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I recently built a 2' Liebig (1/2" - 3/4") for my crockpot still which works pretty well and I'm thinking of scaling up to a beer keg size soon. I wanted to get your opinions on condensers to use. I was thinking either another 3' long Liebig or maybe even a Graham condenser? I am assuming that Grahams are more effective per length, even though they are fatter? Does anyone have easy all-copper plans for a Graham? Curious as to how difficult they are to build and how effective. I love the Liebig for its simplicity and decent cooling capacity, but I'd like to keep my options open and do a little research before I build one.

The only one I really don't want to get into are shotguns. I don't have the budget or time to go out and make one of those at the moment, and frankly, with the options available, I don't think I need to.

Look at the condenser link in my signature...there are lots of easier options than a Leibig...I think DImroth's are far easier and more efficient. They have by design a twisted vapor, water cooling inside the path and air cooling the outside tube. And can be made easily from the discarded keg spear.

Hmm...Dimroth is the most efficient?? If I had had to guess, I would have guessed the Graham for sure. The Dimroth seems very similar to a cold finger to me and I would think that the film of condensate/distillate that forms on the cooling coil would limit heat transfer. But maybe the incoming hot vapour would evaporate the film of liquid and it would re-condenser further down on the coil.

Interesting in any case, and it does seem like an easy build. Can you give me some parameters that you use (assuming you use a Dimroth), for tubing measurements and overall condenser length? Just so that I have a rough idea of what I can use and what can handle a fast strip run. Thanks!

With similar diameters a Dimrouth would have to be about 2/3rd's the length of a Leibig.

A 1" x 20" keg spear with a twist of 1/2" tube in it will handle 5,000watts easily. The water in and out comes from the product end and simple 1/2" i.d hose and hose clamps for connections. Bend the tube ends up and distillate will drip off them.