New member, building a keg still setup

[Wildfox_Medicine]

Thank you for allowing me to join this forum, I have already read many articles and learned a lot. This is my weekend of relaxation and research to begin the keg still project I am planning.

My background is a professional pub brewer for 8 years, and an accomplished homebrewer with 13 medals in my state over the years. I have tons of regulated fermentation space and equipment already. I always wanted to get into distilling but it was extremely taboo in my state to say the least. However, a few local distilleries began opening and the products are very nice. Which made me finally decide to make my own experiments to enjoy. As a Jack of All trades, I believe this is the logical step to take.

Over the years working for my small company gone corporate, I have taken personal possession of some kegs no longer needed at the brewery, and was originally planning on converting them into a beer pilot batch setup and just never did. My 5 gallon stovetop brewing setup makes enough beer for myself to drink, and ultimately I have been switching over to spirits instead. So now I have three 1/2 barrel sankes, and four 1/6th bbl minis. I was thinking about making the 5 gallon keg into a boiler for my stovetop, but honestly don't think I could make enough product quickly enough to satiate my fiancees and my own consumption rates. Besides, its really tall and skinny, not sure how the burner would keep the heat in. I am thinking of using the 15 gal keg as the boiler and the 5 gallon as a thump, or simply running the 15 as a pot still, maybe with with a reflux water cooled tower.

I want to fabricate what I can, but I will likely buy a pre made condenser unless I get experience with copper working. This is where my questions arise. I read that the larger the column diameter is, the faster and more efficient your runs will be, so would I benefit from running a reducer (2" to 3") into a 3" column into the thump, or reflux? Or should I stick with simple 2" into the bend where it reduces to 1/2" into the thump or condenser? If I run a thump, does the column off the pot need to be short?

I am planning on making whiskeys with corn, rice, barley, wheat and rye. I also want to make sugar rum, and I have interest in Vodkas and clean neutral spirits but not as much interest as I have with making blue corn whiskey, and chinese sticky rice whiskey. Of course also the true to tradition corn moonshine. I have read and watched videos all about thumps, and the reflux columns, and standard pot stills. What I don't quite understand is when running a pot still, they say to distill the spirit again... is that simply cleaning the pot out and adding the low volume first run with lots of head space?

I appreciate your time, and look forward to discussing with you, excited to take the plunge into a fresh new hobby.

[Prairiepiss]

Welcome aboard.

Just stick with the 2”. For a thumper system it will be more then enough.

Even for a first reflux column it’s plenty big enough for most people.

So if you bought a 10’ stick of 2” copper pipe. You would have enough to build a pot still head. A thumper attachment. To use with the pot still head. And a reflux column. And you would have the full package.

[Deplorable]

Welcome aboard.

Just stick with the 2”. For a thumper system it will be more then enough.

Even for a first reflux column it’s plenty big enough for most people.

So if you bought a 10’ stick of 2” copper pipe. You would have enough to build a pot still head. A thumper attachment. To use with the pot still head. And a reflux column. And you would have the full package.

And a good shotgun condenser too.

[Twisted Brick]

Welcome aboard.

Just stick with the 2”. For a thumper system it will be more then enough.

Even for a first reflux column it’s plenty big enough for most people.

For brown spirits, something like this. Modular 2" from keg to takeoff with a shotgun condenser. It is then easy to add a second spool and tee with a reflux condenser on top and you have a reflux still for vodkas and gin.

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Welcome to HD. With your background I'm sure you'll be hitting it out of the park real soon.

Twisted Brick

[Wildfox_Medicine]

Welcome aboard.

Just stick with the 2”. For a thumper system it will be more then enough.

Even for a first reflux column it’s plenty big enough for most people.

For brown spirits, something like this. Modular 2" from keg to takeoff with a shotgun condenser. It is then easy to add a second spool and tee with a reflux condenser on top and you have a reflux still for vodkas and gin.

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IMG_9659.jpg
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Welcome to HD. With your background I'm sure you'll be hitting it out of the park real soon.

Twisted Brick

Thank you very much for the picture! I stayed up late last night drawing plans up and decided to fabricate it all myself including the shotgun condenser. Thinking an 18" section of 2" diameter with four 1/2" barrels should do the trick. I just need to source the copper ferrules and tri clamps to make the modular system work the way you describe. Plus, if my main condenser goes well, I can fab up another 4 inch or 6 inch shotgun for a reflux. Next up is to start watching copper soldering tutorials, I have tons of experience with electronics soldering, this should be pretty easy.

[Twisted Brick]

You're welcome, Wildfox,

The photo is of a pot I just built for a member. I should have mentioned that if you build your stillhead with a tee instead of a 90 at the top of the pot riser, you can change modes quickly and attach your reflux column for easy refluxing. Deplorable did this with his build and it came out very nice.

https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 1#p7646731

[Durhommer]

Welcome aboard.

Just stick with the 2”. For a thumper system it will be more then enough.

Even for a first reflux column it’s plenty big enough for most people.

For brown spirits, something like this. Modular 2" from keg to takeoff with a shotgun condenser. It is then easy to add a second spool and tee with a reflux condenser on top and you have a reflux still for vodkas and gin.

.
IMG_9659.jpg
.
Welcome to HD. With your background I'm sure you'll be hitting it out of the park real soon.

Twisted Brick

Nice beer keg build I like the contrast between copper and the boiler

[River Rat]

Wildfox,
Welcome! I'll just add that soldering copper pipe is a little different than electronic soldering. No matter how many videos you watch, make a few practice joints. You'll get the hang of it very quick, just don't make your first joint on parts that aren't cheap to replace. First hand experience...

[Wildfox_Medicine]

I am curious about the triclamp ferrules used. Should I get all copper ferrules for the pot tower, or will stainless ferrules suffice for the whole system? Perhaps I am over thinking the amount of copper needed for the sulfite removal?

[acfixer69]

Stainless ferrules will do fine throughout. Sometimes they need some persuasions to fit to copper tube but will fit fine.

[Twisted Brick]

Stainless ferrules will do fine throughout. Sometimes they need some persuasions to fit to copper tube but will fit fine.

+1

Since copper is soft, they are also prone to get dinged up, whereas stainless holds up durably. Also, there are workarounds to resorting to a BFH to 'coax' a ferrule into a copper pipe.

My thumper/steam rig has 23 tri-clamps on it. Every ferrule I installed on it is stainless.

[Deplorable]

Welcome aboard.

Just stick with the 2”. For a thumper system it will be more then enough.

Even for a first reflux column it’s plenty big enough for most people.

For brown spirits, something like this. Modular 2" from keg to takeoff with a shotgun condenser. It is then easy to add a second spool and tee with a reflux condenser on top and you have a reflux still for vodkas and gin.

.
IMG_9659.jpg
.
Welcome to HD. With your background I'm sure you'll be hitting it out of the park real soon.

Twisted Brick

Thank you very much for the picture! I stayed up late last night drawing plans up and decided to fabricate it all myself including the shotgun condenser. Thinking an 18" section of 2" diameter with four 1/2" barrels should do the trick. I just need to source the copper ferrules and tri clamps to make the modular system work the way you describe. Plus, if my main condenser goes well, I can fab up another 4 inch or 6 inch shotgun for a reflux. Next up is to start watching copper soldering tutorials, I have tons of experience with electronics soldering, this should be pretty easy.

There are a few places on line to fetch copper ferrules if thats the route you chose. Just know they are a lot more costly than SS. If you need a link for copper ferrules send me a PM and I'll get you a link without spamming the site.
I have no affiliation with either, but have purchased from them with good results.