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Photos of Moonshine Stills
| MooNShiNeR's Still
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| 75 gallon pot-still, doubler and shotgun condenser
I use a medium sized (75 gal) pot still with a doubler/thumper
(5 gal) and a shotgun condenser for my purposes. I also utilize a
20 gallon outfit with a 1 gallon doubler and a worm condenser mainly
for running smaller batches and epecially for running backings or low
wines to "up" the proof quickly.
I use copper sheets soldered with silver solder to build most of my
components. Shotgun condenser made from of an old, antique copper
fire extiguisher. Cut both the ends off and sand everything inside
and out. Clean it to the "eat off of it" stage. Cold water enters the
shotgun condenser from the bottom and exits the top to force the hot
water out and this always keeps the bottom part of the condenser
way-cool.A shotgun condenser is basically a condenser with a water jacket too cool
the steam and it has dozens of 3/8" copper line that the steam goes
through. It's kinda hard to explain. Where the steam goes through looks
like the business end of a gatlin gun.
Bore two holes in the jacket about 3" from each end and solder a brass hose
copper garden hose connector in it, top and bottom. On the one you use for
the bottom, you will put a spigot used to regulate the amount of cool water
coming into the condenser. On the top one you'll attach a garden hose and
lay it out where the hot water can drain off the top of the condenser.
Two copper sheet circles are cut and clamped together and numerous holes
drilled through them. The circles are placed inside the copper jacket and
spot soldered.(silver) in place with a few pieces of the 3/8" line in to
keep things lined up good. The lines are cut about 4" shorter than the
jacket. Start putting the lines in and soldering them in place and solder
the circles in good, top and bottom.
On the first run, you'll be able to tell if you have any leaks or not. you
can fix them if it does.
Make a tight fitting cap for the top to be sealed/pasted on with corn meal
and water. The bottom does not require a tight fit at all. It is just there
to collect the alcohol as it comes through and then out to the jug/bucket.
With a shotgun condenser, you can fire the still as hard as you want to and
you'll have no problem with it not keeping up. That's why people who do
volume like them so much. |
| Ed's Island Still
at http://www.MinistryOfRum.com
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| Heres a still my friend in the islands uses every week.
Output is about 2000 ml at
about 78% alcohol from a wash of sugar cane syrup that she buys from the
government sugar factory. They even deliver the drums of syrup, the drums
end up as the kettle.
It is an incredible still, the seals are made with a flour and water paste
with a little dried banana stalk for strength. It bakes on like a biscuit.
When she is finished the dogs eat the bits that get thrown away. The still
comes apart all every boiling and the pieces are scattered so no one will
thief them.
It is a VERY flavorful rum with no treatment at all. The locals like a hot
rum but it doesn't really take your breath. It does smell a lot but it is
worth drinking. I do.
I would like to age some but due to the small volume there is rarely any
left to age.
Sometimes she adds some spice and green peanuts but most of the time it is
consumed straight as you see it.
cheers.
Ed
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| spotted for sale at e-bay
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| from the Hokonui Moonshine Museum
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| For sale by auction at Ebay
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| Marks new aquisition
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| Performance : ?
Comments :
I've got a new, 100 year old, all copper pot still...
It starts with a 5-gallon copper boiler with a nice swan's neck, then
feeds into a copper slobber box with a drain cock and then into a copper
worm enclosed in a galvanized container. Although well used, it appears
to have been well maintained and in great shape, shows quality and
experianced construction, and is a very pretty, classic design...you
could set it up in the parlor and it would definately make a wonderful
fashion statement.
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