale. Could I get ABV via weighing the 50ml collected? I realize that density--as one goes fom pure ethanol to pure water--isn't linear, and such an approximation would result in a slight underestimation of proof.

Still more wrote:Have any pictures of it. I am bidding on a couple of tea pots my self along with a couple of copper bowles. havent seen anyone else use a tea pot yet.

Check back in a few days, once I get my new cell phone with digital camera!