Home Distiller

Afternoon,

I have been a home brewer for about 10 years, make lots of wine and mead as well. I have always been interested in distilling, mentioning that to someone in our homebrewing club he said he had a 5 gallon still kit he never assembled. He bought it from Clawhammer with the idea of building it to display in his home bar, but never got around to it.

So, I bought it off of him for a song and plan on assembling it next weekend. My first thoughts were to get some additional fittings for collum and pot temp gauges. I'm going to solder in a 2" furrel for a tri-clamp. I have a electric heating element for my brew pot and I figure it should work just fine in a still running the PID controller on manual. Only other thing I will modify is that I don't like the angle of the dangle for the condenser, it looks to me like it's a bit unsupported so I'm going to solder a piece of scrap copper connecting the water jacket to the collum for support. I know that that will create a small cold spot on the collum, but I can't imagine that causing any problems?


Going to run a vinegar wash through it, and going to start fermentation on two 5 gallon batches this weekend. First one is going to get run after the vinegar and I can dial in my settings for heat, that will end up getting used for weed killer or something, second batch I plan on being the first "real" product. Doing a lot of reading on the forum and that seems to be best practices.

Hope to share some stories and learn from y'all,

Cheers

I like the clawhammer stills, IMO they're a little weak where the riser joins the cup that friction fits into the kettle, just something to watch out for. I think the condenser is plenty strong where it connects to the riser. Maybe plate copper fins soldered onto the base of the riser? I have never fortified my 1-gal and it's been fine, but it's a weak spot for sure.

Congrats! Sounds like you're good on your cleaning runs, good luck getting started!

80Vette wrote: ↑Tue Jun 09, 2020 6:39 am Afternoon,

Going to run a vinegar wash through it, and going to start fermentation on two 5 gallon batches this weekend.
Cheers

Welcome!
One of the first things I picked up, unfortunately AFTER a 5 gallon wash, is it's no harder to make a larger mash.

I suggest you do one wash - AT LEAST 16 gallons.
That gives you a 4 x 4 gallons.
1 Sac run.
Plus at least 3 Stripping runs for 1 Spirit run.
This time of year you don't have to be as concerned about "holding heat" during fermentation.
I bought 20 & 30 gallon Sterilite totes at Target.
Sterilite is food grade material. Also they seal well but not airtight so I don't have airlocks.
Here's a reinforced 27 gallon so you don't have to worry about having head room for your fermentation.

Welcome from another Michigander

And another

and another

And one more...

TDick wrote: ↑Tue Jun 09, 2020 5:55 pm

80Vette wrote: ↑Tue Jun 09, 2020 6:39 am Afternoon,

Going to run a vinegar wash through it, and going to start fermentation on two 5 gallon batches this weekend.
Cheers

Welcome!
One of the first things I picked up, unfortunately AFTER a 5 gallon wash, is it's no harder to make a larger mash.

I suggest you do one wash - AT LEAST 16 gallons.
That gives you a 4 x 4 gallons.
1 Sac run.
Plus at least 3 Stripping runs for 1 Spirit run.
This time of year you don't have to be as concerned about "holding heat" during fermentation.
I bought 20 & 30 gallon Sterilite totes at Target.
Sterilite is food grade material. Also they seal well but not airtight so I don't have airlocks.
Here's a reinforced 27 gallon so you don't have to worry about having head room for your fermentation.

Sterilite 27.png

Hey, now that kind of container is a good idea. I wouldn't make a beer in one, but for a mash I bet it is just the trick, and would beat the heck out of having a bunch of buckets and carboys.

Going to pick one up after work

Cheers

Another soon to be Distiller, From the Mitten State, Below the Capital

And another michigander here . Still green haven't attempted anything yet juat trying to learn as much as I can before I begin .

Welcome from yet another Michigander!

---Stiff

And kia ora from a kiwi who went to elementary school in Michigan (Detroit) for a year - that year being a pretty good one: 1976. Vague memories persist of snow, a green Pontiac, a long bridge to an island, and being Casper the ghost at Halloween. Wasn’t distilling then…