Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I have a little tip for you guy who like me distill in batches due to a small boiler and big fermenter.
I use a copper coil off the heated water from the condensor and put it in a bucket of wash for the next batch. Kind of like a wort chiller in reverse. It helps cool the water waste water and heat up the next mash ready to go in the still and saves on heat up time.

Sorry it took so long to upload photos. Been flat out.
First you set it up and bring to the boil and set your flows up.

Then you chuck it in the bucket of next wash. gets it pretty hot and can halve your heat up time for the next batch.

It also will help if you recirc your water as it takes out some of the heat from your condenser.

Is it a good idea to heat alcohol wash in an open bucket? Does it put alcohol into the atmosphere? Kaboom risk?

That's a ripper jack idea! Love it!

bluc wrote:Is it a good idea to heat alcohol wash in an open bucket? Does it put alcohol into the atmosphere? Kaboom risk?

Not that I could tell. It never gets to boil (change phase in any quantity) and the still itself smells worse.