The Cletus Modular 4” Bubbler Build
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:03 am
Hi All. Im a new member / long time reader. This is my second still build (the first being a 2” boka). This time I’m going to document it on here as I go. This way I can engage with my fellow home distillers, get ideas for better ways of doing things; and maybe even contribute a few ideas or advice of my own back to the community.
The purpose of the new still is to produce vodka or gin much faster than what it currently takes me, whilst maintaining or maybe even improving on the quality of the neutral I am already making. Once the still is fully complete and I get used to running it; I’ll start experimenting with whiskey and rum production.
This will be a staged build, ultimately resulting with your typical modular still; consisting of, 6 x 4” bubble cap tees, a packed section and shotgun reflux and product condensers. Stage 1 will result with a 1.5m packed 4” boka which I can complete fairly quickly. This will enable me to continue using the still through the (lengthy) build process.
The approach is to first build the 2”- 4” keg adapter, a 1.5m x 4” column, a single 4” bubble cap plate, a new 4” LM slant plate and to re-purpose my existing boka condenser. At completion of this stage, I will have an operational 4"boka. As I then feel inclined, I will chop 170mm sections off the column and turn these into bubble tees. Once I have six tee’s plus a small packed section; I will then build the shotguns, elbows and other bits and pieces needed to complete the final build. I suspect start to finish will be about one year!
I’ve already made a start, so I’ll chuck in some photos and words to get you up to speed with where I’m at! Hopefully you'll still be reading this topic at the other side of the build!
Cletus
The purpose of the new still is to produce vodka or gin much faster than what it currently takes me, whilst maintaining or maybe even improving on the quality of the neutral I am already making. Once the still is fully complete and I get used to running it; I’ll start experimenting with whiskey and rum production.
This will be a staged build, ultimately resulting with your typical modular still; consisting of, 6 x 4” bubble cap tees, a packed section and shotgun reflux and product condensers. Stage 1 will result with a 1.5m packed 4” boka which I can complete fairly quickly. This will enable me to continue using the still through the (lengthy) build process.
The approach is to first build the 2”- 4” keg adapter, a 1.5m x 4” column, a single 4” bubble cap plate, a new 4” LM slant plate and to re-purpose my existing boka condenser. At completion of this stage, I will have an operational 4"boka. As I then feel inclined, I will chop 170mm sections off the column and turn these into bubble tees. Once I have six tee’s plus a small packed section; I will then build the shotguns, elbows and other bits and pieces needed to complete the final build. I suspect start to finish will be about one year!
I’ve already made a start, so I’ll chuck in some photos and words to get you up to speed with where I’m at! Hopefully you'll still be reading this topic at the other side of the build!
Cletus