Canberra Blockhead Eliminator

[Yurugaboy]

At last,
I received my FSD Blockhead Eliminator on Friday. I joined this up with my 50 litre FSD milkcan boiler with 2 x 2.4kw elements and started a stripping / FIRSTrun on Saturday night.
I wanted to try Macs easy method of running a Bubbler plate and it seemed to work well.No temp gauges just sight glasses and condensor control.

I worked out how to go from drips to light stream after taking off FORES.

I was using a Turbo mix that had been sitting for over 3 months and it was fairly clear but not oxygentated.

the WAsh #1 was 240gms of Pure Distilling Yeast ,8kg of dextrose pitched at 29 deg C with 22 litres of tap water. No carbon, gelatine or pre treatment of yeast -just mixing. OSG was 1.098 FSG was 0.99 . Stopped bubbling day 5. Kept all my washes around 18_20 deg C during /Ferment after it gets itself to 24 deg C with vigourous action..

Decanted into Boiler, rigged up water , got water going in RC and PC. Turned on power to both elements. Panicked a bit with boiling noise and was unsure of what Macs detail of "turn off 2nd element when up to heat". So turned off 2nd element way to early. No condensation on botton plate sight glass.Eventually steam and then within 5 minutes all bubblers bubbling. Left it 10 mins then slowly turned down water in RC to get a drip. Collected 150mm of FORES from my 23 litre run. This took a long time but didnt want to rush it. Started at 6.18pm still collecting Fores 1.5_2 hours later. Then onto main run doing cuts aprox 300mls each.

Alco started at 91% but then slowly dropped to 87% and stayed there for majority of run. I noticed bottom SG was clear or with a smeared front glass but it started fogging again as also started dropping. Didnt do it on Second run though.

in full reflux - Bubblers started upwithin 5 mins of each other top bubbler stays condensed on glass. All other 3 below are clear and bubbling.

Found that there is a lag of aprox 5 mins between adjust Ref. condensor and output amount.I should have got a faster drip going for fores in hindsight.

Stream started fluctuating and I let it run to 70% ( boo , boo) and then put it in full reflux and turned off power. Bubbling stops straight away that power is removed. That took 4 hours aprox.

Cracked cap plate on blockhead to prevent vacuum and let it cool overnight.

Apart from Fores I got a total of 3.2 litres of product at average 88% ABV. i didnt put last 300mm of tails in. I want to make a Spirit run for a gin so am unsure if to add this tails that only got to 70 % ABV. flushed out boiler next day and started another Run that was wash #3.

I am unsure if to combine the Turbo strip run with the TPW run to get enough for my first Spirit Run. I am very bonded to my first ever WASH and think it may go into the Spirit run. Smell says todays TPW with normal yeast is more refined than the Turbo.

Could not have done it without all the wonderful advice and support from the Forum team. So Yes Wobbly, it works.

:clap: :clap:

[copperhead road]

Ya gotta be happy with that, The team and FSD set you up for flying success :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Dig Brinker]

First alcohol run through any new still should be a sacrificial run. As in do not drink, do not add to other strip. Discard or label as sac run and only use for that purpose.

[Wobblyboot]

About time, u had that boiler for ages :clap:

First alcohol run through any new still should be a sacrificial run. As in do not drink, do not add to other strip. Discard or label as sac run and only use for that purpose.

:text-+1: on that

I wouldn't add tails in for the gin. Ur eliminator is more for flavored drinks like whiskey or rum. Try some of the recipes like macwhiskey, bwko or macrum. All easy to do and make good quality drinks :handgestures-thumbupleft: keep the sugar down at 4kg for a 25l ferment cause they will finish quicker and get ur drinking stocks up faster that way :happy-partydance:

[copperhead road]

Sorry I read your post wrong, thought that's was after doing vinager steam and sac run :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Yurugaboy]

Sorry I read your post wrong, thought that's was after doing vinager steam and sac run :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I did a Sac run only. Mac said don't need Vinegar steam on a new stainless steel FSD unit. 2nd run was better . TPW wash. More refined w as the comment.

I also found my pencil lead stream was 25mm per minute,so 1.5l per hour not the 2.5 l/hr that people suggest. So I,lol try to get it out a bit faster and leave it longer to stack prior to strippping.