ultra pure still help needed

by **totalnoob** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:34 pm

I'm hoping someone will have the patience to deal with a total noob here. I got a second hand ultra pure still and need some pointers. I made a mash from plums and water and a tablespoon of bakers yeast. It bubbled up and settled so after 10 days or so, so I strained it and put it in the still, connected the water hoses and plugged it in. The temperature eventually went up but it didnt stabilise at 80 degrees or anything like that, just went to 100 C and sat there. I was getting stuff out from around 70 C and up and at 100 C it steadily sputtered out. Then green watery stuff came out of the top and the stuff sputtering out the outlet pipe was this foul green colour. So I'm thinking I'll have to pull it apart and clean it?

It would be great if someone could explain how this still works. What is the steelo looking stuff I can see at the base of the tower and what function does it serve? If I pull it all apart (should I pull it all apart?) will it be possible to put it all back together again, as this still is a manufactured still? Totally baffled here! :(

Totalnoob

by **MacStill** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:41 pm

Welcome,

We have quite a few members using the same still, I'm sure they'll be along shortly to help you out.

For the time being don't pull anything apart.

Cheers.

by **BackyardBrewer** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:46 pm

Ok I have one of these:

1. Don't pull the packing out, this is there to condense the spirit vapour back into liquid (the reflux action)

2. A tablespoon of yeast sounds like nowhere near enough

3. How much fruit? I don't bother with fruit in a reflux still as it strips the taste back to a neutral vodka anyway. Use sugar and tomato paste (the tomato paste wash or legendary TPW) But it sounds like you have very little alcohol in the wash, hence it hit 100° so quickly.

4. The green shit sounds like it needs a flush with citric acid (from the supermarket) and then a flush with baking soda and then a flush with boiling water.

You have to be sure to use the baking soda after the citric to neutralise everything (this is in the Pure Distilling manual).

SO: clean, flush and check your thermometer is working and do a TPW. That should sort out the temp issue which I reckon is because it was too much water and not enough alcohol.

Oh and check the water is going in fast enough and coming out at about 1 litre a minute or so - a steady flow.

by **Johnboy1234** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:52 pm

Yea just Like Backyard Brewer said

Clean ya still out and follow this recipe http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=8
ya can't go wrong, it works great and is really cheap!..... and is Easy Peasy!!!

by **Linno** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 6:02 pm

Hi Mate

BB has the good advise there, I agree that your wash may have been very low in alc% may explain the temps you got.. Did you have cooling water set up and running to the still?

heres a online manual I found should help http://www.docstoc.com/docs/29190227/Th ... Pure-Still and theres also plenty info on this site about the type of still it is and what its best for :handgestures-thumbupleft: