Planning for a 2" Boka reflux still for wine -> 95% neutral

[homebrewanddry]

I have 1000L of red wine and I want 90+% neutral spirit. The wine is oxidised and no longer good to drink so it was free :handgestures-thumbupleft: . Im planning on building/buying a set up that can distil the red wine through to a good quality product. Ill keep 100L to run through a pot still for brandy as I hear oxidised wine makes good brandy.

My current plan is to build a LM Boka Reflux Still from this guide (http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=3120). Ill use 2" copper tube and a 20-50L stainless steel stock pot and use 100% copper packing mesh. I have put together a schematic of the planned build.

I have a couple of questions
1. Is there any issues with the schematic? Specifically, are the dimensions and layout all correct?
1. Will this set-up produce a good 90+% neutral? I’m open to suggestions on other build options.
2. Can I use this for the first strip run?

Thanks

[coffe addict]

Generally looks good, if you have the head room where you plan to run it I'd suggest making the packing section 1.3 to 1.5m instead of 1m it should mean you get a cleaner product slightly quicker. I also wouldn't bother with the top cap. I've had hot high abv liquor pouring out of my last boka and I'd hate to think what would have happened if I had a cap with a small hole in it blocking the top...
Personally I think it's a total waste to turn red wine into neutral. If your anywhere near Brisbane I'll swap you neutral for it? I'd be turning every drop into brandy!

Good luck

[Sam.]

A 50L Beer keg would be heaps better and cheaper than a stockpot

[Nathan02]

Go 3" instead of 2" and run a 50L keg as your boiler

[warramungas]

Looks good. Make sure you insulate the column. An electric t500 is a good match to a 2" I found. Or hook a keg up to electric.
Also I'd add an rc of some type after the tap (1/4 needle valve or similar) that the cooling water runs through first for added cooling for your product. Just a simple Liebig would be fine.

[Professor Green]

Definitely worth considering a small product condenser on the output. I found with my 5 star boka that the product came off hotter than I considered safe and it needed something to cool it it down.

[Professor Green]

A 50L Beer keg would be heaps better and cheaper than a stockpot

:text-+1:

Even a T500 boiler would be better than a stock pot.

[RuddyCrazy]

Last time I was there the Murray Bridge scrap yard had used keg's for $50 and if they are still going I reckon they would still have them. If you check my build thread which I updated a few minutes ago that is the setup I'm offering to teach you on. I do reckon once you see it in action any thought of boka will go out the window. With a my bubbler it's around 1-1/2 hour heatup time then reflux time and then for a about 2 hours it just drips out aezotrope and when the lower site glass fog's put it back in reflux to last of the heads. The run takes overall around 5 hours start to finish and now with a boka one would looking at double the time if not more.

Cheers Bryan

[YarraRanges]

I have done 5000 litres in IBCs of various wines. There is one caveat, a crap wine makes a crap brandy, a great wine (corked or oxidised it doesn't matter) makes a great brandy.
Just do fast stripping through a pot still and then do the strip through your spirit still. You probably won't get a neutral as the background flavour of the wine always comes through.
If you oak it with French oak you'll end up with a light brandy that is incredibly smooth after 6 months.

[scythe]

1000L is going to take a loooooong time to run through a 2" column.

[db1979]

1000L is going to take a loooooong time to run through a 2" column.

:text-+1: