Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

If I made a modular pelican style pot with a gin basket in the section above the boiler will the angles cause some reflux, if there is some reflux would the operation of the gin basket be effected.
Cheers
Squid

Gudday SB,
not an expert by any means, but from passing interest myself I recall a discussion about a Pelican (or Swan necked) still to be causing some limited reflux as the vapour goes up and around the still head and then condenses.

So, by extension, the reflux action will cause some of the liquified product to roll back down onto the Gin Basket ... but as I am not going to do Gin, I have not researched it and therefore can not comment on the effects of liquid dripping/rolling over the ingredients in said basket. I would guess that it would and up being an amalgamation of Vapour/Immersion styled Gin... how good or bad that is, I wouldn't know.

Most Gin basket designs have the Gin ingredients at the top of the still in a straight section, that would suggest that that is a better way of doing it... but I wouldn't know!

You could always have a go and then let us know ... What size still are you making? Could you make both - 1 x pelican & 1 x Straight pot still? Try both and then you would know for sure.

Hi EZi
I'm making a 2" pot to go onto a T500 boiler, I like the pelican style to balance the weight on the lid but would like the option to use a gin basket. As you suggested perhaps I'm better to stick with a vertical colum.

Cheers

Squid boy wrote:Hi EZi
I'm making a 2" pot to go onto a T500 boiler, I like the pelican style to balance the weight on the lid but would like the option to use a gin basket. As you suggested perhaps I'm better to stick with a vertical colum.

Cheers

Again, I liked the Pelican look myself (mores the look than the balancing aspect), but note that I have never done nor intend to do Gin! I can't guide you RE: Gin!

But there are no Gin stills in the 'Pelican' shape that I know of!

So, if Gin is your desired product then I'd suggest you follow the Gin-style still builds! If you want to make other spirits as well then perhaps a modular design is for you. In the end you need to decide what you wish to make and that will decide the shape/style of still you need to build/buy.

As an example, I wanted to make neutral and Whisky (play with Rum, but thats more for fun). So a couple of stills were suggested (straight pot still for one, and a Bubble plate for another). Then I had to consider how long each run would take; Pot still Whisky takes 2 runs (some stills take longer than others) while plated stills can do it in one run (bingo). Then the size needed to be considers - 2" is the easiest to make, but is much slower than the 4" (I am time poor - Bingo). Then I considered what still to buy - MAC 4" SSG was the front runner, but I had height restrictions and I wanted 4 plates so a different still presented itself to me that gave me the same functionality but was 250mm shorter in full set up, so I then chose that one.

See what I mean, theres no One Still suits everyone... but you need to go thru the process to find what you need to make what you want to drink! Oh, and that "money" thing also plays a BIG role :angry-banghead:

What your describing would work much the same way of hanging a botanical basket in the boiler, have a search on that for the advantages/drawbacks of using that method, the main downside seems to be cleaning your boiler afterwards

You won't get bugger all reflux. What you are proposing would work fine as would hanging it in the boiler like rc al said. You can also maccerate the herbs soak in 1l full strength then add it to rest in boilef. You will get a much bolder flavour that way..

Hi bluc
Do you suggest not using a basket at all or using a basket as well as soaking the herbs.

Just another way of doing it you get a bolder gin by soaking but some people prefer lighter flavours of vapour infusion. No reason your basket wont work but difficult to change basket...I dont know what size brews you do, you may not have to but something else to consider in your design..

I chuck my botanicals in the boiler. Haven't had any complaints about my gin.

Looking to do 15L of 30% and might try both methods and see what the difference is. I have 15L of 43% sitting here but waiting on a few bits to finish the pot.