Hello from the land of smile

[garouda]

Hello, as a new member I would like to say Hi to all of you. My name is Bernard, I'm a French speaking Belgian citizen living and working in Thailand (>10yrs).
When I was 10 or 11yrs old, I was a boarder and one week before leaving for school I prepared a mixture of brown sugar baker yeast and water. When I came back after a week I took some glassware and tried to make a kind of a still. Well the glass was not fire resistant and broke, leaving for a few seconds the smell of rum. Similar to what I could smell when my mother made pancakes for my father. Since then, I have the project to build a still. Now I'm 62 and believe it's about time to materialize my old dream.
In 1979 I bought a quite comprehensive book in German: Die Technologie der Obstbrennerei (the technology of fruit distilling). I went through many websites and finally I'm here. I'm about to build a quite versatile still which will enable me to try all techniques LM, VM, CM, Pot Still, Fractioning without rectification...

Colonne de fractionnement.jpg

I received my first parts today and must say I'm a bit afraid. I did not expect Ø3'' to be that big... I have a 3'' sight glass, a 3'' Tee, an Elbow, a reducer 3'' x 1'' with male adapter to connect the 1'' gate valve. I already have a swagelok needle valve, plus some copper stainless steel and brass fittings.
I found a place where to buy a 3'' SS304 six-metre pipe. Copper is much too expensive here.
I must get acquainted to the way how to upload pictures to show you what I'm writing about...
LM will be with a Graham condenser and slanter plates (just to remove foreshots and heads), after the gate valve will enable Vapour Management (packed column-1m20). I also intend to make a tube dephlagmator and run it following the CM principle. To run like a potstill I will remove the Tee and the Graham and replace it by an elbow leading directly to the Liebig condenser. The fractioning still will be without reflux, so without Graham condensor. I will be able to insert a 'Gin Pot' too.
As all these parts are quite expensive, I'm moving forward step by step.
I'm concerned by one point: the 'scrubber packing material' approach. The only reason why I consider it is the technical difficulty to make plates plus the additional cost, pot scrubbers are really cheap in comparison.
I will make a boiler with indirect heating. My initial plan was a fifty-litre pot, but now I can se the 3'' parts for real, I'm wondering whether 50l is enough. What is your opinion about all this?
Many thanks and Hello again.

[TheMechwarrior]

Welcome!

I call that some progress!

3" on a 50L will be fine and if you need a 3" column I already have a 1500mm 3" column with ferrules on both ends I no longer need!

As for your approach of doing everything (VM, LM, CM etc) you are making a lot of extra work for yourself. (I started on a similar path over 4 years ago)
Ask yourself what it is you want to make, make your still modular if you wish but then why not just build what you need in order to make what you want?

There's also second hand stills for sale in here as well as brand new never fail FSD stills that offer great versatility and product capabilities http://www.5stardistilling.net/modular-stills/

For all the money, time and effort you are going to you could be up and running next week as an alternative?

Anyway, let us know what drink(s) you want to make.

Cheers,

Mech.

[MacStill]

Welcome garouda,

Why do you want a valve on the alambic "simple" as shown ?

Forget to have that open and you're going to have a real bad day :naughty:

[TheMechwarrior]

Welcome garouda,

Why do you want a valve on the alambic "simple" as shown ?

Forget to have that open and you're going to have a real bad day :naughty:

Well spotted Mac, no need for valve there garouda.

[pulsetech]

Yes Kaboom if that stays shut

[MacStill]

It's also A bit small for a 3" VM, when I was building 3" VM's the valves were 1.5" or 2" :o

[garouda]

Welcome garouda,

Why do you want a valve on the alambic "simple" as shown ?

Forget to have that open and you're going to have a real bad day :naughty:

Well this is my initial drawing, I did not want to remove the valve. Now I have received my tri clamp parts, I noticed there was a spare male adapter amongst them. The valve will be removed as I wrote in comment. We never know whether Murphy's hanging around and let you blast the whole stuff by forgetting to have that valve wide open in a simple pot still setting...

[garouda]

It's also A bit small for a 3" VM, when I was building 3" VM's the valves were 1.5" or 2" :o

I found the ratio 1:3 in different websites and also in Nixon's book if I well remember.

[MacStill]

It's also A bit small for a 3" VM, when I was building 3" VM's the valves were 1.5" or 2" :o

I found the ratio 1:3 in different websites and also in Nixon's book if I well remember.

no problem, just ignore me.... I have very little knowledge on the theory side of things.

:-D

[pulsetech]

It's also A bit small for a 3" VM, when I was building 3" VM's the valves were 1.5" or 2" :o

I found the ratio 1:3 in different websites and also in Nixon's book if I well remember.

no problem, just ignore me.... I have very little knowledge on the theory side of things.

:-D

:laughing-rolling:

[garouda]

Welcome!

I call that some progress!

As for your approach of doing everything (VM, LM, CM etc) you are making a lot of extra work for yourself. (I started on a similar path over 4 years ago)
Ask yourself what it is you want to make, make your still modular if you wish but then why not just build what you need in order to make what you want?

Mech.

Thanks Mech, in fact I've been making drawings since +/- 1979. I'm trying to make my still as modular as possible because this is part of my pleasure. I also want to experiment all these set-ups for my knowledge, not for efficiency. btw thanks for your offer but I'm living in Thailand and it'll be difficult to get that part over here. I found a place where I can get a six-metre 3''Ø pipe for 67Au$ I do not need six metres but I can't find someone who can sell it by the metre. I'll buy it next month.

[garouda]

Welcome!

For all the money, time and effort you are going to you could be up and running next week as an alternative?

Anyway, let us know what drink(s) you want to make.

Cheers,

Mech.

As I wrote, all the conception and the D-I-Y is a great part of the fun too.
I intend to make different types of drinks, hence the versatility.
First a Rhum Agricole, a rum like in the French Antilles, made of vesou which is sugar cane juice (fermented). Only fractional destillation is allowed, no rectification (reflux) and I want to follow their process.
Beside this I intend to produce a pure vodka-like stuff. I will 'marinate' fruits into it, like pineapples, bananas, lychees, coconut and some herbs like pandanus to re-distillate it afterwards. The stuff must be brought back below 35-40°... I will have a 'gin pot to make pastis (Pernod like) using some star anise, coriander, licorice and to make gin if I can find juniperus here (Thailand). I'd like to make some Bourbon too (corn).
When I will retire we will settle in my wife's house. She's a farmer and has a house in a very remote place.
Corn. sugar cane, pineapple, bananas etc. are all available at home for free...
I must find a way to make malted corn.
Any suggestion about tropical fruits or herbs are most welcome.

[TheMechwarrior]

Well,

I highly recommend lots of reading in our forums, there's great books and articles on fruits, herbs and botanicals in general.

My first experience in this area was maceration, to produce some base ingredients for spiced rum blending.
I've only done the 2 so far, citrus and apple and they turned out a bloody treat :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I'm hoping to acquire a carter-head for my still later this year so I can start working on botanicals for gin.

In addition to our great library (which I should add to) viewforum.php?f=47 you might wish to consider buying a few books on cordial waters and botanicals.

Seeing your start reminds me a lot of mine, I look forward to seeing you safely progress.

Cheers,

Mech.

[Yummyrum]

Welcome garouda ....pleased you are seeing a dream fulfilled but a couple of things I am confused about

. The fractioning still will be without reflux,

AFAIK all fractionating stills have reflux ........only seen some vague references to a Scottish still that didn't and that thing was extremely tall and most likely Scottish freezing cool air had a lot to do with reflux ;-)

First a Rhum Agricole, a rum like in the French Antilles, made of vesou which is sugar cane juice (fermented). Only fractional destillation is allowed, no rectification (reflux) and I want to follow their process.

Do you have any links to this as it sounds interesting.....I always thought Rectification was The same as Fractionating.

Also ,AKAIK most Rum is made in continual stills ....something I am very keen on but info is scares...anything new would be great ...thanks

[garouda]

Welcome garouda ....pleased you are seeing a dream fulfilled but a couple of things I am confused about

. The fractioning still will be without reflux,

AFAIK all fractionating stills have reflux ........only seen some vague references to a Scottish still that didn't and that thing was extremely tall and most likely Scottish freezing cool air had a lot to do with reflux ;-)
I'm sorry, but no the reflux comes from the coil or the dephlegmator above, what happens in a fractionating column are multiple vapourisations/condensations

First a Rhum Agricole, a rum like in the French Antilles, made of vesou which is sugar cane juice (fermented). Only fractional destillation is allowed, no rectification (reflux) and I want to follow their process.

Do you have any links to this as it sounds interesting.....I always thought Rectification was The same as Fractionating.
well same remark as above. For the links, simply google Rhum Agricole. Unfortunately I haven't found any website like this one about Rhum Agricole
Also , AKAIK most Rum is made in continual stills ....something I am very keen on but info is scares...anything new would be great ...thanks

Yes, that's right and they also use steam in the process, but I'm sorry, I'm not an expert. I only know that the main difference between Rhum Agricole and others like Jamaican Rum is that in the latter they use molasses as material.
I saw one still in progress in the Guadeloupe about thirty years ago.
Cheers
B

[MacStill]

Fractionating vs reflux

[garouda]

Well,

Seeing your start reminds me a lot of mine, I look forward to seeing you safely progress.

Cheers,

Mech.

Thank you Mech for your encouraging words.
I must say I'm most impressed by your huge bubblers. I thought such projects were not feasible at amateur level.
Well indeed you guys look more like pros...
I could see some in my German book. In Germany the professional boilers have a capacity around 150L.

real stuff.jpg

For me this looks like an unreachable limit.
On the other hand the fact you mentioned your own experience encouraged me to consider some flexibility in terms of being able to re-size my still later. I'll see whether I can afford what I imagined last night.(to be followed...)
Cheers,

B

[TheMechwarrior]

In time as your knowledge grows so does your confidence and willingness to try new things and be more efficient with your time.
My original 50L boiler for my still is now going to be used as a boiler for doing mashing.

Start small, be modular and plan ahead, particular with your boiler as this is something you will have for a long time as you grow within the hobby.

Cheers,

Mech.

[garouda]

Welcome garouda ....pleased you are seeing a dream fulfilled but a couple of things I am confused about

First a Rhum Agricole, a rum like in the French Antilles, made of vesou which is sugar cane juice (fermented). Only fractional destillation is allowed, no rectification (reflux) and I want to follow their process.

Do you have any links to this as it sounds interesting.....I always thought Rectification was The same as Fractionating.

Also ,AKAIK most Rum is made in continual stills ....something I am very keen on but info is scares...anything new would be great ...thanks

Hi Yummyrum,

My apologies for some wrong information. When I posted my thread I trusted my memory about some information I gathered quite a long time ago. There's a misunderstanding. The restrictions are about the number of plates and the number of runs.
Part of the problem is due to the language, I thought rectification were the French for reflux... In fact rectification means second distillation.
I got confused, Reflux is allowed... My mistake. :oops:
The link I found is unfortunately in French http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhum_agricole, here's another one in English this time:
http://www.rhum-agricole.net/site/en/aoc_described
Cheers,

B

[Yummyrum]

No worries garouda :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Its all good learning ...and thanks fort the links

This worries me .....I know you have said that you will remove the valve when in pot still mode....but will you ? Shit has a bad habit of happening ....and I'm seeing a easy to use triclamp. on one side...but not the other :naughty: .

May I suggest if you are going to go down this route to put a tri-clamp on both sides of the valve ......then you will have no reason not to be lazy and risk blowing yourself up