New out of California!

[Paul Quinn]

Hello Gentlemen and Ladies,

I've been using the website for little over a year now and I finally got the guts to join and contribute what I can!

I am currently located in California and operating a 300 Liter Holstein reflux still, although we do not have a distillery name yet we are licensed and bonded. I have been making Grappa and Fruit brandies and am still in the neophyte stages of my total understanding of distilling (fine tuning and such) This year i will also be attempting to lay down some barrels of whiskey and do some experimental bottled cordials for fun. I hope I can be a helpful contribution to this forum as it has already helped me in so many ways. Thanks!

[Paul Quinn]

http://imgur.com/LmZCEoV" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Here ya go! Currently cooking some apple cider > brandy from fresh Sebastapol Apples.

[Paul Quinn]

Paso Robles, CA. Come down anytime, we also have a wine label. She is a beauty that's for sure. The tall column makes vodka in 1 pass no problem. These bubble plate guys take some more fine tuning to get your SOP down but once you have it- it is simple to replicate recipes.

[Bushman]

(Took down the link because the still is not under 25 gallons)

Here ya go! Currently cooking some apple cider > brandy from fresh Sebastapol Apples.

No problem since you are licensed, look forward to hearing about your company and products as you start to develop them. Welcome to HD it's always nice to have another craft distiller here on the forum.

PS: I just bottled 43 gallons of cider we pressed from an orchard and using the pomace to make grappa.

[Bigbob]

Welcome from another central Cali ! Enjoy the forums...

[googe]

Welcome mate, sounds like you've got nous dream job!! . I can't see any pics?.

[Paul Quinn]

re uploaded the picture!

[googe]

Thanks!, very nice . I love them little columns on the left!, what size columns are they I'd you don't mind me asking?. And, why have you got the smaller columns as well as the large holstein?.

[Paul Quinn]

The small columns on the left are part of my 30 litre test still. I use it to figure out recipes or plate combinations. Then I replicate it in the large 300 litre still. The large unit is just over 20 ft tall

[woodshed]

Welcome to HD Paul. Nice setup.

[HDNB]

got nuthin here. damn envy gave me writers block.

Nice Equipment. wish i had one to polish.



welcome, hope you enjoy the forums!

[googe]

Nice mate, smart idea having the smaller setup!. I meant, what size is the small.one, column sizes?. Sorry to ask so many questions but im playing around with mounted columns atm and there isn't much info out there about them!.

[Paul Quinn]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome

Nice mate, smart idea having the smaller setup!. I meant, what size is the small.one, column sizes?. Sorry to ask so many questions but im playing around with mounted columns atm and there isn't much info out there about them!.

Googe, heres a link to an album I created that I will update http://imgur.com/a/fk0VY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

As for the small still, the brandy column is about 3.5 feet and the rectifying column is about 4.5 feet. If you are doing a vodka or something the two columns loop together, going from tall to shorter. This is because we had it designed to have a dephleg and catalyzer only on the small column before the condenser.

Hope that helps!

[googe]

Thanks.mate, beautiful stills!!. I wanted to do one column into the other, does it have collection tanks under each column or feed back to the boiler?. You've made.me.rethink.mine with having the taller column first, makes sense!. Is there any chance of a.pic of the back of it?.

[Cav Scout]

Paul,

I was going to chime in to comment on how beautiful your still is. What a work of art! I'm even more excited after reading you're in Paso Robles. I'm in SLO. Can't wait to visit your shop and support the distillery part of the business when it goes on line for production. Have you decided when you go into production? Congratulations on getting your license and bond. How exciting.

Cav Scout

[HDNB]

any chance you could photoshop some directional arrows onto that small still setup for vapour path and cooling? there is so many goesinta and goesouttas i'm twitterpated
(in a good way)

[LWTCS]

Hi Paul,
Welcome.
In truth it is really nice to see you posting with out the use of an alias. IMO it legitimizes this community.

Best wishes moving forward and surely do hope you sell a ton (or better) of good booze.

Larry

[LWTCS]

Also.......Jesus H. that's a dern nice collection of oak barrels you have put down there

[Bushman]

Paul, looking at those site glasses you've got a few plates on that rig. If I missed it sorry but are you using perforated plates or bubble caps? Also curious if the plates rotate so you can use or not use them.

[LWTCS]

Paul, looking at those site glasses you've got a few plates on that rig. If I missed it sorry but are you using perforated plates or bubble caps? Also curious if the plates rotate so you can use or not use them.

Reminds me of that beautiful rig we seen on the floor at ADI (Seattle) back in April.

[Paul Quinn]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all the best wishes- I will address all your questions!

Googe/HDNB

I have a stainless steel pipe that goes to the bottom of the second column, and yes both columns have drains to the pot- but if you are running the 2 together, you close the drain on the second column. This ensures that you don't lose pure alcohol thats already gone through several plates. Syncing the two columns is tricky though, if you do not separate slowly and allow the second column to heat up you will end up condensing in the bottom of the second column causing the lower plates to fill. Since this small still does not have thermometers I use a infrared thermometer and just try to sync up the copper (dumb i know but it works for me).

HDNB
I'll be running stripping runs monday and I will take some more detailed pictures and do some amateur shopping.

Cav Scout,

Thanks for the kind words. I'm live in SLO also, we are shooting to have some none aged stuff in bottle at the beginning of 2015. I will keep you posted!

LWTCS,

Thanks, I appreciate the comment. Those barrels are primarily decommissioned from our wine business. ranging from 2005-2007. I will however be integrating used wine barrels into my brandy program as it is economical and environmentally friendly =)

Also, I am attending the ADI master brandy workshop in Portland next week for my birthday. I am really excited to visit all the Distillery Row stills and hone our craft.

Cheers mates!

[googe]

Thanks Paul, appreciate you taking the time to answer!!. I was thinking of doing what you said, having a valve on the second drain to close off. when running from one column to the other, do you use the dephlegmator on both columns?. I was surprises how long it took the second column to heat up when I tried it!!!. thanks again!.

[Paul Quinn]

Thanks Paul, appreciate you taking the time to answer!!. I was thinking of doing what you said, having a valve on the second drain to close off. when running from one column to the other, do you use the dephlegmator on both columns?. I was surprises how long it took the second column to heat up when I tried it!!!. thanks again!.

No just a dephleg on the second, as well as the catalyzer. On my rig you never run the 1st column alone, either the second column only or them both together.

[Paul Quinn]

Paul, looking at those site glasses you've got a few plates on that rig. If I missed it sorry but are you using perforated plates or bubble caps? Also curious if the plates rotate so you can use or not use them.

Bushman, sorry I forgot to respond, they are bubble plates. The 4 in the short column can be open or closed in order to replicate a pot still or a reflux, the tall vodka column has 12 plates and all are down all the time.

[googe]

Thanks Paul. Was just looking at your plumbing on the small still, bit hard to see but, does it go from the boiler to the first column, out the top into the second column. If so, do you just disable plates on the first and run it through into the second column for flavoerd product?.

[goose eye]

Start up cost gotta be hell. Nice lookin outfits.
How you juggin your likker. Got your label worked
out.
Dam sure do hope you can make it. There's money
in likker just got to get your brand loyal.

Googe is there a way to preheat for the 2nd column
maybe steam or such if it hi test. Truth be tole
ole boys aint never seen one of them columns cook
so pardon my ignorance if there aint. Ole boys ain't
scared to light a fire under a doublein keg to get it
close then rake it back.




So I'm tole

[acfixer69]

Welcome to the forum and thank you for all the answers. I am trying to follow the flow from the boiler to the column as you mentioned but I can't see it in the pics. Is there another set of pipes that comes off the top of the boiler to the bottom of the second column?.
Thanks again
AC

[Paul Quinn]

Ok, guys, try to follow me here.
Column 1/ first column is the vodka column and can only be used in conjunction with column two
Column 2/second column is the brandy column which has the catalyzer and depheg and can be used solo or with column 1



The main pipe from the helmet goes to a T that can either isolate the short column or the tall>short column chain.



Yes, there is a pipe form the top of the tall stack (first column) that goes down the side and into the short column, it has 4, 90 degree turns in it. (Not the greatest design)



As you can see it feeds into the bottom of the short column, but above the drain pipe (about 2 inches)



The bottom pipe is a drain pipe back to the pot. I keep this closed during 2 part vodka runs and open when I am only using the second short column.

[acfixer69]

Thank you Paul,
I see the tee in the new pics. Thank you that clears up a bunch. In the first pics it looks to be a straight valve.
Thank for the great explanation.

AC

[googe]

Awesome!, you've made.my year Paul!. Thanks heaps for the pics and explanation mate, invaluable!!!!. This is the way I wanted to do mine from the beginning!. The connection between the two vapor lines cleared it up good like AC said, wasnt making sense earlier lol. I have two more questions if you don't mind me bugging you!.

1. How do you keep the plates loaded on the tall column without a dephlegmator?, passive reflux?

2. Doing brandy, you have the two valves set so the vapor goes straight from the boiler to the shorter column?
Doing vodka, you set the valves to run through the tall column first then into the short column for takoff?.

Thanks again mate.