TPW through a pot still.

by **Dominator** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 3:38 pm

I have got a McStill 2" pot still that I have modified into a bit of a hybrid. I have put a double helix coil in the top of the column and have about 100mm of copper packing in the bottom. I have stripped my first TPW today and will be doing a few more to get a decent low wines charge. Will double distilling be enough with a pot still? Keep in mind I will have a small amount of reflux on my spirit run, kinda similar to a CM but with less packing. Will triple distilling be better and if so, do I run the second distillation like a strip run or a spirit run?

In the future I am thinking of getting a 600mm long piece of 2" copper, making some easy flanges (or maybe just get a straight section from FSD) and packing it with volcanic rocks. Would this help in producing a cleaner neutral. I don't really want to build a dedicated reflux as I am hoping to build a plated column later this year.

by **blond.chap** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 3:45 pm

I've tried TPW through a straight pot still, and double distilling wasn't enough to remove the flavour. That being said with your little bit of packing double might get you somewhere you're happy with.

I'd say you just need to do it a few times and see when it starts tasting neutral enough for you. Though bt1 might be able to give better advise as he's the hybrid man.

by **Kimbo** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 7:00 pm

It could well work mate, it depends on what ABV your new hybrid will spit out.
my advice is to run it slow it and see how it goes. If your not happy with it, run it again. ;-)

by **Dominator** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 7:19 pm

I have only done a couple of rum single runs with my hybrid but it will put out about 86-87% if I run it slow. Should be able to get a better ABV when distilling low wines. I might give double distilling a go and see what ABV I get. If it is no good I will run it again.

by **Urrazeb** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:20 pm

Dominator wrote:I have only done a couple of rum single runs with my hybrid but it will put out about 86-87% if I run it slow. Should be able to get a better ABV when distilling low wines. I might give double distilling a go and see what ABV I get. If it is no good I will run it again.

Yea ya should be able to pull more from a hybrid, if it does as intended, my pot can pull 85 in heads running slow

by **Sam.** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:55 pm

If you can't pull close to the magical azeotrope your not making nuetrel in my book :hand:

Anything less and your making a vodka that your happy to drink :whistle:

But at the end of the day its whatever YOU are happy with and what you have at your disposal to do it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Dominator** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 6:55 am

Urrazeb wrote:Yea ya should be able to pull more from a hybrid, if it does as intended, my pot can pull 85 in heads running slow

Was that from a single run or with low wines? My 87% was in hearts on a single run. I am thinking a 40% boiler charge should allow me to produce a higher ABV.
The hybrid setup is still a work in progress. Ideally I would like to extend the column as it is only about 350mm long at the moment, I think doubling that should help.

sam_and_liv wrote:If you can't pull close to the magical azeotrope your not making nuetrel in my book :hand:

Anything less and your making a vodka that your happy to drink :whistle:

But at the end of the day its whatever YOU are happy with and what you have at your disposal to do it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Yeah, to be honest I am not really expecting a good neutral from my still. Like you said, unless I am getting close to azeo then it is not a neutral. A decent light vodka will suit me fine. I just want to make some choc mint liqueur and maybe some chambord for the missus.

by **Urrazeb** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 11:02 am

Dominator wrote:
Urrazeb wrote:Yea ya should be able to pull more from a hybrid, if it does as intended, my pot can pull 85 in heads running slow

Was that from a single run or with low wines? My 87% was in hearts on a single run. I am thinking a 40% boiler charge should allow me to produce a higher ABV.

Yea lows mate, 87 hearts single run is pretty good :-)