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Hi Everyone,


In 1 weeks time I am going to be distilling gin and this time I will go herbs in boiler route, there is on slight thing that I had not made my mind, I have a small 3 Gallon boiler and a " CAMCO 02929 STAINLESS STEEL HEATING ELEMENT, 4500W, STRAIGHT LWD " I also use a power controller which I can dial it down so my question is if I run 2.5 Gallon of %30 ABV with herbs in boiler and if lets say I start the run with only 500 Watt will I be able to avoid potential scorching ?

I have used various "solids" with an electrical element and if the liquid is abundant (as in your case) there should be no problem. You could consider a basket inside the boiler that contains herbs if these are many.

Demy wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 12:26 pm I have used various "solids" with an electrical element and if the liquid is abundant (as in your case) there should be no problem. You could consider a basket inside the boiler that contains herbs if these are many.

Yes I have that, I have a small basket so if I put everything inside this will work much better I guess, they will be quite pressed but at least they will not touch the element. I normally use this when making Raki a Turkish Anise based spirit, but I used it with a hot plate so this will be a first time with the internal element. The only thing is now should it touch the bottom of the boiler or should I also hang it with a wire etc.

Cant help....my element is on the underside of the boiler so not exposed to the spirit or botanicals.

Perfect, just one suggestion: you should find a way to create a cap to the basket so you could leave it free in the boiler otherwise as you said you have the problem of fixing it.
This could be another alternative,they are used for tea infusions

First gin I made was in my boiler with a 4500w element. A piece of cassia bark and an allspice berry got lodged in the folds of the element and left one hell of a scorched mess that took a lot of PBW and elbow grease to remove. Made 8 litres of terrible gin too.

After that, I made a small gin still out of a 3L pot which I can heat with a hot plate or gas stove. Now, if I make terrible gin, its only 1 or 2 litres at a time..

Demy wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 12:56 pm Perfect, just one suggestion: you should find a way to create a cap to the basket so you could leave it free in the boiler otherwise as you said you have the problem of fixing it.
This could be another alternative,they are used for tea infusionsCattura.PNG

Thanks as I have this basket I would try and use it, so with this basket a using only 500 watt of power I guess I will be safe, also would it be better to not leave the basket in the base of the boiler and instead hover it with a ss wire so it hangs and the bottom does not touch the base.

SaltyStaves wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 12:58 pm First gin I made was in my boiler with a 4500w element. A piece of cassia bark and an allspice berry got lodged in the folds of the element and left one hell of a scorched mess that took a lot of PBW and elbow grease to remove. Made 8 litres of terrible gin too.

After that, I made a small gin still out of a 3L pot which I can heat with a hot plate or gas stove. Now, if I make terrible gin, its only 1 or 2 litres at a time..

Sorry to hear that, all that work and have a scorch is a terrible thing, but as I said I have a power controller so I can run it lets say at 500 watt the heat time will increase but still it will be safe with all the botanicals in the basket hanging.

Ironically, I had a tea-ball at the time, but had no way of keeping it away from the element, so I just put all the botanicals in and let them move freely. Big mistake.

So what you are saying is even you put all the botanicals in a tea ball if you do not fix it away from the element it could still scorch, well in my case I will try to keep it as far as possible and it should also not touch the base I guess is that correct.

SaltyStaves wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 1:10 pm Ironically, I had a tea-ball at the time, but had no way of keeping it away from the element, so I just put all the botanicals in and let them move freely. Big mistake.

Hey Salty, are you saying the botanicals scorched putting them free in the boiler?

Bolverk wrote: ↑Sun Feb 16, 2025 7:06 am

SaltyStaves wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 1:10 pm Ironically, I had a tea-ball at the time, but had no way of keeping it away from the element, so I just put all the botanicals in and let them move freely. Big mistake.

Hey Salty, are you saying the botanicals scorched putting them free in the boiler?

Yes, if you have a folded element like mine. Free-floating botanicals during the boiling, will easily lodge in the tight gap between the elements.

SaltyStaves wrote: ↑Sun Feb 16, 2025 11:20 am Yes, if you have a folded element like mine. Free-floating botanicals during the boiling, will easily lodge in the tight gap between the elements.

Thanks man, that's good to know

Just a word of warning on the tea balls.

I've used them for years as hop pellet containers in my corny kegs.

I started hopping ciders one year, and when I drained the first keg, the acidic cider had completely eaten away the rivets that hold the chain and closure device.

They are a soft alloy and need to be removed.
I just use a short bit of copper wire as a closure instead.