Alcohol boils out top of reflux column

[claytonmcbride]

I have been having an issue where alcohole spills out the top of my reflux still. I don’t believe I am doing anything different with the wash and then boiling it. It’s a 8kg sugar and turbo yeast wash.

My last boil at the moment the temperature in the still is bouncing between 70 and 80 degrees and I am having leakage come from the top of the still.

Do you know what I might be doing wrong? I normally do 2 boils once ever three to four weeks. Does the mesh inside have like a used by date?

[bluc]

Sounds like packing is too tight and its flooding..re pack the packing.

What sort packing you using in what reflux still?

[The Stig]

Welcome to the forum Clayton .
Since this is your first post I’ve moved it here to the welcome centre.
And, I’m with Bluc , sounds like it’s flooding and surging.
Pull the still down and repack it

[claytonmcbride]

This has just started occuring and I havent changed the packing at all, it's a stainless steal mesh inside. Do you know of any useful and easy to follow packing guides that I can look at?

[The Stig]

When was the last time it was cleaned ?
It’s probably gunked up if your doing turbos without stripping.
And no, no easy guidelines since we do t know if it’s 1” still or a 6” still.
My crystal ball has failed me yet again

[claytonmcbride]

I have just let it sit in bicarb and water over night. Found some other users have done this. I have another wash on so will be able to test soon.

[Amberale]

Can yo dissemble your reflex column?
That would be the easiest thing to do to check on the condition of your SS packing.
Otherwise I’d be filling it/soaking in Citric acid before flushing it.

[claytonmcbride]

Yeah even after soaking it, still flooding the still. I havent touched the packing since I got the still so not sure how the packing could be any different till when it was working fine.

Could it be my wash causing the issue, like it hasnt fermented enough?

[bluc]

Could be puking did you take a gravity reading?

[claytonmcbride]

It was in the organge section of my hydrometer.

What do you mean by puking?

[bluc]

Puking is term we use when the wash foams up when heated and rises up the still. If really bad will pour out condenser. Was the discharge cloudy like wash or clear like spirit?

If puking it wojld pour out pc or outlet. My money is still on flooding. If you cant sook in citric blast it by boiling 50/50 water vinegar through it. As long as its not a t500. They have plastic bits and you will stuff it..

[RuddyCrazy]

It was in the organge section of my hydrometer.

What do you mean by puking?

Puking is where the product in the boiler foams up filling the still.

Now ill give an example if I use too much heat on my minime still the boiler will puke and then fill the thumper then crap pours out the output pipe making a huge mess and I just turn it off and start again. I found the best source was a foreshots burner where it gave a gentle heat but did take longer.

Now I am one and others will agree DITCH the turbo yeast and if making a neutral make a TPW wash and use bakers yeast, no need to carbon filter or use clearing agents etc.

Now in the distilling game turbo yeast is described as shit and now matter how much you try and polish it it is still shit so get away from using it and read, read,read this forum for the best way to make good hooch. did I say read :laughing-rolling:

[hgwells]

It was in the organge section of my hydrometer.

What do you mean by puking?

Puking is where the product in the boiler foams up filling the still.

Now ill give an example if I use too much heat on my minime still the boiler will puke and then fill the thumper then crap pours out the output pipe making a huge mess and I just turn it off and start again. I found the best source was a foreshots burner where it gave a gentle heat but did take longer.

Now I am one and others will agree DITCH the turbo yeast and if making a neutral make a TPW wash and use bakers yeast, no need to carbon filter or use clearing agents etc.

Now in the distilling game turbo yeast is described as shit and now matter how much you try and polish it it is still shit so get away from using it and read, read,read this forum for the best way to make good hooch. did I say read :laughing-rolling:

:text-+1:

[Amberale]

If I use too much heat it doesn’t puke BUT it does overpower the RC and floods my PC and parrot.
The difference is that the output is clear, about 80% abv and smells like wash.

It has only happened when either my column was over packed and/or I had not turned down my second heating element once full reflux was achieved.

[The Stig]

We still haven’t been told what kind of still or what size of still.
The more info get the easier it is to help

[Wellsy]

Come on Stig
Why don’t you just use your mind reading powers mate, that would save the others from having to guess.

What do you mean you don’t have them.

How do you possible run your business without them, hell that must be a nightmare :laughing-rolling:

[RuddyCrazy]

Well the only info we have is that is a reflux still and with product coming out at the top on would suggest it's 2" jobbie and the cooling coil made to go inside the at the top isn't doing it's job. I have seen some reflux still's on that FB group that make my eye curl on how they can say it's a good product :teasing-tease:

The original poster hasn't come up with a reply so one has to wonder was it offended over the turbo yeast comments.

Now a couple of weeks ago at a job site at lunch I was talking with a worker about distilling and he piped up yes I do it it too, I said I bet you use turbo yeast and the answer came it was the best yeast to use my HBS told me so.

After that I changed the subject :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

Cheers Bryan

[The Stig]

@ Wellsy, I said before that my crystal balls were broken
@ Bryan, if I had a $ for everytime I heard that .......